Public Company

A company that has held an initial public offering and whose shares are traded on a stock exchange or in the over-the-counter market. Public companies are subject to periodic filing and other obligations under the federal securities laws.

Public Limited Company

A primarily British term for a publicly-traded company. The term derives from the facts that the company issues shares that may be bought and sold by the general public and all shareholders have limited liability.

Publicly-Traded Company

A company issuing stocks, which are traded on the open market, either on a stock exchange or on the over-the-counter market. Individual and institutional shareholders constitute the owners of a publicly-traded company, in proportion to the amount of stock they own as a percentage of all outstanding stock. Thus, shareholders have final say in all decisions taken by a publicly-traded company and its managers, especially through its annual shareholders' meeting. Publicly-traded companies have greater access to financing than other companies, as they have the ability to issue more stock. However, they are subject to greater regulation: for example, they must file 10-K reports with the SEC on their earnings and they are more likely to be subject to corporate taxes. A publicly-traded company is also called a public company.

Public company.

The stock of a public company is owned and traded by individual and institutional investors.

In contrast, in a privately held company, the stock is held by company founders, management, employees, and sometimes venture capitalists.

Many privately held companies eventually go public to help raise capital to finance growth. Conversely, public companies can be taken private for a variety of reasons.

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References in periodicals archive

- Bank of China (Thai) Public Company Limited (BOCT)

Fitch Ratings upgrades National Long-Term Ratings of TMB Bank Public Company Limited and Thanachart

Government Housing Bank of Thailand; 6) Kasikornbank Public Company

Moody's affirms the ratings of all Thai banks;

Bangkok Ranch Public Company Ltd has a substantial market share in Thailand and a growing business exporting cooked duck to the UK and other European markets.

UK: Duck Processor Bought By Thai Group

The imposition of an administrative fine of EUR 8,000 on Ceilfloor Public Company Ltd and Kostas Michaelides Constructions Ltd each and the imposition of an administrative fine of EUR 10,000 on Avacom Public Company Ltd for failing to include the interim management statement and the declaration of the Board members in the six-month report for the period ended June 30, 2008.

CySEC imposes multiple fines for violation of Transparency Law

While the small public company audit market is much less concentrated, the four largest accounting firms continue to audit almost all large public companies.

Audits of Public Companies: Continued Concentration in Audit Market for Large Public Companies Does Not Call for Immediate Action

While the deal is ostensibly a takeover of the private company by the public company, it is "reverse" because the listed company would issue so many shares that the former shareholders of the private company end up controlling the public company.

What exactly is a reverse takeover?

The study was performed on a small public company client that voluntarily complied with SOX 404.

COSO for Smaller Public Companies: the answer to SOX compliance?

Upon my retirement nearly four years ago, I joined several boards of public and private companies, now serving on three public company boards, as well as those of a number of privately held and not-for-profit companies.

White-collar witch hunt or failure of nerve

Divergent rules started to emerge from the SEC, the state boards, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB).

Advancing the audit documentation standard: auditors must leave a clear record in private company audits

The law created the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, adding yet another level of oversight to a profession already monitored by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Fair Accounting Standards Board, and the Justice Department.

You can be too careful: how the government's new corporate accounting rules impede efficiency and stifle innovation