When someone talks about buying, selling, or owning stock in a company, they’re usually referring to common stock—one or more “shares” that represent fractional ownership of a business.

Treasury stock refers to shares of a company's own stock that it has repurchased from the open market or from shareholders.

Preferred stock is a hybrid security that has features of both common stock and corporate bonds. Preferred stock is a unique type of equity that grants shareholders priority over common ...