CATALIST-LISTED Viking Offshore and Marine $ VikingOffshore: 1Y1 -2.25% has announced the launch of its private placement to raise gross proceeds of S$880,000 from entrepreneur Xiang Xiping.

 

The company will be issuing 11 million shares, priced at S$0.0801 each, as it hopes to " strengthen its balance sheet, capital structure and enhance its financial flexibility" , it said in a bourse filing on Tuesday (Jan 18) night.

 

Net proceeds from the share placement will be used as general working capital for operating, administrative and related expenses, as well as trade and non-trade payments, Viking Offshore said.

 

The placement price of S$0.0801 represents a discount of 8.6 per cent to the counter' s volume-weighted average price of S$0.08762 for all trades done on Jan 17.

 

The placement shares will represent approximately 2 per cent of the company' s existing issued share capital and about 1.96 per cent of the enlarged issued share capital of the company, upon completion of the placement.

 

Viking Offshore said it was introduced to the placee, Chinese national Xiang Xiping, by the company' s executive director Ong Swee Sin. Ong did not receive any introduction or commission fees.

 

The placee is an entrepreneur with more than 10 years' experience in the wellness industry, the company said. She has not participated in any of Viking Offshore' s previous share placements and currently does not hold any shares, warrants or any other securities in the company.

 

Viking Offshore also said that Xiang, is subscribing for the shares for " investment purposes" . It added that none of the directors or substantial shareholders have any business connection or relationship with Xiang.

 

Assuming the placement was completed on Dec 31, 2020, Viking Offshore' s net tangible asset per share as at Dec 31, 2020 would have decreased to 62.61 Singapore cents from 97.93 cents.

 

Meanwhile, it expects its loss per share for its financial year ended Dec 31, 2020 to narrow to 79.13 cents from 118.54 cents, assuming the placement was completed on Jan 1, 2020.

 

There is no placement agent appointed for the proposed private placement.

 

CATALIST-LISTED Viking Offshore and Marine : 1Y1 NaN% is proposing to change its name amid plans to diversify its business into supply chain management and lifestyle retail.

 

It is also proposing a rights cum warrants issue, as well as a share placement, to raise funds to strengthen its financial position and expand its capital base, the company said in a bourse filing on Monday (Mar 28).

 

The company is planning to diversify its business to increase business opportunities, although it will continue its existing businesses in offshore and marine services and asset chartering services so long as its continuity is in its best interest.

 

This comes as the company faced " multifaceted challenges" due to its restructuring efforts, the Covid-19 pandemic situation, and the challenging business environment and a continued laggard in the offshore and marine industry, it said.

 

For supply chain management, Viking plans to engage with technologies in artificial intelligence and digitalisation, and is currently discussing with suppliers and distributors to customise such technologies for the group' s expanded offerings in its existing industries and other applicable industries. To undertake these offerings, it has also incorporated a wholly-owned subsidiary, Diverse Supply Chain, in Malaysia.

 

For lifestyle retail, Viking is looking into the family entertainment space and a lifestyle convenience store business, as it sees potential demand once governmental measures are increasingly relaxed and consumers adapt to post Covid-19 norms.

 

To reflect its new business, Viking is proposing to change its name to " 9R Limited" , intended to be an abbreviation of the company' s new inspirations which potentially include, " rebuild, reborn, restore, recreate, revamp, reform, revive, remedy and recast" , it said.

 

Viking is also proposing a renounceable non-underwritten rights cum warrants issue to raise net proceeds of up to S$3.3 million. Assuming all warrants are exercised, the company will raise gross proceeds of S$11.3 million.

 

Net proceeds of the issue will be used by Viking to repay its existing loans and also to fund its general working capital requirements.

 

It plans to issue up to 140.6 million new rights shares at S$0.025 each, with up to 281.1 million free detachable and transferable warrants with an exercise price of S$0.04 each.

 

The rights share issue price represents a discount of 74.5 per cent to the counter' s closing price on Mar 24, which was the last full market day on which the shares were traded prior to announcement, and a discount of 70 per cent to the theoretical ex-rights price based on the last-traded price.

 

Viking noted that the rights and warrants issue will provide shareholders with an opportunity to maintain their equity participation in the company, while improving the company' s financial position.

 

Meanwhile, the exercise price of the warrant shares represent a discount of 59.2 per cent to the last-traded price, and a discount of 52 per cent to the theoretical ex-rights price.

 

Under the proposed issue, eligible shareholders will be allotted 1 rights share for every 4 existing shares held as at the record date, and 2 warrants for every rights share subscribed.

 

On top of the rights and warrants issue, Viking is proposing a placement of up to 300 million new shares at S$0.05 each.

 

It plans to raise net proceeds of up to S$14.4 million, which will be used to fund Viking' s proposed diversification as well as general working capital requirements.

 

The placement price represents a discount of 49 per cent to the volume-weighted average price of S$0.098 for trades done on Mar 24.

 

In addition, Viking is also proposing the disposal of its entire shareholding interest in its wholly-owned subsidiaries Viking Airtech and Viking HVAC for S$50,000.

 

The move will allow Viking to exit from a loss-making business segment, and is also expected to free up the cash flows as the subsidiaries will continue to be loss making, the company said.

 

Viking noted that the subsidiaries would have posted a cumulative net loss before income tax, non-controlling interests and extraordinary items of S$1.4 million for FY2021, excluding the effects of one-off gains of S$3.3 million, due to the intercompany adjustments made.

 

The buyer is Acapella Energy, which is held solely by Viking' s executive director and chief executive Ng Yeau Chong.

 

The subsidiaries are involved in the designing, package engineering, sales, servicing, installation and commissioning of all kinds of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems for the marine and offshore industry. Ng is the sole director of Airtech and HVAC.

 

The above proposals are subject to the approval of Viking' s shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting to be convened by the company.