Legal Definitions - public company

Public Company

A public company, also known as a public corporation, is a type of business organization that has sold shares of its ownership to the public through a stock exchange. This means that anyone can buy a piece of the company and become a shareholder. Public companies are required to follow strict financial reporting and disclosure rules set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

• Apple Inc.
• Microsoft Corporation
• Amazon.com, Inc.

These companies are all examples of public companies because they have sold shares of their ownership to the public through a stock exchange. This means that anyone can buy a piece of the company and become a shareholder. As public companies, they are required to follow strict financial reporting and disclosure rules set by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).