EARNINGS PER SHARE Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing earnings available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the assumed conversion of all dilutive securities. The following table presents the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Three months ended June 30, | | Six months ended June 30, | (in millions, except per share data) | 2019 | | 2018 | | 2019 | | 2018 | | | | | | | | | Net earnings | $ | 853 |
| | $ | 696 |
| | $ | 1,960 |
| | $ | 1,336 |
| | | | | | | | | Weighted average common shares outstanding, basic | 683.6 |
| | 752.2 |
| | 694.8 |
| | 757.9 |
| Effect of dilutive securities | 2.9 |
| | 6.1 |
| | 2.9 |
| | 6.4 |
| Weighted average common shares outstanding, dilutive | 686.5 |
| | 758.3 |
| | 697.7 |
| | 764.3 |
| |
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| | | | | | | Earnings per basic common share | $ | 1.25 |
| | $ | 0.93 |
| | $ | 2.82 |
| | $ | 1.76 |
| Earnings per diluted common share | $ | 1.24 |
| | $ | 0.92 |
| | $ | 2.81 |
| | $ | 1.75 |
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We have issued certain stock based awards under the Synchrony Financial 2014 Long-Term Incentive Plan. A total of 3 million shares for both the three months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and 4 million and 2 million shares for the six months ended June 30, 2019 and 2018, respectively, related to these awards, were considered anti-dilutive and therefore were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share.
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