The capital of the company can be divided into different units with definite value called shares. Holders of these shares are called shareholders or members of the company. There are two types of shares which a company may issue (1) Preference Shares (2) Equality Shares.
(1) Preferences Shares
Shares which enjoy the preferential rights as to dividend and repayment of capital in the event of winding up of the company over the equity shares are called preference shares. The holder of preference shares will get a fixed rate of dividend.
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Preference shares may be:
(a) Cumulative Preference Share
If the company does no earn adequate profit in any year, dividends on preference shares may not be paid for that year. But if the preference shares are cumulative such unpaid dividends on these shares go on accumulating and become payable out of the profits of the company, in subsequent years. Only after such arrears have been paid off, any dividend can be paid to the holder of quality shares. Thus a cumulative preference shareholder is sure to receive dividend on his shares for all the years our of the earnings of the company.
(b) Non-cumulative Preference Shares
The holders of non-cumulative preference shares no doubt will get a preferential right in getting a fixed dividend it is distributed to quality shareholders. The fixed dividend is to be paid only out of the divisible profits but if in a particular year there is no profit as to distribute it among the shareholders, the non-cumulative preference shareholders, will not get any dividend for that year and they cannot claim it in the next year during which period there might be profits. If it is not paid, it cannot be carried forward. These shares will be treated on the same footing as other preference shareholders as regards payment of capital in concerned.
(c) Redeemable Preference Shares
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Capital raised by issuing shares, is not to be repaid to the shareholders (except buy back of shares in certain conditions) but capital raised through the issue of redeemable preference shares is to be paid back by the raised thought the issue of redeemable preference shares is to be paid back to the company to such shareholders after the expiry of a stipulated period, whether the company is wound up or not. As per section (80) 5a, a company after the commencement of the Companies (Amendment) Act, 1988 cannot issue any preference shares which are irredeemable or redeemable after the expiry of a period of 10 years from the date of its issue. It means a company can issue redeemable preference share which are redeemable within 10 years from the date of their issue.
(d) Participating or Non-participating Preference Shares
The preference shares which are entitled to a share in the surplus profit of the company in addition to the fixed rate of preference dividend are known as participating preference shares. After the payment of the dividend a part of surplus is distributed as dividend among the quality shareholders at a particulate rate. The balance may be shared both by equity shareholders at a particular rate. The balance may be shared both by equity and participating preference shares. Thus participating preference shareholders obtain return on their capital in two forms (i) fixed dividend (ii) share in excess of profits. Those preference shares which do not carry the right of share in excess profits are known as non-participating preference shares.
(2) Equity Shares
Equity shares will get dividend and repayment of capital after meeting the claims of preference shareholders. There will be no fixed rate of dividend to be paid to the equity shareholders and this rate may vary form year to year. This rate of dividend is determined by directors and in case of larger profits, it may even be more than the rate attached to preference shares. Such shareholders may go without any dividend if no profit is made.