Freetrade launches proxy voting feature for US-listed companies
Freetrade empowers do-it-yourself investors to have a say in how companies are run as it introduces proxy voting at shareholder meetings for US-listed companies
- Freetrade partners with Say Technologies to introduce proxy voting
- Initially for US-listed stocks before rolling out more widely
- Users with fractional shares are also allowed to vote
Thousands of additional private investors will be able to voice their opinions on how the companies they invest in are run as Freetrade enables proxy voting for its users, This Is Money can reveal.
The do-it-yourself investment app has teamed up with Say Technologies to enable proxy voting for its more than 1 million customers, making the AGMs of US-listed companies accessible to an even wider range of people.
In recent years, attention has turned to democratizing investment as the pandemic ushered in a new generation of DIY investors, but little has been done to give private shareholders a voice.
Freetrade will be launching a proxy voting feature for US-listed companies in the coming weeks
Adam Dodds, founder and CEO of Freetrade, said: ‘We’ve seen a big increase in interest from a new generation of investors, and with it a desire to have their voices heard on the key issues facing the companies . supports. We are pleased to be able to give them the opportunity to have their say.
“When it comes to voting and asking questions at corporate AGMs, it shouldn’t be left just to large institutional investors. Private investors are a force in public markets and it is important that the world’s most influential companies speak up with their views.’
Legacy platforms such as AJ Bell, interactive investor and Hargreaves Lansdown already provide this service to their users.
However, Hargreaves Lansdown currently does not allow voting for US stocks. This is because the stock usually comes packaged in a vehicle called Crest Depository Interest, which gives exposure to a foreign security. The US CDIs held through Hargreaves are non-voting.
Freetrade, like eToro which launched its proxy voting service last October, will offer its users access to proxy voting for stocks listed on US exchanges.
A survey conducted last year by Lumi, a company that facilitates shareholder meetings, found that almost half of UK shareholders cannot access AGMs due to the complex shareholding system.
When everyday investors buy shares in companies through a broker, such as Hargreaves Lansdown or Interactive Investor, the name of the individual shareholder is not registered directly with the company they invest in.
Instead, the platform gives investors the option to vote by proxy before the meeting.
The problem is that investors are voting on resolutions for a meeting that has not yet taken place.
Only a fifth of shareholders surveyed by Lumi were aware that they were not directly registered as shareholders, and the vast majority – 85 percent – say they would appreciate more information ahead of AGMs to better understand the issues at stake. being discussed .