RE: PGM’s20 Feb 2024 13:34
If they NEEDED the extra cash then it would, without a doubt, have been included in the initial amount of the raise, wouldn't it? Simple. Management schoolboy error to not ask for enough. The company's financial situation, with minimal debt and good cash generation ( JLP's debt is well covered by operating cash flow (218.8%) and interest payments on its debt are well covered by EBIT (4.4x coverage) could have allowed them to raise term debt, especially when they were just announcing the financial backing of IRH.... ("According to the terms outlined in the BINDING funding term sheet....") Personally, I believe the raise was done to reward long-term, long suffering, strategic investors (Slater et al) to acquire a chunk of the company without having to buy in the open market at a critical juncture where all things are pointing up, and which they were clearly keen to do from the extra to the inital offer being requested, which was accommodated for the same reason. Did it cost PIs in dilution? Yes. Much? No. Was it strategic? Yes, to keep the major investors happy and incentivise some new. Most PIs here have diamond hands, as they have been invested for a long time, can see the future is almost upon us in terms of copper and chrome and aren't ars****e traders like deme and BT. To acquire 236 million shares in the open market would take (a) time and (b) drive up the price. A placing didn't.