If I buy stocks, for example Apple (AAPL), does that mean I'm an actual owner of the company?

Ever wondered whether buying shares of a company equates to owning a piece of that enterprise? For the purposes of this exercise, we will use Apple Inc. as our case study, a global powerhouse in the tech sector, offering a juicy example.

First off, let's get the technicalities out of the way. When you purchase shares or stocks of a company, such as Apple, you are, in essence, buying a small piece of that company. You are essentially becoming a shareholder, which is equivalent to saying you're a partial owner of Apple.

However, to put it bluntly, you won't be rubbing elbows with Tim Cook at board meetings unless your share is significant enough to give you substantial voting power. This is as much a mission of dollars and cents as it is of power and influence.

But let's slice this apple a bit thinner. While ownership sounds empowering, it's essential to understand the proportionality of it all. As of my last update in September 2021, there were approximately 16.69 billion shares of Apple outstanding. If you own, say, 100 shares, your piece of the Apple pie is relatively minuscule. Nevertheless, every single share counts, and it's not just about size—it's about rights too.

As a shareholder, you're entitled to a portion of the company's assets and earnings proportional to how much stock you own. This often comes in the form of dividends, which Apple has been known to distribute generously. Moreover, you also have the right to vote on corporate policies and board members, although your influence is directly proportional to the number of shares you own.

Now, here's where I weave in my opinion amidst these objective facts. The allure of stock ownership, particularly in a company as successful and influential as Apple, lies not just in the financial returns. It's the sense of participation in the broader economic narrative and, dare I say, the thrill of the gamble.