Individuals or institutions who have shares in a corporation are the various types of shareholders. Shareholders are entitled to various rights that allow them to vote on specific corporate issues and receive dividends, as well as rights to the company’s assets when liquidating. Companies of all sizes and sectors offer a range of products and services. For example, Amazon sells a variety of items from books to kitchen appliances, whereas Apple is renowned for its unique electronic gadgets like personal computers, smartphones, earphones and watches.
There are two kinds of shareholders: common and preferred. Anyone who owns common stock has only a small share of the company, which means they are entitled to voting rights and an element of the company’s earnings (if there is a profit). In http://companylisting.info/2021/02/23/pros-and-cons-of-using-free-business-listing-sites/ general, this type of share is more likely to earn a higher return over the longer term however it may not guarantee the exact amount of a dividend each year. Common shareholders also have the right to examine the company’s records like the minutes of meetings and shareholder registers.
Preferred shareholders receive a guaranteed annual dividend and have preference over other stockholders in the event of liquidating assets. They cannot vote for the board members or any other company policies. The term “shareholder” can be synonymous with “stakeholder,” but stakeholder has a broader definition which includes employees, customers as well as local communities, suppliers and customers, while shareholders are directly invested in the company’s financial success.