Key Insights

• Offcn Education Technology's significant individual investors ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger public
• The top 15 shareholders own 51% of the company
• Insider ownership in Offcn Education Technology is 25%

To get a sense of who is truly in control of Offcn Education Technology Co., Ltd. (SZSE:002607), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 45% to be precise, is individual investors. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Following a 38% increase in the stock price last week, individual investors profited the most, but insiders who own 25% stock also stood to gain from the increase.

Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Offcn Education Technology.

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Offcn Education Technology?

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 Offcn Education Technology. 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. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Offcn Education Technology, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

Hedge funds don't have many shares in Offcn Education Technology. The company's largest shareholder is Yongxin Li, with ownership of 15%. Zhendong Wang is the second largest shareholder owning 7.5% of common stock, and Hunan Chasing Fund Management Co., Ltd holds about 5.0% of the company stock. Zhendong Wang, who is the second-largest shareholder, also happens to hold the title of Chief Executive Officer.

A closer look at our ownership figures suggests that the top 15 shareholders have a combined ownership of 51% implying that no single shareholder has a majority.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.

Insider Ownership Of Offcn Education Technology

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. 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.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own a reasonable proportion of Offcn Education Technology Co., Ltd.. It has a market capitalization of just CN¥12b, and insiders have CN¥3.1b worth of shares in their own names. That's quite significant. Most would be pleased to see the board is investing alongside them. You may wish to access this free chart showing recent trading by insiders.

General Public Ownership

With a 45% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Offcn Education Technology. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Private Equity Ownership

Private equity firms hold a 5.0% stake in Offcn Education Technology. This suggests they can be influential in key policy decisions. Sometimes we see private equity stick around for the long term, but generally speaking they have a shorter investment horizon and -- as the name suggests -- don't invest in public companies much. After some time they may look to sell and redeploy capital elsewhere.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. For example, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Offcn Education Technology that you should be aware of before investing here.

If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com