Добавил:
Upload Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз: Предмет: Файл:
Экономический английский.doc
Скачиваний:
105
Добавлен:
11.11.2018
Размер:
3.94 Mб
Скачать

Investors shun Fibernet after rights issue

Fibernet Group yesterday incurred the anger of investors when it announced it was to raise £77m through a deeply-discounted rights issue. This was partly due to hostile sentiment towards the telecommunications sector.

A 23 per cent decline in the stock to £10.20, down 307.5p, reflected alarm at the prospect of more shares being introduced into a market already saturated with telecoms shares.

Four new shares are being offered for every existing 15 at a knock-down price of 600p, less than half Wednesday's close of £13.27'/2.

The move provides further evidence that deeply-discounted rights issues have returned to fashion.

Most of the proceeds are earmarked for investment in the group's planned fibreoptic network in France, with the remainder to be spent in the UK developing digital -subscriber lines (DSL), which provide high-speed internet access through upgraded copper telephone wires.

Charles McGregor, chief executive, said the heavy discount was necessary to guard against a repeat of this week's telecoms issues - by KNP of the Netherlands, Telekom Austria and Telefonica Moviles of Spain - which all either fell below or remained close to their issue price.

Some analysts questioned why Fibernet, with £41m of cash on its balance sheet, needed more funding at this time. But others said it was a brave move that would ensure its DSL roll-out in the UK and its European expansion, in France and Germany, were not delayed.

Small Telecoms operators, such as Fibernet which are competing for the growing demand from businesses for broadband voice and data communications, have found their balance sheets under scrutiny as the high cost of building networks drains their cash.

'The sector will succumb to the laws of natural selection. Well-funded companies will get stronger, while the less well-funded will go bankrupt. This deal leaves Fibernet fully-funded,' said Mr Williams.

News of the rights issue obscured results showing pre­tax profits in the year to August 31 of £3.4m, compared to a £4.6m loss last year - the first time the group had generated a full-year surplus.

Turnover was £41.8m up from £14.6m last time.

Earnings per share were 7.5p (13p losses).

1. What was the strategic decision that required the capital Fibernet raised from the rights issue?

2. Using evidence from the text and your own knowledge, explain why you think that Fibernet used a rights issue of shares rather than taking out long-term loans.

3. Examine the likely reaction of shareholders to this financing decision in:

- the short term,

- the longer term.

Vocabulary revision – unit 5

Нью-Йоркская фондовая биржа; внебиржевой рынок ценных бумаг; ценные бумаги; товарная биржа; валютная биржа; повышательная тенденция фондового рынка; понижательная тенденция фондового рынка; участник фондового рынка; основной индекс Нью-Йоркской фондовой биржи; оживленные торги; переходить в другие руки (об акциях); оборот; неоживленные торги; игрок на повышение; игрок на понижение; производные финансовые инструменты; привилегированные акции; компания, чьи акции котируются на бирже; высоколиквидная акция (“голубая фишка”); сырьевые товары; иностранные валюты; выплачивать дивиденды; номинальный доход; доходность акций; коэффициент соотношения цены и доходности акции; отмывание денег; дилер; фирма по торговле ценными бумагами; инвестиционный банк; заключение сделок на бирже; первичное публичное размещение акций; получить биржевую котировку; эмиссия акций; доходы, выручка; фьючерсный контракт; сделка с премией; достичь прежнего уровня; манипулирование рынком; строгое разграничение функций и информации между подразделениями фирмы; незаконные операции с ценными бумагами на основе внутренней информации о деятельности компании-эмитента; гарантийный депозит (маржа), вносимый по срочному биржевому контракту в клиринговую палату.