In this article, I’m going to take a look at Toro Energy Limited’s (ASX:TOE) latest ownership structure, a non-fundamental factor which is important, but remains a less discussed subject among investors. A company’s ownership structure is often linked to its share performance in both the long- and short-term. Differences in ownership structure of companies can have a profound effect on how management’s incentives are aligned with shareholder returns, and whether they adhere to corporate governance best practices. Although this is an important factor for long-term investors, many investors can also be impacted by institutional presence and their high-volume trading. Now I will analyze TOE’s shareholder registry in more detail.
Check out our latest analysis for Toro EnergyInstitutional Ownership
Institutional investors are one of the largest group of market participants and their buy-sell decisions on a company’s stock can significantly impact prices, more so, when there are relatively small amounts of shares available on the market to trade. The company hardly has institutions in its ownership structure, indicating limited concern for investors to worry about potential sell-offs that could arise due to extensive liquidation.Insider Ownership
I find insiders are another important group of stakeholders, who are directly involved in making key decisions related to the use of capital. In essence, insider ownership is more about the alignment of shareholders’ interests with the management. Although individuals in TOE hold only a 2.33% stake, it’s a good sign for shareholders as the company’s executives and directors have their incentives directly linked to the company’s performance. It would also be interesting to check what insiders have been doing with their shareholding recently. Insider buying can be a positive indicator of future performance, but a selling decision can be simply driven by personal financial requirements.General Public Ownership
A big stake of 36.97% in TOE is held by the general public. With this size of ownership, retail investors can collectively play a role in major company policies that affect shareholders returns, including executive remuneration and the appointment of directors. They can also exercise the power to decline an acquisition or merger that may not improve profitability.Private Equity Ownership
With a stake of 18.14%, private equity firms form another important class of owners in TOE. With a stake of 18.14%, they can influence TOE’s key policy decisions. This is a positive sign for potential investors as these firms play an important role in aligning company policy with shareholder returns.Private Company Ownership
Potential investors in TOE should also look at another important group of investors: private companies, with a stake of 0.0083%, who are primarily invested because of strategic and capital gain interests. However, an ownership of this size may be relatively insignificant, meaning that these shareholders may not have the potential to influence TOE’s business strategy. Thus, investors not need worry too much about the consequences of these holdings.What this means for you:
With a low level of institutional ownership, investors in TOE need not worry about non-fundamental factors such as ownership structure causing large impact on stock prices. However, ownership structure should not be the only determining factor when you’re building an investment thesis for TOE. Instead, you should be evaluating company-specific factors such as Toro Energy’s past track record and financial health. I highly recommend you to complete your research by taking a look at the following:
- 1. Financial Health: Is TOE’s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why we’ve done it for you. Check out our financial health checks here.
- 2. Past Track Record: Has TOE been consistently performing well irrespective of the ups and downs in the market? Go into more detail in the past performance analysis and take a look at the free visual representations of TOE’s historicals for more clarity.
- 3. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore our free list of these great stocks here.