A stock represents a share of a company's ownership, with the possibility for profits and voting rights for shareholders.

There are two types of stock, namely common stock and preferred stock.

Common stock offers ownership and voting rights, whereas preferred stock usually offers fixed dividends but usually lacks voting rights.

For example, Salt Corporation publicly issues stocks to investors to raise funds.

It allows the company to sell a portion of its ownership to investors in exchange for capital without raising debt. However, it reduces the control of founders as they share the ownership with other shareholders.

The raised capital can be used to invest in long-term assets like purchasing machinery, building plants, and investing in research and development.

Additionally, some stocks pay dividends, which are portions of the company's profits distributed to shareholders.

The stock prices fluctuate as they are influenced by internal company events, like the generation of profits, or external factors, like industry trends and market sentiments. This helps in keeping the company focused on performing well.

Issuing stock allows a company to raise capital while ensuring accountability to investors.