Smoke and mirrors9 Apr 2024 13:00
Yesterdays funding announcement came as a bit of a surprise, but is the latest in a series of what is now becoming a complicated shareholder/funding structure. Within the last month alone we had the equity placing to raise $10m at 20p a share (although at that time only $4m could be raised because of the nasdaq 20% restriction). So the placing was split into two - a first placing for 20m shares to raise $4m; and a second placing to raise a further $6m subject to a general meeting on 22nd April to deal with the Nasdaq listing issue. As it turns out, forward commitments to the second placing now mean a further $2m has been raised, taking the total under the equity placing to $12m. We know the take up was good amongst existing shareholders. Now, less than a month later, we are told that DB Capital Partners Healthcare are taking an initial 2.6m shares for $1m on nasdaq; with the option to increase for a further 8m shares at the same price (c.30p) to take them up to $4m. That's just under 9% of the business and would make them the 4th largest shareholder. The web site link for DB Capital looks like it was put together over the weekend; and good luck finding out any details on the 'founding partners'. How did this come about - did they try and get into the initial equity raise, miss out, and come back to be told told price was now 30p under a share purchase agreement? Who do they know that allowed this to take place. What drove the need to raise $4m so shortly after the $12m last month? Alongside this, anyone remember the $21m convertible bond fundraise in 2022 advised by Heights Capital. Turns out the fund behind this is a company called CVI Investments (channelling money for high net worths, trusts etc), based in the Cayman Islands, and represented by William Walmsley, Director who lives there. They now own 8.5m shares in Renx as a result of the company settling its annual interest coupon and capital repayments in cash. Its an intriguing picture to say the least given the current 'formal sale process' and I'm not entirely sure what to make of it all. SB