Credit to Sherwin for the great question. This one is close to my heart, because in my younger days I bought up a bunch of shares in a company hoping to appear in this exact report, only to be (similarly) disappointed.
> The short answer: You don’t appear on the Top 100 Stockholders list because your shares were purchased through a broker, and shares that are purchased through a broker are anonymized and consolidated into the “PCD NOMINEE CORPORATION” line item, which is usually one of the largest (if not the largest) by shareholding proportion. There are several layers of complexity about why it’s done this way, but without going into the weeds about custodianship (I find it interesting, but it’s pretty dry), just know that this system is what allows for the modern digital trading of paperless shares.
> How did those people get there? You’ll notice that a lot of the shareholders listed are usually holdovers from the old system that didn’t use the modern paperless infrastructure. It’s also possible to get on this list by purchasing shares directly from the company in a private placement or as the result of some merger, acquisition, or similar transaction.
> So can I get on this list? Yes, I’ve heard it’s possible, though I’ve never done it, so please don’t hold me to any of this information. All you have to do is request a withdrawal from the PCD NOMINEE system, which (I think) you can do by applying for direct registration through the company’s stock transfer agent. As with all things paper, this process will cost a fee and take a few weeks to complete, but once you do it, you’ll be on this list. If you’re interested in doing this, it might be worth contacting your broker first to get better information.
MB bottom-line: PSE leaderboards when? My experience in crypto and the gamified finance space tells me that the PSE is definitely missing an opportunity here to generate interest, intrigue and demand for shares through an opt-in system that would de-anonymize shareholdings on reports like this. I recognize that there are privacy concerns, and that a good number of investor would want absolutely nothing to do with a system that lists their actual holdings in full public view. But that’s why an opt-in type of system would work. Those who want to remain anonymous can stay in the PCD NOMINEE pool, and those who get a kick out of playing in the ranked league can opt-in and get on the list. The PSE is always looking for ways to better engage with retail investors. Consider it free consulting. Thanks for the great question, Sherwin!
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