I've had little dealings. Government sell-offs, employer company investment schemes, other investments that changed over time to be shares, whether I wanted that on not, and one just one "direct" purchase. Mixed experience. Some have done well, others not. Best advice is to stay involved. I went through a period when, feeling down, I couldn't be bothered with it all. When I started checking again I found two had reduced to zero ! We are not all Lloyds insurance investors able to lever compensation from the hard working taxpayer when we invest unwisely. Most of us have to look in horror at what long established and trusted to be permanent companies have managed to mess up.