ordinary shares

British  

plural noun

1. US equivalent: common stock.  shares representing part of the capital issued by a company and entitling their holders to a dividend that varies according to the prosperity of the company, to vote at all meetings of members, and to a claim on the net assets of the company, after the holders of preference shares have been paid Compare preference shares See also A shares

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Example Sentences

The oil-and-gas producer said Monday that the deal includes a $2.7 billion cash payment, with the rest payable in ordinary shares.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

Trian already owns 20.4% of Janus Henderson’s outstanding ordinary shares and currently has two representatives on the company’s board.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 27, 2025

The food-and-beverage company—which owns brands like Flora and Napolina—said the initial public offering will be made up of new ordinary shares, with net proceeds being used to fund growth through acquisitions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025

Bearer shares at Roche , which make up 13.2% of the company's share capital, come with voting rights and are traded separately to the more common ordinary shares which carry only a financial interest.

From Reuters • Feb. 10, 2023

They have nothing to do with the movement of the ordinary shares.

From The Market-Place by Frederic, Harold

Related Words

• common shares