Key Insights

• Given the large stake in the stock by institutions, Fulton Financial's stock price might be vulnerable to their trading decisions

• A total of 16 investors have a majority stake in the company with 50% ownership

• Using data from analyst forecasts alongside ownership research, one can better assess the future performance of a company

If you want to know who really controls Fulton Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:FULT), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry.  We can see that institutions own the lion's share in the company with 64% ownership.   That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).

Given the vast amount of money and research capacities at their disposal, institutional ownership tends to carry a lot of weight, especially with individual investors.  Therefore, a good portion of institutional money invested in the company is usually a huge vote of confidence on its future.  

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

NasdaqGS:FULT Ownership Breakdown June 4th 2024

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Fulton Financial?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Fulton Financial.  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.  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 Fulton Financial's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

NasdaqGS:FULT Earnings and Revenue Growth June 4th 2024

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power.    Hedge funds don't have many shares in Fulton Financial.      Our data shows that BlackRock, Inc. is the largest shareholder with 13% of shares outstanding.       With 11% and 6.6% of the shares outstanding respectively, The Vanguard Group, Inc. and Dimensional Fund Advisors LP are the second and third largest shareholders.  

Looking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 50% of the ownership is controlled by the top 16 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership.  

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.   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 Fulton Financial

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.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own some shares in Fulton Financial Corporation.   It is a pretty big company, so it is generally a positive to see some potentially meaningful alignment. In this case, they own around US$34m worth of shares (at current prices).  Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.  

General Public Ownership

The general public-- including retail investors -- own 35% stake in the company, and hence can't easily be ignored.   While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.  

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Fulton Financial better, we need to consider many other factors.    For instance, we've identified   1 warning sign for Fulton Financial  that you should be aware of.  

Ultimately the future is most important. You can access this free report on analyst forecasts for the company.

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.