Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPSS) insiders, who hold 35% of the firm would be disappointed by the recent pullback

Key Insights

• Significant insider control over Consumer Portfolio Services implies vested interests in company growth
• 54% of the business is held by the top 4 shareholders
• Institutional ownership in Consumer Portfolio Services is 24%

Every investor in Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPSS) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. We can see that individual insiders own the lion's share in the company with 35% ownership. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

And last week, insiders endured the biggest losses as the stock fell by 12%.

In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Consumer Portfolio Services.

Check out our latest analysis for Consumer Portfolio Services

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Consumer Portfolio Services?

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.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Consumer Portfolio Services. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Consumer Portfolio Services' earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Consumer Portfolio Services. Black Diamond Capital Management, L.L.C. is currently the company's largest shareholder with 24% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 18% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 7.7% by the third-largest shareholder. Charles Bradley, who is the second-largest shareholder, also happens to hold the title of Chief Executive Officer.

Our research also brought to light the fact that roughly 54% of the company is controlled by the top 4 shareholders suggesting that these owners wield significant influence on the business.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. Our information suggests that there isn't any analyst coverage of the stock, so it is probably little known.

Insider Ownership Of Consumer Portfolio Services

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. 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.

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.

It seems insiders own a significant proportion of Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.. It has a market capitalization of just US$176m, and insiders have US$62m worth of shares in their own names. We would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 17% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored. 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 Equity Ownership

With a stake of 24%, private equity firms could influence the Consumer Portfolio Services board. Sometimes we see private equity stick around for the long term, but generally speaking they have a shorter investment horizon and -- as the name suggests -- don't invest in public companies much. After some time they may look to sell and redeploy capital elsewhere.

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 risks, for instance. Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Consumer Portfolio Services you should know about.

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.