What Shareholders Need to Know About Cap Tables: Guide

The basics of how a company’s equity is divided are outlined in the company’s cap table. In simple terms, a cap table or otherwise known as a capitalization table, is a list that summarizes what percentage of the company each shareholder owns. It is crucial for shareholders to understand the role and purpose of the cap table. This article covers some of the importance of the cap table along with a few points on how to maintain and structure the cap table. 

Cap table for shareholders

The cap table is the most useful document for shareholders. Shareholders benefit from understanding the cap table because it gives them a clear picture of how their company is structured and how they can exercise their shareholder rights. 

What is a cap table?

A cap table is a summary of how the company is organized in terms of ownership, equity, dilution, and value of equity. While a cap table is created after every round of funding, it is an extremely useful tool for founders as well as investors. 

This is because the cap table gives founders and investors a clear view of their company’s structure and allows them to access their share of the company’s equity. Therefore, it is crucial that the cap table is reviewed regularly and accurately. 

Why is a cap table important?

The capitalization table is perhaps one of the most important documents for both founders and investors. It is essential that the cap table is clearly laid out and easily accessible. Here are a few advantages of a cap table:

• Useful for founders – The cap table is one of the most important documents for founders because it can help them understand their company’s structure, see how they own equity, track the funding history, and see what effect future rounds of funding will have on the company. With this information, founders can make more informed decisions that will impact the future of their company.
• A better understanding of equity – It is important for founders to understand the role of equity in their company with the cap table. The capitalization table is useful for this because it outlines who owns what percent of the company and gives them a better idea of how ownership is divided. A good level of understanding of equity can help a company run more smoothly and effectively.
• Help in equity distribution – Having a good grasp of equity is important for founders to make informed decisions on distributing their shares, especially when it comes to future funding rounds. It is vital to carefully review the cap table right after each round of funding in order to properly distribute shares.
• Show future dilution – A capitalization table is useful for founders because it can give them a good idea of how much dilution will occur after each funding round. This can help founders make more informed decisions about handling future rounds of funding and retaining their ownership of the company.
• Help retain talent and stock options – A good understanding of equity will help founders retain their talent and avoid losing company control while still retaining ownership. It is important to track and understand each investor in order to retain the talent. Thus, it is important for founders to periodically review the cap table.
• Lookup on inverter’s shareholding – The cap table is useful when it comes to checking on the current shareholding of an investor. It is important to ensure that current shareholding information is accurate, especially when the number of shares increases over time. Investors who want to keep a close eye on shareholding can use this information to do so.
• Help in investment – A capitalization table is valuable for potential investors to assess the company and its structure. By reviewing a cap table, investors can make informed decisions about raising capital to invest in the company. This can help them get a good idea of shareholding in the company as well as find a good fit with the company’s investment round.
• Help in term sheet negotiations – A cap table is an important tool for both founders and investors to negotiate the terms of their investment. With the help of a cap table, investors can review the information and come up with a fair share of ownership of the company. This can make negotiations simpler and more effective.
• To Maintain tax regulations – The cap table is valuable for the company to make sure they are meeting tax regulations. It is important to track and report all transactions made with regard to financing and taxes, as well as review the cap table regularly to avoid tax complications.
• To Track shareholders – The cap table will help founders keep track of all shareholders to ensure the equity is properly dealt with and maintained, especially when it comes to future funding rounds.
• To sell the company – When a company is ready to be sold, it is important to properly structure the capitalization table and make sure it is clean and transparent. This will make it easier for potential buyers to understand the company and how it is structured.

Therefore, it is important that the cap table is organized and maintained to facilitate transparency and ease of access to information. The cap table should show investors and founders what they own, how they own it, and how they will be treated if they have any future dealings with the company. 

Why is a cap table important for shareholders?

For shareholders, the capitalization table is useful because it gives them the information they need in order to make informed decisions about their stake in the company. It is essential for shareholders to review and understand their stake in the company as well as how ownership will be distributed. 

Moreover, it may help a shareholder identify an exit strategy for their investment. Thus, it is important for shareholders to examine their stake regularly and make sure it is correctly listed in the shareholder’s cap table.

Does a cap table include all the shareholder equity details?

Yes, the cap table does include all the details of equity held by all shareholders. The information on shareholder equity includes the name of the shareholder, the number of shares owned, the number of stock options owned, the number of outstanding shares, and the number of shares not issued. 

The cap table is based on the company’s equity to the shareholders, which means it is essential to include all the shareholder equity details. To better understand, the cap table structure is explained in further sections of this blog.

Can a shareholder access their company cap table?

Yes, a shareholder can access the company’s cap table at any time. A Cap table is created to help shareholders understand their position and maintain it for future investment. In addition, there is no legal requirement that states the cap table must be kept confidential. 

Therefore, even though anyone can access a cap table, it is a best practice that shareholders should refer to their company’s legal counsel before sharing their cap table with others. Moving on to “how to maintain cap table?”

How to maintain a cap table?

A good cap table is maintained through the strict policies and procedures set by the company. It will be a good idea to regularly review these policies and procedures to make sure that they are up to date. A cap table structure should be maintained in a neutral format, and all changes made to the cap table should be done through authorized personnel. The cap table should be protected against unauthorized access and updates. This will help to maintain the accuracy and validity of the cap table. 

Structure of a cap table 

A cap table is structured in a spreadsheet to simplify the tracking and management of shareholder’s equity. Each column and row represents a specific piece of information about the company. When setting up a cap table, it is vital to record all of the relevant information. The first row includes the total number of shares of the company, while the following row lists authorized shares, outstanding shares, unissued shares, and shares reserved for the stock option plan. 

Thereafter, a separate table is created for the shareholders, which consists of the information of each shareholder like name, the number of shares owned, the number of stock options owned, the number of outstanding shares, and the number of shares not issued. 

How should a company manage a cap table?

The cap table should be managed by authorized personnel. Managing the cap table is a challenging task, and the company should set policies and procedures in place to define and manage the cap table. These policies should be incorporated into the company’s by-laws and maintained as part of the company’s operating procedures. 

Moreover, a company should record all changes made to the cap table through proper channels. This will help ensure that authorized personnel are informed of any changes to the company’s capital structure. Here are a few tips on how to maintain a cap table:

• Understand the basic elements and format of a cap table – In order to manage a cap table, it is necessary for company executives to understand the basic elements and format of a cap table. With a proper understanding of the cap table, executives are better equipped to make effective decisions. This makes it easier for them to communicate with investors, employees, and shareholders.
• Take advantage of making decisions as an executive – As an executive, you should have the ability to make decisions that support the business. Your responsibility is to make sure operations are running smoothly and effectively. Cap table is key in this respect as it will allow you to make decisions for future funding rounds, such as high-priority strategic acquisitions and mergers.
• Manage the cap table with effective tools or software – Calculation of cap tables can be challenging. Therefore, a good way to maintain it is through the use of effective tools or software. There are many online tools that have been developed specifically for the management of cap tables. These tools will help you to track information efficiently and keep a close watch on your company’s equity structure.
• Calculate and give ownership of the cap table – A proper accounting system should be established to update the cap table regularly. In order to properly maintain the cap table, it is essential that accurate information is compiled in an organized way. Therefore, the accounting system must be set up in a way that will enable you to calculate and give ownership of the cap table.
• Share valuable information with investors – Being transparent with investors will help them understand the value of their stake in your company. A good way to share valuable information is through the cap table. You need to make sure that the cap table complies with all regulatory requirements.
• Share with employees – In order to effectively communicate with employees, it is important for them to have access to the cap table. This will enable them to understand their company equity and provide a better understanding of their options. The cap table also allows you to send regular updates on the company’s progress and development.

Therefore, the cap table is a best practice that should be implemented whenever shares are issued. It is important to understand the basic elements of a cap table and how to manage it. This will make sure that your company upholds the standards set by the law, maintains its value, and promotes transparency.

How does Eqvista help with shareholder management or cap table management?

Companies can address cap table management by using Eqvista. It is a platform that allows users to manage their shareholders and investors using a cap table management system. The team at Eqvista can help you set up, manage and maintain your cap table. They strive to provide a seamless experience for their users. 

The experts at Eqvista will provide you with valuable insights and advice. In addition, they will help you to introduce efficient financial management in your company. Eqvista will provide you with the right solutions to address your specific needs. Eqvista will help you set up the right policies and procedures in place to manage your capital structure. Eqvista is the best way to help you integrate a successful cap table management process into your business.

Eqvista’s cap table and features

Eqvista’s sophisticated cap table software is easy to use and caters to all types of companies, from seed stage to pre-IPO. Managing your company’s equity can be done on a single platform and you can give cap table access to relevant shareholders. What’s unique about Eqvista is it also supports many features such as issuing shares, updating cap tables in real time, digitally signing share certificates, round modeling and financial modeling.

Why choose Eqvista as a trustable shareholder management software? 

A good cap table should be set up in the company to systematically track shareholders’ equity and ensure effective management. It should be well structured, supported by effective tools or software, and maintained as part of the company’s by-laws. The importance of the cap table is to provide useful insights and advice for the company’s all: the investors, employees, and shareholders. With Eqvista’s shareholder management software, companies can adopt a simple and easy-to-use system to manage their equity. Eqvista is one of the leading and trustable solutions for your organization. Learn more about our cap table services by contacting us today!