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. But with a straight asset sale, the buyer won't be the new owner of your business.One major difference between a stock sale and asset sale is that the buyer typically does not acquire the existing liabilities of the selling company. Asset Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't. Assets sales are more involved than stock sale in that you have one corporate entity conveying both tangible and intangible assets to another corporate entity. In a stock sale, the buyer acquires equity from the target company's shareholders. The main difference is tax. Buying assets allow you to depreciate the purchase price.