Trading Vehicles

Private Companies

The Limited Company has been the principal means of conducting business for the last two hundred years. Its enduring success is the result of its ability to ring-fence liability and thereby protect the assets of owners and managers by limiting their liability for the company's activities. This characteristic is referred to as “limited liability” and can also be used to, for example, separate assets between a high business risk activity and a lower risk area. This is the main distinction between an incorporated entity such as a company and a sole trader.

Public Company

A public company is conceptually identical to a private limited company but will generally have a higher minimum capitalisation requirement, no limitation on the number of members, the ability to be listed (or floated) on a stock market, increased reporting requirements, greater anonymity of ownership and may be desirable from a reputational point of view where the client feels that a Plc is more substantial than a private limited company (Ltd or Limited).

Company Limited by Guarantee (Hybrid Companies)

Companies limited by Guarantee, like normal companies, have their own legal identity but they have members who instead of holding an asset (such as shares) hold an obligation to provide funds to the company in the future if requested.

Partnerships & LLCs

This article covers General Partnership, LLPs, LPs & LLCs. A partnership is a business structure whereby two or more members (persons or companies or a mixture of both) own and run a business with the aim of creating profit.