It is common for businesses to offer shares to senior employees. Gifting shares to employees can be a reward for senior employees who are integral to the success of the business. Clearly businesses who incentivise staff in this manner are more...
If you are thinking of selling or buying a business an option available would be to conduct this through an asset sale.
When commencing an asset sale the buyer acquires the agreed areas of a business which is sometimes referred to as the target business. For example, a larger corporation could opt to only buy the operations of a business, without the purchase of the company as a whole or the individual shares. The sale can include the target’s contracts and good will or a defined portion of each.
It is a relatively flexible approach for buyers, allowing them to select particular assets instead of acquiring the business as a whole via the share sale route. For the buyer, this type of sale is sometimes seen as less risky, making the contract and transaction simpler.