Tony Tiah ups stake in TA Enterprise with RM2.66m purchase

Datuk Tony Tiah Thee Kian, who recently launched a mandatory general offer (MGO) at 66 sen per share for TA Enterprise Bhd, has been busy buying shares from the open market.

KUALA LUMPUR: Datuk Tony Tiah Thee Kian, who recently launched a mandatory general offer (MGO) at 66 sen per share for TA Enterprise Bhd, has been busy buying shares from the open market.

A filing with Bursa Malaysia showed that Tiah bought 4.06 million shares for a total of RM2.66mil on July 6, 9 and 10, raising his shareholding to 32.85% or 562.4 million shares.

He bought 2.50 million shares on July 6 for RM1.637mil and 1.36 million shares on July 9 for RM891.06mil and the following day, he purchased 200,000 units for RM131,000.

After the recent purchases, his direct shareholding in the company – which is involved in  stockbroking & financial services; property development; and hospitality --- was raised to 562.407 million shares or 32.85%.

Tiah and his wife Datin Alicia Tiah co-founded the company in the 1990s. 

He sought to further strengthen his grip on TA Enterprise but analysts said the MGO at 66 sen per share was seen to have significantly undervalued the assets of the company. The net assets per share was RM1.48 as at end-March 2018. 

StarBiz reported that at only 0.45 times its book value, the offer price was unattractive, even though it may offer an exit opportunity for some investors who have acquired TA Enterprise’s shares at very low prices.

“The premium attached to the offer is rather low, so we don’t think there will be many takers,” a  fund manager said.