Kellan shareholder rings up ‘better’ counter offer to Bell
25 June 2013
A minority shareholder in recruitment group Kellan Group is urging the board to support his proposed counter offer of fundraising for the company.
Tue, 25 Jun 2013A minority shareholder in recruitment group Kellan Group is urging the board to support his proposed counter offer of fundraising for the company.
James McHugh, who owns roughly 5.2% of Kellan’s shares says that his proposed offer of £1.5m “is significantly better” than that offered by Paul Bell, Kellan’s largest shareholder, who holds 41.77% of the company’s shares.
McHugh’s offer comprises a £0.9m subscription in new shares in Kellan, and a £0.6m loan.
McHugh says he is prepared to subscribe in the new shares in Kellan at a 50% premium to the price being offered by Bell, “resulting in less dilution for existing Kellan shareholders”, and thus making the offer more attractive.
In May, Kellan said it was at an advanced stage of discussion with Bell about his proposals for fundraising, comprising a proposed £0.9m in equity, and a £0.6m loan in unsecured convertible debt to replace the previous interim loan facility agreed with Bell in March.
McHugh says his £0.6m loan would only become available were the existing facility agreed with Bell to be terminated.
In a statement, issued on his behalf, McHugh says: “I urge the board to support my higher offer and move swiftly towards securing the company’s future.”
In a statement, Kellan, which recently announced a shake-up it in its leadership after the departure of its chief executive officer Ross Eades, says that its independent directors and their advisers are considering the merits of both proposals.
However, it notes that while the potential transaction with Bell “is at a relatively advanced stage”, the terms of McHugh’s proposed transaction “are still uncertain”.
The statement says that the independent directors “are working with the company's major shareholders to reach a satisfactory outcome in the best interest of shareholders as a whole, with a view to concluding a transaction as soon as possible”.
James McHugh, who owns roughly 5.2% of Kellan’s shares says that his proposed offer of £1.5m “is significantly better” than that offered by Paul Bell, Kellan’s largest shareholder, who holds 41.77% of the company’s shares.
McHugh’s offer comprises a £0.9m subscription in new shares in Kellan, and a £0.6m loan.
McHugh says he is prepared to subscribe in the new shares in Kellan at a 50% premium to the price being offered by Bell, “resulting in less dilution for existing Kellan shareholders”, and thus making the offer more attractive.
In May, Kellan said it was at an advanced stage of discussion with Bell about his proposals for fundraising, comprising a proposed £0.9m in equity, and a £0.6m loan in unsecured convertible debt to replace the previous interim loan facility agreed with Bell in March.
McHugh says his £0.6m loan would only become available were the existing facility agreed with Bell to be terminated.
In a statement, issued on his behalf, McHugh says: “I urge the board to support my higher offer and move swiftly towards securing the company’s future.”
In a statement, Kellan, which recently announced a shake-up it in its leadership after the departure of its chief executive officer Ross Eades, says that its independent directors and their advisers are considering the merits of both proposals.
However, it notes that while the potential transaction with Bell “is at a relatively advanced stage”, the terms of McHugh’s proposed transaction “are still uncertain”.
The statement says that the independent directors “are working with the company's major shareholders to reach a satisfactory outcome in the best interest of shareholders as a whole, with a view to concluding a transaction as soon as possible”.
