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 is when only the individual assets are purchased.Unlike a stock sale where you become responsible for all the liabilities, with an asset sale, any liabilities remain with the seller. Asset Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't. While an asset sale outshines a stock sale in company structure support, it loses a fair amount of points when it comes to tax implications. An asset sale will likely result in a combination of gain taxed at both ordinary and capital gains rates, depending on the nature of the individual assets. Unlike an asset sale, a taxable stock sale does not result in the recognition of taxable income or loss at the corporate level. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale.