Employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs) can be an attractive way for an owner to sell a company and for employees to gain an ownership stake. ESOPs are qualified retirement plans that buy, hold, and sell company stock for the benefit of employees. One of the main reasons ESOPs are often dismissed by business owners (and their advisors) as a legitimate succession planning option is due to the many unfounded misperceptions about them. In reality, many businesses are a perfect fit for ESOPs.