Is Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:ATLC) Popular Amongst Insiders?
Every investor in Atlanticus Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:ATLC) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. Warren Buffett said that he likes "a business with enduring competitive advantages that is run by able and owner-oriented people." So it's nice to see some insider ownership, because it may suggest that management is owner-oriented.
Atlanticus Holdings isn't enormous, but it's not particularly small either. It has a market capitalization of US$1.2b, which means it would generally expect to see some institutions on the share registry. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutional investors have bought into the company. Let's delve deeper into each type of owner, to discover more about Atlanticus Holdings.
View our latest analysis for Atlanticus Holdings
What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Atlanticus Holdings?
Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.
Atlanticus Holdings already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Atlanticus Holdings' earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.
We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Atlanticus Holdings. The company's largest shareholder is Frank Hanna, with ownership of 27%. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 27% and 4.6%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. David Hanna, who is the second-largest shareholder, also happens to hold the title of Top Key Executive. In addition, we found that Jeffrey Howard, the CEO has 2.5% of the shares allocated to their name.
To make our study more interesting, we found that the top 2 shareholders have a majority ownership in the company, meaning that they are powerful enough to influence the decisions of the company.
While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time.
Insider Ownership Of Atlanticus Holdings
The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.
Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.
Our most recent data indicates that insiders own the majority of Atlanticus Holdings Corporation. This means they can collectively make decisions for the company. Insiders own US$743m worth of shares in the US$1.2b company. That's extraordinary! Most would argue this is a positive, showing strong alignment with shareholders. You can click here to see if they have been selling down their stake.
General Public Ownership
The general public holds a 20% stake in Atlanticus Holdings. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.
Next Steps:
It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Atlanticus Holdings better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 3 warning signs for Atlanticus Holdings you should know about.
Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.
NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
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