Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Level 1 Practice Exam 2025 - Free CFA Level 1 Practice Questions and Study Guide

Common stock is not typically considered a liability because it represents ownership in a corporation rather than an obligation to pay. When investors purchase common stock, they are buying a share of the equity in the company, which entitles them to a portion of the company's profits and usually voting rights.

Liabilities, on the other hand, represent debts or obligations that the company owes to outside parties. Loans payable, accounts payable, and bonds payable all fall under this category, as they require the company to pay back or settle financial obligations in the future. Loans payable refers to borrowed funds that need to be repaid, accounts payable represents money owed to suppliers for goods or services received but not yet paid for, and bonds payable refers to the amount the company must pay back to bondholders at maturity. These are all essential components of a company's balance sheet, classified under liabilities, which contrasts with equity accounts like common stock that reflect ownership.