Stocks
National Tea Sets New Subscription Date for Tk279.7cr Placement Shares
National Tea Company Limited, a publicly traded entity, has announced new subscription dates for its Tk279.7 crore placement shares. Originally slated for nearly a year ago, the subscription had been postponed by regulatory authorities but is now set to proceed following a recent court directive.
According to the company’s disclosure, the subscription period will run from June 19 to August 19 during banking hours. This follows a letter from the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) instructing the resumption of the capital-raising initiative, in compliance with a High Court order.
The primary objective of issuing these placement shares is to fuel business growth, finance working capital, and repay bank loans. However, due to a funding shortfall, the company has been unable to complete its modernization projects and other initiatives, resulting in decreased turnover caused by declining average sale prices in the auction market for its products.
Following the court’s directive, significant progress has been made in implementing the state-owned company’s plans.
In July of the previous year, Jakir Hossain Sarkar, a minor shareholder with just 10 National Tea shares, filed a writ petition with the High Court opposing the company’s scheme to issue fresh shares as approved by the BSEC, alleging unequal treatment of existing shareholders. The court later upheld the BSEC’s approval. Upon a petition by the market regulator, the Appellate Division’s chamber judge temporarily stayed the High Court’s order.
Shareholders have borne the brunt of these legal battles. After the record date, the price of National Tea shares dropped in anticipation of the increased number of shares, and the issuance of placement shares remained uncertain.
In April last year, National Tea received BSEC approval to raise its paid-up capital by issuing 2.34 crore shares at Tk119.53 each, inclusive of a Tk109.53 premium per share. The distribution plan allocated 1.24 crore shares to the government, Investment Corporation of Bangladesh, and Sadharan Bima Corporation at an average ratio of 4.43 new shares for each existing share. Sponsor-directors were allocated 13.8 lakh shares at a ratio of 3.21:1, and general shareholders were to receive nearly 96 lakh shares at a 2.85:1 ratio.
As of Wednesday, National Tea shares closed at Tk388.60 each on the Dhaka Stock Exchange. Founded in 1978 and listed on the capital market in 1979, National Tea cultivates, manufactures, and sells tea and rubber in the local market. The company’s average annual production is about 52 lakh kg of tea, most of which is sold through the Chattogram auction market.
Investors have called for the resignation of Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC) Chairman Khandaker Rashed Maksud, criticizing his inability to take effective decisions regarding the stock market and failing to bring it back to a positive trajectory. According to the investors, managing a bank is vastly different from running the stock market, which involves various stakeholders. They accused Maksud of making unilateral decisions without consulting key parties.
This demand was raised during a press conference held on Saturday (September 28) under the banner of the ‘Bangladesh Capital Market Investors’ Unified Council.’ The council expressed deep dissatisfaction with the chairman’s performance.
In a written statement, the council’s president, Ataullah Naim, claimed that certain individuals who benefited from the previous government have infiltrated key institutions of the capital market. He suggested that their involvement may be aimed at destabilizing the market and embarrassing the current government. Naim urged authorities to investigate whether the implementation of past BSEC policies, such as those regarding the Z category, was being manipulated for personal gain.
The council presented some demands, which include:
Loss of Capital Due to Z Category
Investors are losing capital as 28 listed companies have been placed in the Z category. The council suggested setting a specific timeline for these companies to rectify their issues. Additionally, they proposed imposing travel bans on the directors of these companies and freezing their personal accounts until compliance is ensured. Such measures would address irregularities in dividend distribution.
Enacting Capital Investment Laws
To protect investors, the council called for the implementation of a ‘Capital Investment Law,’ similar to those in other countries. This would allow investors to take legal action if they are defrauded or denied proper dividends. They urged the BSEC to amend laws in a timely manner to increase transparency in the market.
Support for Families of Deceased Investors
The council demanded that the government provide jobs to one family member of each investor who either committed suicide or died from a heart attack after losing everything due to stock market manipulation over the past 15 years.
Compensation for Capital Loss
Since the 2010 stock market crash, many investors have lost their capital. The council demanded that authorities supply 50% of the lost capital to these investors to ease their financial distress.
Withdrawal of False Cases
Innocent investors, who have faced legal harassment while protesting for their rights after the 2010 crash, continue to suffer due to fabricated cases. The council demanded the unconditional withdrawal of these cases and compensation for the money they spent defending themselves in court.
Addressing Irregularities in Listed Companies
Investors have been deprived of accurate information and dividends due to the misconduct of listed companies. The council highlighted the need to investigate corruption, including illegal fundraising around AGMs, and take strict legal action against the culprits.
Banks Must Step In
During the current crisis, the council urged banks to step in and support the market, as they have previously raised billions through rights shares. They called on Bangladesh Bank to provide policy support to ensure banks reinvest in the stock market.
Suspending Forced Selling
Recognizing the human toll on investors who are financially ruined by the market’s decline, the council made a heartfelt plea to suspend forced selling temporarily. They argued that a humane approach is needed, especially as many investors have been driven to poverty due to ongoing market downturns.
Introducing Buyback Laws
The council stressed the urgent need for a buyback law, as many shares with strong fundamentals are now trading near face value. They proposed that companies be required to buy back shares that fall below the issue price.
Accountability for Issue Managers
Despite legal guidelines, some issue managers bring weak companies to the market and collect exorbitant premiums through IPOs. The council suggested penalizing these managers, canceling their licenses, and ensuring that newly listed companies are closely monitored.
Creation of a Capital Market Data Bank
To facilitate easier access to capital market information, the council called for the formation of a ‘Capital Market Information Bank.’ They urged the BSEC to collaborate with the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) and Chittagong Stock Exchange (CSE) to implement this initiative.
Reviewing the U.S. Stock Markets, the Nasdaq Composite, recorded a decent gain of 171 points, reaching a closing value of 18,119 points by the end of the week. Similarly, the S&P 500 index showed a positive trend, adding 36 points to settle at 5,738 points. Meanwhile, DJIA Index experienced a notable hike, adding 250 points during the week and concluding at 42,313 points after a week of gaining.
In contrast, Russell 3000 Index saw a gaining week performance, with a slight gain of 9 points to reach 3,269 points by the end of the week.
Moving to Russell 2000 Index, demonstrated a notable drop of 3 points, ending the week at 2,224 points.
In the Outgoing week, the European stock market displayed a mixed performance.
Here is the data on the weekly performance of the European Stock Market, The STOXX Europe 600 index, which is considered a leading benchmark for the European market and covers approximately 90 percent of the market capitalization across 17 countries, reported a loss of 13.82 points to close at 528.02.
The United Kingdom’s FTSE 100, one of the most widely followed indices in Europe, also showed a significant gain, losing 91 points or finishing the session at 8,320.
In Germany, the DAX 30 index, added by 753 points to reach 19,473, while France’s CAC 40 increased by 291 points to stop at 7,791 at the end of the trading day.
Italy’s FTSE MIB, which covers the top 40 stocks traded on the Milan Stock Exchange, increased by 965 points to 34,727. However, Spain’s IBEX 35, added by 214 points, to close at 11,967.
