Stock Analysis

Insiders at Solaris Resources Inc. (TSE:SLS) must be dismayed with the latest 10% dip after buying recently

TSX:SLS
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Key Insights

  • Insiders appear to have a vested interest in Solaris Resources' growth, as seen by their sizeable ownership
  • 53% of the business is held by the top 3 shareholders
  • Insiders have bought recently

Every investor in Solaris Resources Inc. (TSE:SLS) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 44% to be precise, is individual insiders. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).

A quick look at our data suggests that insiders have been buying shares in the company recently. So the news of stock price falling by 10% is not something they might have been expecting soon after purchasing shares.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Solaris Resources.

See our latest analysis for Solaris Resources

ownership-breakdown
TSX:SLS Ownership Breakdown April 18th 2024

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Solaris Resources?

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 Solaris Resources. 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 Solaris Resources, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

earnings-and-revenue-growth
TSX:SLS Earnings and Revenue Growth April 18th 2024

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Solaris Resources. Our data suggests that Richard Warke, who is also the company's Top Key Executive, holds the most number of shares at 39%. When an insider holds a sizeable amount of a company's stock, investors consider it as a positive sign because it suggests that insiders are willing to have their wealth tied up in the future of the company. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 9.3% and 4.1%, of the shares outstanding, respectively. Interestingly, the third-largest shareholder, Daniel Earle is also a Member of the Board of Directors, again, indicating strong insider ownership amongst the company's top shareholders.

To make our study more interesting, we found that the top 3 shareholders have a majority ownership in the company, meaning that they are powerful enough to influence the decisions of the company.

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. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time.

Insider Ownership Of Solaris Resources

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.

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 most recent data indicates that insiders own a reasonable proportion of Solaris Resources Inc.. Insiders own CA$311m worth of shares in the CA$704m company. We would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 37% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. 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 3.0% of the Solaris Resources shares on issue. 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 Solaris Resources better, we need to consider many other factors. To that end, you should learn about the 3 warning signs we've spotted with Solaris Resources (including 1 which is a bit unpleasant) .

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

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.

Valuation is complex, but we're helping make it simple.

Find out whether Solaris Resources is potentially over or undervalued by checking out our comprehensive analysis, which includes fair value estimates, risks and warnings, dividends, insider transactions and financial health.

View the Free Analysis

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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.