Aktiengesellschaft

Aktiengesellschaft (German pronunciation: [ˈaktsi̯ənɡəˌzɛlʃaft] ; abbreviated AG [aːˈgeː] ) is a German word for a corporation limited by share ownership (i.e., one which is owned by its shareholders) whose shares may be traded on a stock market. The term is used in Liechtenstein, Germany, Austria, Switzerland (where it is equivalent to a société anonyme or a società per azioni) and South Tyrol for companies incorporated there. In the United Kingdom, the equivalent term is public limited company, and in the United States, while the terms "incorporated" or "corporation" are typically used, technically the more precise equivalent term is "joint-stock company".