The big shareholder groups in Partners Value Investments LP (CVE:PVF.UN) have power over the company. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it's not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies. I quite like to see at least a little bit of insider ownership. As Charlie Munger said 'Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome.

With a market capitalization of CA$3.7b, Partners Value Investments is a decent size, so it is probably on the radar of institutional investors. Our analysis of the ownership of the company, below, shows that institutions are not on the share registry. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Partners Value Investments.

Check out our latest analysis for Partners Value InvestmentsTSXV:PVF.UN Ownership Breakdown February 1st 2021What Does The Lack Of Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Partners Value Investments?

We don't tend to see institutional investors holding stock of companies that are very risky, thinly traded, or very small. Though we do sometimes see large companies without institutions on the register, it's not particularly common.

There are multiple explanations for why institutions don't own a stock. The most common is that the company is too small relative to funds under management, so the institution does not bother to look closely at the company. Alternatively, there might be something about the company that has kept institutional investors away. Partners Value Investments' earnings and revenue track record (below) may not be compelling to institutional investors -- or they simply might not have looked at the business closely.TSXV:PVF.UN Earnings and Revenue Growth February 1st 2021

Partners Value Investments is not owned by hedge funds. Partners Limited is currently the company's largest shareholder with 50% of shares outstanding. With 5.0% and 2.7% of the shares outstanding respectively, Samuel Pollock and Partners (III) Limited are the second and third largest shareholders.

A more detailed study of the shareholder registry showed us that 2 of the top shareholders have a considerable amount of ownership in the company, via their 55% stake.

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. We're not picking up on any analyst coverage of the stock at the moment, so the company is unlikely to be widely held.Insider Ownership Of Partners Value Investments

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.

We can see that insiders own shares in Partners Value Investments LP. The insiders have a meaningful stake worth CA$187m. Most would see this as a real positive. 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

The general public holds a 42% stake in Partners Value Investments. 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

Our data indicates that Private Companies hold 53%, of the company's shares. 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.Next Steps:

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important.

Many find it usefulto take an in depth look at how a company has performed in the past. You can access thisdetailed graphof past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

Of coursethis may not be the best stock to buy. Therefore, you may wish to see ourfreecollection of interesting prospects boasting favorable financials.

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.

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. 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.

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