Scutum,
It makes sense to me that "NEW SHARES" are in the market (more than the 27.8B)
HOW? IS THE QUESTION.
tracking Almost 5 years of trading, we get the following breakdown: see P#109116
ALMOST 5 YEARS TRACKING==21,345,361,843 (AUG 6/09 - May 31/14)
?@ UNDER .0001 for========2,097,287,767===UNDER $209,729.00
?@ .0001 for=============16,870,557,911=========$1,687,056.00
?@ .0002 for==============1,465,494,717==========$293,099.00
3@ .0003 for=================2,900,000
2@ .0004 for=================1,200,000
2@ .0006 for==================258,000
4 months not tracked========907,663,350
We can GUESS that the 2.097B were "sold back into the market" (not still held by the purchaser)
On Dec 31,2008 the O/S was 19,650,331,340 HELD BY APPROX. 6,000 SHAREHOLDERS
AVG=3,275,000
On Mar 31,2014 the O/S was 27,785,264,936 HELD BY APPROX 7,000 SHAREHOLDERS (40 BROKERS)
AVG 3,969,000
AT .0001, TO MAINTAIN "THE AVERAGE", OLD SHAREHOLDERS BOUGHT $70.00 WORTH, AND THE "NEW SHAREHOLDERS" BOUGHT LESS THAT $400.00 WORTH.
that only accounts for less than 50% of the SELL SIDE of the 21B traded.