Companies law   Company · Business Sole proprietorship Partnership (General · Limited · LLP) Corporation Cooperative United States S corporation · C corporation LLC · LLLP · Series LLC Delaware corporation Nevada corporation Massachusetts business trust UK / Ireland / Commonwealth Limited company (by shares · by guarantee Public · Proprietary) Community interest company European Union / EEA SE · SCE · SPE · EEIG Elsewhere AB · AG · ANS · A/S · AS · GmbH K.K. · N.V. · OY · S.A. · more Doctrines Corporate governance Limited liability · Ultra vires Business judgment rule Internal affairs doctrine De facto corporation and corporation by estoppel Piercing the corporate veil Rochdale Principles Related areas Contract · Civil procedure v " d " e For other uses, see Company (disambiguation). Generally, a company is a form of business organization. The precise definition varies. In the United States, a company is a corporationor, less commonly, an association, partnership, or unionthat carries on an industrial enterprise."[1] Generally, a company may be a "corporation, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, fund, or organized group of persons, whether incorporated or not, and (in an official capacity) any receiver, trustee in bankruptcy, or similar official, or liquidating agent, for any of the foregoing."[1] In English law, and therefore in the Commonwealth realms, a company is a form of body corporate or corporation, generally registered under the Companies Acts or similar legislation. It does not include a partnership or any other unincorporated group of persons.