Computershare
Encyclopedia
Founded in Melbourne
, Australia
in 1978, Computershare Limited has grown (largely through overseas acquisitions) to become the world's largest share registry business. It is a leading financial market services and technology provider, employing over 10,000 people, providing services in 20 countries and to more than 30,000 clients and 100 million investors. Computershare specialises in the corporate trust
, stock transfer and employee share plan services for thousands of issuers and millions of securityholder accounts.
In 1997, the Australian-based Computershare expanded its registry business to include financial markets in New Zealand
and the United Kingdom
. In subsequent years, it expanded its business into Ireland, South Africa, and Hong Kong. Since the year 2000, Computershare has acquired a role in the American and Canadian markets, in particular, through the acquisition of the stock transfer sectors of Harris Bank
in the US and Montreal Trust in Canada
. In 2004, it expanded into the German market by purchasing Pepper Global
, formerly Pepper Technologies AG. Since 2004, Computershare has acquired registry companies in the emerging markets of Russia and India.
For the most part, the entry into these new markets was accomplished through financial acquisitions of existing registrar corporations.
The company currently holds offices in 20 countries, including: Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland
, the United States, Canada, the Channel Islands
, South Africa
, Hong Kong
, New Zealand, Germany
, and Denmark.
Computershare's UK operations are the result of the company's 1997 acquisition of the Royal Bank of Scotland
's registrar department, which in turn had previously been bought from NatWest (this earlier acquisition had occurred some years prior to the Royal Bank of Scotland Group's 2000 takeover of NatWest).
s, investor services for shareholder
s and employee share plan management.
With the 2005 acquisition of Equiserve, the largest transfer agent in the US, Computershare has become one of the largest share registry providers in the US.
As part of a strategy of concentrating on its core businesses, on November 21, 2005 Computershare announced its intention to sell its Markets Technology business to long-time rival OMX
of Sweden
. The transaction closed on January 31, 2006. Under the deal, OMX acquires the X-stream and Horizon trading systems, and the Equator depository system. In addition to a cash payment, the transaction also provides Computershare with enhanced access to the Nordic market for its share registry and shareholder communications services.
Computershare is publicly traded on the Australian Stock Exchange
under the symbol CPU. In North America, CPU ADR
s trade under the symbols CMSQF and CMSQY.
Computershare has been rated the UK's No.1 registrar each year since 2008 by the independent Capital Analytics Survey of Registrars.
In February 2008, Computershare announced a cash takeover offer for Australian mailhouse group QM Technologies Limited.
In September 2008, Computershare bought Lichfield based Childcare Voucher Services business called Busy Bees. The name has been re-branded to Computershare Voucher Services or CVS. Julian Foster is the current Managing Director for CVS.
In February 2010, Computershare acquired HBOS Employee Equity Solutions from Lloyds Banking Group for a sum of around £40m. The acquisition means Computershare is the global leader in employee plans administration, providing a full range of employee share plan administration solutions in more than 130 countries for over 500 clients, covering around 1.4 million employee shareholders.
Computershare also runs The Deposit Protection Service. There are other providers in the market but Computershare's service is the only Government approved custodial scheme, and is free to use.
, Ethiopia
, Laos
, Sri Lanka
and Cambodia
have witnessed positive initiatives funded by the charitable actions of Computershare. The funds collected from the Computershare community are managed by organizations such as World Vision
in Chad and Ethiopia and CARE in Laos. Furthermore, in Sri Lanka, Computershare has developed the Come-share project which is geared towards aiding disadvantaged populations of youth by means of school funding and the donation of second-hand computers. Finally, in Cambodia, Computershare, through a joint venture with the Australian Cambodian Foundation, has donated large amounts of funds to the Sunrise Children's Village as the latter has provided the numerous "lost" children with food, shelter and education. The Computershare Change a Life Foundation accepts donations from Computershare employees, shareholders and "friends" of Computershare.
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in 1978, Computershare Limited has grown (largely through overseas acquisitions) to become the world's largest share registry business. It is a leading financial market services and technology provider, employing over 10,000 people, providing services in 20 countries and to more than 30,000 clients and 100 million investors. Computershare specialises in the corporate trust
Corporate trust
In the most basic sense of the term, A corporate trust is a trust created by a corporation.However, the term in the United States is most often used to describe the business activities of many financial services companies and banks that involve acting in a fiduciary capacity for investors in a...
, stock transfer and employee share plan services for thousands of issuers and millions of securityholder accounts.
In 1997, the Australian-based Computershare expanded its registry business to include financial markets in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. In subsequent years, it expanded its business into Ireland, South Africa, and Hong Kong. Since the year 2000, Computershare has acquired a role in the American and Canadian markets, in particular, through the acquisition of the stock transfer sectors of Harris Bank
Harris Bank
BMO Harris Bank is a subsidiary of Montreal-based Canadian bank Bank of Montreal. Today the bank holding company is formally named BMO Bankcorp, Inc....
in the US and Montreal Trust in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In 2004, it expanded into the German market by purchasing Pepper Global
Pepper Global
Pepper Global, also known as Pepper GmbH is an international marketing communication agency established in 1998. Headquartered in Munich, Germany, Pepper Global has been a wholly owned subsidiary of ComputershareLTD since 2004, with offices located in Chicago, New York, London, Melbourne,...
, formerly Pepper Technologies AG. Since 2004, Computershare has acquired registry companies in the emerging markets of Russia and India.
For the most part, the entry into these new markets was accomplished through financial acquisitions of existing registrar corporations.
The company currently holds offices in 20 countries, including: Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, the United States, Canada, the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, New Zealand, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and Denmark.
Computershare's UK operations are the result of the company's 1997 acquisition of the Royal Bank of Scotland
Royal Bank of Scotland
The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is a British banking and insurance holding company in which the UK Government holds an 84% stake. This stake is held and managed through UK Financial Investments Limited, whose voting rights are limited to 75% in order for the bank to retain its listing on the...
's registrar department, which in turn had previously been bought from NatWest (this earlier acquisition had occurred some years prior to the Royal Bank of Scotland Group's 2000 takeover of NatWest).
Main business
Computershare primarily provides stock registration and transfer services to companies listed on stock markets, but also offers other facilities such as technology services for stock exchangeStock exchange
A stock exchange is an entity that provides services for stock brokers and traders to trade stocks, bonds, and other securities. Stock exchanges also provide facilities for issue and redemption of securities and other financial instruments, and capital events including the payment of income and...
s, investor services for shareholder
Shareholder
A shareholder or stockholder is an individual or institution that legally owns one or more shares of stock in a public or private corporation. Shareholders own the stock, but not the corporation itself ....
s and employee share plan management.
With the 2005 acquisition of Equiserve, the largest transfer agent in the US, Computershare has become one of the largest share registry providers in the US.
As part of a strategy of concentrating on its core businesses, on November 21, 2005 Computershare announced its intention to sell its Markets Technology business to long-time rival OMX
OMX
OMX AB is a Swedish-Finnish financial services company, formed in 2003 through a merger between OM AB and HEX plc and is now a part of the NASDAQ OMX Group since February 2008.It has two divisions, OMX Exchanges, which operates eight stock exchanges mainly in the Nordic and Baltic...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. The transaction closed on January 31, 2006. Under the deal, OMX acquires the X-stream and Horizon trading systems, and the Equator depository system. In addition to a cash payment, the transaction also provides Computershare with enhanced access to the Nordic market for its share registry and shareholder communications services.
Computershare is publicly traded on the Australian Stock Exchange
Australian Stock Exchange
The Australian Securities Exchange was created by the merger of the Australian Stock Exchange and the Sydney Futures Exchange in July 2006. It is the primary stock exchange group in Australia....
under the symbol CPU. In North America, CPU ADR
American Depositary Receipt
An American depositary receipt is a negotiable security that represents the underlying securities of a non-U.S. company that trades in the US financial markets...
s trade under the symbols CMSQF and CMSQY.
Computershare has been rated the UK's No.1 registrar each year since 2008 by the independent Capital Analytics Survey of Registrars.
New businesses
In July 2007, Computershare acquired Datacare Software Group and its products GCM and Boardworks. Currently known as Computershare Governance Services and its main product GEMS.In February 2008, Computershare announced a cash takeover offer for Australian mailhouse group QM Technologies Limited.
In September 2008, Computershare bought Lichfield based Childcare Voucher Services business called Busy Bees. The name has been re-branded to Computershare Voucher Services or CVS. Julian Foster is the current Managing Director for CVS.
In February 2010, Computershare acquired HBOS Employee Equity Solutions from Lloyds Banking Group for a sum of around £40m. The acquisition means Computershare is the global leader in employee plans administration, providing a full range of employee share plan administration solutions in more than 130 countries for over 500 clients, covering around 1.4 million employee shareholders.
Computershare also runs The Deposit Protection Service. There are other providers in the market but Computershare's service is the only Government approved custodial scheme, and is free to use.
Philanthropy
Computershare plays an active role in several charitable causes. Specifically, its Change a Life charity raises funds that are invested in some of the world's most poverty-striken regions. Essentially, the goal is to help these countries achieve sustainable futures. Developing countries such a ChadChad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, Laos
Laos
Laos Lao: ສາທາລະນະລັດ ປະຊາທິປະໄຕ ປະຊາຊົນລາວ Sathalanalat Paxathipatai Paxaxon Lao, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south and Thailand to the west...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
and Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
have witnessed positive initiatives funded by the charitable actions of Computershare. The funds collected from the Computershare community are managed by organizations such as World Vision
World Vision
World Vision, founded in the USA in 1950, is an evangelical relief and development organization whose stated goal is "to follow our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in working with the poor and oppressed to promote human transformation, seek justice and bear witness to the good news of the Kingdom of...
in Chad and Ethiopia and CARE in Laos. Furthermore, in Sri Lanka, Computershare has developed the Come-share project which is geared towards aiding disadvantaged populations of youth by means of school funding and the donation of second-hand computers. Finally, in Cambodia, Computershare, through a joint venture with the Australian Cambodian Foundation, has donated large amounts of funds to the Sunrise Children's Village as the latter has provided the numerous "lost" children with food, shelter and education. The Computershare Change a Life Foundation accepts donations from Computershare employees, shareholders and "friends" of Computershare.