What Kind Of Investor Owns Most Of Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings Limited (HKG:1939)?

A look at the shareholders of Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings Limited (HKG:1939) can tell us which group is most powerful. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. 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.

Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of HK$505m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutions are not on the share registry. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about 1939.

View our latest analysis for Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings

SEHK:1939 Ownership Summary, September 22nd 2019
SEHK:1939 Ownership Summary, September 22nd 2019

What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings?

We don't tend to see institutional investors holding stock of companies that are very risky, thinly traded, or very small. Though we do sometimes see large companies without institutions on the register, it's not particularly common.

There are multiple explanations for why institutions don't own a stock. The most common is that the company is too small relative to fund under management, so the institition does not bother to look closely at the company. It is also possible that fund managers don't own the stock because they aren't convinced it will perform well. Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings might not have the sort of past performance institutions are looking for, or perhaps they simply have not studied the business closely.

SEHK:1939 Income Statement, September 22nd 2019
SEHK:1939 Income Statement, September 22nd 2019

Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings is not owned by hedge funds. 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 Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings

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.

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 information suggests that insiders own more than half of Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings Limited. This gives them effective control of the company. So they have a HK$379m stake in this HK$505m business. It is good to see this level of investment. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently.

General Public Ownership

The general public, with a 25% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. 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 Tokyo Chuo Auction Holdings better, we need to consider many other factors.

I always like to check for a history of revenue growth. You can too, by accessing this free chart of historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

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.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. 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. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.