SaveLend Group AB carries out a directed new share issue of 3,732,766 shares and raises approximately SEK 8.8 million
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The Board of SaveLend Group AB ("SaveLend Group" or the "Company") has today, based on the authorization from the Annual General Meeting on April 25, 2024, decided on a directed new share issue of 3,732,766 shares (the "Directed Issue"). The Directed Issue is carried out at a subscription price of 2.35 SEK per share, corresponding to the most recent closing price of the Company's share immediately preceding the day of the board's decision on the Directed Issue. Through the Directed Issue, the Company will raise approximately SEK 8.8 million before issue costs.
The Directed Issue
The Board of SaveLend Group has today, based on the authorization obtained at the Annual General Meeting on April 25, 2024, decided on the Directed Issue of 3,732,766 shares, deviating from the existing shareholders' preferential rights. The issue has been directed to a limited group of investors, where Qualcon AB is a new investor and Simon Hammarström with family, Jonas Jonsson, Michel Yousif, and Markus Alvila have been shareholders in the Company from before. All subscribers have expressed a desire to increase their commitment and to continue being long-term and active owners in the Company.
The subscription price is 2.35 SEK per share, whereby the Company will raise approximately SEK 8.8 million before issue costs. The subscription price corresponds to the latest closing price of the Company's share on Nasdaq First North Growth Market during the day immediately preceding the date of the Board's decision on the Directed Issue. Based on the above, the Board considers the subscription price to be market-based.
The Board's Considerations
The reasons for deviating from the shareholders' preferential rights are that the Company's Board, after careful consideration of available financing solutions, considers the Directed Issue to be the most time- and cost-effective financing for the Company's continued development, and that under the prevailing market conditions, there are no favorable conditions for carrying out a preferential issue. Furthermore, it has been determined that the time required to complete a preferential issue, with necessary documents and processing time, would be too long and disproportionately costly relative to the capital requirement, and that a preferential issue or a directed new issue to a larger circle of external investors or existing shareholders would likely need to be carried out at a significantly discounted share price, resulting in further dilution, which would be detrimental to all shareholders. The Directed Issue also allows taking advantage of the current interest in the Company's share among the subscribers at a price in line with the prevailing share price, which is also a reason for granting subscription rights in the Directed Issue.
Based on the above, the Board's overall assessment is that the reasons above clearly and strongly outweigh the reasons justifying the main principle that issues should be carried out with the application of shareholders' preferential rights, and that an issue deviating from shareholders' preferential rights is objectively in the interest of the Company and all shareholders.
Use of Issue Proceeds
The issue proceeds will be used to finance an accelerated transition towards an increased proportion of corporate credits on the savings platform, with the aim of achieving both increased diversification and returns for investors, as well as profitable growth for the Company as soon as possible.
Number of Shares, Share Capital, and Dilution
Through the Directed Issue, the number of shares in SaveLend Group will increase by 3,732,766 shares, from 53,553,250 shares to 57,286,016 shares. The share capital will increase by SEK 84,834.57, from SEK 1,217,119.34 to SEK 1,301,953.91. The Directed Issue will result in a dilution of approximately 6.52 percent based on the total number of shares in SaveLend Group after the Directed Issue.