A public limited company is a company owned by shareholders where the shares are traded on the stock exchange. They have gone through a process of incorporation which legally separates the identity of the owners and the business. Public limited companies are managed by a board of directors voted in by their shareholders. The board of directors are trusted to make strategic decisions for the company.

An initial public offering (IPO) is when a private limited company offers its shares for sale publicly for the very first time.

Examples of public limited companies include Apple, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, BP, Toyota, Amazon and Samsung.

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