(Alliance News) - Shanta Gold Ltd on Wednesday said its board has agreed to an all-cash takeover offer from industrial conglomerate ETG that values East Africa-focused gold producer at just above GBP140 million.
Saturn Resources Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ETC Holdings (Mauritius) Ltd, offered 13.5 pence per Shanta share in cash, valuing all its equity at GBP142.0 million. Shanta shareholders also will receive an interim dividend of up to 0.15p to be declared by the Shanta board and paid prior to the takeover.
Shanta shares were up 2.4% at 12.95p on Wednesday afternoon in London. The stock is up 41% over the past year.
ETC Holdings is an investing company that is the controlling shareholder of ETC Group. The industrial conglomerate, which trades as ETG, operates in agricultural commodities, metal and energy. It also encompasses agricultural inputs and logistics, as well as other businesses.
ETG is controlled by Ketan Patel, Birju Patel and Mahesh Patel, with Ketan Patel already a member of the Shanta board.
The offer for Shanta has been accepted by its first and second largest shareholder, with 8.7% and 8.6% voting rights each, as well as by Shanta directors representing another 1.9%. It has 19.2% acceptances for the offer in total so far.
"As a shareholder in Shanta, we remain supportive of management and their strategy," Ketan Patel said. "However, we believe that Shanta's share price may inhibit Shanta's ability to deliver on its strategy and potential to maximise future shareholder returns."
Patel added: "As part of ETC Holdings, Shanta will benefit from the experience and connections of ETC Holdings and ETG in East Africa and as a result, have additional support during the currently heightened levels of macro-instability."
By Tom Waite, Alliance News editor
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Shanta Gold (SHG)