RE: Trading update3 Aug 2023 09:21
Jamrock, I'm relatively new to this company, made a small purchase but here's my view.
Directors have a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of the shareholders of the business. So for the business to be in a strong financial position end of 2022, but for their performance to have detiorated significantly during the first half of 2023, there would have to be a significant reason as to why that would be. If they were in significant financial difficulty, then their duty would require an immediate announcement to the market.
I understand the CFO left, without giving hardly any notice, but had been in position 15 months. That's sometimes a big warning sign, given the CFO has oversight of the businesses finance function, including, the maintainance of the businesses financial record keeping, and the reporting of the financials to shareholders. The accounts are of course also externally audited, to ensure the records give a true and fair view to shareholders (could be argued as to how effective that tends to be thesedays!)
AIM in terms of shareholder protection though, in my opinion, is just non-existant. I've seen some pretty terrible events unfold with companies over the last 2 years or so. Be that companies selling their operating subsidiaries at a substantial discount, or undertaking a share placing, at a significant discount to the prevailing market price. Both resulting in existing shareholders experiencing substantial losses. But apparently this behaviour isn't against the law.