The owners of a public limited company are the shareholders. Shareholders are individuals or institutions that own shares or stocks of a company. They are the ones who provide the initial capital for the company and in return, they receive ownership rights, which includes the right to vote on company policies, elect board members, and receive a share of the company's profits in the form of dividends. Unlike private limited companies, shares of public limited companies are traded on the stock exchange and can be bought and sold by anyone.