Stock Analysis

What Kind Of Investor Owns Most Of Dev Information Technology Limited (NSE:DEVIT)?

NSEI:DEVIT
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The big shareholder groups in Dev Information Technology Limited (NSE:DEVIT) have power over the company. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. 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.

Dev Information Technology is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of ₹442m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions don't own shares in the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about DEVIT.

See our latest analysis for Dev Information Technology

NSEI:DEVIT Ownership Summary, August 25th 2019
NSEI:DEVIT Ownership Summary, August 25th 2019
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What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Dev Information Technology?

We don't tend to see institutional investors holding stock of companies that are very risky, thinly traded, or very small. Though we do sometimes see large companies without institutions on the register, it's not particularly common.

There are many reasons why a company might not have any institutions on the share registry. It may be hard for institutions to buy large amounts of shares, if liquidity (the amount of shares traded each day) is low. If the company has not needed to raise capital, institutions might lack the opportunity to build a position. It is also possible that fund managers don't own the stock because they aren't convinced it will perform well. Dev Information Technology's earnings and revenue track record (below) may not be compelling to institutional investors -- or they simply might not have looked at the business closely.

NSEI:DEVIT Income Statement, August 25th 2019
NSEI:DEVIT Income Statement, August 25th 2019

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Dev Information Technology. As far I can tell there isn't analyst coverage of the company, so it is probably flying under the radar.

Insider Ownership Of Dev Information Technology

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

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 that insiders own more than half the Dev Information Technology Limited stock. This gives them a lot of power. Given it has a market cap of ₹442m, that means they have ₹329m worth of shares. It is good to see this level of investment. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently.

General Public Ownership

The general public, with a 20% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

Private Company Ownership

Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 5.1%, of the company's shares. 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.

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.

I always like to check for a history of revenue growth. You can too, by accessing this free chart of historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

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.

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.

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. Thank you for reading.