Why Resource Base Limited’s (ASX:RBX) Investor Composition Impacts Your Returns

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Institutional Ownership

RBX’s 47.47% institutional ownership seems enough to cause large share price movements in the case of significant share sell-off or acquisitions by institutions, particularly when there is a low level of public shares available on the market to trade. These moves, at least in the short-term, are generally observed in an institutional ownership mix comprising of active stock pickers, in particular levered hedge funds, which can cause large price swings. In the case of RBX, investors need not worry about such volatility considering active hedge funds don’t have a significant stake. However, we should dig deeper into RBX’s ownership structure and find out how other key ownership classes can affect its investment profile.

Insider Ownership

I find insiders are another important group of stakeholders, who are directly involved in making key decisions related to the use of capital. In essence, insider ownership is more about the alignment of shareholders’ interests with the management. A major group of owners of RBX is individual insiders, sitting with a hefty 28.88% stake in the company. Broadly, insider ownership of this level has been found to negatively affect companies with consistently low PE ratio (underperforming). And a positive impact has been seen on companies with a high PE ratio (outperforming). Another aspect of insider ownership is to learn about their recent transactions. Insider buying may be a sign of upbeat future expectations, however, selling doesn’t necessarily mean the opposite as insiders may be motivated by their personal financial needs.

General Public Ownership

The general public holds a substantial 17.09% stake in RBX, making it a highly popular stock among retail investors. With this size of ownership, retail investors can collectively play a role in major company policies that affect shareholders returns, including executive remuneration and the appointment of directors. They can also exercise the power to decline an acquisition or merger that may not improve profitability.

Private Company Ownership

Potential investors in RBX should also look at another important group of investors: private companies, with a stake of 5.95%, who are primarily invested because of strategic and capital gain interests. This kind of ownership, if predominantly strategic, can give these companies a significant power to affect RBX’s business strategy. Thus, potential investors should look into these business relations and check how it can impact long-term shareholder returns.

What this means for you:

Are you a shareholder? The company’s high institutional ownership makes margin of safety a very important consideration to existing investors since long bull and bear trends often emerge when these big-ticket investors see a change in long-term potential of the company. This will enable shareholders to comfortably invest in the company while avoid getting trapped in a sustained sell-off that is often observed in stocks with this level of institutional participation. If you’re looking to diversify your holdings with high-quality stocks, our free analysis platform has a selection of high-quality stocks with a strong growth potential.