public company

American  

noun

British.

1. a company that has more than 50 shareholders and whose shares are offered for public subscription.

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public company British  

noun

1. a limited company whose shares may be purchased by the public and traded freely on the open market and whose share capital is not less than a statutory minimum; public limited company Compare private company

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public company Cultural  

1. A company that sells shares in itself to the public to raise capital. When a previously privately owned company offers shares, it is said to “go public.”

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Example Sentences

SpaceX stock has been on a tear to start its life as a public company.

From Barron's • Jun. 16, 2026

In the second trading day as a public company, SpaceX’s initial public offering still was being treated as an extraordinary event in Wall Street history:

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026

The rocket maker is now America’s sixth most valuable public company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Despite SpaceX becoming a public company, which will put its operations under more scrutiny, Musk will maintain almost total control of it.

From BBC • Jun. 11, 2026

A small syndicate would be formed to buy from you, and that syndicate would sell to a public company.

From Hugo A Fantasia on Modern Themes by Bennett, Arnold