Yahoo Finance Could The G. Willi-Food International Ltd. (NASDAQ:WILC) Ownership Structure Tell Us Something Useful?
Every investor in G. Willi-Food International Ltd. (NASDAQ:WILC) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. 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.
G. Willi-Food International is a smaller company with a market capitalization of US$298m, so it may still be flying under the radar of many institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutional investors have bought into the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about G. Willi-Food International.
View our latest analysis for G. Willi-Food International
What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About G. Willi-Food International?
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.
G. Willi-Food International 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. 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 G. Willi-Food International's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.
Our data indicates that hedge funds own 5.3% of G. Willi-Food International. That's interesting, because hedge funds can be quite active and activist. Many look for medium term catalysts that will drive the share price higher. Willy-Food Investments Ltd is currently the company's largest shareholder with 59% of shares outstanding. This essentially means that they have extensive influence, if not outright control, over the future of the corporation. The Phoenix Investment and Finances Ltd. is the second largest shareholder owning 7.2% of common stock, and B.S.D Crown Ltd. holds about 5.6% of the company stock.
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. As far I can tell there isn't analyst coverage of the company, so it is probably flying under the radar.
Insider Ownership Of G. Willi-Food International
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. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.
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.
I can report that insiders do own shares in G. Willi-Food International Ltd.. It has a market capitalization of just US$298m, and insiders have US$16m 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.
General Public Ownership
With a 11% ownership, the general public have some degree of sway over G. Willi-Food International. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.
Private Company Ownership
Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 5.6%, of the company's shares. It's hard to draw any conclusions from this fact alone, so its worth looking into who owns those private companies. Sometimes insiders or other related parties have an interest in shares in a public company through a separate private company.
Public Company Ownership
It appears to us that public companies own 59% of G. Willi-Food International. We can't be certain but it is quite possible this is a strategic stake. The businesses may be similar, or work together.
Next Steps:
It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand G. Willi-Food International better, we need to consider many other factors. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for G. Willi-Food International that you should be aware of.
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.
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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