How Much Of Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (TSE:CFX) Do Institutions Own?

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Every investor in Canfor Pulp Products Inc. (TSE:CFX) 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. Companies that used to be publicly owned tend to have lower insider ownership.

Canfor Pulp Products is a smaller company with a market capitalization of CA$359m, so it may still be flying under the radar of many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Canfor Pulp Products.

See our latest analysis for Canfor Pulp Products

TSX:CFX Ownership Breakdown July 7th 2020
TSX:CFX Ownership Breakdown July 7th 2020

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Canfor Pulp Products?

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.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Canfor Pulp Products. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Canfor Pulp Products, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

TSX:CFX Earnings and Revenue Growth July 7th 2020
TSX:CFX Earnings and Revenue Growth July 7th 2020

Canfor Pulp Products is not owned by hedge funds. Canfor Corporation is currently the largest shareholder, with 55% of shares outstanding. This essentially means that they have extensive influence, if not outright control, over the future of the corporation. Letko, Brosseau & Associates Inc. is the second largest shareholder owning 15% of common stock, and QV Investors Inc. holds about 3.9% of the company stock.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

Insider Ownership Of Canfor Pulp Products

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

Our information suggests that Canfor Pulp Products Inc. insiders own under 1% of the company. It has a market capitalization of just CA$359m, and the board has only CA$642k worth of shares in their own names. Many investors in smaller companies prefer to see the board more heavily invested. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

With a 22% ownership, the general public have some degree of sway over CFX. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

Public Company Ownership

We can see that public companies hold 55%, of the CFX shares on issue. It's hard to say for sure, but this suggests they have entwined business interests. This might be a strategic stake, so it's worth watching this space for changes in ownership.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Canfor Pulp Products , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

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. 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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