Key Insights
-
Significant control over Diversified United Investment by retail investors implies that the general public has more power to influence management and governance-related decisions
-
47% of the business is held by the top 19 shareholders
-
Recent purchases by insiders
A look at the shareholders of Diversified United Investment Limited (ASX:DUI) can tell us which group is most powerful. With 53% stake, retail investors possess the maximum shares in the company. Put another way, the group faces the maximum upside potential (or downside risk).
Institutions, on the other hand, account for 40% of the company’s stockholders. Institutions often own shares in more established companies, while it’s not unusual to see insiders own a fair bit of smaller companies.
In the chart below, we zoom in on the different ownership groups of Diversified United Investment.
View our latest analysis for Diversified United Investment
What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Diversified United Investment?
Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.
We can see that Diversified United Investment does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company’s stock. This implies the analysts working for those institutions have looked at the stock and they like it. But just like anyone else, they could be wrong. When multiple institutions own a stock, there’s always a risk that they are in a ‘crowded trade’. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Diversified United Investment’s historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there’s always more to the story.
Diversified United Investment is not owned by hedge funds. The company’s largest shareholder is Ian Potter Foundation, Endowment Arm, with ownership of 17%. In comparison, the second and third largest shareholders hold about 7.5% and 6.6% of the stock.
On studying our ownership data, we found that 19 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest.
Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock’s expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. As far as we can tell there isn’t analyst coverage of the company, so it is probably flying under the radar.
Insider Ownership Of Diversified United Investment
The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Company management run the business, but the CEO will answer to the board, even if he or she is a member of it.
Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.
Shareholders would probably be interested to learn that insiders own shares in Diversified United Investment Limited. As individuals, the insiders collectively own AU$50m worth of the AU$1.1b company. It is good to see some investment by insiders, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying.
General Public Ownership
The general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, collectively holds 53% of Diversified United Investment shares. This level of ownership gives investors from the wider public some power to sway key policy decisions such as board composition, executive compensation, and the dividend payout ratio.
Next Steps:
It’s always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Diversified United Investment better, we need to consider many other factors.
I like to dive deeper into how a company has performed in the past. You can find historic revenue and earnings in this detailed graph.
If you would prefer check out another company — one with potentially superior financials — then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, backed by strong financial data.
NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.
Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.
This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Euro Manganese Inc. (TSX-V and ASX: EMN; OTCQX: EUMNF; Frankfurt: E06) (the “Company”) today announced that its Chvaletice Manganese Project (“Chvaletice” or the “Project”) is formally listed1 as under appraisal for debt financing with the European Investment Bank (“EIB”). Funding from the EIB would complement a broader funding package to support the development of the Company’s high-purity battery-grade manganese plant in the Czech Republic.
Highlights
-
Euro Manganese’s Chvaletice Project has progressed to the formal appraisal stage for debt financing with the EIB in what was a significant milestone in securing funds for the Czech Republic’s high-purity manganese production plant
-
Chvaletice is the European Union’s (“EU”) sole large manganese reserve, positioning Euro Manganese as a key supplier of local, recycled, ESG compliant high-purity manganese for the European EV market
-
Recognised by the EU as both a Strategic and Critical Raw Material source, the Chvaletice Project is set to boost EU resilience in battery materials while delivering environmental benefits through historical tailings remediation
-
Debt financing from the EIB supports the aims of the inter-governmental Minerals Security Partnership (“MSP”), which includes 13 countries and the EU, that has endorsed the Chvaletice Project as a key initiative
Dr. Matthew James, President & CEO of Euro Manganese, commented:
“The advancement of our Chvaletice Manganese Project to a formal under appraisal level signals the EIB’s commitment to supporting sustainable opportunities in the battery supply chain. Chvaletice remains the only sizable proven and probable reserve of manganese in the European Union and through the Project, Euro Manganese will be uniquely positioned to provide a secure, traceable, and responsibly produced supply of high-purity manganese products to the European electric vehicle market. With the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (“EBRD”) already as a key shareholder, today’s announcement is another key step towards achieving project funding. We look forward to obtaining EIB’s continued support for this strategic project.”
The EIB notes: “The European Commission has identified both battery-grade manganese and manganese as ‘Strategic Raw Material’ and “Critical Raw Material”, being highly relevant not only for the green and digital transitions, but also for strategic technologies and sectors. The Chvaletice Manganese Project represents an important circular economy-based source of high purity manganese and will supply the battery value chain with a key raw material that is largely imported, increasing the EU’s resilience. The Project will also include multiple environmental benefits from the remediation of the historic tailings area, particularly in terms of soil quality and freshwater quality.”
In October 2023, the Chvaletice Project was named as a project to be supported under the inter-governmental MSP, a collection of 13 countries and the European Union, representing over 50 percent of global GDP. The MSP aims to catalyze public and private sector investment to build diverse, secure and responsible critical mineral supply chains globally.
About Euro Manganese
Euro Manganese is a battery materials company focused on becoming a leading producer of high-purity manganese for the electric vehicle industry. The Company is advancing development of the Chvaletice Manganese Project in the Czech Republic and pursuing an opportunity to produce battery-grade manganese products in Bécancour, Québec.
The Chvaletice Project is a unique waste-to-value recycling and remediation opportunity involving reprocessing old tailings from a decommissioned mine. It is also the only sizable resource of manganese in the European Union, strategically positioning the Company to provide battery supply chains with critical raw materials to support the global shift to a circular, low-carbon economy.
Euro Manganese is dual listed on the TSX.V and the ASX, and is also traded on the OTCQX.
Authorized for release by the CEO of Euro Manganese Inc.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) or the ASX accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Enquiries
Dr. Matthew James
President & CEO
+44 (0)747 229 6688
LodeRock Advisors
Neil Weber
Investor and Media Relations – North America
+1 (647) 222-0574
neil.weber@loderockadvisors.com
Jane Morgan Management
Jane Morgan
Investor and Media Relations – Australia
+61 (0) 405 555 618
jm@janemorganmanagement.com.au
Company Address: #709 -700 West Pender St., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6C 1G8
Website: www.mn25.ca
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements in this news release constitute “forward-looking statements” or “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company, its Chvaletice Project, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “would”, “could”, “will”, “intend”, “expect”, “believe”, “plan”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “scheduled”, “forecast”, “predict” and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved.
Such forward-looking information or statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company’s intentions regarding the development and advancement of the Chvaletice Project in the Czech Republic, the ability of the Company to secure funding from EIB or any broader funding package to finance the Project, continuing support from EIB, continuing support from MSP and its partners, anticipated environmental benefits from the Project, and that the Project represents an important circular economy-based source of high purity manganese and will supply the battery value chain with a key raw material.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information or statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements and, even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company.
All forward-looking statements are made based on the Company’s current beliefs including various assumptions made by the Company, including that: the Company can achieve its goals; that the political and community environment in which the Company operates in will continue to support the development and operation of the Company’s projects; and assumptions related to the factors set out herein. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, risks and uncertainties related to the availability of acceptable financing; the ability to meet conditions of secured financing and risks related to security; the ability to obtain, amend, or maintain necessary licenses, or permits; risks related to acquisition of surface rights; changes in laws or regulations; and regulation by various governmental agencies. For a further discussion of risks relevant to the Company, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s annual information form for the year ended September 30, 2023, available on the Company’s SEDAR profile at www.sedarplus.ca
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure investors that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Subject to applicable securities laws, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date of this news release.
____________________________________
1 https://www.eib.org/en/projects/pipelines/all/20220372
SAN MATEO, Calif., March 01, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Essex Property Trust, Inc. (NYSE:ESS) announced today that Angela L. Kleiman, President and CEO, will be participating in a roundtable presentation at the 2024 Citigroup Global Property CEO Conference held in Hollywood, FL on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, at 11:40 a.m. Eastern Time.
To listen to the panel, please visit the webcast link on the Investors section of the Company’s website at www.essex.com. An archive of the webcast will be available for thirty days following the event. A copy of any materials provided by the Company at the conference can be obtained through the Investors section of the Company’s website.
About Essex Property Trust, Inc.
Essex Property Trust, Inc., an S&P 500 company, is a fully integrated real estate investment trust (REIT) that acquires, develops, redevelops, and manages multifamily residential properties in selected West Coast markets. Essex currently has ownership interests in 252 apartment communities comprising approximately 62,000 apartment homes with an additional property in active development. Additional information about the Company can be found on the Company’s website at www.essex.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240301394479/en/
Contacts
Loren Rainey
Director, Investor Relations
(650) 655-7800
lrainey@essex.com
A lavish Las Vegas property owned by alleged Ponzi schemer Greg Martel will be sold for $5.1 million US this week after a U.S. court authorized the deal and agreements settling opposing claims on the home.
But once the dust settles on the sale of the seven-bedroom, eight-bathroom, 9,221-square-foot house, it’s unlikely any of the money recovered will reach the many hundreds of people who lost money investing with Martel.
For one, the property has an outstanding mortgage of about $4 million US, according to receiver and trustee PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
In addition, PwC needs to pay back an investor who funded its legal efforts in the United States to the tune of $400,000 Cdn. PwC also says it needs to pay itself after racking up a bill of over $1 million Cdn investigating Martel, according to documents posted on its website.
Martel is the disgraced Victoria, B.C., mortgage broker at the centre of an alleged financial fraud run through his company, Shop Your Own Mortgage (SYOM), also known as My Mortgage Auction Corp.
According to the latest estimate, he owes 1,300 investors $312 million Cdn, in what an expert intimate with the details of the case said has all the hallmarks of a Ponzi scheme.
SYOM collapsed last year amid a flurry of lawsuits filed by investors. The claims were consolidated by the court under a receivership order in May of 2023 and PwC was appointed receiver with the duty to recover money and assets of Martel and his company to pay back jilted investors.
The Las Vegas property is one such asset — and a contentious one at that — requiring many months of legal machinations on both sides of the border.
In order to seize and sell the Las Vegas property, an agreement had to be reached between PwC and a group of creditors led by American Daniel Castellini, who lost $2 million investing with Martel.
Tracked down in Thailand
A sworn declaration submitted in U.S. court by PwC senior vice-president Neil Bunker detailed how in September of last year, a private investigator hired by Castellini tracked Martel down in Thailand where he was hiding out.
The investigator arranged for Thai authorities to detain Martel on an expired tourist visa, before cutting a deal that saw Martel transfer title of the Las Vegas property to Castellini, along with two Teslas and a “substantial” amount of cash.
According to Bunker, the deed for the Las Vegas property was secured through audio-visual communication on Aug. 29, 2023. Martel was released from Thai custody the next day and ordered to leave the country.
After learning that Martel had transferred the Las Vegas property to Castellini, PwC successfully argued in U.S. court that the powers previously granted in Canadian court gave PwC primary authority to recover and sell the home.
PwC then struck a deal with Castellini that says once PwC completes the sale of the Las Vegas property, Castellini will be paid $28,000 from the proceeds. The reimbursement is for “certain expenses [Castellini] represents were incurred investigating Martel and his business dealing,” according to court documents.
Court documents also say Castellini has agreed to co-operate with PwC by sharing the name of the investigator who went to Thailand, as well as all reports and information the investigator provided.
After leaving Thailand, Martel went to Dubai, according to PwC. His whereabouts are unknown.
The Las Vegas property is being sold to Kirk and Janette Mendez, who had also filed a claim on the home.
The couple signed a lease agreement with Martel in February of last year, about the time SYOM was blowing up. They agreed to pay $27,500 per month, with an option to buy the home outright for $5.1 million in February of 2024.
The Mendezes paid Martel for the year upfront but court documents say it appears he absconded with all the money.
CBC has reached out to Castellini and the Mendezes for comment.
According to PwC, two other properties owned by Martel were sold late last year as part of the asset recovery effort.
A heavily mortgaged house in Victoria sold for $2.47 million in December, resulting in $109,606 in net equity for the creditor pot. And an Ontario property Martel co-owned with a former spouse sold for $310,000, resulting in $82,698 in net equity recovered.
Last September, Martel was found guilty of contempt of court and warrants for his arrest have been issued in Canada and the U.S.
Largest Ponzi fraud in Canadian history?
Martel and SYOM were supposedly in the business of pooling investor money to provide short-term bridge loans to real estate developers, but so far investigators have found no evidence that any bridge loans were ever extended.
Martel attracted investors by promising sky-high rates of return, sometimes as high as 100 per cent on an annualized basis.
Bunker said previously that the absence of company records point to the concept that SYOM was a Ponzi scheme orchestrated by Martel.
If true, it would put him in the running for perpetrating Canada’s largest Ponzi fraud ever.
In 2017, two Alberta men were found guilty of fraud and theft after bilking investors out of a combined total of between $100 million and $400 million. At the time the RCMP characterized the crime as the largest Ponzi scheme in Canadian history.
A Ponzi scheme is where people hand over money believing it will be used in legitimate investments, often with the promise of large returns. Behind the scenes, the money actually goes toward paying earlier investors who have also been promised profits.
China Evergrande — the world’s most indebted property developer — received a liquidation order from a Hong Kong court on Monday, but there may be little left to recover, said experts.
The order came more than two years after Evergrande sent the country’s property sector into a tailspin.
Liquidators will now take control of the company’s assets and prepare to sell them in order to repay the company’s debts, which total $300 billion.
An offshore investor named Top Shine Global brought the winding-up lawsuit against Evergrande in 2022. Its proceedings were adjourned multiple times as Evergrande sought more time to restructure its debts.
On Monday, Evergrande applied for another adjournment. But Judge Linda Chan said Evergrande had been unable to offer a concrete restructuring plan and ordered its liquidation.
“It is time for the court to say enough is enough,” said Chan, according to Reuters.
Trading in the shares of Evergrande and its subsidiaries was halted on Monday following news of the order. Hong Kong-listed China Evergrande Group’s stock price plunged 21% before the court hearing.
Evergrande did not immediately respond to a request for comment from BI.
Monday’s court order is a far cry from Evergrande’s heyday as China’s top developer by sales in 2016.
Evergrande has been mired in a liquidity crisis since 2021. It first defaulted on an offshore dollar bond in December of that year. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in the US in August and scraped a restructuring plan in October due to worse-than-expected property sales.
‘There are only losers in the collapse of Evergrande’
Siu Shawn, Evergrande’s CEO, told local media in China that the real-estate company will still ensure the delivery of homes in China, state-owned Securities Times reported on Monday.
But several experts BI spoke to prior to Monday’s court order said Evergrande’s liquidation will be challenging.
It’s bad news for creditors, Mat Ng, the managing director at Grant Thornton, a professional services firm that specializes in restructuring, told BI.
“Given its scale, a liquidation of Evergrande would be a challenging process and the likely return to creditors would be expected to be low,” said Ng.
That’s particularly since the Chinese property sector is in the dumps amid sluggish demand and falling home prices — which means any sale of Evergrande’s assets is likely to be at fire-sale prices, John Bringardner, the head of Debtwire, a fixed-income data and news provider, told BI in November.
“At this point in the process, there are only losers in the collapse of Evergrande,” Bringardner added.
In July, Evergrande cited an analysis by Deloitte that estimated a recovery rate of 3.4% on its debt if the company is liquidated, per Reuters. Creditors now expect the recovery rate at less than 3%, according go the news agency.
Investors also appear to be out of luck, particularly if they’re outside of China, and the process of getting their investments may take years.
“Onshore stakeholders are busy working to ensure home purchasers will eventually receive the homes they have paid for one way or another, but retail ‘mom and pop’ investors in the company’s offshore securities will be facing even further uncertainty and delay which would likely continue for years,” Daniel Margulies, a partner at Dechert, a law firm that specializes in restructuring in Asia, told BI.
The court order to liquidate Evergrande also signals that problems of this size in China “seemingly cannot be restructured and will likely end up in some form of liquidation, whether onshore or offshore,” said Margulies.
Evergrande’s liquidation comes as China’s economy continues to struggle
Evergrande’s liquidation comes as China’s economy faces significant headwinds from a property crisis, deflationary pressure, and a demographic crisis.
Market sentiment over China’s economy is so bad that the country’s stock markets sold down massively last week as investors made a dash for the exit door.
Despite the complications that could come with Evergrande’s liquidation, there may be some upside in the longer run.
“Evergrande’s liquidation is a sign that China is willing to go to extreme ends to quell the property bubble,” Andrew Collier, a managing director at Orient Capital Research, told Reuters.
“This is good for the economy in the long term but very difficult in the short term,” he added.