Item 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES

Market Information

The principal market on which our common stock is traded is the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the symbol “BSX.”

Holders of Record

As of January 29, 2021, there were 6,943 holders of record of our common stock.

Dividends

We did not pay a cash dividend in 2020, 2019 or 2018 on our common stock and currently we do not intend to pay cash dividends on our common stock. We may consider declaring and paying a cash dividend in the future; however, there can be no assurance that we will do so.

Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans

Please see Item 12. "Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters" under Part III of this Annual Report for information on where to find information required by Item 201(d) of Regulation S-K.

Purchases of Equity Securities by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchases

In the fourth quarter of 2020, we repurchased approximately 15.7 million shares of our common stock pursuant to our share repurchase authorization for a total of approximately $535 million in cash. We made no share repurchases in 2019 or 2018. Refer to Note L – Stockholders' Equity to our consolidated financial statements contained in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of this Annual Report for additional information.

The following table provides information with respect to purchases by Boston Scientific Corporation of equity securities that are registered by us pursuant to Section 12 of the Exchange Act, during the fourth quarter of 2020:

(1) Excludes any fees, commissions or other expenses related to such repurchases.

(2) On December 14, 2020, our Board of Directors approved, and we announced, a new stock repurchase program authorizing the repurchase of up to $1.000 billion of our common stock (2020 share repurchase program). As of December 31, 2020, we had $1.000 billion remaining available under the 2020 share repurchase program. On January 25, 2013, our Board of Directors approved, and on January 29, 2013, we announced, a program authorizing the repurchase of up to $1.000 billion of our common stock (2013 share repurchase program). During the fourth quarter of 2020, we repurchased approximately $535 million of our common stock under the 2013 share repurchase program, which represented the full amount remaining under that authorization.

Stock Performance Graph

The graph below compares the five-year total return to stockholders on our common stock with the return of the Standard & Poor’s (S&P) 500 Stock Index and the S&P Healthcare Equipment Index. The graph assumes $100 was invested in our common stock and in each of the named indices on December 31, 2015 and that any dividends were reinvested.

Note: The stock price performance shown on the graph above is not indicative of future price performance. This graph shall not be deemed "filed" for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section nor shall it be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, regardless of any general incorporation language in such filing.