Key Insights

• The considerable ownership by individual investors in Digital China Information Service Group indicates that they collectively have a greater say in management and business strategy
• The top 5 shareholders own 51% of the company
• Past performance of a company along with ownership data serve to give a strong idea about prospects for a business

Every investor in Digital China Information Service Group Company Ltd. (SZSE:000555) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. We can see that individual investors own the lion's share in the company with 41% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

As a result, individual investors as a group endured the highest losses last week after market cap fell by CN¥498m.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Digital China Information Service Group.

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Digital China Information Service Group?

Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Digital China Information Service Group. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Digital China Information Service Group's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

Digital China Information Service Group is not owned by hedge funds. Digital China Holdings Limited is currently the company's largest shareholder with 41% of shares outstanding. Kunshan Shenchang Scientific & Technological Co., Ltd. is the second largest shareholder owning 5.2% of common stock, and China-Singapore Suzhou Industrial Park Ventures Co., Ltd. holds about 2.1% of the company stock.

To make our study more interesting, we found that the top 5 shareholders control more than half of the company which implies that this group has considerable sway over the company's decision-making.

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. While there is some analyst coverage, the company is probably not widely covered. So it could gain more attention, down the track.

Insider Ownership Of Digital China Information Service Group

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

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 some shares in Digital China Information Service Group Company Ltd.. This is a big company, so it is good to see this level of alignment. Insiders own CN¥331m worth of shares (at current prices). It is good to see this level of investment by insiders. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently.

General Public Ownership

With a 41% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Digital China Information Service Group. 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

It seems that Private Companies own 7.2%, of the Digital China Information Service Group stock. 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.

Public Company Ownership

We can see that public companies hold 41% of the Digital China Information Service Group shares on issue. 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 Digital China Information Service Group better, we need to consider many other factors. Be aware that Digital China Information Service Group is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about...

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.

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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.