Embattled Toshiba to boost capital by US$5.3b share issuance

November 20, 2017 | 11:00
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TOKYO: Embattled Japanese conglomerate Toshiba said on Sunday it plans to raise US$5.3 billion by issuing new shares - a move aimed at avoiding a humiliating delisting from the Tokyo bouse.
People head for an extraordinary shareholders meeting of Toshiba in Chiba, suburb of Tokyo, on Oct 24, 2017. (TORU YAMANAKA/AFP)

A board meeting on Sunday decided on the move, it said.

Toshiba will issue 2.28 billion new shares to raise a total of 600 billion yen (US$5.3 billion), with financing expected to close on Dec 5.

Each share will be priced at 262.8 yen, a 10 per cent discount from Friday's closing price.

The number of new shares is roughly half the number of currently listed shares.

"This of course poses a concern of dilution of the value of shares but ... we believe this measure will enable us to clear obligations and focus on core business, which will ultimately contribute to the value of shares," a Toshiba spokeswoman said.

Toshiba is on the ropes after the disastrous acquisition of US nuclear energy firm Westinghouse, which racked up billions of dollars in losses before being placed in bankruptcy protection.

For its survival, the cash-strapped group has decided on the multibillion-dollar sale of its prized chip business. But the procedure has been delayed due to legal disputes with a US production partner, Western Digital.

AFP

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