Can't blame you for being scared away from CLA as a result of...

Can't blame you for being scared away from CLA as a result of this debacle.

But in terms of dodging bullets, I reckon CLA has also dodged one by having this deal no longer a possibility. There have been a few very loud voices trying to shine a good light on them, but the events of the last few days have really exposed SVM for what they are. They seem to lack direction in their acquisition strategy.

For one thing, the position they took with CLA was something one would've only done if one was really committed to a deal. They stumped up cash for 15% of ownership. That's not something you would do if you were kind of wishy washy about a deal, would you? Now they have put themselves into a position where they have to eat a loss simply because they were not committed enough, or they thought they were but were wrong. Literally dug the grave and jumped into it!

Some might argue that the loss to them is minimal because the amounts are small compared to their size, but money is money. A loss is a loss, particularly if it was caused by clear incompetence. Who's to say that they wouldn't replicate the same mistake on a bigger scale?

Next, they offered a deal that I am very sure that they later regretted: acquire all CLA shares at 3c *fixed* price, using SVM shares. Maybe they didn't expect their own SP to tank after that deal, but surely they should've seen the trend coming.

And lastly, the deal was to be done majority in SVM scrip. That means CLA holders would've been bound to the same company that made the above mistakes. Is that a good thing? Come on...

I've never been one to subscribe to outlandish conspiracy theories about "games being played". I prefer to look at things on face-value. And looking at SVM and how they've conducted themselves between the CLA deal, the ORR deal, and the fallout from "going both ways", I honestly don't think they're a well run company. They just look very clumsy in how they go about acquisition deals. Bordering on complete incompetence, resulting everyone damage to everyone.