Can we please stop defending the board, the minute they got into their positions after the tragedy they were about selling out. I lived as a shareholder through both boards and it was just so obvious.
If this TO fails, vote NO when their rotations come up.
Did this board really try very hard with the other options? Not according to the announcements, it really didn't read like that. Yet didn't FMG grow on its own without debt? yet SDL will have almost the lowest cost per tonne of all iron ore producers (unlike FMG's cloud break), so lets not unilaterally blame the GFC for SDL not being able to obtain debt or even equity/JV funding. The business case is amazing.
Did the board approach ALL of the investment banks? No we didn't see that sort of commitment in the annoucements. What about the other massive iron ore companies for a JV? nothing like that ever announced or even hinted at..They might have tried some of these but it didn't read like that at all. They were on the first flight to Beijing.
So the board were focussed on selling and then THIS sell and have failed to do what they intended to do and should step down.
Yes they have done some good too but IMO that was always motivated by selling out to satisfy the pre-conditions that they accepted, but.. soon we will know whether they have chosen the wrong horse..
A fresh board would more seriously look at some other options even one where we remain SDL goodness forbid or at least a 50/50 joint venture and if they do in six months we could be trading at 60c (yes after taking a bath into the 20s but who hasn't done that sort of thing lately)
I say if this TO falls through, vote NO when the board's positions are due for rotation. Unless they have the decency to step down..unlikely.
Signed - probably the longest term shareholder of SDL on HC
SDL Price at posting:
34.0¢ Sentiment: Hold Disclosure: Held
