Opprettholding

Opprettholding refers to a corporate entity whose primary purpose is to own and manage the equity interests of other companies or assets, rather than to conduct its own commercial operations. It functions as a parent company within a corporate group and may hold controlling or minority stakes in subsidiaries. In practice, the term is often used informally to describe a holding arrangement intended to preserve and organize assets.

An opprettholding typically sits at the top of a group, owning the majority (or complete) of voting rights in its subsidiaries. The group is organized as a koncern, with the holding company steering strategic decisions, capital allocation, and risk management, while subsidiaries handle day-to-day operations. The legal form can be a limited liability company or corporation, depending on jurisdiction.

Purpose includes simplifying ownership, enabling centralized financing, protecting assets through separation of liabilities, facilitating succession planning and tax planning through dividend flows and intra-group pricing. It can also serve as an investment vehicle for holding stakes in multiple ventures.

Tax treatment and regulatory rules vary by jurisdiction. Many countries permit favorable tax regimes for holding companies, especially if the group qualifies for participation exemptions on dividends and capital gains; however transfer pricing, controlled foreign corporation rules, and substance requirements apply.

While "opprettholding" captures the idea of a holding entity created to maintain and manage holdings, the more common Norwegian terms are holding selskap or konsernholding; the exact term and legal distinctions depend on local law.