A specific for instance of corporate finance is the sale of stock by a collection to institutional investors like investment banks, who in turn generally sell it to the public. The stock gives whoever owns it part dominion in that company.

If you buy peculiar share of XYZ Inc, and they have 100 shares Chicago Financial Advisors outstanding (held by investors), you are 1/100 owner of that company. Of course, in return for the stock, the ensemble receives cash, which it uses to expand its game in a performance called "equity financing"