Royal mail ownership
Royal Mail is a publicly traded company listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) under the ticker symbol RMG. However, the UK government still retains a significant stake in the company.
In 2013, the UK government privatized Royal Mail, selling a 60% stake in the company to institutional investors and the public through an initial public offering (IPO). The IPO raised £2.6 billion (approximately $3.4 billion USD) for the government.
As a result of the privatization, the UK government retained a 40% stake in Royal Mail, which is managed by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). The government's stake is held through a special purpose vehicle called the Royal Mail Shareholding Trust.
In 2015, the UK government sold a further 6% stake in Royal Mail to institutional investors, reducing its stake to 34%. The government has since sold small parcels of its remaining stake, but still retains a significant interest in the company.
As of 2022, the UK government's stake in Royal Mail is approximately 31.9%. The remaining 68.1% is held by institutional investors, including:
- The Qatar Investment Authority (QIA): 14.1%
- The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB): 6.1%
- The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan (OTPP): 5.1%
- Other institutional investors: 43.8%
The UK government's stake in Royal Mail is managed by the BEIS, which is responsible for ensuring that the company operates in the public interest and provides a range of services to the UK public. The government's stake also gives it a degree of influence over the company's strategy and direction.
It's worth noting that while the UK government still has a significant stake in Royal Mail, the company operates independently and is subject to the usual regulatory and market forces.