China’s solar major GCL to get US$1 billion investment from Taiping Insurance
Under a non binding agreement signed, Taiping Financial Holdings will lead a US$1 billion fund to buy new shares and convertible bonds
Under a non-legally binding “cooperation framework agreement”, Taiping Financial Holdings, the “overseas comprehensive investment platform” of state-owned China Taiping Insurance Group, would lead a HK$8 billion (US$1 billion) fund to make the purchase, according to GCL New Energy’s filing to Hong Kong’s bourse late on Monday.
The to-be-established fund will buy new GNE shares and bonds convertible into shares for a total of around HK$8 billion. China Taiping Insurance Group is also the controlling shareholder of Hong Kong-listed China Taiping Insurance Holdings.
GNE shares closed the morning trading session at noon 4.9 per cent higher at 64 HK cents, after changing hands at as high as 68 HK cents.
The shares to be purchased will represent less than a 30 per cent stake – the threshold above which the purchaser will need to make a mandatory offer to buy all of the shares from GNE’s other owners.
“The GNE directors are of the view that the possible subscription represents a valuable opportunity for the GNE Group to bring in a group of investors with strong financial background,” the filing said. It also said the subscription could improve GNE’s liquidity position and enhance its financial flexibility necessary for future business development.
The shares’ purchase price will be 10 per cent lower than the average closing price of GNE in the previous 10 trading days preceding the framework agreement.