Institutions’ substantial holdings in Barry Callebaut implies that they have significant influence over the company’s share price
52% of the business is held by the top 4 shareholders
Using data from analyst forecasts alongside ownership research, one can better assess the future performance of a company
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A look at the shareholders of Barry Callebaut AG (VTX:BARN) can tell us which group is most powerful. We can see that institutions own the lion’s share in the company with 34% ownership. In other words, the group stands to gain the most (or lose the most) from their investment into the company.
And institutional investors saw their holdings value drop by 9.7% last week. Needless to say, the recent loss which further adds to the one-year loss to shareholders of 39% might not go down well especially with this category of shareholders. Often called “market movers”, institutions wield significant power in influencing the price dynamics of any stock. As a result, if the downtrend continues, institutions may face pressures to sell Barry Callebaut, which might have negative implications on individual investors.
Let’s delve deeper into each type of owner of Barry Callebaut, beginning with the chart below.
View our latest analysis for Barry Callebaut
SWX:BARN Ownership Breakdown July 13th 2025
Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it’s included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.
Barry Callebaut already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can’t rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. 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 Barry Callebaut’s earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.
SWX:BARN Earnings and Revenue Growth July 13th 2025
Hedge funds don’t have many shares in Barry Callebaut. Jacobs Holding AG is currently the largest shareholder, with 31% of shares outstanding. With 10% and 6.5% of the shares outstanding respectively, Artisan Partners Limited Partnership and UBS Asset Management AG are the second and third largest shareholders.
To make our study more interesting, we found that the top 4 shareholders control more than half of the company which implies that this group has considerable sway over the company’s decision-making.
While it makes sense to study institutional ownership data for a company, it also makes sense to study analyst sentiments to know which way the wind is blowing. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.
The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.
Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.
We can report that insiders do own shares in Barry Callebaut AG. The insiders have a meaningful stake worth CHF262m. Most would see this as a real positive. Most would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. Still, it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.
With a 29% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over Barry Callebaut. While this group can’t necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.
With a stake of 31%, private equity firms could influence the Barry Callebaut board. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public.
It’s always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Barry Callebaut better, we need to consider many other factors. For example, we’ve discovered 5 warning signs for Barry Callebaut (3 are potentially serious!) that you should be aware of before investing here.
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.
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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.
