The amount available to us to pay cash dividends is restricted by our subsidiaries’ debt agreements.
The indentures governing the senior subordinated notes and the senior discount notes also limit, but do not prohibit, the ability of BCP Crystal, Crystal LLC and their respective subsidiaries to pay dividends.
Any decision to declare and pay dividends in the future will be made at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on, among other things, our results of operations, cash requirements, financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant.
Under the Domination Agreement, any minority shareholder of Celanese AG who elects not to sell its shares to the Purchaser will be entitled to remain a shareholder of Celanese AG and to receive a gross guaranteed fixed annual payment on their shares of u3.27 per Celanese Share less certain corporate taxes to be paid by CAG in lieu of any future dividend.
See ‘‘The Transactions— Post-Tender Offer Events—Domination and Profit and Loss Transfer Agreement.
’’ Under Delaware law, our board of directors may declare dividends only to the extent of our ‘‘surplus’’ (which is defined as total assets at fair market value minus total liabilities, minus statutory capital), or if there is no surplus, out of our net profits for the then current and/or immediately preceding fiscal years.
The value of a corporation’s assets can be measured in a number of ways and may not necessarily equal their book value.
The value of our capital may be adjusted from time to time by our board of directors but in no event will be less than the aggregate par value of our issued stock.
Our board of directors may base this determination on our financial statements, a fair valuation of our assets or another reasonable method.
Our board of directors will seek to assure itself that the statutory requirements will be met before actually declaring dividends.
In future periods, our board of directors may seek opinions from outside valuation firms to the effect that our solvency or assets are sufficient to allow payment of dividends, and such opinions may not be forthcoming.
If we sought and were not able to obtain such an opinion, we likely would not be able to pay dividends.
In addition, pursuant to the terms of our preferred stock, we are prohibited from paying a dividend on our Series A common stock unless all payments due and payable under the preferred stock have been made.
Celanese Purchases of its Equity Securities
## Table 0 ##
(1) 10,000 shares of Series A common stock were purchased on the open market in December 2005 at $18.705 per share, approved by the Board of Directors pursuant to the provisions of the 2004 Stock Incentive Plan, approved by shareholders in December 2004, to be granted to two employees in recognition of their contributions to the Company.
No other purchases are currently planned.
Equity Compensation Plans The information required to be included in this Item 5 with respect to our equity compensation plans is incorporated by reference from the section captioned ‘‘Securities Authorized for Issuance under Equity Compensation Plans’’ in the Company’s definitive proxy statement for the 2006 annual meeting of stockholders.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities None
Item 5.
Market for the Registrant’s Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities Market Information Our Series A common stock has traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “CE” since January 21, 2005.
The closing sale price of our Series A common stock, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange, on February 20, 2008 was $40.78.
The following table sets forth the high and low intraday sales prices per share of our common stock, as reported by the New York Stock Exchange, for the periods indicated.
## Table 1 ##
Holders No shares of Celanese’s Series B common stock are issued and outstanding.
As of February 20, 2008, there were 76 holders of record of our Series A common stock, and one holder of record of our perpetual preferred stock.
By including persons holding shares in broker accounts under street names, however, we estimate our shareholder base to be approximately 46,500 as of February 20, 2008.  Dividend Policy In July 2005, our Board of Directors adopted a policy of declaring, subject to legally available funds, a quarterly cash dividend on each share of our Series A common stock at an annual rate of $0.16 per share unless our Board of Directors, in its sole discretion, determines otherwise.
Pursuant to this policy, we paid quarterly dividends of $0.04 per share on February 1, 2007, May 1, 2007, August 1, 2007, November 1, 2007 and February 1, 2008 and similar quarterly dividends during each quarter of 2006.
The annual cash dividend declared and paid during the years ended December 31, 2007 and 2006 were approximately $25 million and $26 million, respectively.
Based on the number of outstanding shares of our Series A common stock, the anticipated annual cash dividend in 2008 is approximately $24 million.
However, there is no assurance that sufficient cash will be available in the future to pay such dividend.
Further, such dividends payable to holders of our Series A common stock cannot be declared or paid nor can any funds be set aside for the payment thereof, unless we have paid or set aside funds for the payment of all accumulated and unpaid dividends with respect to the shares of our preferred stock, as described below.
Our Board of Directors may, at any time, modify or revoke our dividend policy on our Series A common stock.
We are required under the terms of the preferred stock to pay scheduled quarterly dividends, subject to legally available funds.
For so long as the preferred stock remains outstanding, (1) we will not declare, pay or set apart funds for the payment of any dividend or other distribution with respect to any junior stock or parity stock and (2) neither we, nor any of our subsidiaries, will, subject to certain exceptions, redeem, purchase or otherwise acquire for consideration junior stock or parity stock through a sinking fund or otherwise, in each case unless we have paid or set apart funds for the payment of all accumulated and unpaid dividends with respect to the shares of preferred stock and any parity stock for all preceding dividend periods.
Pursuant to this policy, we paid quarterly dividends of
CELANESE CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
## Table 2 ##
See the accompanying notes to the consolidated financial statements.

Tables referenced above, in order (Table 0 first):
<table><tr><td>Period</td><td>TotalNumber ofShares(or Units)Purchased(1)</td><td>AveragePrice Paidper Share(orUnit)</td><td>Total Number ofShares (or Units)Purchased asPart ofPublicly AnnouncedPlans or Programs</td><td>MaximumNumber(or Approximate Dollar Value)of Shares (or Units) thatMayYet be Purchased Under thePlans orPrograms</td></tr><tr><td>October 1 – October 31,2005</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>November1 – November 30,2005</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>December1 – December 31, 2005</td><td>10,000</td><td>$18.705</td><td>10,000</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Total</td><td>10,000</td><td>$18.705</td><td>10,000</td><td>—</td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td></td><td colspan="2"> Price Range</td></tr><tr><td></td><td> High</td><td> Low</td></tr><tr><td> 2007</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended March 31, 2007</td><td>$32.00</td><td>$24.50</td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended June 30, 2007</td><td>$39.43</td><td>$30.59</td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended September 30, 2007</td><td>$42.49</td><td>$30.70</td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended December 31, 2007</td><td>$44.77</td><td>$35.16</td></tr><tr><td> 2006</td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended March 31, 2006</td><td>$22.00</td><td>$18.82</td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended June 30, 2006</td><td>$22.75</td><td>$18.50</td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended September 30, 2006</td><td>$20.70</td><td>$16.80</td></tr><tr><td>Quarter ended December 31, 2006</td><td>$26.33</td><td>$17.45</td></tr></table>
<table><tr><td></td><td colspan="2">2007</td><td colspan="2">2006</td><td colspan="2">2005</td></tr><tr><td></td><td>Shares Outstanding</td><td>Amount</td><td> Shares   Outstanding</td><td>Amount</td><td>Shares Outstanding</td><td>Amount</td></tr><tr><td></td><td colspan="6">(In $ millions, except share data)</td></tr><tr><td> Common Stock</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the beginning of the year</td><td>158,668,666</td><td>—</td><td>158,562,161</td><td>—</td><td>99,377,884</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Conversion of Series B common stock to Series A common stock</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>-99,377,884</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Issuance of Series A common stock</td><td>7,400</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>151,062,161</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Issuance of Series A common stock related to stock option exercises, including related tax benefits</td><td>4,265,221</td><td>—</td><td>106,505</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees</td><td>-10,838,486</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Common stock dividends</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>7,500,000</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the end of the year</td><td>152,102,801</td><td>—</td><td>158,668,666</td><td>—</td><td>158,562,161</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td> Preferred Stock</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the beginning of the year</td><td>9,600,000</td><td>—</td><td>9,600,000</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Issuance of preferred stock</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>9,600,000</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the end of the year</td><td>9,600,000</td><td>—</td><td>9,600,000</td><td>—</td><td>9,600,000</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td> Treasury Stock</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the beginning of the year</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Purchases of treasury stock, including related fees</td><td>10,838,486</td><td>-403</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the end of the year</td><td>10,838,486</td><td>-403</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td> Additional Paid-in Capital</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the beginning of the year</td><td></td><td>362</td><td></td><td>337</td><td></td><td>158</td></tr><tr><td>Indemnification of demerger liability</td><td></td><td>4</td><td></td><td>3</td><td></td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Series A common stock dividends</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>-13</td></tr><tr><td>Preferred stock dividends</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>-8</td></tr><tr><td>Net proceeds from issuance of common stock</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>752</td></tr><tr><td>Net proceeds from issuance of preferred stock</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>233</td></tr><tr><td>Net proceeds from issuance of discounted common stock</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>12</td></tr><tr><td>Stock-based compensation</td><td></td><td>15</td><td></td><td>20</td><td></td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Special cash dividend to Original Shareholders</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>-804</td></tr><tr><td>Issuance of Series A common stock related to stock option exercises, including related tax benefits</td><td></td><td>88</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the end of the year</td><td></td><td>469</td><td></td><td>362</td><td></td><td>337</td></tr><tr><td> Retained Earnings</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the beginning of the year</td><td></td><td>394</td><td></td><td>24</td><td></td><td>-253</td></tr><tr><td>Net earnings</td><td></td><td>426</td><td></td><td>406</td><td></td><td>277</td></tr><tr><td>Series A common stock dividends</td><td></td><td>-25</td><td></td><td>-26</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Preferred stock dividends</td><td></td><td>-10</td><td></td><td>-10</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Adoption of FIN 48 (see Note 20)</td><td></td><td>14</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the end of the year</td><td></td><td>799</td><td></td><td>394</td><td></td><td>24</td></tr><tr><td> Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the beginning of the year</td><td></td><td>31</td><td></td><td>-126</td><td></td><td>-17</td></tr><tr><td>Unrealized gain on securities</td><td></td><td>17</td><td></td><td>13</td><td></td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Additional minimum pension liability</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>-117</td></tr><tr><td>Foreign currency translation</td><td></td><td>70</td><td></td><td>5</td><td></td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative contracts</td><td></td><td>-41</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Pension and postretirement benefits (revised)</td><td></td><td>120</td><td></td><td>269</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Adjustment to initially apply FASB Statement No. 158, net of tax (revised)</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>-132</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Balance as of the end of the year</td><td></td><td>197</td><td></td><td>31</td><td></td><td>-126</td></tr><tr><td> Total Shareholders’ Equity</td><td></td><td>1,062</td><td></td><td>787</td><td></td><td>235</td></tr><tr><td> Comprehensive Income:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Net earnings</td><td></td><td>426</td><td></td><td>406</td><td></td><td>277</td></tr><tr><td>Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax:</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Unrealized gain on securities</td><td></td><td>17</td><td></td><td>13</td><td></td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Additional minimum pension liability</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>—</td><td></td><td>-117</td></tr><tr><td>Foreign currency translation</td><td></td><td>70</td><td></td><td>5</td><td></td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Unrealized gain (loss) on derivative contracts</td><td></td><td>-41</td><td></td><td>2</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Pension and postretirement benefits (revised)</td><td></td><td>120</td><td></td><td>269</td><td></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>Total comprehensive income</td><td></td><td>592</td><td></td><td>695</td><td></td><td>168</td></tr></table>

Question: When is Balance as of the beginning of the year of Shares Outstandings the largest?
Answer: 2007