Market Basics
Public Company
A company whose shares trade on a public market and that must meet public reporting requirements.
Also called: listed company
What it means
A public company is a business whose shares are available for public investors to buy and sell on an exchange or public market. Public companies usually have more disclosure requirements than private companies, especially in the United States.
Why it matters
Many investing terms, filings, and financial reports only apply because a company is public.