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. In stock sales, the buyer purchases the owner's shares of the corporation.Unlike asset sales, stock sales do not require conveyances of each individual asset. Buyers typically prefer structuring acquisitions as asset deals because they receive a stepup in the basis of the acquired assets. Asset Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale. The main difference between asset sales vs. Stock sales tend to attract taxes too.