Historical shareholder lists & Amadeus

A database like Amadeus (from Bureau van Dijk) has shareholder data that can go back to 2002. In a previous post I mentioned how you could find out how the types of shareholders could be identified using the codes. If your license / subscription includes the ownership module the information is available for European companies of the industrial type. Amadeus does not include financial type company data like Banks or Insurance companies. If you need these types of companies or a Global geographical coverage you could go for a database like Orbis or Bankscope.

The only way to view the full historical data for the current and previous shareholders for companies, is using the Ownership Data option that appears in the menu (on the right side of the screen) when you call up the basic Snapshot on a company from your results list by clicking on the name.

There are two presentation options for the Shareholder data:

1) History – all data
The first option presents a long list of all recorded data in the database. At the top the current shareholders are listed and below this the previous shareholders:

2) History – at each closing date
This option presents the recorded shareholders in columns by year. Allthough this makes it easier to view the history of ownership, if many changes occur in each year this makes interpreting the data not always easier:

Information on shareholders includes data like: type, percentage direct ownership, total percentage ownership, country, etc. Also included is information on Source Identity and Date of Info. Bureau van Dijk uses many sources for the Shareholder type data and the main sources include:

• Annual Reports (RS or RM)
• Private correspondence (PC)
• SEC Filings (PX or NQ)
• Stock exchanges (SE)
• Company web-sites (WW)
• Telephone calls (TC)
• Press News (PN)
• Additional sources (OS)
• Information providers (IP)

The choice for the data listed as ownership (for each month) depends on the sources. The Ownership Guide also explains how the sources are used and also has a full list of the Information Providers used. This allows you to find out which Source Ident. codes concern what source for each month.

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Shareholder types in BVD databases

Many of the databases of Bureau Van Dijk (BVD) allow you to call up information on the ownership of companies. When you call up a full report for a company in the database it is possible to go to a specific report with historical information on shareholders. Not only does it list the shareholders, but also percentages of ownership, month and year of the information, and type of ownership. Below you see an example screenshot for a company from the REACH database:

The type of shareholder is indicated in this overview with letters: A, B, C, etc. You can adjust the presentation of the type of information presented using the option Filters at the top of the list at the Options. You can also view a subsset of the available types of shareholders:

Unfortunately the list only shows letters and the filter option do not tell you which letters represent what types. If you do some further research in the online support/help information you can find out which letters stand for what types. Below you find an overview in the Dutch and English Languages:

Dutch Translation (used in REACH):
A = Verzekeringsmaatschappij
B = Bank
C = Handel- & Industrie-organisatie
D = Naamloze particuliere aandeelhouders, geaggregeerd
E = Beleggings- & pensioenfonds / Nominee / Trust / Trustee
F = Financiële instelling
I = Eén of meer bij naam genoemde individu(en) of familie(s)
J = Stichting / Onderzoeksinstituut
L = Ander naamloze aandeelhouders, geaggregeerd
M = Werknemers / Managers / Directeuren
P = Private Equity firma’s
S = Overheidsinstantie / Staat / Regering
V = Durfkapitaal
Y = Hedgefondsen
Z = Beursgenoteerde bedrijven

English Translation (used in Amadeus, Bankscope, etc.):
A = Insurance company
B = Bank
C = Trade & Industry organisation
D = Nameless private stockholders, aggregated
E = Mutual & Pension fund / Nominee / Trust / Trustee
F = Financial company
I = One or more named individuals or families
J = Foundation / Research Institute
L = Other named shareholders, aggregated
M = Employees/Managers/Directors
P = Private Equity firms
S = Public authority/State/Government
V = Venture Capital
Y = Hedge funds
Z = Public (Publicly listed companies)

MINT/ORBIS Additional categories:
H = Self ownership
Q = Branch

NB: In the help section it is also possible to get some definitions for some of these catagories (see the Orbis/Mint ownership specific ownership section).

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