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Although the revenue is slowing increasing, the Company's finance is unstable.
One quarter make profits, next quarter make losses.
Cash Flow of the company has been shrinking year to year.
Instead of Right Issues, they should reduce their Cost.
Spice i2i rights issue: Some shareholders concerned
They fear that a large rights issue will lower the company’s share price
Jo-ann Huang
joannhuang@mediacorp.com.sg
SINGAPORE
Formerly known as MediaRing, the board of directors at Spice i2i, however, received overwhelming support for their 1.37 billion shares rights issue.
But some shareholders claim that such a large rights issue will drag lower Spice i2i’s current share price of 16.5 cents.
Mr Toh Peng Teng, a shareholder of Spice i2i since 2007, told MediaCorp that other types of funding can be secured instead.
Inclusive of the 1.37 billion rights shares, Spice i2i’s entire share capital will be more than 2.7 billion shares.
Mr Toh believes that is too many shares for a small company like Spice i2i. And with current market conditions, this may render the extra shares stagnant if trading activity is limited by demand.
This may in turn stump share-price growth, he added.
“They should use internal funding instead of introducing more shares into the market at such an uncertain time.”
According to Spice i2i’s circular for the rights issue dated July 8, net proceeds of the rights issue are intended to fund working capital requirements, capital expenditure, market expansion, new product development, acquisitions and general corporate expenses.
Mr Roger Tan, vice-president of SIAS Research, noted that clarity over the use of the proceeds is lacking. “I think the biggest issue is raising capital for working capital needs, but (Spicei2i) doesn’t say what,” he said.
However, he noted that with Spice i2i’s repositioning, it may look to acquire more companies as it did since it took over MediaRing.
Recently, Spice i2i chairman Dr B K Modi pledged US$100 million ($137 million) towards a joint venture with Malaysian mobile phone makers CSL to introduce Spice’s own line of mobile phones to the Malaysian, Thailand and Indonesian markets.
India-based mobile services giant Spice Group, also chaired by the flamboyant Dr Modi, had bought a 20-per-cent stake in MediaRing for $60 million last August, making it the largest shareholder.
Dr Modi acknowledged that with Spice i2i positioning itself towards a new strategic direction, it will naturally cause some discontent among some longtime MediaRing shareholders.
However, Dr Modi said he is looking to turn the depressed share price around. “When we bought the company it was very much in a distressed situation,” he said.
“I can only say that we are trying to bring it back but I can’t create magic to be in line with the industry we are getting in. And I think we are in the right industry.”
— Detractors of Spice i2i’s $133 million rights issue raised their concerns over further share price dilution at the company’s extraordinary general meeting last Friday.spice is always interested in mobile, with this failed plan, who knows spice and virgin may joint bid for the last 3g in singapore.
expansion plans DEC talked in the egm, i feel that do not need such high investment [US100m]. so 3g is still more likely. and it exactly coincide with the auction of 3g timing. my guess.
IDA's Decision and Explanatory Memorandandum on the Allocation of the 3G spectrum in the 1900/2100 MHz frequency band
NEW DELHI: State-owned telecom company
MTNL has cancelled a plan to hand over the management, marketing and running of
its 3G networks in Mumbai and Delhi to Virgin Mobile and Spice Group.
In late 2009, MTNL had shortlisted these two firms after a global tender to run its fledgling third-generation services in Delhi and Mumbai for 10 years on a revenue-sharing basis. MTNL executives said the contract was cancelled because the government did not approve of it, while industry sources familiar with the subject said that project was shelved due to internal politics in the PSU. They said the new management of the telco wanted the PSU to run its 3G networks rather than outsource it. Contacted on the issue, MTNL’s chairman and managing director Kuldeep Singh confirmed the cancellation of the tender to outsource management of its 3G networks. “We may issue a fresh tender after government approval. We are still open to the concept of outsourcing our 3G networks,” he said. Another executive aware of the development said MTNL wanted to rope in a partner because it could sign up only about 1,000 customers in the first six months of launching the services, raising concerns of poor marketing and execution. But since then, its 3G services have picked up and the telco now has over 3,50,000 users availing this facility, already matching targets mentioned in the outsourcing tender, the executive added. For instance, MTNL has said it would ensure that its networks have a minimum capacity to support 100,000 3G customers each in Delhi and Mumbai within the first 12 months of signing the deal with the franchisee partner. The terms and conditions of the deal added that it would increase its network capacity to support 300,000 and 500,000 3G customers in each of the two metros cities in the second and third years, respectively, while the franchisee partner on its part will have to ensure that it brings in revenues of Rs 30 crore in the first year, Rs 120 crore in the second year and Rs 240 crore in the third year. “MTNL is in line to meet these targets. So, the new management decided that contract terms and conditions will have to be revised upwards steeply. But considering that selected bidders were unlikely to accept new terms, the telco had no option but cancel the contract,” the executive quoted above added. Virgin Mobile India’s Madhusudan Mandyam said that his company had received no information from MTNL on the contract. “We understand they have put it in cold storage. We have written to them saying our Earnest Deposit Money should be returned if they don’t plan to go ahead with the tender, but have received no response,” he added. |
Copy from CNA forum.
Attended EGM today, the managment announced that their latest S-unno was a break through. This technology does not need a telcom operator , and user can use mobile internet making call . They claimed it is the only company which have this technology in the World presently.
the last right issue was for pacific internet (ISP) purchase, so to complete the full vertical integration of value chain, spice need it. but besides licence cost of US100m, it need another ~US$150m for
infrastructure and equipment cost. spice need more $, maybe a joint venture...
Be reminded of the EGM tomorrow 23/07 3pm.
Have too many questions to ask the management before deciding to vote for or against the right issue.
spice may do it
S'pore to auction remaining 3G spectrum
By Tyler Thia, ZDNet Asia on July 21, 2010 (21 hours 7 minutes ago)
Summary
Singapore government pushes on with proposed auction for country's fourth 3G license, despite opposition from existing telcos, citing need to ensure efficient use of scarce spectrum.
SINGAPORE--The country may see a fourth 3G telco in the market by the end of the year, following the government's decision to auction unused 3G spectrum.
Local ICT regulator, the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), in March called for public consultation on its plans to put up for sale three lots of spectrum left unutilized after the country's 3G auction in 2001 ended with only three winning bids, instead of the targeted four.
The proposed auction for a fourth 3G telco has met with strong opposition from the three local telcos--SingTel, M1 and StarHub--which cited reasons such as the lack of demand as shown in the previous auction, and the large amount of investment the existing operators have already put in to develop 3G capabilities. Hence, they argued, they should be allocated the remaining lots to further facilitate growth in demand.
The three telcos also cautioned that consumers may eventually have to bear higher prices which will be driven up by the auction.
In the 2001 auction, three lots of spectrum were assigned to the operators at S$100 million (US$72.8 million) each.
In response to the objections, IDA noted that even if the remaining 3G lots were to be redistributed between the existing market players, there is no guarantee prices will be kept low as telcos typically peg their services according to market rates.
"The operators are likely to charge end-users a price they think the market can bear, independent of the cost of the 3G spectrum lots," it explained, adding that the one-time payment for the spectrum will likely be regarded by operators as "sunk cost" and unlikely to be passed on to consumers.
Also, IDA noted that the current operators already have substantial amount of spectrum so there is no need to extend priority to them.
Efficient use of scarce spectrum
The Singapore government will proceed to invite interested bidders a chance to enter the local market, IDA said, and the new player will be able to offer full 3G services to compete head-on with the three existing licensees.
Defending its decision to push through with the auction, it said: "IDA's policy objective is to ensure efficient and optimal use of our scarce spectrum resource. In making available the remaining spectrum...IDA seeks to ensure the spectrum is allocated in a way which makes the most efficient use of this scarce resource to promote innovation in, and growth of a vibrant infocomm industry in Singapore."
According to IDA, 3G subscriptions grew by over 25 percent between September 2008 and September 2009. HSPA or 3.5G subscriptions also climbed by 240 percent, it added.
Bidding rules for the auction will be finalized by the end of this month, after which IDA will invite interested parties to submit an application. An auction, if necessary, will be held between September and October and the successful licensee will be announced by November.
Touching on the reserve price, IDA said the business case for 3G is more established today compared to 2001 and the capital expenditure for network rollout is also lower. "It is therefore not unreasonable to price the spectrum at S$100 million, with relevant discounting today," it said.
It added that it will set the reserve price at S$20 million (US$14.6 million) for each lot of 3G spectrum, excluding one-time application and processing fee of S$5,300 (US$3,856) per spectrum lot. The winning bidder will not need to pay annual license fees to provide 3G services.
Across the region, India recently concluded its own 3G auction that generated US$14.6 billion for the local government.
The Philippines in March also commenced its auction for the country's fifth and final 3G license, amid objections from existing market players. The exercise has since escalated into a scuffle between competing telcos, some of which have brought their fight to the courtroom.
dunno dec will subscribe all or not? fri can ask.
normally due diligence >1mth so rumours coming as cash in pocket around 23 aug; it is going to be as big as prev pi cos last right was less than now ~US100m