Analysts remain non-committal about the USKO share price`s chance of recovery after Allied Electronics Corporation`s (Altron`s) acquisition of a 20% stake in the company and the resulting formation of an alliance between USKO and Altron.
The announcement that the companies had formed an alliance after Altron bought the stake in the market ends months of speculation that Altron subsidiary Allied Technologies (Altech) was in talks to buy USKO.
Altron says it will increase its shareholding in USKO "over time". However, "Altron intends that the aggregate shareholding of the Altron group in USKO will not exceed 45% in the immediate future."
The news has done little to help USKO`s share, which was trading at 93c on Monday morning, down 5c or 5.1% from Friday`s close. Friday`s price was down from a previous 104c.
The share has fallen almost 60% from 241c at the start of the year. However, it is still off its lowest close of 78c reached on 19 July. Altron chairman Bill Venter says the benefits of the alliance will result in a better share price over the medium term.
An analyst says it remains to be seen whether this will be the case.
Altron chairman Bill Venter has been appointed non-executive chairman of USKO and Altron financial director Gavin Rochussen has also been appointed to the board.
Altech has previously announced plans to list a separate IT company this year, although the plans had to be put on ice because of uncertain market conditions.
Venter says USKO and Altron intend to "continue the development of USKO as an independent, listed IT group under the leadership of its current CEO, John Beck".
Altron has informed the USKO board that the growth of its investment in USKO will "form a centrepiece of its strategy for the development of a separately listed IT business within the Altron group".
USKO has agreed, at Altron`s request, to change its year-end to February to coincide with that of Altron.
Altron says that although USKO has stated that its financial performance in the current financial period will be below initial expectations, it believed the quality of USKO`s management and its embedded skills base remains high.
Altron`s share price was trading unchanged at 610c on Monday morning.
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