text: Common Stock
text: The following is a summary of changes during the years ended December 31, in shares of our common stock and common stock in treasury:
text: (1) Restricted stock shares issued for new awards under the Omnibus Incentive Plan and restricted stock shares, forfeited as shown above for the year ended December 31, 2019 includes 1,478 restricted stock shares issued and (5,024) restricted stock shares forfeited related to 2018 that were not yet reflected by our Recordkeeper as of December 31, 2018. The table above and our Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect the number of shares issued per our Recordkeeper.
text: (2) In connection with the acquisition of B+ Equipment in the third quarter of 2015, the Company issued 20,000 shares of restricted common stock on September 26, 2018 to certain former equity holders of B+ Equipment. These shares were issued in offshore transactions with no direct selling efforts in the United States and without registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in reliance upon the issuer safe harbor provided by Regulation S.
text: (3) Effective January 1, 2019, new share issuances for vested awards are netted by the number of shares required to cover the recipients' portion of income tax. The portion withheld for taxes are canceled. Prior to January 1, 2019, the shares required to cover the recipients' portion of income tax were issued and recorded to treasury stock. Shares netted for taxes in 2019 primarily relates to vesting activity for restricted stock shares issued in prior years.
text: (4) Other activity in 2018 primarily relates to prior period adjustment related to years not contained within the table.
text: (5) Repurchase of common stock for the year ended December 31, 2019 as shown above includes 71,530 shares of common stock that had been repurchased by the Company in 2018 but not yet reflected by the Recordkeeper as of December 31, 2018. The table above and our Consolidated Balance Sheets reflect the number of shares held in treasury per our Recordkeeper.

Table:
2019
2018
2017
Changes in common stock:
Number of shares, beginning of year
231,619,037
230,080,944
227,638,738
Restricted stock shares issued for new awards(1)
1,478
569,960
480,283
Restricted stock shares, forfeited(1)
(110,984)
(86,518 )
(184,235)
Shares issued for vested restricted stock units
164,347
151,280
607,231
Shares issued as part of acquisition(2)
—
20,000
—
Shares issued for 2014 Special Performance Stock Units (PSU) Awards
—
658,783
749,653
Shares issued for 2015 Three-Year PSU Awards
—
129,139
—
Shares issued for 2014 Three-Year PSU Awards
—
—
636,723
Shares issued for Stock Leverage Opportunity Awards (SLO)
6,321
109,841
136,783
Shares granted and issued under the Omnibus Incentive Plan and Directors Stock Plan to Directors
123,824
10,841
15,768
Canceled shares for tax netting(3)
(181,488)
—
—
Other activity(4)
—
(25,233 )
—
Number of shares issued, end of year(1)
231,622,535
231,619,037
230,080,944
Changes in common stock in treasury:
Number of shares held, beginning of year
75,964,667
61,485,423
34,156,355
Repurchase of common stock(5)
1,632,163
14,826,924
27,320,816
Profit sharing contribution paid in stock
(487,108)
(538,524 )
(502,519)
Shares withheld for taxes(3)
—
190,844
510,771
Number of shares held, end of year(5)
77,109,722
75,964,667
61,485,423
Number of common stock outstanding, end of year
154,512,813
155,654,370
168,595,521

Questions:
question: What is the Number of common stock outstanding, end of year for 2019?
answer: 154,512,813
question: What is the Number of shares held, end of year expressed as a percentage of Number of common stock outstanding, end of year?
answer: 49.91
derivation: 77,109,722/154,512,813
scale: percent
question: What is the percentage change of the Number of shares held, end of year from 2017 to 2018?
answer: 23.55
derivation: (75,964,667-61,485,423)/61,485,423
scale: percent