The share of business (usually expressed as a percentage) that a company, brand or product has in its industry or market segment. It is used to measure its relative success versus competitors, as well as to gauge potential for expansion. Investors will also use market share figures to decide whether a business is likely to be a profitable investment. Market share is calculated by taking total sales over a specified period and dividing it by the total sales in that industry/sector over the same timeframe.

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