Uchumi stock now declines below discounted cash call price

Money Markets

Shoppers at an Uchumi outlet in Nairobi. The retail chain is issuing an extra 99.5 million shares to its existing shareholders at Sh9 to raise Sh895 million for expansion. FILE PHOTO |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By GEORGE NGIGI

In Summary

• The retail outlet is issuing an extra 99.5 million shares to its existing shareholders at Sh9 to raise Sh895 million for expansion.
• Genghis Capital is concerned the retail company has been “burning through huge cash piles”. Uchumi has already borrowed hundreds of millions from local banks.

Uchumi share price for the first time slipped below the discounted share price of its cash call Wednesday, touching a one-year low of Sh8.70.

The stock traded at an average Sh8.90 compared to the rights issue price of Sh9 and the previous day’s Sh9.30.

The retail outlet is issuing an extra 99.5 million shares to its existing shareholders at Sh9 to raise Sh895 million for expansion.

Some analysts have advised investors to sell the rights when they commence trading at the Nairobi Securities Exchange on November 10.

“We recommend sale of rights during the upcoming Sh895 million rights issue,” said Genghis Capital in a note to investors.

Shareholders of the retail outlet do not have to buy the extra shares but they can sell the rights to additional shares to other investors in the open market.

OPEN MARKET

Investors normally buy the rights at the market price and go ahead to buy the extra shares at the discounted price.

Currently it will however be cheaper for investors who want to enter the counter to buy the shares in the open market rather than through the rights issue.

However analysts at Old Mutual held that the counter was going to improve with the rights issue set to be successful.

“We expect to witness support levels on the counter above the current trading level,” said Old Mutual.

READ: Uchumi stock edges closer to discounted rights’ price

Genghis Capital is concerned the retail company has been “burning through huge cash piles”. Uchumi has already borrowed hundreds of millions from local banks.

READ: Uchumi borrows Sh405m from Co-op Bank

ALSO READ: Uchumi secures additional Sh600m KCB loan