Stock Analysis

What Kind Of Shareholder Owns Most MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. (CVE:BMK) Stock?

TSXV:BMK
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Every investor in MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd. (CVE:BMK) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. 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.

MacDonald Mines Exploration is a smaller company with a market capitalization of CA$11m, so it may still be flying under the radar of many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions are not really that prevalent on the share registry. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about MacDonald Mines Exploration.

See our latest analysis for MacDonald Mines Exploration

TSXV:BMK Ownership Summary, February 24th 2020
TSXV:BMK Ownership Summary, February 24th 2020
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What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About MacDonald Mines Exploration?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

Less than 5% of MacDonald Mines Exploration is held by institutional investors. This suggests that some funds have the company in their sights, but many have not yet bought shares in it. If the company is growing earnings, that may indicate that it is just beginning to catch the attention of these deep-pocketed investors. It is not uncommon to see a big share price rise if multiple institutional investors are trying to buy into a stock at the same time. So check out the historic earnings trajectory, below, but keep in mind it's the future that counts most.

TSXV:BMK Income Statement, February 24th 2020
TSXV:BMK Income Statement, February 24th 2020

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in MacDonald Mines Exploration. Eric Sprott is currently the company's largest shareholder with 12% of shares outstanding. Goodman & Company, Investment Counsel Inc. is the second largest shareholder with 2.9% of common stock, followed by Quentin Yarie, holding 2.6% of the stock. Quentin Yarie also happens to hold the title of Chairman of the Board.

On studying our ownership data, we found that 4 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. As far I can tell there isn't analyst coverage of the company, so it is probably flying under the radar.

Insider Ownership Of MacDonald Mines Exploration

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

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.

It seems insiders own a significant proportion of MacDonald Mines Exploration Ltd.. Insiders own CA$1.7m worth of shares in the CA$11m company. I 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, who are mostly retail investors, collectively hold 81% of MacDonald Mines Exploration shares. This size of ownership gives retail investors collective power. They can and probably do influence decisions on executive compensation, dividend policies and proposed business acquisitions.

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. Take risks, for example - MacDonald Mines Exploration has 7 warning signs (and 5 which are a bit unpleasant) 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.

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.

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. Thank you for reading.