Retail investors who hold 50% of GT Gold Holdings Limited (HKG:8299) gained 23%, insiders profited as well

Key Insights

• The considerable ownership by retail investors in GT Gold Holdings indicates that they collectively have a greater say in management and business strategy
• Qianzhou Ma owns 50% of the company
• Insiders own 50% of GT Gold Holdings

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If you want to know who really controls GT Gold Holdings Limited (HKG:8299), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. We can see that retail investors own the lion's share in the company with 50% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Following a 23% increase in the stock price last week, retail investors profited the most, but insiders who own 50% stock also stood to gain from the increase.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of GT Gold Holdings.

View our latest analysis for GT Gold Holdings

What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About GT Gold Holdings?

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. On the other hand, it's always possible that professional investors are avoiding a company because they don't think it's the best place for their money. Institutional investors may not find the historic growth of the business impressive, or there might be other factors at play. You can see the past revenue performance of GT Gold Holdings, for yourself, below.

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in GT Gold Holdings. Our data shows that Qianzhou Ma is the largest shareholder with 50% of shares outstanding.

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. As far as we can tell there isn't analyst coverage of the company, so it is probably flying under the radar.

Insider Ownership Of GT Gold Holdings

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. 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.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in GT Gold Holdings Limited. It has a market capitalization of just HK$4.8b, and insiders have HK$2.4b worth of shares in their own names. 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 substantial 50% stake in GT Gold Holdings, suggesting it is a fairly popular stock. This size of ownership gives investors from the general public some collective power. They can and probably do influence decisions on executive compensation, dividend policies and proposed business acquisitions.

Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with GT Gold Holdings (at least 1 which is a bit unpleasant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Of course this may not be the best stock to buy. Therefore, you may wish to see our free collection of interesting prospects boasting favorable financials.

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.