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

Principal Market

The Company’s common stock began trading in the over-the-counter market on November 8, 1990 and was subsequently quoted on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol “HANS”. On July 5, 2007, the Company’s common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the same symbol, “HANS”. On January 5, 2012, stockholders of the Company approved the Company’s name change from Hansen Natural Corporation to Monster Beverage Corporation. In addition, on January 9, 2012, the Company’s common stock began trading under the symbol “MNST”. As of February 4, 2016, there were 202,919,837 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding held by approximately 236 holders of record. The holders of record do not include those stockholders whose shares are held of record by banks, brokers and other financial institutions.

Stock Price and Dividend Information

The following table sets forth high and low per share sales price of our common stock for the periods indicated:

The per share sales prices of our common stock set forth above represent bid quotations between dealers, do not include retail markups, mark-downs or commissions and bid quotations may not necessarily represent actual transactions and “real time” sale prices. The source of the bid information is the NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc.

We have not paid cash dividends to our stockholders since our inception and do not anticipate paying cash dividends in the foreseeable future.

On June 12, 2015, as part of the TCCC Transaction, the Company cancelled 41.5 million shares of treasury stock owned by the Company. The cancelled stock had a carrying value of approximately $1,482.6 million. The Company’s accounting policy upon the formal retirement of treasury stock is to deduct its par value from common stock and to reflect any excess of cost over par as a deduction from retained earnings.

On April 7, 2013, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program for the repurchase of up to $200.0 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock (the “April 2013 Repurchase Plan”). During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company purchased 1.1 million shares of common stock at an average purchase price of $134.71 per share, for a total amount of $145.7 million (excluding broker commissions), which exhausted the availability under the April 2013 Repurchase Plan.

On September 11, 2015, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program for the repurchase of up to $500.0 million of the Company’s outstanding common stock (the “September 2015 Repurchase Plan”). During the year ended December 31, 2015, the Company purchased 1.9 million shares of common stock at an average purchase price of $134.26 per share, for a total amount of $250.0 million (excluding broker commissions), under the September 2015 Repurchase Plan.

During the year ended December 31, 2015, 3.3 million shares were purchased from employees in lieu of cash payments for options exercised or withholding taxes due for a total amount of $412.3 million. While such purchases are considered common stock repurchases, they are not counted as purchases against the Company’s authorized share repurchase programs, including the September 2015 Repurchase Plan or the April 2013 Repurchase Plan. Shares purchased subsequent to the TCCC Transaction are included in common stock in treasury in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2015.

The following tabular summary reflects the Company’s repurchase activity during the quarter ended December 31, 2015.

¹Excluding broker commissions paid.

²Net of broker commissions paid.

Equity Compensation Plan Information

The following table sets forth information as of December 31, 2015 with respect to shares of our common stock that may be issued under our equity compensation plans.

Performance Graph

The following graph shows a five-year comparison of cumulative total returns:1

1Annual return assumes reinvestment of dividends. Cumulative total return assumes an initial investment of $100 on December 31, 2010. The Company’s current self-selected peer group is comprised of TCCC, DPS Group, National Beverage Corporation, Jones Soda Company and Cott Corporation.