What is an annual general meeting (AGM)?

As the name implies, the annual general meeting (AGM) is the once-a-year gathering of a company’s shareholders. Company law in most jurisdictions will make such an event mandatory in one form or another, although there is considerable variation as to how the meeting is to be conducted.

Where have you heard about annual general meetings (AGMs)?

If you are a shareholder you will be invited to the company’s annual general meeting (AGM). Or you may have seen media reports of some particularly lively meetings, such as those at which some shareholders try to oust the board of directors.

What you need to know about annual general meetings (AGMs).

They are the one occasion in the year when most shareholders get to see the directors of the company and are able to hold them to account. The fixed points of each AGM vary from one jurisdiction to the next and rely in part on each company’s own rules. But generally they include: presentation of the annual report; signing of the minutes of the previous AGM, if shareholders approve; a vote on the proposed dividend; the election of some or all the directors and the appointment or re-appointment of auditors. Shareholders unable to attend can usually vote by proxy.

Find out more about annual general meetings (AGMs).

To learn more about annual general meetings, their role, functions and importance and their relevance to investors, see our definition of a shareholder.