​Advantages of Public Companies
-Prestige
to benefit from the prestige conferred by the letter “PLC” (Public Listed Companies) “
​
-Offer shares to the public
It is an advantage as it provides a public company with a new source of finance (as consideration received for the shares).
It also provides an opportunity for raising finance.
In private company, it is prohibited to offer share to the public under s755 of the Companies Act 2006.
When s755 Companies Act 2006 is breached by offering shares to the public, the court may re registered the private company as a public company under s758 Companies Act 2006. 
The court may also order the wound up of the company under s758 if the company does not meet the requirement as public company or consider s759 Companies Act 2006 by making remedial order. 
Remedial order put the person back into position before the breach. 
The creditor, shareholder or Secretary of State for the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy may make an application to court for s758 and s759 Companies Act 2006 order for the offending company.

​The distinction between public and listed companies
Public companies do not automatically become listed companies. 
However, to be listed companies, the companies must be public companies. 
Public companies are heavily regulated. Listed public companies are more heavily regulated than unlisted public companies. 

​Difference between quoted shares and listed shares? 
Shares listed on the main market is known as listed shares while shares listed on the alternative investment market is known as quoted shares. 

However, based on S385 Companies Act 2006, the quoted companies refer to companies listed on regulated market such as the main market and not alternative investment market. 

Listed is also used to mean ordinary shares of a company admitted to listing on the official list of the Financial Conduct Authority and admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange.

​What is a stock market in the UK ? 
There are two types of stock market. The first one is the main market. This includes London Stock Exchange, AQSE and Cboe Europe Equities.

Overseas main markets include NASDAQ AND New York Stock Exchange in the USA.
Deutsche Borse in Germany.
Euronext in Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris and Lisbon.
NASDAQ OMX Baltic covering the Baltic countries
NASDAQ OMX Nordic covering Iceland, Denmark and Finland

The second type of stock market is known as Alternative Investment Market ( AIM ) which is for smaller growing companies.

​What is a listed company? 
Listed company is a public company
This public company has shares which are officially listed and traded in a stock market. 

​What is a public company ? 
Section 4(2) Companies Act 2006 provides a definition of public company.
Public companies are companies limited by shares or by guarantee and having a share capital.
Public companies must comply with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006 for it to be registered or re registered.