Stockholders' Equity (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Equity [Abstract]

Common Stock Activity

Common stock activity is as follows:

	Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2014
Actual number of shares of common stock outstanding
Beginning of period		378,635,464
Shares of common stock issued through compensation plans		3,978,073
Shares of common stock issued through business combinations		68,737
Repurchases of common stock		(1,608,273	)
End of period		381,074,001

Summary of Dividends Declared on Nielsen's Common Stock

The below table summarizes the dividends declared on Nielsen’s common stock during 2013 and the nine months ended September 30, 2014.

Declaration Date	Record Date	Payment Date	Dividend Per Share
January 31, 2013	March 6, 2013	March 20, 2013	$	0.16
May 2, 2013	June 5, 2013	June 19, 2013	$	0.16
July 25, 2013	August 28, 2013	September 11, 2013	$	0.20
October 22, 2013	November 25, 2013	December 9, 2013	$	0.20
February 20, 2014	March 6, 2014	March 20, 2014	$	0.20
May 1, 2014	June 5, 2014	June 19, 2014	$	0.25
July 24, 2014	August 28, 2014	September 11, 2014	$	0.25

Summary of Open Market Share Repurchases Activity

The activity during the nine months ended September 30, 2014 consisted of open market share repurchases and is summarized in the following table:

					Total Number of
					Shares Purchased as		Dollar Value of Shares
	Total Number		Average		Part of Publicly		that may yet be
	of Shares		Price Paid		Announced Plans		Purchased under the
Period	Purchased		per Share		or Programs		Plans or Programs
As of December 31, 2013		289,839	$	39.49		289,839	$	488,554,427
2014 Activity
January 1- 31	—		n/a		—		$	488,554,427
February 1- 28		110,239	$	43.42		110,239	$	483,768,078
March 1- 31		241,091	$	46.85		241,091	$	472,472,783
April 1-30		269,972	$	44.47		269,972	$	460,467,412
May 1-31		211,848	$	47.20		211,848	$	450,467,820
June 1-30		207,243	$	47.44		207,243	$	440,635,906
July 1-31		188,612	$	48.54		188,612	$	431,480,660
August 1-31		181,509	$	47.15		181,509	$	422,921,757
September 1-30		197,759	$	45.66		197,759	$	413,891,828
Total		1,898,112	$	45.37		1,898,112