Useful definitions related to a company, like Berkshire Hathaway, businesses and corporations - all useful business information. A company is a form of business organization in which ownership is established through the issue of shares. A corporation, termed as a limited company in the UK (Ltd.), are legal entities separate from the persons that form it. A company or corporation is recognized by the law to have rights and responsibilities like actual people. The names of companies are the names by which corporations are identified, such as Berkshire Hathaway. The word "company" may refer to a partnership or to a sole proprietorship so the names of many business corporations end with "Ltd.","Inc." or "Plc" reflecting the Limited Liability if companies or businesses fail, in which case neither the shareholders nor the employees are held liable for debts. Public companies are listed on the Stock Exchange and their shares are available for the public to invest in.