(USA) Rule 144 stock or shares are those shares of a publicly traded company that cannot be resold freely for one of two reasons: (1) the shares were acquired directly or indirectly from the issuer or an affiliate of the issuer in one or more transactions that were not registered under the Securities Act of 1933, or (2) the shares are owned by an affiliate. Rule 144 stock generally can be resold in the public markets only by complying with the requirements of Rule 144, which include certain holding periods and volume limitations. See 'Rule 144'.