Common Stock

Securities representing equity ownership in a corporation, providing voting rights, and entitling the holder to a share of the company's success through dividends and/or capital appreciation. In the event of liquidation, common stockholders have rights to company assets but only after bondholders, other debt holders and preferred stockholders have been satisfied. Typically, common stockholders receive one vote per share to elect the company's board of directors. The US equivalent of the term 'ordinary share' used in the UK.