Key findings

If you want to know who really controls Métropole Télévision SA (EPA:MMT), you need to look at the composition of the share registry. We can see that private companies own the lion’s share of the company, with 59%. In other words, the group has the greatest upside potential (or downside risk).

After the share price rose by 3.0% last week, private companies benefited the most, but institutions, which own 21% of the shares, also benefited from the increase.

Let’s take a closer look at what the different shareholder types can tell us about Métropole Télévision.

Check out our latest analysis for Métropole Télévision

What does institutional ownership tell us about Métropole Télévision?

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 their registry, especially if they’re growing.

As you can see, institutional investors hold a significant amount of Métropole Télévision. This suggests some credibility among professional investors. But we cannot rely on this fact alone since institutions sometimes make bad investments, just like everyone else does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there is always a risk that they are involved in a “crowd trade.” If such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell the stock quickly. This risk is higher for a company without a growth history. You can see Métropole Télévision’s historical earnings and revenue below, but remember there’s always more to the story.

We note that hedge funds do not have significant investments in Métropole Télévision. Our data shows that Bertelsmann SE & Co. KGaA is the largest shareholder with 49% of the shares outstanding. CMA CGM Participation SASU is the second largest shareholder with 10% of the common shares, and Silchester International Investors LLP holds about 9.9% of the company’s shares.

A closer examination of the shareholder register revealed that two of the largest shareholders own a significant share in the company with their 59% stake.

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. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you can look at forecasted growth quite easily.

Insider ownership of Métropole Télévision

While the exact definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Company management is accountable to the board, which should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top executives are themselves on the board.

Insider ownership is positive when it signals that management thinks like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give enormous power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.

We can report that insiders own shares in Métropole Télévision SA. This is a large company, so it’s good to see this level of agreement. Insiders own €15m worth of shares (at the current price). If you want to research the question of insider agreement, you can click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling.

Public property

The general public, usually private investors, owns 18 percent of Métropole Télévision. While this group does not necessarily call the shots, it can have a real influence on the company’s management.

Private company ownership

Our data shows that private companies hold 59% of the company’s shares. Private companies can be related parties. Sometimes insiders have an interest in a publicly traded company through an ownership interest in a private company, rather than in their own capacity as an individual. While it is difficult to draw any general conclusions, this is an area for further investigation.

Next Steps:

While it is worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. For example, we found 2 warning signs for Métropole Télévision (1 is potentially serious) that you should be aware of.

But ultimately It is the futurenot the past, will determine how well the owners of this company will perform, so we think it wise to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a better future.

NB: The figures in this article are calculated using the last twelve months’ data, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last day of the month in which the financial statements are dated. This may not match the figures in the annual report.

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This Simply Wall St article is of a general nature. We comment solely on the basis of historical data and analyst forecasts, using an unbiased methodology. Our articles do not constitute financial advice. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell any stock and does not take into account your objectives or financial situation. Our goal is to provide you with long-term analysis based on fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not take into account the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative materials. Simply Wall St does not hold any of the stocks mentioned.