Q: I have a 6% position in NPI and am happy with what the company is doing. But I am interested in any comments you may have regarding this article. Do you see this as a net negative for companies trying to raise money in Canada or for us retail investors?
Thank You
"The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that Northland Power ($25.26) raised $346-million in a stock sale this month to pay for an acquisition in Colombia. The Globe's Andrew Willis writes that Northland plans to spend $1.05-billion on an electrical distribution network that serves 1.3 million South American customers. Northland's portfolio already includes wind farms and solar-power facilities in Canada, Germany, Taiwan and Mexico. To pay for the acquisition, Northland sold $346-million of subscription receipts and will borrow the balance to buy the business from Brookfield Asset Management. A string of equity offerings of late have been poorly received. Banks struggled to sell shares of New Gold, Corus Entertainment and Green Organic Dutchman Holdings. The lack of investor appetite for what Corporate Canada is serving up feeds into a larger debate over the relevance of ordinary, retail shareholders in a market that is increasingly dominated by passive investors, such as index funds, and private sources of capital. Mr. Willis says investment bankers are wringing their hands over a steady slide in public market offerings. The value and volume of equity financing in Canada is dropping steadily".
Thank You
"The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that Northland Power ($25.26) raised $346-million in a stock sale this month to pay for an acquisition in Colombia. The Globe's Andrew Willis writes that Northland plans to spend $1.05-billion on an electrical distribution network that serves 1.3 million South American customers. Northland's portfolio already includes wind farms and solar-power facilities in Canada, Germany, Taiwan and Mexico. To pay for the acquisition, Northland sold $346-million of subscription receipts and will borrow the balance to buy the business from Brookfield Asset Management. A string of equity offerings of late have been poorly received. Banks struggled to sell shares of New Gold, Corus Entertainment and Green Organic Dutchman Holdings. The lack of investor appetite for what Corporate Canada is serving up feeds into a larger debate over the relevance of ordinary, retail shareholders in a market that is increasingly dominated by passive investors, such as index funds, and private sources of capital. Mr. Willis says investment bankers are wringing their hands over a steady slide in public market offerings. The value and volume of equity financing in Canada is dropping steadily".
