What term describes a company whose stock is not publicly traded, often referring to large retail chains?

The term that describes a company whose stock is not publicly traded is "private company." This term is often used to refer to private businesses, including large retail chains, that do not sell shares on public stock exchanges. Because these companies are privately held, their financial information is typically not available to the public, and they have fewer regulatory requirements compared to public companies.

In contrast, a public company is one that lists its shares on a stock exchange, allowing the public to buy and sell its stock. A subsidiary refers to a company controlled by another (usually larger) company, which can be either public or private. A franchise is a business model where individual operators purchase the rights to open a location of an already established brand, which can operate under different ownership structures, including both private and public companies. Thus, the best description for a company whose stock is not publicly traded is "private company."