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. Generally, a stock sale is better for the seller and an asset sale is better for the buyer.In a stock sale, the buyer acquires equity from the target company's shareholders. Unlike asset sales, stock sales do not require conveyances of each individual asset. One of our more popular blog posts focused on asset deal vs. 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 Sale lets buyers choose specific assets and liabilities; Stock Sale doesn't. Learn the tax implications for each type of sale. When you sell your business, you may need to report all or part of the sale on your excise tax return. Also, you may be required to collect retail sales tax.