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Simple English definitions for legal terms
public market
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A quick definition of public market:
Public market is a place where people can buy and sell pieces of a company that is owned by the public. Before a company can sell pieces of itself in the public market, it has to do something called an initial public offering (IPO). This means that the company has to follow certain rules and tell people about its finances on a regular basis. Sometimes, companies choose to sell pieces of themselves in a different way, called a private placement, instead of using the public market.
A more thorough explanation:
Public market refers to a place where securities of a public company are traded. Before a company can offer its securities in the public market, it must first conduct an initial public offering (IPO). This means that the company is selling its shares to the public for the first time. Once a company is listed on a public market, it must comply with the Exchange Act's periodic reporting requirements on an ongoing basis.
For example, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is a public market where companies can list their securities for trading. Companies can choose to sell their securities through private placements instead of issuing them in the public market.
Illustration: Imagine a company called XYZ wants to raise money by selling its shares to the public. It conducts an IPO and lists its shares on a public market like the NYSE. Now, anyone can buy and sell shares of XYZ on the NYSE. XYZ must also comply with the Exchange Act's reporting requirements, which means it must regularly provide information about its financial performance to the public.