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I'm writing a manual for 2 entities but one is partially owned by the other. Both of them are incorporated. I'm wondering if I can refer to them in a sentence like this?

Tom Shoes, and Tammy Shoes, Inc.

Or, should it be this?

Tom Shoes Inc. and Tammy Shoes Inc.

The reason I'm skeptical is because Tammy Shoes, as mentioned previously, is partially owned by Tom Shoes Inc. Also please look at my use of "commas" in "Inc." if they are appropriate.

NVZ
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Rio DJ
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  • Inc stands for "incorporated", which I think is an adjective. I don't think there exist plural adjectives in English. – Kevin Aug 26 '16 at 15:52

3 Answers3

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I think you need to say Tom Shoes Inc. and Tammy Shoes Inc.

If you say "Tom Shoes and Tammy Shoes Inc." it sounds like just one company called Tom Shoes and Tammy Shoes.

"Tom Shoes, and Tammy Shoes Inc." suggests that Tom Shoes is not incorporated. Also, generally you would not have a comma separating just two items.

There is no hard and fast rule about having a comma before Inc. Some companies use a comma and some don't. You should do whatever the company does in their official name.

SarahT
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10

If they are both Inc.s (one of the formal designations that a business is a legally recognized corporation), they each should be listed as Inc., at least the first time the names are mentioned. Inc. is generally considered part of the corporate name (although not park of the trademark). Often later in a document, the corporate names are shortened to omit the Inc. (or the Co., Corp., LLC, Ltd., etc.).

The fact that a corporation (Inc. or otherwise) is wholly or partially owned by another corporation does not remove its Inc. status.

As to commas, when there is a series of two, you usually do not use a comma to separate them. With regard to commas before Inc., that is stylistic and the choice of the named company.

bib
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It's basically a suffix-title, like "MD".

When introducing two doctors, you would not say "Tom Smith and Tammy Smith, MD". That would imply that Tom Smith was not a doctor.

You don't want to imply that Tom Smith is not a doctor.

You don't want to imply that Tom Shoes is not incorporated.

It is always best to be explicit where confusion may be caused, especially where the confusion may have repercussions.

Dewi Morgan
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