Private companies invested in Aegean Airlines S.A. (ATH:AEGN) copped the brunt of last week's €56m market cap decline

Key Insights

• The considerable ownership by private companies in Aegean Airlines indicates that they collectively have a greater say in management and business strategy
• The top 4 shareholders own 53% of the company
• Analyst forecasts along with ownership data serve to give a strong idea about prospects for a business

A look at the shareholders of Aegean Airlines S.A. (ATH:AEGN) can tell us which group is most powerful. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 41% to be precise, is private companies. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

And following last week's 4.9% decline in share price, private companies suffered the most losses.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Aegean Airlines.

See our latest analysis for Aegean Airlines

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Aegean Airlines?

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.

We can see that Aegean Airlines does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. 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 Aegean Airlines, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Aegean Airlines is not owned by hedge funds. Evetrans S.A. is currently the company's largest shareholder with 25% of shares outstanding. Autohellas S.A. is the second largest shareholder owning 12% of common stock, and Alnesco Enterprices Company Limited holds about 8.6% of the company stock.

Our research also brought to light the fact that roughly 53% of the company is controlled by the top 4 shareholders suggesting that these owners wield significant influence on the business.

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 Aegean Airlines

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. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

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.

Shareholders would probably be interested to learn that insiders own shares in Aegean Airlines S.A.. This is a big company, so it is good to see this level of alignment. Insiders own €81m worth of shares (at current prices). If you would like to explore the question of insider alignment, you can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 30% stake in Aegean Airlines. 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.

Private Company Ownership

We can see that Private Companies own 41%, of the shares on issue. 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.

Public Company Ownership

We can see that public companies hold 12% of the Aegean Airlines shares on issue. It's hard to say for sure but this suggests they have entwined business interests. This might be a strategic stake, so it's worth watching this space for changes in ownership.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Aegean Airlines better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Aegean Airlines (1 is significant!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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.