Why are the main differences between publicly traded corporations and close corporations?

Differences between a private and a public company

What is a Private vs Public Company?

The main difference between a private vs public company is that the shares of a public company are traded on a stock exchange, while a private company’s shares are not. There are several more important differences to understand, which this article will outline below.

Why are the main differences between publicly traded corporations and close corporations?

Differences Between a Private vs Public Company

The main categories of difference are trading of shares, ownership (types of investors), reporting requirements, access to capital, and valuation considerations.

Access to Capital and Liquidity

Being able to access public markets to raise new money, as well as the benefit of liquidity (being able to easily sell shares), is the biggest benefit for public companies. When a business undergoes an Initial Public Offering (IPO) with the aid of investment banking professionals, it becomes much easier for it to raise additional funds. The funds can be used for growth, mergers and acquisitions, or other corporate purposes.

Once the company is listed, investors can easily move in and out of the stock by buying and selling shares that trade on a stock exchange.

Reporting Requirements

Public disclosure requirements are another main difference between the two types of businesses and a major drawback of being public.

As a publicly listed company in the U.S. (i.e., stock trades on a U.S.-based exchange), you are required to file quarterly financial reports (10-Q) and annual reports (10-k) and several other disclosure documents.

Learn more about disclosure requirements for public companies here.

Valuation of a Private vs Public Company

Publicly traded businesses are much easier for market analysts and investors to value than their private counterparts. The main reason is due to the amount of information that’s readily available, thanks to the reporting requirements (discussed above), as well as equity research reports and coverage by equity research analysts.

Both types of companies can be valued using the same three methods: comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, and discounted cash flow (DCF) analysis.

Financial modeling via DCF analysis is the preferred method of valuing both types of businesses. However, for a private company, it will be almost impossible without access to internal company information.

Additional Resources

Thank you for reading CFI’s guide to the key differences between Private vs Public Company. In addition to providing formal financial analyst training, CFI offers a wide range of free resources, including the following:

  • Privately held Company
  • Private Company Valuation
  • Analysis of Financial Statements
  • Financial Modeling Guide
  • See all accounting resources

There is a difference between public and private corporations. A private corporation stock isn't offered to the public while a public corporation is.3 min read

1. What Is a Private Corporation?
2. What Is a Public Corporation?
3. Difference Between Public and Private Corporation
4. Common Stock
5. Raising Funds

There is a difference between public and private corporations. A private corporation is defined as a smaller corporation where there is a limited number of shareholders that stock gets issued to, and the stock isn't offered to the public. On the other hand, a public corporation has been authorized to sell their stock to the public.

What Is a Private Corporation?

In a private corporation, the stocks are only held internally and won't be publicly traded. The founders, group of investors, or management are usually the owners. The shareholders are often very involved in the business and act as the directors and officers of the company.

Sometimes there are bigger corporations that have a larger number of shareholders who wish to stay private for multiple reasons. These reasons can include having more privacy and avoiding the expensive cost of going public and managing the requirements for a public company.

It's falsely thought that companies that are privately held are of little interest and small. However, many big companies are privately held, such as Dell, Koch Industries, Mars, Bloomberg, and Cargill.

What Is a Public Corporation?

In a public corporation, the shares are traded through a stock exchange on the open market. The companies that have a large amount of revenue and a bigger number of shareholders are often able to afford what it costs to go public and be in compliance with the multiple regulations that are imposed on companies that are public by securities laws and other types of governmental regulations.

Difference Between Public and Private Corporation

Both public and private companies must have:

  • An annual meeting
  • A board of directors
  • A record of meetings
  • A shareholder list in addition to their holdings

However, there are some major differences in how a private company and a public company operate.

Common Stock

A public company is one that has sold a portion or all of itself to the public through an initial public offering (IPO). This means the shareholders have a claim to a portion of the company's profits and assets. Before shares are sold through an IPO, the corporation should register them with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). They need to also prepare a prospectus that has all important information disclosed about the company and all the shares they're offering.

Once this is issued, the public corporation stock can be traded on the stock exchange, assuming the company meets all mandatory listing requirements for the exchange. A private corporation's stock is not allowed to be freely traded to the public. A private corporation needs to rely on any exemptions to the requirements for SEC registration to place shares with wealthy individuals and institutional investors privately. All private offerings are controlled by the SEC's Regulation D.

Raising Funds

Public companies have an advantage of getting into the financial market by sell bonds (debt) or stock (equity) to increase capital, such as cash, for projects and expansion. Once the company gets listed, investors can move in and out of stock by selling and shares trades on the stock exchange. If more funding is required for a public corporation, it can give out extra common shares via a secondary offering. The public corporation can decide to register and issue a variety of stock if they want as well.

A large number of people share equity investment when it's a public company, as it consists of many shareholders instead of only a few. The corporation's debts need to be paid, but it's not necessary to pay shareholders if bankruptcy occurs. A primary advantage companies that are private is not having to answer to any stockholders and not needing to file a disclosure statement with the SEC. A private company cannot go into public capital markets, which means they need to turn to private funding instead.

Private companies often try to decrease the tax bite, while companies that are public look to increase their shareholders' profits. Private companies are dependent on private investments and profits for expansion and operations. Equity financiers and venture capitalists put cash into private corporations when they purchase private shares.

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What are the main differences between publicly traded corporations and close corporations?

The closely held corporation is often a private corporation, with restrictions on who can hold shares. A publicly held corporation typically has many shareholders; as a public company, they cannot restrict who can obtain shares, which are listed on public stock exchanges.

What is the difference between a close corporation and a corporation?

The difference lies primarily in the way that ownership, by way of shares, is distributed. In a close corporation, shares of the corporation are generally held by only a small number of people and are not available for sale or purchase in the public markets.

What is the difference between a closely held corporation and a publicly held corporation quizlet?

A closely held corporation issues stock to only a few people, often family members, and these stockholders rarely trade their stock. A publicly held corporation, on the other hand, has many stockholders, and people can buy and sell stocks of the corporation in stock exchanges in the open market.

What is the difference between public company and corporation?

A private corporation is defined as a smaller corporation where there is a limited number of shareholders that stock gets issued to, and the stock isn't offered to the public. On the other hand, a public corporation has been authorized to sell their stock to the public.