Cyber Monday Deal: Up to 60% off InvestingProCLAIM SALE

UPDATE 3-Sevan Marine scraps secondary share sale of unit

Published 04/18/2011, 08:51 AM
BIG
-

* Demand fails to meet company's target for secondary sale

* IPO in Sevan Drilling raises $350 million

* Sevan Marine shares fall 21.2 percent

(Adds details on extended application period, updates share)

By Victoria Klesty

OSLO, April 18 (Reuters) - Norwegian oil services firm Sevan Marine ASA said it would cancel a planned secondary share offering in its Sevan Drilling unit after raising $350 million in an initial offering, sending its shares tumbling.

"Demand for the secondary sale did not satisfy the company's target," the firm said in a statement.

Shares in Sevan Marine, which owns and operates floating production and drilling units, fell 21.2 percent to 4.044 crowns at 1239 GMT while the Oslo Stock Exchange benchmark index was down 1.3 percent.

In a secondary offering Sevan Marine had hoped to sell most of its remaining shares in the drilling rig spin-off and raise more than $100 million to expand in the fast-growing market for deepwater floating production platforms.

"There is still a big financial uncertainty in Sevan Marine which needs more money within a year," said Fearnley Fonds analyst Haakon Magne Ore.

"There is also a fear that they need a share issue -- they simply have too much and expensive debt in relation to cash flow."

Sevan Marine initially hoped to raise $600 to $700 million, including the $350 million for Sevan Drilling in the IPO and another $250-$350 million in a secondary sale.

On Friday, it announced the share price for Sevan Drilling shares would be just 12 crowns per share compared with the 16-21 crowns it indicated on April 4.

After issuing 160.4 million new shares in Sevan Drilling, Sevan Marine will now retain about 37 percent rather than the 10 percent envisaged earlier.

Sevan Marine had said on Friday a secondary offering would consist of up to 73 million of its 96 million shares, a substantial increase in the number of shares previously offered.

For technical purposes, the Sevan Drilling book will remain open until April 20 to give investors opportunity to reassess their position, and Sevan Marine expects to release a supplement prospectus later on Monday.

Shares in Sevan Drilling are to be listed on the Oslo Bourse on April 29. (Additional reporting by Henrik Stoelen)

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.