What represents ownership of corporate stocks?

The ownership of corporate stocks is represented by stock certificates. These certificates serve as a tangible proof that an individual or entity owns a specific number of shares in a company. When a person buys stock in a corporation, they are essentially purchasing a share of ownership in that company, and the stock certificate acts as evidence of that ownership.

Stock certificates typically include information such as the shareholder's name, the number of shares owned, and the company's name, along with various security features to prevent forgery. Though electronic records are common today, traditional stock certificates remain a symbol of ownership in many contexts.

Sales receipts are simply proof of a transaction and do not indicate ownership of stocks. Dividends, on the other hand, refer to payments made to shareholders from a company's profits and do not represent ownership but rather the returns on that ownership. Corporate bonds are a form of debt investment, where an investor loans money to a corporation for a defined period in exchange for interest payments, which is distinctly different from owning stock in a company.