Share given to employee
Discussion
I work (manage) for a small company part-time.
My boss (owner) of the company has suggested giving me some shares as a pay-rise/incentive. This sounds all good and dandy however I just wanted to see if anyone had had experience of this or things to look for!
TBH I take all things he says with a mountain of salt so we will see if comes to fruition. He is drafting up a contrcat/ agreement for me to sign prior to transfer in the next couple of weeks.
My boss (owner) of the company has suggested giving me some shares as a pay-rise/incentive. This sounds all good and dandy however I just wanted to see if anyone had had experience of this or things to look for!
TBH I take all things he says with a mountain of salt so we will see if comes to fruition. He is drafting up a contrcat/ agreement for me to sign prior to transfer in the next couple of weeks.
Abc321 said:
I work (manage) for a small company part-time.
My boss (owner) of the company has suggested giving me some shares as a pay-rise/incentive. This sounds all good and dandy however I just wanted to see if anyone had had experience of this or things to look for!
TBH I take all things he says with a mountain of salt so we will see if comes to fruition. He is drafting up a contrcat/ agreement for me to sign prior to transfer in the next couple of weeks.
The big question is how you make money from this. If it's a small company then it almost certainly isn't quoted on a stock market. In this case the only way to make money would be if the company is sold or you can sell the shares back to the owner, at a price that he would presumably choose.My boss (owner) of the company has suggested giving me some shares as a pay-rise/incentive. This sounds all good and dandy however I just wanted to see if anyone had had experience of this or things to look for!
TBH I take all things he says with a mountain of salt so we will see if comes to fruition. He is drafting up a contrcat/ agreement for me to sign prior to transfer in the next couple of weeks.
zbc said:
The big question is how you make money from this. If it's a small company then it almost certainly isn't quoted on a stock market. In this case the only way to make money would be if the company is sold or you can sell the shares back to the owner, at a price that he would presumably choose.
Indeed. You might also ask him the question does he pay dividends each year ?Lots of questions to ask.
Main one. Is it in lieu of a pay rise?
Shares are only worth something when/if they're sold and the price they're sold for is meaningful.
Is the owner planning to sell the company in the foreseeable future?
Will your shares have voting rights?
Will your shares qualify for a dividend?
If so, how much?
Will the shares be subject to drag/tag?
Etc. etc. etc.
Main one. Is it in lieu of a pay rise?
Shares are only worth something when/if they're sold and the price they're sold for is meaningful.
Is the owner planning to sell the company in the foreseeable future?
Will your shares have voting rights?
Will your shares qualify for a dividend?
If so, how much?
Will the shares be subject to drag/tag?
Etc. etc. etc.
Small company shares can be a case of 'bread today: jam tomorrow' (only the jam never arrives). But they do have some potential to deliver you some compelling benefits.
You should be entitled to earn dividends - a percentage of the profit the company makes. This may be quarterly or annually or whenever the owner feels like it. Dividends are taxed at a lower level than salary so a tax-efficient way of earning money.
Should the company ever be sold, you will be entitled to a share of the purchase price. So if you own 5% of the shares and he sells up for £1m, you get £50k.... quite a nice pay day!
You have a stronger voice in how the company is run so have influence - albeit a small one - in your own destiny.
However, none of above is a given and you need to ascertain the conditions that will apply to the shareholding offered. You also need to ascertain whether you are exposed to any risk. For example, if the company accrues debts of £1m, will you be obliged to cough up £50k?
Whether it's right for you, only you can decide. If you need more cash in your bank at the end of each month, a shareholding won't provide this. And if you don't have faith that the company will grow to any meaningful level, then nor will the value of your shares.
From the business owner's perspective, issues shares is a low-cost way of appeasing employees and 'appearing' to be generous. But equally, giving away a share of your business is not something done lightly.
HTH
You should be entitled to earn dividends - a percentage of the profit the company makes. This may be quarterly or annually or whenever the owner feels like it. Dividends are taxed at a lower level than salary so a tax-efficient way of earning money.
Should the company ever be sold, you will be entitled to a share of the purchase price. So if you own 5% of the shares and he sells up for £1m, you get £50k.... quite a nice pay day!
You have a stronger voice in how the company is run so have influence - albeit a small one - in your own destiny.
However, none of above is a given and you need to ascertain the conditions that will apply to the shareholding offered. You also need to ascertain whether you are exposed to any risk. For example, if the company accrues debts of £1m, will you be obliged to cough up £50k?
Whether it's right for you, only you can decide. If you need more cash in your bank at the end of each month, a shareholding won't provide this. And if you don't have faith that the company will grow to any meaningful level, then nor will the value of your shares.
From the business owner's perspective, issues shares is a low-cost way of appeasing employees and 'appearing' to be generous. But equally, giving away a share of your business is not something done lightly.
HTH
If I were you just do it and take the shares, you never know where up might end up.
I was employed by a small software house that provided pensions administration solutions to the likes of Aviva, Prudential, Fidelity etc
I was invited to buy some shares in the company which cost me £2K.
I didn’t have any influence how the company was run, I enjoyed the work, was well paid amd generated plenty of income for the company
No dividends were ever paid but 15 years later when the major shareholders were getting ready to sell the company they bought my shares from me for £168K
I was employed by a small software house that provided pensions administration solutions to the likes of Aviva, Prudential, Fidelity etc
I was invited to buy some shares in the company which cost me £2K.
I didn’t have any influence how the company was run, I enjoyed the work, was well paid amd generated plenty of income for the company
No dividends were ever paid but 15 years later when the major shareholders were getting ready to sell the company they bought my shares from me for £168K
^^^ that’s a great outcome.
A friend of my brother’s in the U.S. worked for a small company for many years. He was awarded shares in lieu of cash bonuses each year.
The company’s owner sold the company as he wanted to retire. He was about 80.
My brother’s friend became a millionaire, enabling him and his wife, when they were both struggling financially, to retire at 58.
A friend of my brother’s in the U.S. worked for a small company for many years. He was awarded shares in lieu of cash bonuses each year.
The company’s owner sold the company as he wanted to retire. He was about 80.
My brother’s friend became a millionaire, enabling him and his wife, when they were both struggling financially, to retire at 58.
Thanks all, really helpful and sort of the advice I was looking for.
I think/hope the plan is to pay quarterly/monthly dividends which I am aware of the tax implications. As you say, there are some questions to ask but the conclusion I think is to take them (there's no downside as far as I'm aware), worst case scenario 'nothing' happens.
I think/hope the plan is to pay quarterly/monthly dividends which I am aware of the tax implications. As you say, there are some questions to ask but the conclusion I think is to take them (there's no downside as far as I'm aware), worst case scenario 'nothing' happens.
zbc said:
The big question is how you make money from this. If it's a small company then it almost certainly isn't quoted on a stock market. In this case the only way to make money would be if the company is sold or you can sell the shares back to the owner, at a price that he would presumably choose.
If there are 100 shares though and the OP gets 2 he will be due 2% of profits?TX.
Terminator X said:
If there are 100 shares though and the OP gets 2 he will be due 2% of profits?
TX.
Not necessarily.TX.
The directors decide whether or not to declare a dividend and for how much. There can also be different classes of shares with different voting/dividend rights attached.
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