sole shareholder

USAGE SUMMARY

'sole shareholder' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use 'sole shareholder' to refer to a person or company that owns all of the shares, or stock, of a particular company. For example: "Mr. Brown is the sole shareholder of Brown Co., making him the owner of the entire business."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Mr Johnson is its sole shareholder.

Independent

He is the chairman, chief executive and sole shareholder.

The New York Times

King is the president and sole shareholder of his company.

The New York Times - Sports

At Volvo headquarters here, little would suggest that the company's sole shareholder was Chinese.

The New York Times

It is the sole shareholder in Channel 4. A quango, Ofcom, bosses commercial broadcasters about.

The Economist

Its investments count as aid and DfID is its sole shareholder.

The Guardian

George Lucas, who is described as Lucasfilm's "sole shareholder," could see his wealth rise immensely.

The New York Times

The Scott Trust is a private company and the sole shareholder in GMG.

The Guardian

It is owned by Guardian Media Group, whose sole shareholder is The Scott Trust.

The Guardian

His first mission was to restore liquidity, since the South African government, SAA's sole shareholder, has stopped approving bailouts.

The Economist

· GNM is the core business of Guardian Media Group (GMG), whose sole shareholder is the Scott Trust.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a company's ownership structure, use "sole shareholder" to clearly indicate that one person or entity controls all of the company's shares. This provides clarity in legal and business contexts.

Common error

Avoid assuming that being a "sole shareholder" automatically absolves one from all liabilities. While it simplifies decision-making, legal and financial responsibilities still apply to the shareholder as a representative of the company.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sole shareholder" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a subject complement or an appositive to identify the individual or entity that owns all shares of a company. As shown in Ludwig, the phrase indicates a specific ownership structure.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Formal & Business

27%

Science

24%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "sole shareholder" is a common and grammatically correct term used to describe an individual or entity that owns all the shares of a company. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used in news, business, and legal contexts. While alternatives such as "single shareholder" and "only shareholder" exist, "sole shareholder" is the most established term for conveying complete ownership. When writing about company structures, remember that being a "sole shareholder" confers significant control but also entails legal and financial responsibilities.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Single shareholder

Replaces "sole" with "single", emphasizing the singularity of the shareholder.

Only shareholder

Substitutes "sole" with "only", highlighting the exclusivity of the shareholder's position.

Exclusive shareholder

Uses "exclusive" to stress the shareholder's unique control.

Ultimate owner

Shifts focus from shares to the individual's ownership status.

Majority shareholder

Implies complete ownership by being the shareholder with the most shares. Although this term generally means owning at least 51% of the shares, in some contexts it can imply complete ownership.

Controlling shareholder

Highlights the power the shareholder has over the company.

Principal owner

Emphasizes ownership over a company or entity

Individual proprietor

Indicates a single person owns the entire enterprise.

Absolute owner

Stresses the unlimited ownership rights of the person.

Beneficial owner

Highlights the direct benefits the owner gets of ownership

FAQs

How to use "sole shareholder" in a sentence?

You can use "sole shareholder" to indicate that one person or entity owns all the shares of a company. For example, "As the "sole shareholder", she had the power to make all decisions for the company".

What's the difference between "sole shareholder" and "majority shareholder"?

A "sole shareholder" owns 100% of the company's shares, whereas a "majority shareholder" owns more than 50% but not necessarily all shares. The former has complete control, while the latter has significant but not absolute control.

What are the responsibilities of a "sole shareholder"?

A "sole shareholder" is responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of the company. While they enjoy full control, they are also accountable for the company's debts and legal obligations.

Is it better to be a "sole shareholder" or have multiple shareholders?

It depends on the business needs. A "sole shareholder" benefits from simplified decision-making but bears all the financial risk. Multiple shareholders can provide more capital and diverse expertise but may lead to disagreements.