Regarding @Rocket6 question on ASA membership, I am a current member and have been for 4-5 years and found it good value even paying for it. I get most of my value by making use of the local member meetings, the magazine and webinars can have some interesting things – depends on what your interested in.
As @Bear77 said it principally caters for self-funded retirees and is about the only group that gives a voice to small shareholders for companies that they have active monitors for. Besides head office admin it is a volunteer organisation so it’s ability to make a difference is limited to those who get actively involved. It defiantly can influence some boards, where there are strong monitors, and they hold proxies that put them in the top 20 shareholders. For very long-term shareholders who are sitting on a massive capital gain and don’t want to sell because of this it’s an important function – my view is that I would probably just sell the shares rather than seek to actively change the company if it had board issues.
Despite not being a self-funded retiree or interested in most of the companies that have active monitors I still find value in the local member meetings and occasional webinar, but I am by far the youngest there and it depends on the quality of the people attending that make a big difference (like any forum or group).
Get if for free for a year is defiantly worth the investment to check it out.