Akciová společnost in the context of Business entity

In a limited company, the liability of members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. In a company limited by shares, the liability of members is limited to the unpaid value of shares. In a company limited by guarantee, the liability of owners is limited to such amount as the owners may undertake to contribute to the assets of the company, in the event of being wound up. The former may be further divided in public companies (public limited companies) and private companies (private limited companies). Who may become a member of a private limited company is restricted by law and by the company's rules. In contrast, anyone may buy shares in a public limited company.

Limited companies can be found in most countries, although the detailed rules governing them vary widely. It is also common for a distinction to be made between the publicly tradable companies of the plc type (for example, the German Aktiengesellschaft (AG), Dutch and Belgian nv, British PLC, Czech a.s., Italian S.p.A., Hungarian nyrt. and the Spanish, French, Polish, Greek and Romanian S.A.), and the "private" types of companies (such as the German GmbH, Dutch and Belgian bv, Portuguese Lda., British Ltd, Japanese G.K., Polish sp. z o.o., Russian ООО, Ukrainian ТОВ (TOV), the Czech s.r.o., the French s.à r.l., the Italian s.r.l., Romanian s.r.l., Hungarian kft., Bulgarian ДОО (DOO), Slovenian d.o.o., and Slovak s.r.o., in India Pvt Ltd for private company and Ltd for public company, in Singapore Pte Ltd for private company).

Škoda Auto a.s. (Czech pronunciation: [ˈʃkoda] ), often shortened to Škoda, is a Czech automobile manufacturer established in 1925 as the successor to Laurin & Klement and headquartered in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic. Škoda Works became state owned in 1948. After the Velvet Revolution, it was gradually privatized starting in 1991, eventually becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of the German multinational conglomerate Volkswagen Group in 2000.

Škoda automobiles are sold in over 100 countries, and in 2018, total global sales reached 1.25 million units, an increase of 4.4% from the previous year. The operating profit was €1.6 billion in 2017, an increase of 34.6% over the previous year. As of 2017, Škoda's profit margin was the second-highest of all Volkswagen AG brands after Porsche.

Škoda Transportation a.s. is a Czech manufacturer of vehicles for public transport, including trams, electric multiple units, and buses. The company was formerly a division of Czech industrial conglomerate Škoda Works, and shares the Škoda name with Škoda Works' other former divisions, such as Škoda Auto and Doosan Škoda Power. The company is headquartered in Plzeň and markets its products worldwide, with an emphasis on the European market.

Škoda Works was founded in 1859 by Emil Škoda, and began manufacturing locomotives in Plzeň in 1920. Škoda Works was privatized and split up after the Velvet Revolution in the late 20th century, and Škoda Transportation was organized in 1995. The company has been owned by investment firm PPF Group since 2017.