holding company

American  

noun

Finance.

• holding companies
  plural

1. a company that controls other companies through stock ownership but that usually does not engage directly in their productive operations (distinguished from parent company).

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holding company British  

noun

1. a company with controlling shareholdings in one or more other companies

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holding company Cultural  

1. A company that controls other companies.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• holding companies
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of holding company

First recorded in 1905–10

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

holding company

Technology holding company Ithaca could announce a deal to buy the Texas-based firm as early as this week, according to the Wall Street Journal.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

A recent public disagreement between the board of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group and Tata Trusts, its principal shareholder, has put a spotlight on the conglomerate.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

On Thursday, the holding company of construction magnate Francesco Gaetano Caltagirone, which holds 13.5 percent, said it would oppose a rival plan that has been put forward by MPS management.

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

The Weston family’s holding company, Wittington Investments, agreed to buy U.K. pharmacy Boots from Sycamore Partners for $8.9 billion.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

The short-term wins for the United States and United Kingdom included regaining limited access to Iran's oil by having a stake in a holding company called Iranian Oil Participants, or IOP.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi

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