Public companies are traded within the open market with shares being purchased by a variety of investors. Examples of public companies include Google Inc., F5 Networks Inc., Chevron Corporation and Procter & Gamble Co.
Public companies must meet mandatory reporting standards as regulated through government entities. Stringent reporting requirements are set by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), including the public disclosure of financial statements and annual 10-K reports discussing the state of the company.
Because private companies are not required by law to release any information to the public, there is often a limited amount of information available about them. Articles in trade journals, reports from financial affiliates (think banks) and business newspapers are often the best sources of information on private companies.
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