The Seven Sisters and networked shareholder control in Brazilian private healthcare

Abstract

Using the methodology of Social Network Analysis and, specifically, the centrality metrics of betweenness, out-degree, and weighted out-degree, this research examines the network of stock connections among the 200 largest corporations operating in Brazil. Representing 63.5% of the GDP, the study concludes that, among other sectors, Private Healthcare is one of the most powerful in the corporate economy. In this field, 7 holdings were identified, which we term the Seven Sisters of Private Healthcare. These entities not only control the healthcare stock market but also play a leading role in Brazil’s overall economic control. The study is unprecedented in both its content and the applied methodology.