Pharmaceuticals

Common Stock

A class of stock whose holders share in company profits (through dividends) on a pro-rata basis. 

Common stock shareholders may vote for directors and on important matters - such as mergers - and may have limited access to information not publicly available.

Common stock is the lowest priority for ownership structure in the case of liquidation, only receiving the rights to a company’s assets after the bondholders, preferred shareholders, and other debt holders have been paid in full.