What are voting shares?
Introduction
Voting shares are a proven means of securing control within a company without having to hold a majority of the capital. They offer founders, entrepreneurial families and strategic investors in particular opportunities to maintain their influence on company management. But what exactly are voting shares, how do they differ from ordinary shares and what advantages and disadvantages are associated with them?
In this article, you will find out what voting shares are and everything you need to know about their Introduction, your legal and practical framework conditions and their role in company takeovers.
Table of contents
- What are voting shares?
- Requirements for the introduction of voting shares in Switzerland
- Difference between voting shares and ordinary shares
- Voting shares Advantages and disadvantages
- Voting shares as an instrument for securing corporate control
- Voting shares and their role in company takeovers
- Conclusion: introducing and managing voting shares with Konsento
What are voting shares?
Voting shares are shares that have a lower nominal value than ordinary shares. This allows a shareholder or group of investors with a comparatively small share of capital to obtain a disproportionately large majority of voting rights.
This type of share enables entrepreneurs or investors to exert influence on strategic decisions without having to raise additional funds. Voting shares are frequently used, particularly in family businesses or companies with a clear management structure.
Requirements for the introduction of voting shares in Switzerland
The Introduction of voting shares requires an amendment to the Articles of Association, which must be adopted by a resolution of the Annual General Meeting. An increased quorum is required: at least two thirds of the votes represented and the majority of the share capital represented must be in favor.
There are also statutory limits: The nominal value of the ordinary shares may not exceed ten times the nominal value of the voting shares. This is intended to prevent an excessive concentration of voting rights among a small number of shareholders. If the nominal value of an ordinary share is CHF 10.00, the nominal value of the voting shares may not be less than CHF 1.00. All amounts in between are possible.
Difference between voting shares and ordinary shares
Ordinary shares confer both voting rights and a share in the company's success. Each ordinary share has one vote at the Annual General Meeting. The voting power is based on the capital contributed.
Voting shares voting shares also confer one voting right per share and a share in the company's success. However, the nominal value of the voting share is lower than that of the ordinary share, which means that less capital needs to be invested in order to obtain a voting majority. This means that they can be used strategically to secure or distribute controlling majorities.
Voting shares Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Securing the controlEntrepreneurs or families can retain decision-making power despite capital increases.
- Protection against hostile takeoversPotential purchasers must not only buy shares, but also control voting rights.
- Flexibility in raising capitalNew investors can be admitted without diluting control.
Disadvantages
- Less attractive for investorsSome institutional investors avoid companies with unevenly distributed voting rights.
- Complex governance structuresManagement must coordinate with various interest groups.
- Restriction due to legal requirements: Limitations on the nominal value ratio restrict the scope.
Voting shares as an instrument for securing corporate control
Many companies use voting shares to secure long-term corporate strategies. In family-run companies in particular, this model ensures that the next generation retains control, even if external investors contribute capital.
Voting shares and their role in company takeovers
Voting shares can serve as a protective mechanism in the event of takeovers. As control is not exclusively dependent on the capital share, companies can make takeover attempts more difficult or steer them in a targeted manner. This naturally applies in particular to listed companies.
Conclusion: introducing and managing voting shares with Konsento
Voting shares offer numerous strategic advantages, but also require well thought-out implementation. Konsento enables the Management of ordinary shares and voting shares with any nominal values in the digital share register - up to 150 shareholders free of charge.
The GV module from Konsento supports the Introduction of voting sharesby providing a specific, pre-formulated agenda item. In addition, general meeting resolutions can be notarized online and commercial register registrations can be made directly. Konsento also helps with the Amendment of the Articles of Associationto integrate voting shares into the corporate structure in a legally secure manner.
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