In today’s briefing:
- Cosmo Energy (5021) – Headed to an EGM Showdown for the Poison Pill
- Azure (AZS AU): SQM The Likely Suitor
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Cosmo Energy (5021) – Headed to an EGM Showdown for the Poison Pill
- Japanese activist Murakami-san and Cosmo Energy Holdings (5021 JP) have been duking it out for 18 months. He now has 20%. Wants more. Management wants to exercise the poison pill.
- Cosmo’s efforts are not completely honest, but Murakami-san’s efforts are clearly designed to benefit Murakami-san over general shareholders, and Cosmo has finally explained the reasons publicly. Read the doc (Japanese).
- At 1.0x book, lower refining margins vs earlier in the year, and difficulty for Murakami-san to force the issue, one must take more care here than one did 40% ago.
Azure (AZS AU): SQM The Likely Suitor
- Lithium mining play Azure Minerals (AZS AU) went into a trading halt Monday (23 October) “regarding a potential change of control transaction“. That halt has been extended to Friday morning.
- The obvious suitor is Sociedad Quimica y Minera de C (SQM/B CI) with 19.9%, who approached Azure with a $2.31/share Offer in August but was rejected.
- Mark Creasy, a major shareholder in Azure and also a direct stakeholder in Azure’s flagship mine, is the key. Should a firm Offer unfold, expect a chunky premium.