To get a sense of who is truly in control of NexGen Energy Ltd. (TSE:NXE), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are individual investors with 59% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).
Individual investors gained the most after market cap touched CA$3.0b last week, while institutions who own 35% also benefitted.
Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of NexGen Energy, beginning with the chart below.
Check out our latest analysis for NexGen Energy
What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About NexGen Energy?
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.
NexGen Energy already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. 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. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of NexGen Energy, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.
NexGen Energy is not owned by hedge funds. Li Ka Shing (Global) Foundation, Endowment Arm is currently the company's largest shareholder with 6.1% of shares outstanding. With 4.5% and 4.3% of the shares outstanding respectively, Mirae Asset Global Investments Co., Ltd and LVM Unity Limited are the second and third largest shareholders. Furthermore, CEO Leigh Curyer is the owner of 1.0% of the company's shares.
A deeper look at our ownership data shows that the top 25 shareholders collectively hold less than half of the register, suggesting a large group of small holders where no single shareholder has a majority.
While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.
Insider Ownership Of NexGen Energy
While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.
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.
Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in NexGen Energy Ltd.. The insiders have a meaningful stake worth CA$46m. Most would see this as a real positive. Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.
General Public Ownership
The general public, who are usually individual investors, hold a substantial 59% stake in NexGen Energy, suggesting it is a fairly popular stock. With this amount of ownership, retail investors can collectively play a role in decisions that affect shareholder returns, such as dividend policies and the appointment of directors. They can also exercise the power to vote on acquisitions or mergers that may not improve profitability.
Private Company Ownership
We can see that Private Companies own 4.3%, of the shares on issue. It might be worth looking deeper into this. If related parties, such as insiders, have an interest in one of these private companies, that should be disclosed in the annual report. Private companies may also have a strategic interest in the company.
Next Steps:
It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand NexGen Energy better, we need to consider many other factors. Be aware that NexGen Energy is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those is a bit unpleasant...
If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss this free report on analyst forecasts.
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.
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