3HA Capital to delist watch-listed CosmoSteel after buyout offer accepted
This comes as an offer by investment holding company 3HA Capital to privatise the group has received valid acceptances in respect of some 236.1 million shares, representing some 90.3 per cent of the piping systems provider's total shares.
As at 6 pm on Thursday (Jul 31), the offeror – 3HA Capital – and its concert parties own, control or have agreed to acquire around 237.1 million shares, representing 90.7 per cent of CosmoSteel's total issued shares. This means that less than 10 per cent are now publicly held.
3HA Capital said on Thursday that it intends to compulsorily acquire all the offer shares it does not yet own and subsequently delist CosmoSsteel from the SGX.
The offer will close at 5.30 pm on Friday.
Chance for shareholders not willing to 'bear risks'
On May 15, 3HA Capital made a voluntary conditional cash offer for all CosmoSteel shares at a price of S$0.20 per share.
BT in your inbox
Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox.
Sign Up
Sign Up
3HA Capital is a special purpose vehicle whose shareholders include Hanwa Singapore, a wholly owned unit of Tokyo-listed Hanwa Co, which in turn is a controlling shareholder of CosmoSteel. Hanwa Co owned some 82.6 million shares of CosmoSteel or around 31.6 per cent of its entire paid-up issued capital, as at May 15.
The offeror noted that the piping systems provider has remained on the SGX watch list since June 2018, and faces potential suspension from trading if it fails to meet the watch-list exit criteria by the extended Jun 4 deadline.
3HA Capital said that the offer was an opportunity for shareholders 'who are not prepared to bear the risks associated with the company' to realise their investments at a premium to historically traded prices.
It added that the offer price was a premium of 48.1 per cent over the counter's last traded price of S$0.135 on May 14.
On Jun 23, the offeror revised its offer price upwards to S$0.25 per share after an independent financial adviser deemed its initial offer unfair.
The revised offer turned unconditional in all respects on Jul 7, after it received valid acceptances representing around 50.2 per cent of all CosmoSteel shares.
The counter closed unchanged at S$0.25 on Thursday.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
11 hours ago
- CNA
Gaia Series 97: "Miracle Wheat" - Japanese people changing the world
This week's episode explores Japan's rice crisis and the global race for wheat resilience in a warming world. In this thought-provoking episode, viewers are presented with the harsh realities of Japan's rice shortage and the global wheat crisis, framed through the lens of scientific innovation and human resolve. The programme offers not only a critical look at the dwindling domestic rice supply, but also a deeply personal journey through the life and legacy of Professor Hisashi Tsujimoto, who has dedicated more than four decades to developing wheat resilient to extreme heat and drought. The story begins with the 'Reiwa Rice Crisis', a term coined to describe the surge in rice prices in Japan. At the 2025 FABEX Tokyo food trade show, the demand for rice-based products underscores the national concern. 'Prices nearly doubled in just one year,' the narrator states, as the camera pans across long queues and signs limiting customers to 'one bag per person'. Shinmei Co Ltd, one of the country's leading rice wholesalers, plays a prominent role. Its president, Mitsuo Fujio, who also serves on the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Food Department Council, warns, 'If the population continues to grow, they say we'll need 1.7 times more food than we have now.' He adds, 'The battle for food has already begun.' Decades of rice-reduction policies have taken a toll. Over the last 50 years, the number of rice farmers in Japan has dropped by 80 percent, and production has fallen 40 per cent from 12.53 million tonnes in 1970 to just 7.76 million tonnes in 2020. To meet demand, imports of foreign rice have surged, but consumer confidence in domestic rice continues to erode. As Japan grapples with this crisis, the focus shifts to wheat. Approximately 2.5 billion people worldwide rely on it as a staple, but its price remains volatile, affected by climate events and geopolitical tensions such as the war in Ukraine. 'Even a small rise in the price of wheat can be life or death for people in developing nations,' the narrator explains. At the heart of this global struggle is Professor Hisashi Tsujimoto, 66, a specialist in wheat breeding. 'Wheat is often called a strategic crop, but to prevent it from being used that way, I believe we must ensure a stable, sufficient supply,' he says. At the Tottori University Arid Land Research Centre, where summer temperatures can reach 60°C, Tsujimoto breeds wheat to endure the planet's harshest climates. His methods are painstaking. Each year he makes over 300 crossbreeds, manually transferring pollen between varieties. 'Both bread wheat and macaroni wheat are heat-tolerant,' he explains. 'I'm combining the heat-resistance genes into a single plant, to create a super heat-resistant variety.' These experiments are critical, especially since Japan's wheat self-sufficiency is only 16 per cent. Tsujimoto's field research took him to Sudan over a decade ago. Out of 1,000 wheat varieties he tested, six adapted well to the local environment. His local counterpart, Mr Izzat, led the final stages of research with national hopes pinned on success. But in 2023, civil war broke out. Guerrilla forces looted the research facility and destroyed the seeds. Despite the devastation, hope was rekindled when a Moroccan university extended an invitation for joint research. Wheat from Tottori was once again bound for Africa. In August 2024, Tsujimoto arrived in Morocco, only to be confronted by even more severe conditions than in Sudan. The local irrigation channels had been dry for years. 'There's absolutely zero water,' he observes. 'Seeing it in person makes me want to take action. It really motivates me to do something.' He travelled to Arad Village, where 740 residents live amid withered olive groves. There, he introduced drought-resistant wheat to local farmers. 'Would you all like to try growing drought-resistant wheat?' he asks. One villager responds, 'Of course.' Tsujimoto explains the wheat can 'save water by 30 per cent'. The gratitude of the villagers was evident. A local elder prepared couscous and traditional bread, including batbout and baghrir. 'Wheat truly takes centre stage at the table,' the episode's narrator observes. Back in Tottori, the Daisen Wheat Project is trying to restore local wheat production, which had nearly vanished by the 1990s. Inspired by Tsujimoto, the project now yields 300 tonnes a year. Schoolchildren in Yonago enjoy bread made from this local wheat, although it only appears once a week on their lunch menu. 'But if it's gone, we can't share those memories. One less thing to remember,' says one local. At Tottori University, younger scientists are carrying the baton forward. Associate Professors Sakuma and Ishii, both 39, are researching ways to increase wheat yield and even developing a hybrid of wheat and rice called 'Rice Wheat'. 'We're developing a plant never before seen in the world,' says Ishii. In April 2025, Tsujimoto returned to Morocco where 120 varieties of wheat had been sown. Farmers from Arad Village gathered to evaluate the trial plots. One variety in particular caught their attention. 'It's growing green and healthy with barely any water,' a farmer notes. Tsujimoto names it 'The Children of Arad Village'.
Business Times
a day ago
- Business Times
Europe: Shares log biggest daily drop since April after US tariffs hike
[BENGALURU] European stocks logged their biggest one-day drop in over three months on Friday (Aug 1), at the end of a busy week as investors grappled with the repercussions of fresh US levies on dozens of countries, including a 39 per cent tariff on Switzerland. Investors shunned riskier equities globally as Trump continued his tariff blitz, announcing steep levies on exports from dozens of trading partners including Canada, Brazil, India and Taiwan with countries not listed subject to a base 10 per cent rate ahead of a Friday trade deal deadline. Healthcare stocks lost 1 per cent after US President Donald Trump sent letters to the leaders of 17 major pharmaceutical companies, including Novo Nordisk and Sanofi, outlining how they should slash US prescription drug prices. The sector was already singed this week by Novo Nordisk's profit warning. The Denmark-listed Wegovy-maker shed 1.8 per cent and logged its steepest weekly decline on record. 'We saw during the week that companies such as Novo Nordisk had different issues. European pharma is very close to bottoming and that's why it didn't react to the uncertainty around tariffs and policy,' Anthi Tsouvali, a multi-asset strategist at UBS Global Wealth Management said. 'Europe is an export market... if we see heightened tariffs all over the world and trade being subdued, then that will have an impact on European companies regardless.' BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up The pan-European Stoxx 600 index slid 1.9 per cent and marked its biggest one-week drop since early April when Trump unveiled his tariffs on world economies. The euro Stoxx volatility index jumped 4.25 points to its highest in over one-month. The Stoxx index has lost over 5 per cent from its March peak, after coming within 2 per cent of that level earlier this week, dragged down by a record plunge in Novo Nordisk shares, and as investors assess the implications of the U.S.-EU trade deal. Markets in Switzerland were shut for a holiday, but UK-listed Watches of Switzerland declined 6.8 per cent, while a U.S.-listed exchange traded fund tracking the country's equities slid to a more than three-month low and was last down 1.2 per cent. Most regional bourses were in the red, with Germany's blue-chip DAX down 2.7 per cent, while Denmark's OMXC fell 1.8 per cent to a nearly two-year low. Banks, that had rallied earlier in the week, were down 3.4 per cent and were the top sectoral underperformer as they notched their biggest one-day drop since early April. Adding to the dour mood, US data showed job growth slowed sharply in July, which boosted bets for an interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve next month, while traders also priced in a dovish move by the European Central Bank later this year. In a bright spot, Italy's Campari was the top gainer on the Stoxx 600 index, adding 7.9 per cent after reporting an increase in second-quarter operating profit. REUTERS


CNA
2 days ago
- CNA
Nippon Steel warns of annual loss due to charges related to US Steel acquisition
TOKYO :Nippon Steel revised on Friday its forecast for the full fiscal year to a 40 billion yen ($266 million) loss from 200 billion yen profit previously, mostly due to charges related to its acquisition of U.S. Steel. In June, Nippon Steel, Japan's biggest steelmaker, closed its $14.9 billion acquisition of U.S. Steel after an 18-month struggle to obtain U.S. government approval for the deal, which faced scrutiny due to national security concerns. Nippon Steel said that the annual results will be hit by a one-off loss tied to the U.S. Steel deal, in particular a loss of 231.5 billion yen related to the transfer of its 50 per cent stake in joint venture AM/NS Calvert to partner ArcelorMittal, and some other factors. U.S. Steel will be consolidated for the nine months from July to March 2026 and contribute 80 billion yen to Nippon Steel's business profit in the current year, followed by 150 billion yen next year as its Big River 2 plant begins operations, Vice Chair Takahiro Mori said. "We aim for U.S. Steel's contribution to reach 250 billion yen soon after fiscal 2028, driven by the expansion of high value-added products, and further enhanced by synergies from $11 billion in capital investment," Mori said. "By transferring our advanced technologies such as non-directional electromagnetic steel sheets, U.S. Steel's earnings will likely improve significantly," Mori said. The company will formulate action plans for U.S. Steel this month, which will be reflected in Nippon Steel's next mid-term management plan to be mapped out later this year, he said. On Friday, Nippon Steel posted a net loss of 195.8 billion yen for the three months ended June 30, wider than analysts' estimate of 25.7 billion yen loss, according to an LSEG poll. A year earlier, it reported quarterly a net profit of 157.56 billion yen. Nippon Steel also decided to conduct a stock split at a ratio of five shares for every one share effective from October 1. Last month, global rating agency S&P downgraded Nippon Steel to 'BBB' from 'BBB+' with a 'negative' outlook, citing an increasing financial strain following the U.S. Steel deal.