[jacques_chester]

It's true for shares at issuing. After that, typically, the company sees no funds from shares changing hands. Folks buy shares because they want dividends or capital appreciation. A few to show up at AGMs. But after the shares change hands once, the idea that the Noble Capitalist Heroes Of Galt's Gulch make the world turn by purchasing shares is false.

[eloff]

Companies can issue shares down the road, and they do for compensation, so people buying shares and pushing the stock price up is actually an ongoing assist. But, yes it's complex.