In this article, I will take a quick look at San Teh Ltd’s (SGX:S46) recent ownership structure – an unconventional investing subject, but an important one. When it comes to ownership structure of a company, the impact has been observed in both the long-and short-term performance of shares. Differences in ownership structure of companies can have a profound effect on how management’s incentives are aligned with shareholder returns, which is why we’ll take a moment to analyse S46’s shareholder registry. All data provided is as of the most recent financial year end.
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Institutional Ownership
Institutional investors typically buy and sell shares in large magnitudes which can significantly sway the share price, especially when there are relatively small amounts of shares available on the market to trade. With an institutional ownership of 2.21%, S46 doesn’t seem too exposed to higher volatility resulting from institutional trading. Stocks with low coverage such as S46, attracts renowned investor Peter Lynch, who has benefited from the momentum of institutions buying into a stock as it gained popularity.
Insider Ownership
Insiders form another group of important ownership types as they manage the company’s operations and decide the best use of capital. Insider ownership has been linked to better alignment between management and shareholders. A major group of owners of S46 is individual insiders, sitting with a hefty 31.31% stake in the company. Broadly, insider ownership of this level has been found to negatively affect companies with consistently low PE ratio (underperforming). And a positive impact has been seen on companies with a high PE ratio (outperforming). It may be interesting to take a look at what company insiders have been doing with their holdings lately. While insider buying is possibly a sign of a positive outlook for the company, selling doesn’t necessarily indicate a negative outlook as they may be selling to meet personal financial needs.
General Public Ownership
A substantial ownership of 24.44% in S46 is held by the general public. With this size of ownership, retail investors can collectively play a role in major company policies that affect shareholders returns, including executive remuneration and the appointment of directors. They can also exercise the power to decline an acquisition or merger that may not improve profitability.
Private Company Ownership
Potential investors in S46 should also look at another important group of investors: private companies, with a stake of 42.04%, who are primarily invested because of strategic and capital gain interests. An ownership of this size indicates a strong financial backing and has the potential to influence S46’s business strategy. Thus, investors should dig deeper into S46’s business relations with these companies and how it can affect shareholder returns in the long-term.