Background
In the landscape of corporate finance, companies occasionally choose to issue multiple classes of shares. Among these, non-voting shares are a distinct type of equity share that grants dividend rights but restricts voting rights at company meetings. This enables firms to raise capital without sacrificing control over corporate decision-making.
Historical Context
The practice of issuing non-voting shares can be traced back to the early 20th century, although it became more prevalent during the latter half of the century. The proliferation nestled within an era characterized by rapidly expanding corporate empires in need of substantial capital from a diverse investor base, while managements sought to maintain consolidated authority.
Definitions and Concepts
Non-voting Share: A type of equity share in a company that confers the right to receive dividends, similar to voting ordinary shares, but does not allow the holder to vote in shareholder meetings.
Key Characteristics:
- Dividend rights similar to those of voting shares
- Absence of voting rights at corporate meetings
- Typically have a lower market price compared to voting shares due to lack of control
Major Analytical Frameworks
Classical Economics
Classical economics, focusing primarily on supply, demand, and the allocation of resources, sees non-voting shares mainly in terms of their role in diversifying an investor’s portfolio while indirectly fostering the efficient allocation of capital within markets.
Neoclassical Economics
Neoclassical economists would analyze non-voting shares through the lens of market equilibrium and investor behavior, emphasizing trade-offs involving utility maximization. Non-voting shares allow risk-averse investors to reap financial benefits (dividends) without engaging in the more complex aspects of corporate governance.
Keynesian Economics
From a Keynesian viewpoint, non-voting shares serve as a mechanism for placing additional capital into corporations, thereby stimulating corporate investment and influence GDP growth, albeit without altering management strategies or corporate control.
Marxian Economics
Marxian economists might critique non-voting shares as a tactic for fortifying capitalist power structures, inhibiting broader, democratic engagement in the decision-making processes of businesses, thereby institutionalizing the concentration of corporate power.
Institutional Economics
Institutional economics might explore how non-voting shares affect the internal governance structures of companies and influence the broader socio-economic institutions that govern corporate behavior, market norms, and regulatory practices.
Behavioral Economics
Behavioral economics would delve into how investor perceptions and biases influence the valuation of non-voting shares compared to voting shares. Cognitive biases and heuristic behaviors could contribute to disparities between the theoretical and actual market performance of these equity instruments.
Post-Keynesian Economics
Consistent with Post-Keynesian emphasis on uncertainty and institutions, analysts may regard non-voting shares as reinforcing asymmetries in corporate control and power dynamics within firms, with long-term impacts on economic stability and capital distribution.
Austrian Economics
The Austrian school would evaluate non-voting shares from a perspective of individual choice and market entrepreneurism, underscoring the outcomes of voluntary transactions and market-driven decisions relating to the issuance and valuation of different share classes.
Development Economics
In development contexts, non-voting shares could be perceived as a means for young companies in emerging markets to access international financing without yielding substantial control to foreign investors, fitting into broader strategies for sustaining domestic economic and corporate autonomy.
Monetarism
Monetarism would evaluate non-voting shares in conjunction with capital markets and money supply, focusing on how equity finance raised through non-voting shares circulates within the economy, potentially influencing inflation rates, interest rates, and broader economic stability.
Comparative Analysis
Non-voting shares are most often compared with voting shares in terms of their rights, market pricing, and their role in strategic corporate governance. By comparing jurisdictions that permit or restrict these shares, insights can be gained about regulatory environments and cultural perspectives on corporate control and investor democracy.
Case Studies
Example 1: Snap Inc.
Snap Inc., the parent company of most-known Snapchat, issued non-voting shares during its initial public offering, ensuring founders retained majority control despite selling a significant portion of the company to public investors.
Example 2: Alphabet Inc.
Alphabet Inc., Google’s parent company, has adopted a multi-class share structure, with Class A shares having one vote each, Class B shares having ten votes each, and Class C shares offering no voting rights.
Suggested Books for Further Studies
- “The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham
- “Security Analysis” by Benjamin Graham and David Dodd
- “Corporate Finance” by Stephen A. Ross, Randolph W. Westerfield, and Jeffrey Jaffe
Related Terms with Definitions
- Voting Share: A type of equity share in a company that grants the holder the right to vote on corporate matters.
- Dividend: A portion
