private companies
Unlisted commercial enterprises
Private companies are businesses not traded on public stock exchanges.
Ownership stays with founders, families, investors, or employees rather than being available to the general public through share purchases.
Most businesses are private, from corner shops to giants like Cargill and Koch Industries.
A company may go private by buying back all publicly traded shares, removing itself from stock market oversight and disclosure requirements.
- family businessEnterprise owned by relatives
- incorporationForming a legal entity
- small businessModest independent commercial venture
- LLCHybrid business entity abbreviation
- limited liabilityCapped financial responsibility for owners
job creation · partnership · sole proprietorship · silent partner · proprietary · corporate governance · dividends · going public · fiduciary duty · unlisted · behind closed doors · trade secrets · bankruptcy · startup · family-owned businesses · mom and pop · shareholder agreement · cooperative
- corporationsApple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Toyota
- corporate lawincorporation, shareholders, corporate governance, limited liability, shares
- entitiesentity, being, object, thing, item
- accountingbookkeeping, ledger, balance sheet, general ledger, accounts payable
- shareholder rightsshareholder rights, voting power, proxy voting, amendment rights, first refusal
private companiesgovernment agencies
State-run administrative bodies
public sector organizations · public institutions · federal agencies · state agencies · public utilities