Authorized shares mean nothing to me. You can have a company dilute and then file the paperwork to increase authorized shares after the fact before anyone even realizes that dilution has occured. What matters is outstanding shares and how they use them. If they are planning a buyout or merger then who cares what the a/s are?
My disclaimer: ALWAYS do your own due diligence and consult a financial professional before making any investment decisions. Anything that I post is my own opinion and should NOT be used as a buy or sell recommendation.