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 a stock sale, the buyer acquires equity from the target company's shareholders.Stock sales tend to attract taxes too. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale. Asset Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't. An asset sale may allow you to benefit from tax advantages, such as offsetting gains with capital losses, potentially reducing your overall tax liability. A stock purchase is a complete purchase of a company, including all the assets and liabilities. Stock purchases thus have different tax outcomes. In an asset sale, the buyer selects specific assets and typically avoids inheriting liabilities. Capital gains tax is typically levied on the profit made from the sale of assets such as stocks, real estate, or other investments.