SEPROD Limited’s share price surged nearly 20 per cent Wednesday after the manufacturing and distribution group announced plans to restructure its share capital, including a proposed five-for-one stock split and a resolution authorising the company to raise fresh equity.

The stock was trading at $77.99, up $12.86, or about 19.7 per cent, with 166,914 shares changing hands.

The movement follows Seprod’s announcement that it has called an extraordinary general meeting for shareholders to vote on three proposals: increasing the number of shares the company is authorised to issue, splitting every existing share into five, and giving its board authority to issue new shares in the future, including through an additional public offering, or APO.

Seprod already has about 910.9 million shares in issue against its current authorised limit of one billion shares, leaving relatively little room to issue additional stock under its present structure.

The first proposal would therefore increase the number of shares Seprod is authorised to issue from one billion to 1.9 billion.

Based on approximately 910.9 million shares currently in issue, the five-for-one split of the shares already held by investors would increase that number to roughly 4.55 billion units.

Importantly, that does not by itself make an investor five times richer. Someone holding 100 Seprod shares before the split would instead hold 500 shares afterwards, while retaining the same percentage ownership of the company immediately following the split. The market price of each share would normally adjust lower to reflect the much larger number of shares in circulation.

At Wednesday’s price of $77.99, for example, a straight five-for-one adjustment would put the theoretical share price at about $15.60, assuming nothing else changed.

So an investor with 100 shares worth $7,799 before the split would have 500 shares worth roughly the same $7,799 immediately after it. The practical effect is that Seprod shares would be available in smaller denominations, potentially making individual units more affordable to investors who may find the current price relatively high.

Further, the split itself would not provide Seprod with any new money. But that’s where the third resolution becomes important.

Seprod is also seeking shareholder approval to allow its board to issue new shares in the future, including through an APO. Seprod has not said that an APO is imminent or disclosed how much it might seek to raise. The proposal instead gives the board the ability to issue new equity should it decide additional capital is required.

Chairman P B Scott said the measures are intended to give the company more room to strengthen its finances and pursue further growth.

“Over the past four years we have built the Caribbean’s largest integrated manufacturing and distribution platform for food, pharmaceuticals and premium beverages. We are now focused on integrating our businesses and strengthening our balance sheet,” Scott said in a press statement.

He added that the resolutions would provide Seprod with “greater flexibility” as it pursues those objectives and future growth opportunities.

The proposals come as Seprod continues to work through softer sales but improved profitability.

For the six months ended June 30, group revenue declined three per cent to $72.93 billion from $75.18 billion a year earlier, while net profit climbed 62 per cent to $2.34 billion. The company said the result included a gain from the disposal of International Biscuits Limited.

During the April-to-June quarter alone, revenue fell three per cent to $36.51 billion, largely due to weaker demand from Jamaica’s tourism sector as some hotels continued to operate with reduced room availability or delayed reopening following Hurricane Melissa.

Despite the lower sales, quarterly net profit increased 16 per cent to $688 million, compared with $592 million in the corresponding period last year.

The group has also been reducing debt. Seprod said cash flow generated during the first half allowed it to cut debt by more than $3 billion while declaring $551 million in dividends.

Its financial statements show long-term liabilities declining to approximately $38.1 billion at June 30, from $41.1 billion at the end of December, while stockholders’ equity increased to $50.52 billion from $49.71 billion.

The company has said its priorities for the remainder of the year include debt reduction, regional integration, improving operations and completing capital projects at its manufacturing plants.

Shareholders will vote on the proposed changes at a virtual extraordinary general meeting scheduled for October 12 at noon.

– Karena Bennett