The phrase "a class of shareholders" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in discussions about corporate governance, finance, or legal matters to refer to a specific group of shareholders with common interests or rights.
Example: "The company proposed a new policy that would benefit a class of shareholders who hold preferred stock."
Alternatives: "group of shareholders" or "category of shareholders".
"A class of innocent shareholders is being asked to pay for the misconduct of corporate officers," said Harvey L. Pitt, a former S.E.C. chairman and now chief of Kalorama Partners, a consulting firm.
"They haven't yet appreciated that when you take public funds, you now have a new class of shareholders that are going to be more vocal and impatient with the way you operate".
If the board of the 70-year-old fund actually issues the stock, it will create a new class of shareholders with the right to veto any move by owners of common shares to convert the fund to open-end status.
Spinoffs also attract a new class of shareholders;investors who don't like conglomerates.
A class of former Emulex shareholders filed a putative class action and alleged defendants had violated Section 14 e) by failing to summarize the Premium Analysis and to disclose that the premium was below the average for premiums in similar mergers.
"Meanwhile, thanks to a vote of support from all classes of shareholders this past week, Kairos under Melissa Doval is focused on building its business behind its new on-premise product," O'Hara wrote.
As Nelsen put it, "we are talking about bringing a whole new class of shareholders into the market".
It is either up to Wrigley to do something by pushing the issue, or to Hershey's board, who might pressure the Hershey Trust by claiming this was a very good offer that would benefit all classes of shareholders equally.
Several experts said the ruling would have little effect on securities fraud cases because a misrepresentation by a corporate executive is commonly seen as injuring a company's whole class of shareholders.
Jurors ordered Computer Associates to pay an award of $5.6 million to a class of 1,500 On-Line shareholders.
