selah wrote:The creation of new shares is a bit confusing 300M shares is for the ESOP[why didn't they just buy them straight from the bourse?] what abt the 200M share what do they intend to do with them[Future right issue or bonus shares? what else can they do with this extra shares]
1) Good question about buying the 300mn from the market but that would require 'real' cash. If bought today the cost would be KES 3bn. Also I am not sure if an ESOP is allowed to buy shares not allocated to employees [Buybacks].
Also the 300mn shares will probably be vested over time [3 years] so the requirement is over time when the price of the shares could rise thus 'easier' (cheaper?) to issue new shares.
2)There might be an element of a bonus or simply easier to 'vote' for 500mn shares vs 300mn shares?
Or these shares could be used as currency [exchanged] for other firms/assets.
In some cases [for tax purposes or 'exchange' of ownership] a seller may not want cash but shares in exchange.
Greedy when others are fearful. Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase Warren Buffett