Part 9/13:
Moreover, public companies can offer stock options and other incentives to employees, aligning their interests with company performance and enabling talent retention. Being public also confers credibility—an assurance to suppliers, partners, and customers that the company adheres to rigorous standards.
The Long-Term View: Investment Opportunities and Market Dynamics
For individual investors and retirement funds, these trends translate into fewer public options. Over the past 25 years, the number of public companies in the U.S. has nearly halved—from roughly 8,000 down to around 4,000—limiting opportunities to invest in emerging growth companies.