Companies with two share classes (A & B)

Hi all,

Just got a quick question for you here. Has there been a company, which had two share classes (A & B) and then eventually merged them into one? Thanks for your help in advance.

6 Comments
 

Yes this happens. Usually the difference between the two classes relates to voting rights. For simplicity purposes, a company may convert its A shares to B shares so there is only one class of shares.

The conversion may be done at the equivalent voting %. But there are a lot of different scenarios that could come up, like meeting certain conversion criteria which could trigger a conversion event. You may need to be more specific for us to explain how it may apply to the situation you have in mind.

 
Best Response

Here's a throwback for you...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/wh-smith-to-merge-two-share-…

"WH SMITH, the retailer and newspaper distributer, yesterday broke with a 40-year tradition when it announced that it was to merge its two classes of shares. The group's B shares date from 1949, when it was floated as a public company after the death of its founder Lord Hamilton. They have a nominal value of 10p, a fifth of the 'A' shares but equal voting rights, and were designed to give the family protection after the company went public. They receive only a fifth of the A share dividend, however.

Under proposals that have to be agreed with shareholders, five B shares will be merged to create an A share. As compensation for the loss of voting rights, holders will be given 15 new shares for every 100 B shares held before consolidation."

 

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