Holding Company, Types, Benefits, Functions, Legal Requirements

Holding Company is an entity that has control over one or more companies, known as subsidiaries. Control is typically exercised by owning more than 50% of the subsidiary’s equity share capital or by having the power to appoint or remove a majority of its directors. The holding–subsidiary structure allows the parent entity to influence strategic decisions, manage resources, and oversee operations without being directly involved in day-to-day activities.

Under the Companies Act, 2013, the definition is provided in Section 2(46). A holding company may be incorporated in India or abroad. It must comply with specific legal provisions relating to subsidiary relationships, financial reporting, corporate governance, and restrictions on layers of subsidiaries. This structure is often used for group companies, diversification, risk management, and regulatory benefits, while enabling centralized control over multiple business entities.

Types of Holding Companies

1. Pure

A holding company is described as pure if it was formed for the sole purpose of owning stock in other companies. Essentially, the company does not participate in any other business other than controlling one or more firms.

2. Mixed

A mixed holding company not only controls another firm but also engages in its own operations. It’s also known as a holding-operating company.

Holding companies that take part in completely unrelated lines of business from their subsidiaries are referred to as conglomerates.

3. Immediate

An immediate holding company is one that retains voting stock or control of another company, in spite of the fact that the company itself is already controlled by another entity. Put simply, it’s a type of holding company that is already a subsidiary of another.

4. Intermediate

An intermediate holding is a firm that is both a holding company of another entity and a subsidiary of a larger corporation. An intermediate holding firm might be exempted from publishing financial records as a holding company of the smaller group.

Benefits of a Holding Company

1. Greater control for a smaller investment

It gives the holding company owner a controlling interest in another without having to invest much. When the parent company purchases 51% or more of the subsidiary, it automatically gains control of the acquired firm. By not purchasing 100% of each subsidiary, a small business owner gains control of multiple entities using a very small investment.

2. Independent entities

If a holding company exercises control over several companies, each of the subsidiaries is considered an independent legal entity. It means that if one of the subsidiaries were to face a lawsuit, the plaintiffs have no right to claim the assets of the other subsidiaries. In fact, if the subsidiary being sued acted independently, then it’s highly unlikely that the parent company will be held liable.

3. Management continuity

Whenever a parent company acquires other subsidiaries, it almost always retains the management. It is an important factor for many owners of subsidiaries-to-be who are deciding whether to agree to the acquisition or not. The holding firm can choose not to be involved in the activities of the subsidiary except when it comes to strategic decisions and monitoring the subsidiary’s performance.

It means that the managers of the subsidiary firm retain their previous roles and continue conducting business as usual. On the other hand, the holding company owner benefits financially without necessarily adding to his management duties.

4. Tax effects

Holding companies that own 80% or more of every subsidiary can reap tax benefits by filing consolidated tax returns. A consolidated tax return is one that combines the financial records of all the acquired firms together with that of the parent company. In such a case, should one of subsidiary encounter losses, they will be offset by the profits of the other subsidiaries. In addition, the net effect of filing a consolidated return is a reduced tax liability.

Functions of a Holding Company

Successful entrepreneurs with multiple small businesses are typically concerned with limiting liability, streamlining management and retaining ownership control over each entity. Using a holding company can sometimes be the solution to all three concerns. The company works as an umbrella to give you centralized control over your endeavors while maintaining the liability firewall between each business.

1. Parent Company

A holding company is a corporation or limited liability company that holds a controlling ownership interest in other companies or the assets that those companies use. Typically, a holding company simply holds equity interests or assets, rather than actively engaging in business, such as selling goods or services. Another name for a holding company is a parent, and the companies under it are called operating companies or subsidiaries.

2. Centralized Control

Entrepreneurs who want to open multiple small businesses can use a holding company to centralize control. The entrepreneur can set up the holding company and designate himself as the sole owner. Each business can be set up separately with the holding company as the owner. In this way, the holding company is the central repository of the equity interests in those companies, and the entrepreneur can select executive management for each company while retaining the ability to direct each entity.

3. Limiting Investment

Using a holding company also enables you to raise money and create partnerships for each individual entity without losing overarching control of the business conglomerate. An equity investor can invest in one of the companies under the holding company without interfering with any of the others. If you had simply created a single company with multiple divisions or projects, an investor would take an interest in your whole business empire instead of just a single project that is set up as its own business.

4. Limiting Liability

One of the best uses of a holding company for small-business owners is to further limit liability. Creditors of a corporation or an LLC can go after anything that the entity owns. If you’re in a high-risk business, you can use a holding company to own all of the assets that your business needs to operate, such as real property, vehicles and equipment. The holding company leases those assets to the operating company, so if the operating company gets sued, it owns very little that can be used to satisfy a judgment. The operating company can easily be closed and declared bankrupt, and you can set up another business that leases the exact same assets from the holding company.

5. Considerations

Creating an interlocking ownership structure for multiple small businesses using a holding company is a sophisticated endeavor with significant tax consequences that are tied to your legal structure choices and tax elections. For example, special personal holding company tax rules apply to corporations but not necessarily LLCs that are used as holding companies. Consult with qualified legal and tax professionals before setting up your businesses.

Holding Companies Legal Requirements under Companies Act, 2013:

The Companies Act, 2013 lays down the following legal requirements:

1. Definition (Section 2(46)): A holding company includes any body corporate controlling a subsidiary.

2. Restriction on Layers (Section 2(87) & Rules): A holding company cannot have more than two layers of subsidiaries, except in certain cases (e.g., foreign subsidiaries).

3. Consolidated Financial Statements (Section 129): Must prepare and present consolidated accounts for itself and all subsidiaries.

4. Disclosure in Accounts: Details of subsidiaries’ performance must be disclosed in the Board’s Report.

5. Restriction on Loans & Investments (Section 186): Compliance required for inter-corporate loans, guarantees, and investments.

6. Related Party Transactions (Section 188): Deals with subsidiaries are treated as related party transactions, requiring approvals.

7. Annual Return (Section 92): Must include details of subsidiaries, associates, and joint ventures.

8. Audit Requirements: Subsidiaries’ accounts must be audited and considered in consolidated reports.