Can a company force me to sell back my preferred shares? (2024)

— -- Q: A company just made me sell my preferred stock back to them. Is that legal?

A: It seems so unfair. Here you were happily collecting a fat dividend from shares of preferred stock, when, suddenly, the company bought them back. Is that legal? Absolutely.

Preferred stock is one of the least understood investments investors have recently gotten interested in, largely due to the nice income these investments typically generate.

Preferred stocks share some traits with regular common stock and some with bonds. Preferred stocks, like bonds, pay a routine prearranged payment to investors. However, more like stocks and unlike bonds, companies may suspend these payments at any time.

Preferred stocks oftentimes share another trait with many bonds — the call feature. The company that sold you the preferred stock can usually, but not always, force you to sell the shares back at a predetermined price. Companies might choose to call preferred stock if the interest rates they're paying are significantly higher than the going rate in the market.

Notice that I said some preferred stocks, but not all, have call provisions. It's imperative when you buy shares of preferred stock to check the prospectus to see if there is a call provision.

If there is, you need to be aware of it. If interest rates are falling, the odds your preferred stock will be called can dramatically increase.

If you're going to invest in preferred stock, know that the risk of having the security called by the company that issued it is a significant one.

You might find yourself suddenly losing a lucrative stream of cash and forced to settle for an investment with a much lower yield.

Matt Krantz is a financial markets reporter at USA TODAY and author of Investing Online for Dummies and Fundamental Analysis for Dummies. He answers a different reader question every weekday in his Ask Matt column at money.usatoday.com. To submit a question, e-mail Matt at [email protected]. Follow Matt on Twitter at: twitter.com/mattkrantz

Can a company force me to sell back my preferred shares? (2024)

FAQs

Can a company force me to sell back my preferred shares? ›

Preferred shares may be callable where the company can demand to repurchase them at par value.

Can a company force you to sell your shares back? ›

No, a public company cannot require you to sell shares as part of a share buyback program.

Can a company force a shareholder to sell their shares? ›

Typically, a board does not have the power to compel shareholders into selling their shares since they hold ownership in the company. There are some instances where this rule may not apply and exceptions can be made.

Can someone force you to sell your shares? ›

The answer is usually no, but there are vital exceptions. Shareholders have an ownership interest in the company whose stock they own, and companies can't generally take away that ownership.

Can a shareholder refuse to sell their share? ›

No specific statutory provision under the model articles can force shareholders to sell their company shares. However, certain circ*mstances may result in the removal of the shareholder. Forcing a shareholder out of the company can be tricky, but you can achieve this in several ways.

Can you refuse to sell shares? ›

Can a Shareholder Be Forced to Sell Shares? Absent breach of a contract or the law, a shareholder can't typically force another shareholder to sell. But a shareholder can seek to enforce the terms of a buy-sell agreement, a shareholder agreement, or another valid contract.

Can a shareholder refuse a buyback? ›

If they feel it is a substantial premium to their acquisition cost and current value of the share, they can tender their shares in the buyback. In case they feel the stock has the potential to rise much higher than the buyback price, they may refuse to tender their shares.

Can I force a company to buy back my shares? ›

You cannot compel them to offer their shares for sale. Similarly, shareholders cannot force you to buy back their shares. The Corporations Act prohibits a company from acquiring shares in itself except as permitted within the Act.

Can my business partner force me to sell my shares? ›

Your business partner may force you to sell if the situation falls under the conditions set by a buyout agreement or a statutory exception.

Can a 51% owner fire a 49% owner? ›

No owner can be fired or demoted without good cause. Outlining the responsibilities of both parties. The majority can't sell the business unless it's to the minority shareholder.

Can a company sell your shares without your consent? ›

A Broker Who Sells Stocks Without Permission from Their Client Is Guilty of Investment Misconduct. When a broker sells the stocks of a client without first obtaining permission from the investor, they are guilty of investment misconduct. Investors have a right to determine how their money is being handled.

What happens if you can't sell your shares? ›

When there are no buyers, you can't sell your shares—you'll be stuck with them until there is some buying interest from other investors. A buyer could pop in a few seconds, or it could take minutes, days, or even weeks in the case of very thinly traded stocks.

Are you forced to sell shares if a company goes private? ›

When a public company goes private, its owners buy out the current shareholders' stock. Shareholders who voted to approve the decision to go private will have agreed to a certain valuation, according to Darrow Wealth Management.

How do I force a shareholder out? ›

HOW TO REMOVE AN UNWANTED SHAREHOLDER
  1. REVIEW AND CHECK THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION AND SHAREHOLDERS' AGREEMENT. ...
  2. ALTER THE ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION. ...
  3. DO NOT PAY DIVIDENDS. ...
  4. NEGOTIATION. ...
  5. WIND UP THE COMPANY.

Can a company force out a shareholder? ›

There are legal means to remove a shareholder, and the method to do so depends on both the bylaws of the business entity and the firm's shareholders' agreement. If there is no shareholders' agreement, involuntary removal is still possible but more difficult.

How do I get out of a shareholders agreement? ›

Some of the most commonly used exit mechanism for shareholders of companies include initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, and management buyouts. IPO is a process by which the shares of a privately owned company are listed on a stock exchange and made available for purchase to the general public.

Can a company take back my shares? ›

If the company operates an employees' share scheme which requires employees to give up their shares when they leave, the company could purchase them back. In this situation, the company might hold the shares in a treasury until a new employee is found to take them over.

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