What the ownership types mean

When a corporate group has an owner or investor behind it, we label what kind of entity that is. These are general, neutral definitions of the terms — they describe a category, not any specific firm. What a particular firm actually does is shown on its own profile, in facts: its size, what it owns, and what it has acquired or sold.

Private equity firm

An investment firm that pools money from investors to buy companies, aiming to grow their value and sell them later at a profit. Holding periods and strategies vary from firm to firm.

Holding company

A parent company whose main business is owning other companies, rather than operating them directly day to day.

Family-owned company

A company privately held and controlled by a family rather than by outside shareholders or a fund.

Public company

A company whose shares are owned by public shareholders and traded on a stock exchange.

These definitions describe ownership structures in general terms. We don’t characterize any specific company’s conduct — for that, the facts on each owner’s profile speak for themselves.