You are reading the article Guide, Example, Download A Cap Table updated in October 2023 on the website Nhunghuounewzealand.com. We hope that the information we have shared is helpful to you. If you find the content interesting and meaningful, please share it with your friends and continue to follow and support us for the latest updates. Suggested November 2023 Guide, Example, Download A Cap Table
Cap TableWritten by
CFI Team
Published February 22, 2023
Updated July 7, 2023
What is a Cap Table?Apart from recording transactions, a cap table also comprises many legal documents such as stock issuances, transfers, cancellations, conversion of debt to equity, and other documents. The executives must manage all these transactions and documents accurately to show the events since the company’s inception. The simplest form of cap tables lists the shareholders at the beginning and their respective share ownership. Cab tables are used by venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, and investment analysts to analyze important events such as ownership dilution, employee stock options, and the issue of new securities.
How to Make a Cap Table
Authorized shares: Number of shares the company is allowed to issue.
Outstanding shares: Number of shares held by all shareholders in the company.
Unissued Shares: Number of shares that have not been issued.
Shares reserved for stock option plan: Unissued shares reserved for future hires.
A separate table in the capitalization table should include the following:
Names of shareholders: The names of shareholders who have bought shares in the company.
Shares owned by each shareholder: The number of shares held by each shareholder.
Stock options: Stock options owned by each shareholder.
Fully diluted shares: Total number of outstanding shares (helps shareholders determine the value of their shares).
Options remaining: Number of remaining shares available to be optioned.
The company’s founders are listed first in the table, followed by executives and other employees who own equity, and then investors such as angel investors and venture capitalists.
Cap Table ExampleBelow is a cap table example from one of CFI’s many free excel templates.
In the valuation section, enter the current company value (i.e. $1 million) and the current number of shares outstanding (i.e. 200,000).
In the ownership section, enter the dollar value each investor is contributing to the funding round (i.e. $100,000 for investor 1, $250,000 for investor 2, etc.).
Download the Free TemplateEnter your name and email in the form below and download the free template now!
Capitalization Table Template
First Name
*
*
Δ
Updating the Cap TableWith each additional round of funding, the cap table requires updating. For example, issuing new shares of an existing security, increasing or decreasing stock options for employees, and issuing new shares of a security requires the cap table to be updated to reflect the changes. Also, the exit of key shareholders, transfer of shares to another existing shareholder or new shareholder, and termination and retirement of employees require the company to update the cap table.
An updated cap table helps entrepreneurs and venture capitalists to make informed decisions based on the current information. Also, US companies use their cap tables as the only system of recording stock ownership. US laws allow cap tables to be used as a formal legal record of equity ownership, and must, therefore, be continually updated to reflect any changes in the stock ownership.
Waterfall AnalysisWaterfall analysis indicates the amount every shareholder on the cap table would receive based on the amount available to equity in a liquidity scenario. Liquidity events are usually uncertain, and the shareholders cannot foresee how and when they will occur. Waterfall analysis relies on a range of assumptions to show the actual percentage of proceeds that would be distributed to shareholders if the company is liquidated.
The cap table typically indicates the accounting ownership of individual shareholders, which is the actual ownership percentage. Accounting ownership varies from economic ownership, which is the percentage of ownership available to equity.
How Cap Tables are Used #1 Raising funds #2 Hiring EmployeesAlthough companies mainly focus on investors and executives, most companies are becoming transparent with their employees about cap tables. This helps in retaining well-performing employees and keeping them motivated to continue serving the company. Company executives want to know the payouts they will receive from their ownership percentage if the company sells or is liquidated. Companies that are transparent and organized have higher chances of retaining their employees, even when the firm is facing financial distress.
#3 Tax and Regulation ComplianceIn most countries, such as the United States, cap tables are used as a formal legal record of equity ownership. The tax authorities rely on cap tables to determine if the company, employees, and investors pay the required amount of taxes. If the cap tables are not updated continuously, the company or its employees may end up paying more taxes than they need to. If the company submitted fewer taxes than required, they may end up paying high penalties for mistakes that they could have avoided.
#4 Selling the CompanyWhen the company decides to sell the business to another company, the proceeds from the sale are divided among shareholders. The cap table outlines how much each shareholder gets from the proceeds and in what order. An updated cap table helps eliminate any disagreements and lawsuits that may arise from the proceeds distribution.
Additional resourcesYou're reading Guide, Example, Download A Cap Table
Update the detailed information about Guide, Example, Download A Cap Table on the Nhunghuounewzealand.com website. We hope the article's content will meet your needs, and we will regularly update the information to provide you with the fastest and most accurate information. Have a great day!