Ownership Dynamics of Facebook: The Second-Most Significant Shareholders

Ownership Dynamics of Facebook: The Second-Most Significant Shareholders

Facebook, now known as Meta, has a highly diversified shareholder landscape. This article delves into the dynamics of its stock ownership, with a particular focus on the second-most significant shareholders. Understanding these owners is crucial for assessing the company's governance and potential future directions.

Stock Ownership and Proxy Statements

According to Facebook’s annual report and proxy statement, which must detail the stock ownership of officers, board members, and any individual or entity holding 5% or more of the company's stock, crucial information is made public. This report provides insight into the distribution of stock holdings, enabling stakeholders to understand the influence of various stakeholders.

The Second-Most Voting Power: Eduardo Saverin

Among those who hold a significant portion of Facebook's stock, Eduardo Saverin reigns as the holder of the second-most voting power. His holdings consist of 7,505,009 class A shares and 45,928,139 class B shares. Class B shares carry ten votes each, making his total voting power substantially higher than that of class A shares. Despite his substantial holdings, Saverin has not responded to a request for additional information regarding his class A shares, which leaves some questions unanswered.

Following Eduardo Saverin: Dustin Moskovitz

Coming in second in terms of voting power, Dustin Moskovitz holds 32,595,276 class B shares, though the exact number of class A shares is not disclosed. Given the higher weight of class B shares, Moskovitz's shareholding is still substantial, even without the exact number of class A shares. The fact that he did not respond to a request for more information adds an element of intrigue to his stock ownership.

Third-Place: Vanguard with Mutual Funds

The third-largest shareholder by share count is Vanguard with 176,437,337 class A shares. This figure is likely held within its mutual funds, providing it with a significant level of influence over the company's decisions. Following Vanguard, BlackRock holds 151,675,571 class A shares. Both of these fund managers are major players in the investment world, indicating that a significant portion of institutional and retail investors' assets are invested in Facebook.

Other Significant Owners

No other entity or individual owns more than 5% of the total shares or shares carrying significant voting power. This distribution ensures that no single entity can exert disproportionate control over the company's decisions, promoting a balanced corporate governance structure.

Updates and Further Analysis

For the latest figures and detailed information on the holdings of key shareholders, one can look to the Form 4 filings, which disclose the acquisitions and dispositions of securities by insiders. These filings can provide updates on whether any of the numbers have changed or, in the case of the funds, their updated holding disclosures. Understanding these trends can be key for investing and business stakeholders interested in the company's future direction.

Keywords: Facebook stock ownership, Eduardo Saverin, Vanguard, BlackRock

Meta: Meta Platforms Inc., formerly Facebook Inc., is a leading social media and technology company. This article is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered investment advice.