Advertisement
Canada markets closed
  • S&P/TSX

    21,969.24
    +83.86 (+0.38%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,099.96
    +51.54 (+1.02%)
     
  • DOW

    38,239.66
    +153.86 (+0.40%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7316
    -0.0007 (-0.09%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    83.66
    +0.09 (+0.11%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    86,525.20
    -1,584.95 (-1.80%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,304.48
    -92.06 (-6.59%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,349.60
    +7.10 (+0.30%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,002.00
    +20.88 (+1.05%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.6690
    -0.0370 (-0.79%)
     
  • NASDAQ

    15,927.90
    +316.14 (+2.03%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    15.03
    -0.34 (-2.21%)
     
  • FTSE

    8,139.83
    +60.97 (+0.75%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    37,934.76
    +306.28 (+0.81%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6838
    +0.0017 (+0.25%)
     

What Kind Of Shareholders Own Astron Connect Inc. (CVE:AST)?

A look at the shareholders of Astron Connect Inc. (CVE:AST) can tell us which group is most powerful. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. 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.

Astron Connect is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of CA$2.5m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutional investors have not yet purchased shares. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about AST.

See our latest analysis for Astron Connect

TSXV:AST Ownership Summary, November 12th 2019
TSXV:AST Ownership Summary, November 12th 2019

What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Astron Connect?

Small companies that are not very actively traded often lack institutional investors, but it's less common to see large companies without them.

ADVERTISEMENT

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. Alternatively, there might be something about the company that has kept institutional investors away. Astron Connect might not have the sort of past performance institutions are looking for, or perhaps they simply have not studied the business closely.

TSXV:AST Income Statement, November 12th 2019
TSXV:AST Income Statement, November 12th 2019

Hedge funds don't have many shares in Astron Connect. We're not picking up on any analyst coverage of the stock at the moment, so the company is unlikely to be widely held.

Insider Ownership Of Astron Connect

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.

Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in Astron Connect Inc.. It has a market capitalization of just CA$2.5m, and insiders have CA$1.3m worth of shares in their own names. 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

The general public, who are mostly retail investors, collectively hold 50% of Astron Connect shares. This level of ownership gives retail investors the power to sway key policy decisions such as board composition, executive compensation, and the dividend payout ratio.

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 like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can access this interactive graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow for free.

If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, backed by strong financial data.

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.