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. An asset sale otherwise known as an asset deal or asset purchase is a special type of business sale that only deals with assets and liabilities.Asset sales are types of business transaction where buyers purchase assets from a business, and the sellers retain legal ownership of the company. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale. A stock sale is when the owner sells off stock shares. One of our more popular blog posts focused on asset deal vs. Asset Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't. This guide will help you collect and remit local taxes correctly.