What is part-ownership?
Part-ownership means you own a share of a company together with other owners. In a limited company, part-ownership arises from owning shares, and your stake in the company corresponds to the proportion of shares you hold. As a part-owner you gain rights in proportion to your holding.
What part-ownership gives you
As a part-owner you have, among other things, the right to a share of any dividend, the right to vote at the general meeting and the right to information about the company. How much influence you have depends on your stake and on whether the shares carry different voting power, such as ordinary shares and preference shares.
Part-ownership in unlisted companies
In unlisted companies the ownership group is often smaller, and part-ownership is frequently governed by a shareholders' agreement that supplements the articles of association. The agreement can govern matters such as how shares may be transferred, how decisions are made and what applies in a change of ownership.