RE: Going Private13 Sep 2022 20:30
Purdey I mentioned it as did Dickupham 2 years ago when the last placing happened.
The potential is there based on pure numbers( a majority). When a group of investors work in concert ( have more than 50% shares) they can do virtually what they want.
It happened to me when in a company that had been lingering for 8 or 9 years ( I will dig out the name which I think has been changed). The Directors and major Shareholders acted together. First they issued shares that only certain investors could buy. Little by little this gave the group a controlling interest which they used to take the company private. Ordinary I's which included me were given 1 choice accept the price for shares we offer and that was it. It transpired the CEO another accountant like GS here, had acquired an asset which was subsequently valued and sold at 10x the purchase price. I and others remonstrated at the time even to the point of asking to leave our shares in the Private company. No the CEO would have it and ordinary PI's were just left with what the CEO and BOD decided to pay.
It should be remembered shares in a private company are not easily tradeable. The shareholder conditions are very rigid. in that usually you can only sell to another existing shareholder or an investors approved by the BOD. Not a happy situation.
The company concerned was SWP Group, which I believe has changed name.
JUst hope it does happen here, but the way certain investors are building stakes, am very aware of the possibilty.