Understanding Right Issues of Shares | My Espresso

Right Issues of Shares

Cash-strapped enterprises can opt for the right issues of shares to raise funds when needed. Through these rights offerings, businesses will provide all the shareholders with rights. But it will not provide them the obligation to purchase new shares for a discount to the present trading price. Read through this post to learn more about the rights issues, how they work, their features, etc.

Published on 03 February 2023

Rights Issues for Shares: The Definition

So, ‘what is right issue for shares?’ It’s an invitation to all the present shareholders to buy extra shares within a business. These issues will provide the current shareholders with the securities known as “rights.”

The right issue of shares will allow all the shareholders to buy more shares for a discount on the market price in the future. The business is allowing all the shareholders to increase their exposure towards stock and also for a discount.

Until the date comes on which all the shareholders can buy the shares, they might trade the rights at the market in the same way, just like how they trade normal shares. These rights have value and reimburse the existing shareholders for the upcoming dilution of their present share’s value.

Dilution takes place due to the rights offering that spreads the net profit of a business over a massive amount of shares. Besides that, the earnings per share or EPS of the business is reduced as the owed earnings are upshot within share dilution.

Right Issue: What are Its Features?

When it comes to the right issue, it has numerous features, and you will learn what they are under this section.

  • Businesses undertake the rights issue when they need funds for countless goals. This helps businesses to raise funds without incurring underwriting expenses.
  • The right issue of shares provides preferential treatment to the present shareholders. They get the right to buy all the shares at a lower price.
  • All the present shareholders can enjoy the right to trade with various other market participants until the date when all the shares can be bought.
  • The number of extra shares that can be bought by the shareholders is in proportion to the current shareholding.
  • The current shareholders can also ignore the rights. But when they wish to buy the extra shares, their current shareholding will be diluted before the issue of the extra shares.

Reasons to Issue the Rights Offerings

The actual reason why the right issues of shares are opted for by businesses is to raise extra capital. A business might need additional funds to meet all its monetary obligations. All troubled organizations utilize the rights issues to pay the debt, especially when they cannot borrow more funds.

But only some companies opt for the rights offerings because of monetary issues. There are firms that have clean balance sheets and might use the rights issues. They use them to raise additional money to fund all the expenditures designed to expand the business, such as

  • Opening new facilities for sales or manufacturing
  • Acquisitions
  • Adding new machines or devices to the workplace
  • Upgrading the exterior and interior of the company

When the business utilizes the extra funds for expansion, it will also lead to an increase in capital gains for all the shareholders. The increase in capital gains will occur even when the dilution of all the outstanding shares results from the right offerings.

An Example of a Rights Issue

To have a good understanding of the right issue of shares, here is an example that can help:

“Suppose an investor owns around 100 shares of ArcelorMittal, and these shares are traded for $10 each. The business declares the rights issue in the ratio of 2:5. In other words, the investor with 5 shares can purchase 2 shares.

After that, the organization declares a discounted price of $6 for every share. This clearly means that for every 5 shares [$10 for every share] held by the current shareholder, the will business will provide 2 shares for $6.

To have a good understanding, here is a calculation:

  • Portfolio Value of the Investor [BEFORE THE RIGHTS ISSUE] = 100 shares x $10 = $1000
  • Number of right shares will be received = [100X2/5] = 40
  • Price paid to purchase the rights shares = 40 shares x $6 = $240
  • Overall shares after exercising the rights issue = 100 + 40 = 140
  • Portfolio’s revised value after exercising the rights issue = $1000 + $240 = $1240
  • The price for each share post-rights issue = $1240/140 = $8.86

Final Thoughts

Investors might be tempted by the prospect of purchasing shares with a rights issue at a discounted price. It’s not always certain whether or not you will get a bargain. Additionally, you know the price of the ex-rights share and also know the reason for the extra funding before rejecting or accepting the rights issue.

Chandresh Khona
Team Espresso

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