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Stocks are pieces of a company.
When you buy stocks or shares of a company, you're basically purchasing an ownership interest in that company. A company's stockholders or shareholders all have equity in the company, or own a fractional portion of the whole company. They buy the stocks because they expect to profit when the company profits. Common shareholders are the owners of a company and initially provide the equity capital to start the business. Common share ownership in a public company offers many benefits to investors.