Who Owns Monash IVF Group (ASX:MVF)?

A look at the shareholders of Monash IVF Group Limited (ASX:MVF) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 60% stake, retail investors possess the maximum shares in the company. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

The considerable ownership by retail investors in Monash IVF Group indicates that they collectively have a greater say in management and business strategy. For instance, they can influence decisions on executive compensation, dividend policies, and proposed business acquisitions. This underscores the significance of retail investors in shaping the company's direction.

Institutional Investors

Institutions, on the other hand, account for 33% of the company's stockholders. Large companies usually have institutions as shareholders, and we usually see insiders owning shares in smaller companies.

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.

We can see that Monash IVF Group does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Monash IVF Group's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

Top Shareholders

Monash IVF Group is not owned by hedge funds. Looking at our data, we can see that the largest shareholder is Argo Investments Limited with 5.1% of shares outstanding. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 5.1% and 4.7% of the stock.

On studying our ownership data, we found that 25 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest.

What Can We Learn From Shareholder Data?

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. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.

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.

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.

We can see that insiders own shares in Monash IVF Group Limited. It has a market capitalization of just AU$491m, and insiders have AU$5.8m worth of shares, in their own names. This shows at least some alignment. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

The Power of Collective Ownership

Public companies currently own 4.5% of Monash IVF Group stock. We can't be certain but it is quite possible this is a strategic stake. The businesses may be similar, or work together.

What to Consider

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. Be aware that Monash IVF Group is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.

Disclaimer

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.