An asset sale is the purchase of individual assets and liabilities, whereas a stock sale is the purchase of the owner's shares of a corporation. Asset Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't.While an asset sale outshines a stock sale in company structure support, it loses a fair amount of points when it comes to tax implications. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale. In an asset sale, the buyer purchases specific assets and liabilities of the business rather than acquiring the ownership of the company itself. The differences between asset and stock acquisitions is clearly seen in the area of liabilities.