Privately Held Company

Definition

• A company with a small number of shareholders that is not publically traded on a stock exchange. Privately held companies can exist as sole proprietorships, partnerships, or corporations. Also known as a "privately owned business," "close corporation," "unquoted company," or an "unlisted company."

Synonyms
close corporation, privately owned business, unlisted company, unquoted company

Alternate Spellings
sole proprietorship

Related Terms and Acronyms

• Business (busn) — Abbreviation,
  • Economic activities of a given type.
  • Commercial, industrial or professional activities undertaken by an entity.
  • A company, either for-profit or non-profit.
• Common Stock (CS) — Acronym,
  • A security that allocates partial ownership in a corporation, but at a lower standing than preferred stocks.
• Corporation — Definition,
  • A legal entity that is legally separate from its owners and employees.
• Incorporated Business — Definition,
  • A company that exists as a corporation.
• Initial Public Offering (IPO) — Acronym,
  • When shares of a corporation become available to the public for the first time.
• Preferred Stock — Definition,
  • A type of security that signifies part ownership in a corporation and is given preferential treatment over common stocks.
• Publicly Traded Company — Definition,
  • A company that is sold on a stock exchange.
• Revenue — Definition,
  • Money earned by a company from its business activities.
• Sole Proprietorship — Definition,
  • A business owned by an individual where no legal distinction is made between the business and the owner.
• Stock — Definition,
  • A share of the ownership of a company.