Aktiengesellschaft

(; abbreviated AG, ) 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 Germany, Austria, Switzerland (where it is equivalent to a ''société anonyme'' or a '' società per azioni''), and South Tyrol for companies incorporated there. It is also used in Luxembourg (as lb, Aktiëgesellschaft, label=none, ), although the equivalent French language term ''société anonyme'' is more common. In the United Kingdom, the equivalent term is "PLC" and in the United States while the terms "incorporated" or "corporation" are typically used, technically the more precise equivalent term is "joint-stock company" (though note for the British term only a minority of public limited companies have their shares listed on stock exchanges).

Meaning of the word

The German word ''Aktiengesellschaft'' is a compound noun made up of two elements: ''Aktien'' meaning an acting part or share, and ''Gesellschaft'', meaning company or society. English translations include ''share company'', or ''company limited by shares'', or joint-stock company. In German, the use of the term ''Aktien'' for shares is restricted to ''Aktiengesellschaften''. Shares in other types of German companies (e.g. GmbH or a cooperative) are called ''Anteile'' (parts-of) rather than ''Aktien''.

Legal basis

In Germany and Austria, the legal basis of the AG is the German ''Aktiengesetz'' (abbr. AktG; "shares law") or the Austrian ''Aktiengesetz'' (abbr. AktG). Since the German commercial law (§ 19 ''Handelsgesetzbuch'') requires all corporations to specify their legal form in their name, in order to inform the public of the limits on their liability, all German (required by § 4 ''Aktiengesetz'') and Austrian stock corporations include ''Aktiengesellschaft'' or ''AG'' as part of their name, frequently as a suffix.

In Switzerland, the Company Limited by Shares (''Aktiengesellschaft'' in German, ''société anonyme'' in French, ''società anonima'' in Italian, ''societad anonima'' in Romansh) is defined in Title Twenty-Six of the Code of Obligations, Article 620. Article 950 specifies that the business name must indicate the legal form.

Structure

German AGs have a "two-tiered board" structure, consisting of a supervisory board (''Aufsichtsrat'') and a management board (''Vorstand''). The supervisory board is generally controlled by shareholders, although employees may have seats, depending on the size of the company. The management board directly runs the company, but its members may be removed by the supervisory board, which also determines the management board's compensation. Some German AGs have management boards which determine their own remuneration, but that situation is now relatively uncommon.

The general meeting is the supreme governing body of a Swiss company limited by shares. It elects the board of directors (''Verwaltungsrat'' in German) and the external auditors. The board of directors may appoint and dismiss persons entrusted with managing and representing the company.

Similar forms

The equivalent terms in other countries include the following, which mostly mean literally either "share company/society" or "anonymous company/society".

* Argentina, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Peru, Spain, and other Spanish speaking countries – ''Sociedad Anónima'' (S.A.)
* Belgium (Dutch language), Netherlands – '' Naamloze Vennootschap'' (N.V.)
* Belgium (French language), France – ''Société Anonyme'' (S.A.)
* Brazil – '' Sociedade Anônima'' (S.A. or S/A or SA)
* Bulgaria – '' Акционерно дружество'' (Akcionerno druzhestvo), derived directly from the German AG
* Croatia - '' dioničko društvo'' (d.d.)
* Czech Republic - '' Akciová společnost - (a.s.)
* Denmark – '' Aktieselskab'' (A/S)
* Estonia – '' Aktsiaselts'' (AS)
* Finland – ''Osakeyhtiö'' (Oy)
* Greece - ''Ανώνυμος Εταιρεία'' (Anonymos Etaireia) (A.E., but often translated as S.A.)
* Hungary – '' Részvénytársaság'' (Rt)
* Japan – '' Kabushiki gaisha'' (K.K.), originally derived directly from the German AG (the term is based on the German) until law reforms under the United States–led Occupation of Japan made the form similar to Illinois corporate law
* Italy – '' Società per azioni'' (SpA), derived directly from the German AG
* Malaysia – '' Berhad'' (Bhd)
* Norway – '' Aksjeselskap'' (AS)
* Romania – '' Societate pe acțiuni'' or "Societate anonimă" (S.A.)
* Russia – '' Публичное акционерное общество'' (Publichnoe akcionernoe obschestvo) (ПАО)
* Serbia - '' deoničarsko društvo'' (d.d.) and ''akcionarsko društvo'' (a.d.)
* Slovakia - Akciová spoločnosť (a.s.)
* Sweden – '' Aktiebolag'' (AB)
* Turkey – '' Anonim Şirket'' (A.Ş.)
* Poland – '' Spółka akcyjna'' (S.A.)
* Portugal – '' Sociedade Anónima'' (S.A.)
* United Kingdom and Ireland (English) – '' Public limited company'' (Plc)
* United Kingdom (Welsh) - ''cymdeithas cyhoeddus cyfyngedig'' (ccc)

See also

* Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung (GmbH)

Explanatory notes

References

Further reading

*
* {{cite journal , last=Franks, first=Julian, author2=Colin Mayer, title=Ownership and Control of German Corporations, journal=The Review of Financial Studies, year=2001, volume=14, issue=4, pages=943–977, jstor=2696732, publisher=Oxford University Press, doi=10.1093/rfs/14.4.943, author2-link=Colin Mayer
* McGaughey, E. (2016)
"The Codetermination Bargains: The History of German Corporate and Labour Law"
''Columbia Journal of European Law'' 23(1) 135.

German Stock Corporations Act 1965
translation

Law of Austria
German business law
Law of Switzerland
Types of business entity

ja:株式会社 (ドイツ)