Comet Holding AG (VTX:COTN) is a favorite amongst institutional investors who own 56%

April 21, 2025

  • Significantly high institutional ownership implies Comet Holding’s stock price is sensitive to their trading actions

  • The top 25 shareholders own 49% of the company

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

We’ve discovered 1 warning sign about Comet Holding. View them for free.

A look at the shareholders of Comet Holding AG (VTX:COTN) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 56% stake, institutions possess the maximum shares in the company. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.

Because institutional owners have a huge pool of resources and liquidity, their investing decisions tend to carry a great deal of weight, especially with individual investors. As a result, a sizeable amount of institutional money invested in a firm is generally viewed as a positive attribute.

Let’s take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Comet Holding.

Check out our latest analysis for Comet Holding

ownership-breakdown
SWX:COTN Ownership Breakdown April 21st 2025

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.

Comet Holding already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. 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. 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 Comet Holding’s earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

earnings-and-revenue-growth
SWX:COTN Earnings and Revenue Growth April 21st 2025

Investors should note that institutions actually own more than half the company, so they can collectively wield significant power. Comet Holding is not owned by hedge funds. The company’s largest shareholder is UBS Asset Management AG, with ownership of 10%. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 5.3% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 5.1% by the third-largest shareholder.

On studying our ownership data, we found that 25 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest.

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 plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

The definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.

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 information suggests that Comet Holding AG insiders own under 1% of the company. It’s a big company, so even a small proportional interest can create alignment between the board and shareholders. In this case insiders own CHF4.5m worth of shares. It is good to see board members owning shares, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.

With a 44% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Comet Holding. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders.

It’s always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Comet Holding better, we need to consider many other factors. Be aware that Comet Holding is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis , you should know about…

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.

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

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.

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