Investing your hard-earned money in a company doesn't necessarily mean just cashing in when the stock gains in value. Some firms offer shareholders an enticing array of plum perks, from coveted freebies to generous discounts and exclusive products, which of course go some way to softening the blow if the stock decreases in price. Click or scroll through to find out the companies that offer investors outstanding benefits.

Bookworms might want to look into snapping up Bloomsbury Publishing stock. Shareholders in the British company, which has offices in London, Oxford, New York, Sydney and New Delhi, qualify for a super-generous 35% discount on titles published by the firm including novels by Virginia Woolf and E. M. Forster, not to mention the Harry Potter series. 

Travel regularly? You could end up pocketing significant savings if you invest in the Intercontinental Hotels Group, which operates thousands of hotels around the world under a plethora of brands including Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Hotel Indigo. Registered shareholders are entitled to discounts on the group's hotel rooms, subject to availability.

If Spain is at the top of your holiday destination list, consider investing in Madrid-based oil and natural gas company Repsol. Shareholders receive a privilege card that gets them discounts on hotel stays in the country, restaurant meals, activities such as horse riding, and if you hire a car you can also get discounted petrol.

The Scottish-based multinational craft brewery company BrewDog is owned by more than 100,000 investors. The beer business raises cash via its Equity for Punks scheme, at a minimum investment of one share priced at $32 (£25) and there are no dealing fees. In exchange for their money, investors get a multitude of benefits including discounts in BrewDog bars – there are five in the US with two more opening soon, over 50 across the UK, and a further 26 in Europe and the rest of the world – and the online store. Shareholders also get a free birthday beer and early access to new beer launches. However, the most inticing offer could be the access to Brewdog's Millionaire Competition, which investors in the latest round can enter: every person who invests has the chance to win £1 million-worth ($1.3m) of shares in the business.

IBM, which is owned by Hong Kong's Lenovo Group, offers shareholders big discounts. Lenovo has even created a dedicated website with a variety of attractive deals. Right now, the company is offering up to 67% off Think notebooks, up to 40% off Yoga laptops and 15% markdowns on monitors.

Kimberly-Clark has put together a special shareholder's gift box every year since 1957. Available for a limited period around the holiday season, the box of goodies contains massively discounted samples of the company's personal care products as well as a selection of coupons. The 2019 offering was priced at $25.99 (£19.90).

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Likewise, investors in 3M, the Minnesota-based firm that makes Post-It notes, Scotchgard and Nexcare bandages, are offered a heavily discounted holiday season gift box that isn't available to the general public. Last year's box cost $28 (£21.55) and contained 18 different 3M products.

Berkshire Hathaway shareholders don't do too badly at all when it comes to investor perks. For starters they qualify for an 8% markdown on Geico auto insurance, even if they only have one share in the company. Shareholders who attend the company's legendary annual meeting are also lavished with a slew of discounts on everything from furniture and jewellery to underwear.

Investors who hold at least one share are eligible to join the prestigious LVMH Shareholders' Club. Members are treated to discounts on a range of the group's wines and spirits and access to a special selection, VIP passes to the Louis Vuitton Foundation in Paris and discounted subscriptions for the group's newspapers.

Investors in Swedish airline SAS Group who hold at least 400 shares can book tickets at special discounted fares on the company's website. The offers are restricted to flights within Europe and can't be changed or refunded, but the shareholder can travel with up to eight family members or friends.

America's first customer-owned crowdfunded company, Williamette Valley Vineyards has more than 16,000 proprietors. The Oregon winery offers investors who hold 100 or more shares a ton of perks. They include 25% off wine purchases on and offline, invites to exclusive events and VIP winery tours.

Ford extends its Friends & Neighbors' discount plan to shareholders who own at least 100 shares and have held the stock for a minimum of six months. The so-called Shareholder X-Plan Program can result in a saving of around $850 (£654) on a $22,000 (£16,938) vehicle, which is pretty decent indeed.

Japan Airline's Shareholder Benefit Program has some very lucrative benefits. The airline offers investors who own at least 100 shares 50% discount coupons on regular one-way flights within Japan. The more shares you own, the more discount coupons you receive. 

This Florida-based internet travel company offers investors who hold at least 500 shares a 5% discount on bookings, so you'll currently need to stump up a minimum of $1,700 (£1.3k) to qualify. The company, which has been in business for more than 45 years, specialises in cruise holidays.

One for the fashionistas, British luxury goods company Mulberry rewards investors who hold at least 500 shares with a swish discount card that entitles them to 20% off up to $6,500 (£5k) worth of purchases a year. No doubt a status symbol in its own right, the card can be used in selected stores across the world.

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Fancy being treated like a VIP? Investors in French hotel group Accor who hold at least 50 bearer shares and one registered share get the opportunity to join an exclusive club. The lucky shareholders are gifted a gold loyalty card, which entitles them to an impressive range of perks, including a 7% discount, luxe upgrades and behind the scenes hotel tours.

Carnival Cruise Lines gifts shareholders who own at least 100 shares with onboard credit that they can spend on the company's cruises. The most deep-pocketed gifts are reserved for the firm's North America brands including Princess Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, and Seaborn among others. They start at $50 (£38) per stateroom for cruises of up to six days and go up to $250 (£192) for vacations of a fortnight or longer.

Interestingly Norwegian Cruise Lines offers almost the exact same deals to investors who hold 100 shares or more in the company. These shareholders receive $50 (£38) onboard credit per stateroom for trips of six days or less, $100 (£77) for sailings of seven to 14 days and $250 (£192) for voyages of 15 days or more.

The Royal Caribbean has a similar scheme. The Miami-based cruise line offers investors with at least 100 shares onboard credit of $50 (£38) per stateroom on cruises of five nights or less, $100 (£77) for sailings of six to 13 nights and $250 (£192) for trips lasting a fortnight or longer. 

Each year Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli presents certain shareholders with a blue briefcase-sized box of its prized chocolates. The downside if you're tempted to invest is that you'll need to buy a share with attached voting rights and they cost an eye-watering $93,421 (£71,530) a piece. Plus you'll have to attend the firm's annual meeting in Switzerland to vote so that you can receive your box, or alternatively find someone in the country to vote on your behalf and mail you your gift.

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