Newton Resources Ltd's (HKG:1231) stock price dropped 12% last week; private companies would not be happy

Key Insights

• Newton Resources' significant private companies ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public
• The top 2 shareholders own 56% of the company
• Insiders own 29% of Newton Resources

We've found 21 US stocks that are forecast to pay a dividend yield of over 6% next year. See the full list for free.

Every investor in Newton Resources Ltd (HKG:1231) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 43% 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.

While insiders who own 29% came under pressure after market cap dropped to HK$1.0b last week,private companies took the most losses.

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

View our latest analysis for Newton Resources

What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Newton Resources?

Institutional investors often avoid companies that are too small, too illiquid or too risky for their tastes. But it's unusual to see larger companies without any institutional investors.

There are multiple explanations for why institutions don't own a stock. The most common is that the company is too small relative to funds under management, so the institution 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. Newton Resources' earnings and revenue track record (below) may not be compelling to institutional investors -- or they simply might not have looked at the business closely.

Newton Resources is not owned by hedge funds. Our data suggests that Tin Lung Chong, who is also the company's Top Key Executive, holds the most number of shares at 29%. 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. With 27% and 16% of the shares outstanding respectively, Beijing State-owned Capital Operation and Management Company Limited and Century Acquisition Limited are the second and third largest shareholders.

After doing some more digging, we found that the top 2 shareholders collectively control more than half of the company's shares, implying that they have considerable power to influence the company's decisions.

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. Our information suggests that there isn't any analyst coverage of the stock, so it is probably little known.

Insider Ownership Of Newton Resources

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. 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.

It seems insiders own a significant proportion of Newton Resources Ltd. Insiders own HK$299m worth of shares in the HK$1.0b company. This may suggest that the founders still own a lot of shares. You can click here to see if they have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a 28% stake in Newton Resources. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Private Company Ownership

Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 43%, of the company's shares. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Be aware that Newton Resources is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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.