Private equity firms account for 45% of ClearView Wealth Limited's (ASX:CVW) ownership, while individual investors account for 28%
Key Insights
ClearView Wealth's significant private equity firms ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public
60% of the business is held by the top 2 shareholders
A look at the shareholders of ClearView Wealth Limited (ASX:CVW) can tell us which group is most powerful. We can see that private equity firms own the lion's share in the company with 45% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).
Meanwhile, individual investors make up 28% of the company’s shareholders.
Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about ClearView Wealth.
View our latest analysis for ClearView Wealth
What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About ClearView Wealth?
Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.
ClearView Wealth already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. 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 ClearView Wealth, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.
We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in ClearView Wealth. The company's largest shareholder is Crescent Capital Partners Management Pty Ltd., with ownership of 45%. With 15% and 3.7% of the shares outstanding respectively, Sony Financial Holdings Inc., Asset Management Arm and Ariadne Australia Limited are the second and third largest shareholders. Additionally, the company's CEO Simon Swanson directly holds 2.4% of the total shares outstanding.
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. We're not picking up on any analyst coverage of the stock at the moment, so the company is unlikely to be widely held.
Insider Ownership Of ClearView Wealth
The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.
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 some shares in ClearView Wealth Limited. It has a market capitalization of just AU$324m, and insiders have AU$14m worth of shares, in their own names. It is good to see some investment by insiders, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.
General Public Ownership
The general public-- including retail investors -- own 28% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.
Private Equity Ownership
With an ownership of 45%, private equity firms are in a position to play a role in shaping corporate strategy with a focus on value creation. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public.
Public Company Ownership
Public companies currently own 3.7% of ClearView Wealth stock. We can't be certain but it is quite possible this is a strategic stake. The businesses may be similar, or work together.
Next Steps:
It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand ClearView Wealth better, we need to consider many other factors. Take risks for example - ClearView Wealth has 2 warning signs (and 1 which can't be ignored) we think you should know about.
Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies.
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.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
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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