Meaning
Formal board or shareholder decisions provide the legal foundation for the creation and distribution of new equity. Before a company can issue stock to an investor, share allotment resolutions must be passed to authorize the directors to allot shares and to disapply any existing rights of first refusal. These documents specify the class and number of the shares being created.
Constitutional Approval Threshold
The articles of association dictate whether a simple majority or a higher percentage is needed to pass the motion. Passing the share allotment resolutions is the first step in any capital raise.
Board Director Power
Board authority to manage the share capital is often delegated for a period of five years. This delegation is restricted by the share allotment resolutions which set a limit on the total nominal value that can be issued without returning to the shareholders for further permission. Such a mechanism balances the need for the board to act quickly with the need for shareholders to control the expansion of the equity base.
It prevents the management from diluting the owners without a clear mandate.
Every Capital Structure
Every new issuance changes the weight of the various blocks of stock. This shift is authorized by the share allotment resolutions.