Introduction
In the post-pandemic era, there is a significant increase in retail investments in
connection with the financial markets. The return from equity instruments tends to
outperform any other investment avenues. Within equity instruments, there are
various alternatives available to investors. The most common source of equity
investment is share capital.
The shareholders of a company invest in the company. The maximum liability of the
shareholders is capital investment. In return, shareholders attain voting rights to
company matters. The shareholders also appoint the board of directors.
Additionally, shareholders earn returns by way of dividends and capital
appreciation. There are various types of share capital based on the rights and
obligations offered to the investors.
Share capital, often referred to as equity capital or stock capital, is a fundamental
concept in the world of corporate finance and business. It represents the total value
of ownership stakes in a company, typically divided into shares, which are sold to
investors. Share capital serves as a primary source of funding for a company's
operations, investments, and growth. In this explanation, we'll delve into the
meaning of share capital, its components, and its significance in corporate
ownership and financing.
MEANING OF SHARE CAPITAL-
The Share capital definition refers to the funds raised by an entity to issue shares to
the general public. Simply put, share capital is the money contributed to a firm by
its shareholders. It is a long-term capital source and facilitates smooth operations,
profitability, and financial growth.
Primarily, capital represents the assets used to carry on a business. Alternatively, it
may be the resources required to launch a venture. The terms capital and share
capital are interchangeable. In the Indian Companies Act, share capital refers to a
company's percentage of capital or interest.
Share capital is the total value of all shares issued by a company and held by its
shareholders. Each share represents a portion of ownership in the company, and
the ownership rights and privileges associated with those shares depend on the
type of shares held (e.g., common shares or preferred shares).
, Kinds of Share Capital
Section 43 of the Companies Act, 2013 defines Kinds of Share Capital.
The share capital of a company limited by shares shall be of two kinds, namely:
Equity Share Capital
Equity share capital with reference to any company limited by shares means all
share capital which is not preference share capital. It refers to the portion of the
company’s money which is raised in exchange for a share of ownership in the
company.
Common equity refers to share capital raised with the issuance of ordinary
shares. Equity share capital extends a share in profits and voting rights to the
shareholders. However, the company is under no obligation to pay dividends.
Additionally, the company may offer bonus shares or right issues to its common
shareholders.
Preference Share Capital
Preference shares are one of the special types of share capital having fixed rate
of dividend and they carry preferential rights over ordinary equity shares in
sharing of profits and also claims over assets of the firm People who buy
preferential share capital gets priority in dividend declaration and at the time of
winding up they are the first people to receive money. They have right to vote
only when the matter directly or indirectly affects them.
Preference share capital with reference to any company limited by shares,
means that part of the issued share capital of the company which carries or
would carry a preferential right with respect to:
1. Payment of dividend, either as a fixed amount or an amount calculated
at a fixed rate, which may either be free of or subject to income-tax;
and
2. Repayment, in the case of a winding up or repayment of capital, of the
amount of the share capital paid-up or deemed to have been paid-up,
whether or not, there is a preferential right to the payment of any fixed
premium or premium on any fixed scale, specified in the memorandum
or articles of the company.