S.A. (corporation)

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Companies law
Company · Business
Sole proprietorship
Partnership
(General · Limited · LLP)
Corporation
Cooperative
United States:
S corporation · C corporation
LLC · LLLP · Series LLC
Delaware corporation
Nevada corporation
Business trust
UK/Ireland/Commonwealth:
Limited company
(By shares · By guarantee)
(Public · Proprietary)
Community interest company
European Union/EEA:
SE · SCE
Other countries:
AB · AG · ANS · A/S · AS · GmbH
K.K. · N.V. · OY · S.A. · Full list
Doctrines
Corporate governance
Limited liability · Ultra vires
Business judgment rule
Internal affairs doctrine
De facto corporation and
corporation by estoppel
Piercing the corporate veil
Rochdale Principles
Related areas of law
Contract · Civil procedure
For the art organization see Société Anonyme (art)

S.A. generally designates corporations in various countries, mostly those employing the civil law. This translates literally in all languages mentioned as anonymous company, anonymous partnership or share company and can be differentiated from partnerships and limited liability companies.

S.A. meaning "anonymous society/corporation" is the abbreviation of:

  • Société anonyme in French (as commonly used in most French speaking countries, such as France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Monaco, Lebanon, Algeria, Tunisia, Marocco, Mauritania and various African countries)
  • Sociedad Anónima or Sociedad por Acciones in Spanish; Societat Anònima in Catalan
  • Socidade Anónima in Galician and in Portuguese; Sociedade Anônima in Brazilian Portuguese


It is equivalent in both literal meaning and practical function to:

  • Naamloze Vennootschap (N.V.) in Dutch
  • Anonymi Etairia (A.E.) or Ανώνυμη Εταιρία in Greek
  • Anonim Şirket (A.Ş.) in Turkish
  • Perseroan Terbatas Terbuka (P.T. Tbk.) in Indonesia
  • Sendirian Berhad (Sdn.Bhd.) in Malaysia
  • Shoqëri Anonime (Sh.a.) in Albania

It is equivalent in practical function to: