Buyout


In finance, a buyout is an investment transaction by which the ownership equity of a company, or a majority share of the stock of the company is acquired. The acquiror thereby "buys out" the present equity holders of the target company. A buyout will often include the purchasing of the target company's outstanding debt, which is referred to as "assumed debt" by the purchaser.

Non-finance usage

The term may apply more generally to the purchase by one party of all of the rights of another party with respect to an ongoing transaction between the two. For example: