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.Asset Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't. Stock sales tend to attract taxes too. A stock purchase is a complete purchase of a company, including all the assets and liabilities. Stock purchases thus have different tax outcomes. While stock sales occur between the shareholder (the business owner) and the buyer, asset sales occur between the company itself and the buyer. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale. A stock sale is when the owner sells off stock shares. California Property Tax provides an overview of property tax assessment in California.