Non-dilutive Secondary Market Offering - Effect on Share Price?

Quick question,

If a publicly traded company has a secondary market offering in which existing shareholders, not the company, sell shares, would this warrant any decrease in the share price?

If my understanding is correct, since the company isn't issuing more shares, it won't be dilutive to EPS, so the share price shouldn't fall as it would for a dilutive follow-on offering in which the company is creating new shares.

Thanks in advance.

2 Comments
 
Best Response

Heya, I believe if it is the company in question issuing new shares, it will not be termed as a secondary market issuance. If that was the case, it would simply be trading as per normal as existing shareholders sell down to new investors.

Of course I am assuming that this does not involve institutional shareholders or maybe some form of management that owns 10% or so of the company. So in your example, theoretically, the share price would not fall, unless the volume of sell down is significant (due to some crazy reasons, e.g. maybe there are rumours that the government will not bail you out...?)

Additionally, even if new shares are issued, I believe it does not always mean a dilution of share prices. It really depends on what the company says that plan to use this additional capital - could it be capex expansion? or repayment of debt? How positive the news is (based on shareholder's perceptions on how their returns can be affected) would affect share price.

All, please correct me if I am wrong and do add insights if you have.

Cheers!

 

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