Question - Assume the following is the stockholders' equity section of the 2016 Merck & Co., Inc., balance sheet.
Stockholders' Equity ($ millions 2016 Common stock, one cent par value; Authorized-5,400,000,000 shares; Issued-2,976,223,337 shares-2016 $29.8 Other paid-in capital 6,900.0 Retained earnings 37,918.9 Accumulated other comprehensive income 52.3 44,901.0 Less treasury stock, at cost; 794,299,347 shares-2016 26,984.4 Total stockholders' equity $17,916.6
How many common shares are outstanding as of December 31, 2016?
A. 2,976,223,337
B. 3,770,552,684
C. 5,400,000,000
D. 2,181,923,990