Public float

Public float or free float represents the portion of shares of a corporation that are in the hands of public investors as opposed to locked-in stock held by promoters, company officers, controlling-interest investors, or government. This number is sometimes seen as a better way of calculating market capitalization because it provides a more accurate reflection (than entire market capitalization) of what public investors consider the company to be worth.^[1]

In this context, the float may refer to all the shares outstanding that can be publicly traded.^[2]

Calculating public float

The float is calculated by subtracting the locked-in shares from outstanding shares. For example, a company may have 10 million outstanding shares, with 3 million of them in a locked-in position; this company's float would be 7 million. Stocks with smaller floats tend to be more volatile than those with larger floats. In general, the large holdings of founding shareholders, corporate cross-holdings, and government holdings in partially privatized companies are excluded when calculating the size of a public float.

Process of public floatation

There are certain regulations to offer public floats, though these regulations might differ from region to region.

For instance to offer public float in the UK, a company must be incorporated, i.e. be a public limited liability company under UK law. Also, the company should have published or filed audit accounts for at least a three-year period, have trading and revenue earning records for at least three years, its higher management and directors must be competent enough to run a business at that scale, and the company must show that it has a working capital for at least 12 months. Moreover, once the company is listed, the business must be independent from any shareholder with controlling interest (anyone owning more than 30% of the company shares), and after the company is listed, at least 25% of its shares must be in the hands of general public, that is public float, and the company must have a total market capitalization of not less than £700,000.^[3]

Advantages of public floating

Greater access to funds

By public floating, companies gain access to new and large capital as general public can invest in the company making it easy for the company to get capital.^[4] This new capital is then used to increase company's profits ^[5]

Opportunities to reduce debt

By public floating company gains access to interest free capital as there is no interest to be paid on shares. Though dividend is involved but terms of dividend are far more flexible than terms for loans.^[6] Along with this shares are not considered as a debt and by public floating companies can reduce their debts creating a better asset liability ratio.

Enhancement of credibility and higher public profile

By public floating companies can enhance their credit image.^[7] As banks and other credit providing institutions provide credit more often to a public limited company along with this sometimes favorable terms are also offered by credit providers because of public limited company status. Along with enhanced credibility companies can also get higher media coverage and attention of general public.^[8]

Disadvantages of public floating

Company is open to market fluctuations

By public floating companies are vulnerable to threats of speculations and market fluctuations. During the 2008 financial crisis several companies went bankrupt because of fluctuations in the stock market severely limiting their operating capital to the extent that they were unable to pay their creditors and were forced to liquidate their operational assets.

Costs of public flotation

Costs of company registration are also very high making it difficult for certain small businesses to public float. Along with higher costs processes of registering and running a company are also very complex.^[9] For example, in UK in order to run a public limited company all details musts be provided like who are board of directors, share holders, result of share holder votes and debentures. Along with this a comprehensive accounting record is also needed like sales and whom they are made to (until and unless it is a retail business), Purchases and from whom they are done stock and debts all of them are necessary to be provided.^[10] Along with all these costs a huge amount of taxes are also to be paid while a company is public floating. For instance in the UK a company has to pay corporation tax which is 20% if the profit per year is £300,000 or less and 21% if profit is above £300,000.

Pressure to perform

Public floating also increases pressure on a company to perform. Whenever the general public, as company shareholders, demand dividends without keeping the company's economic circumstances in proper perspective, it increases performance pressure on the company.^[11] Secondly, sometimes companies provide false financial reports to sell shares which lead towards further complications in market. In 2005, AIG had to pay a fine of $1.7 billion as a result of improper accounting.^[12] Additionally, Lehman Brothers went bankrupt in 2008 after using a small firm to secretly manipulate its balance sheets.^[13] Both cases illustrate that, as a result of pressure to sell shares, companies may manipulate their financial statements, and later on face the consequences (Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy in 2008, AIG's bail out by the U.S government in 2008).

Less public float

Less public float may cause illiquidity of stocks of companies due to the low public holdings. One may not be able to transact buy or sell orders on a respected stock exchange.

See also

• Concentrated stock
• Market capitalization
• Open market
• Restricted stock
• Shares authorized
• Shares outstanding
• Treasury stock

References

External links

• Public float for all S&P 500 companies