Another offer for an unloved AIM company
Yet another unloved AIM company has received an approach, this time from a large US-listed group. The company in question has delivered negative returns to shareholders since listing several years ago and was, in our opinion, ill-suited to public markets. However, the latest deal highlights the lack of ambition among UK small cap investors, who previously sought out multi-bagger returns, but are now satisfied with scraps! Elsewhere, there were impressive updates from a significantly more ambitious investment manager and an online travel agent and reassurance from a provider of identity verification and fraud software. Read on here for this and other news.
OnTheMarket: shareholders get a break, sort of! Long-suffering shareholders in property portal OnTheMarket (AIM:OTMP) are basking in the apparent glory of an offer for the company. At first glance the premium looks attractive, but long term holders might not be rejoicing. US-listed CoStar Group, Inc, a leading provider of online real estate marketplaces in the United States valued at US$33 billion, is offering 110 pence per share in cash for OnTheMarket, valuing the UK company at approximately £99m. The price is a premium of approximately 56% to the closing share price the day before and a 37% premium to the…