Investors who purchase shares of stock in a corporation.

• A. Shareholders
• B. Stakeholders
• C. Entrepreneurs
• D. Economy

Answer: (A)

When people buy stock in a corporation, they become owners of the company through their shares. The term for these investors is shareholders (also called stockholders). They hold equity in the firm and typically have rights such as voting on key matters and receiving dividends if the company distributes profits.

Broader groups affected by a company’s actions are called stakeholders, which includes employees, customers, suppliers, and the community—so the term is more inclusive than simply labeling someone who buys stock. Entrepreneurs are individuals who start and grow businesses, not the general term for stock owners. The economy is the whole system of production and exchange, not a description of individual investors.