Cayman Engley Industrial Co., Ltd.'s (TWSE:2239) market cap surged NT$445m last week, private companies who have a lot riding on the company were rewarded

Key Insights

• Significant control over Cayman Engley Industrial by private companies implies that the general public has more power to influence management and governance-related decisions
• The top 4 shareholders own 54% of the company
• Insider ownership in Cayman Engley Industrial is 18%

To get a sense of who is truly in control of Cayman Engley Industrial Co., Ltd. (TWSE:2239), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. With 56% stake, private companies possess the maximum shares in the company. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

As a result, private companies were the biggest beneficiaries of last week’s 11% gain.

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

View our latest analysis for Cayman Engley Industrial

What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Cayman Engley Industrial?

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. Cayman Engley Industrial might not have the sort of past performance institutions are looking for, or perhaps they simply have not studied the business closely.

Cayman Engley Industrial is not owned by hedge funds. Our data shows that Honghan Industrial Co., Ltd. is the largest shareholder with 22% of shares outstanding. Meanwhile, the second and third largest shareholders, hold 17% and 7.5%, of the shares outstanding, respectively.

To make our study more interesting, we found that the top 4 shareholders control more than half of the company which implies that this group has considerable sway over the company's decision-making.

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

Insider Ownership Of Cayman Engley Industrial

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

Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in Cayman Engley Industrial Co., Ltd.. Insiders own NT$791m worth of shares in the NT$4.5b company. It is great to see insiders so invested in the business. It might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying recently.

General Public Ownership

With a 25% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Cayman Engley Industrial. 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

Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 56%, 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:

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 Cayman Engley Industrial (at least 1 which is a bit concerning) , 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.