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Could MGC Pharmaceuticals Limited's (ASX:MXC) Investor Composition Influence The Stock Price?

Every investor in MGC Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX:MXC) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Generally speaking, as a company grows, institutions will increase their ownership. Conversely, insiders often decrease their ownership over time. 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.

MGC Pharmaceuticals is a smaller company with a market capitalization of AU$59m, so it may still be flying under the radar of many institutional investors. In the chart below below, we can see that institutional investors have not yet purchased much of the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about MXC.

See our latest analysis for MGC Pharmaceuticals

ASX:MXC Ownership Summary, August 6th 2019
ASX:MXC Ownership Summary, August 6th 2019

What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About MGC Pharmaceuticals?

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

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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. Institutional investors may not find the historic growth of the business impressive, or there might be other factors at play. You can see the past revenue performance of MGC Pharmaceuticals, for yourself, below.

ASX:MXC Income Statement, August 6th 2019
ASX:MXC Income Statement, August 6th 2019

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in MGC Pharmaceuticals. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time.

Insider Ownership Of MGC Pharmaceuticals

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.

I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own a reasonable proportion of MGC Pharmaceuticals Limited. Insiders own AU$8.2m worth of shares in the AU$59m company. I would say this shows alignment with shareholders, but it is worth noting that the company is still quite small; some insiders may have founded the business. You can click here to see if those insiders have been buying or selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, who are mostly retail investors, collectively hold 85% of MGC Pharmaceuticals 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:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand MGC Pharmaceuticals better, we need to consider many other factors.

I always like to check for a history of revenue growth. You can too, by accessing this free chart of historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

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.