When a company sells assets, it means that the company is relinquishing control of specific pieces of property or items of value. For example, a company might sell its factory and its staff to another company in exchange for cash. Alternatively, a company might sell its intellectual property (such as patents and trademarks) to another party in order to secure funding. The important thing to remember is that a sale of assets doesn't always mean that the company is shutting down entirely - in some cases, it might simply be transferring ownership of certain resources to someone else.