Shareholding – What does it mean?

A shareholding is a holding of shares in a specific company. It simply refers to how many shares an owner holds and which share class they belong to.

In the share ledger, each owner's shareholding is recorded to show who owns what in the company.

What does a shareholding include?

• Number of shares (e.g., 250 shares)
• Share class (e.g., A or B)
• Owner (an individual or a legal entity/company)
• In some cases, also information that affects the holding, such as transfer restrictions or the registration date

Examples of shareholdings

Here are some typical examples:

• Anna Andersson owns 100 B shares in Bolag AB
• Företagspartner AB owns 1,000 A shares in Bolag AB
• Kalle Karlsson owns 25 preference shares in Bolag AB

Why are shareholdings important?

• Show ownership in the company
• Calculate ownership percentage and voting rights
• Manage transfers (purchase/sale/gift/inheritance)
• Form the basis for dividends and general meetings
• Ensure that the share ledger is always up to date and accurate

When does a shareholding change?

A shareholding changes when, for example:

• Shares are transferred to a new owner
• An owner buys more shares
• An owner sells part of their holding
• The company takes an action affecting the shares (e.g., a share split or share consolidation)

After such a change, the share ledger must be updated so that the shareholdings reflect the current ownership structure.

Frequently asked questions

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