reverse takeover

In business, situation where a smaller company takes over a larger one. This may be a company's strategy to avoid a hostile takeover by selling itself to a white knight. The term is also used to describe the situation where a private company buys a publicly listed company. This is often the most cost-effective method of obtaining a public listing because it avoids the expense associated with a flotation. The private company may reverse in to cash shell, that is a company that is publicly listed but no longer actively trades, having sold off the majority of its assets.