Concept:A public limited liability company is owned by its shareholders, who buy shares and thereby gain ownership rights in the business.
Explanation:Shareholders are individuals or institutions that purchase shares issued by the company.
Each share represents a unit of ownership and gives the holder certain rights, such as voting at general meetings, receiving dividends, and sharing in the company's net assets.
The government owns public enterprises or state-owned corporations, not public limited companies.
Although members of the general public may buy shares, ownership is restricted to those who actually hold shares, not the public at large.
Debenture holders are creditors of the company, because they lend money to it and receive fixed interest, so they do not own the company.
Thus, the owners of a public limited liability company are the shareholders.
Answer:B. shareholders