Based on your financial expertise, provide your response or viewpoint on the given financial question or topic. The response format is open.

How can I find out what percentage the publicly traded shares (float) are of the total company?
The best place to start looking is the companies "Balance Sheet" (B/S).  This would show you the total shares "outstanding." The quarterly B/S's arent audited but a good starting point.  To use in any quant method, You also need to look a growth the outstanding shares number. Company can issue shares to any employee without making a filing.  Also, YOU will NEVER know exactly the total number because of stock options that are issued to employees that are out of the money arent account for. Some companies account for these, some dont.  You should also explore the concepts of "fully dilute" shares and "basis" shares. These concepts will throw-off your calc if the company has convertible bonds.