Question

What is an equity share? Explain its features.

Answer 1

• Equity shares are the fundamental and basic source of financing activities of the business.
• Equity shares are also known as ordinary shares.
• Indian Companies Act 1956 defines equity shares as those shares which do not preference shares.
• The equity shares do not enjoy a preference in getting dividends.

Features of equity shares: 

(i) Permanent Capital:

• Equity shares are irredeemable shares. It is permanent capital.
• The amount received from equity shares is not refunded by the company during its lifetime.
• Equity shares become redeemable/refundable only in the event of the winding-up of the company or the company decides to buy back shares.
• Equity shareholders provide long-term and permanent capital to the company.

(ii) Fluctuating dividend:

• Equity shares do not have a fixed rate of dividend.
• The rate of dividend depends upon the amount of profit earned by the company.
• If a company earns more profit, the dividend is paid at a higher rate.
• If there is insufficient profit, the Board of Directors may postpone the payment of dividends.
• The shareholders cannot compel them to declare and pay the dividend.
• The dividend is thus, always uncertain and fluctuating.
• The income of equity shares is uncertain and irregular.

(iii) Rights:

• Equity shareholders enjoy certain rights. 
• Right to share in profit when distributed as dividend.
• Right to vote by which they elect Directors, amend Memorandum, Articles, etc.
• Right to inspect books of account of their company.
• Right to transfer shares. 
• Participation in management. 
• Enjoy Right Issue and Bonus Issue.

(iv) No preferential right:

• Equity shareholders do not enjoy preferential rights in respect to the payment of dividends.
• They are paid dividends only after the dividend is paid to preference shareholders.
• At the time of winding up, they are the last claimants. They are paid last after all the other claims are settled.

(v) Controlling power:

• The control of a company vests in the hands of equity shareholders.
• They are often described as real masters of the company as they enjoy exclusive voting rights.
• Equity shareholders may exercise their voting right by proxies, without attending the meeting in person.
• The Act provides the right to cast vote in proportion to the number of shareholdings.
• They participate in the management of the company.
• They elect their representatives called the Board of Directors for management of the company.

(vi) Risk:

• Equity shareholders bear maximum risk in the company.
• They are described as ‘shock absorbers when the company is in a financial crisis.
• The rate of dividend falls if the income of the company falls.
• The market value of shares goes down resulting in capital loss.

(vii) Residual claimants:

• A residual claim means the last claim on the earnings of the company.
• Equity shareholders are owners and they are residual claimants to all earnings after expenses, taxes, dividends, interests are paid.
• Even though equity shareholders are the last claimants, they have the advantage of receiving the entire earnings that are leftover.

(viii) No charge on assets:

• The equity share does not create any charge over the assets of the company.
• There is no security/guarantee of capital invested being returned.

(ix) Bonus issue:

• Bonus shares are issued as gifts to equity shareholders.
• They are issued ‘free of cost’.
• These shares are issued out of accumulated profits.
• These shares are issued to existing equity shareholders in a certain ratio or proportion of their existing shareholdings.
• Capital investment of equity shareholders grows on its own.
• This facility is available only to equity shareholders.

(x) Rights issue:

• Equity shareholders get the benefit of rights issues.
• When a company raises further capital by issue of shares, the existing shareholders are given priority to get newly offered shares, known as a rights issue.

(xi) Face value:

• The face value of equity share is very less.
• It can be ₹ 10 per share or even ₹ 1/- per share

(xii) Market value:

• Market value fluctuates, according to the demand and supply of shares.
• The demand and supply of equity shares depend on profits earned and dividends declared.
• When a company earns huge profits, the market value of shares increases.
• When it incurs a loss, the market value of shares decreases.
• There are frequent fluctuations in the market value of shares in comparison to other securities.
• Equity shares are more appealing to speculators.

(xiii) Capital Appreciation:

• Share capital appreciation takes place when the market value of share increases in the share market.
• The profitability and prosperity of a company enhance the reputation of the company in the share market and thus, facilitates appreciation of the market value of equity shares.