noun
float
The shares of a company available for public trading.
The company's small float limits how many shares investors can trade.
Etymology
The financial noun uses the image of something freely moving rather than held fixed. A company’s float consists of shares available to circulate in public trading.
More examples
- Shares held by the founders are excluded from the float.
- The company increases its float by selling more shares to the public.
- Stocks with small floats can be harder to trade.
Forms
float · floats