While private companies own 23% of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (SGX:O39), individual investors are its largest shareholders with 55% ownership
Key Insights
Oversea-Chinese Banking's significant individual investors ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public
The top 25 shareholders own 41% of the company
A look at the shareholders of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited (SGX:O39) can tell us which group is most powerful. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are individual investors with 55% ownership. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).
Private companies, on the other hand, account for 23% of the company's stockholders.
In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Oversea-Chinese Banking.
View our latest analysis for Oversea-Chinese Banking
What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Oversea-Chinese Banking?
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.
As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Oversea-Chinese Banking. 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. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Oversea-Chinese Banking's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.
Oversea-Chinese Banking is not owned by hedge funds. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Selat (Pte) Limited with 14% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 4.5% and 3.5%, of the shares outstanding, respectively.
A deeper look at our ownership data shows that the top 25 shareholders collectively hold less than half of the register, suggesting a large group of small holders where no single shareholder has a majority.
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 are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.
Insider Ownership Of Oversea-Chinese Banking
The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. 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.
I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.
Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation Limited. We do note, however, it is possible insiders have an indirect interest through a private company or other corporate structure. It is a very large company, so it would be surprising to see insiders own a large proportion of the company. Though their holding amounts to less than 1%, we can see that board members collectively own S$193m worth of shares (at current prices). It is always good to see at least some insider ownership, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.
General Public Ownership
The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a substantial 55% stake in Oversea-Chinese Banking, suggesting it is a fairly popular stock. This size of ownership gives investors from the general public some collective power. They can and probably do influence decisions on executive compensation, dividend policies and proposed business acquisitions.
Private Company Ownership
Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 23%, of the company's shares. Private companies may be related parties. Sometimes insiders have an interest in a public company through a holding in a private company, rather than in their own capacity as an individual. While it's hard to draw any broad stroke conclusions, it is worth noting as an area for further research.
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. For example, we've discovered 1 warning sign for Oversea-Chinese Banking that you should be aware of before investing here.
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.
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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.
