47 Listed Companies M&A in the First Half of the Year... 7.8% Decrease Compared to the Previous Year

Stock Purchase Claim Payment Decreases by Approximately 95%

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) among listed companies slowed down in the first half of this year. As the number of listed companies engaging in M&A decreased, the amount paid for stock purchase claims also dropped by about 95%.

According to the Korea Securities Depository on the 21st, 47 listed companies completed or are in the process of M&A in the first half of this year, a 7.8% decrease compared to 51 companies in the same period last year.

By market, there were 14 companies in the KOSPI market and 33 companies in the KOSDAQ market, with mergers being the most common reason at 42 companies.

The amount paid by listed companies to shareholders through the Depository for stock purchase claims due to M&A reasons in the first half was 10.1 billion KRW, a 94.9% decrease compared to the same period last year. The stock purchase claim right refers to the right of shareholders who opposed certain resolutions (such as mergers, business transfers, stock exchanges, and transfers) that significantly affect shareholder interests, passed by the board of directors, to request the company to purchase their owned shares.

In the KOSPI market, Aprogen Biologics paid the largest amount of 4.4 billion KRW for stock purchase claims due to a merger, followed by Kyeyang Electric with 400 million KRW. In the KOSDAQ market, ICH paid 2.5 billion KRW due to a business transfer, and Daehotuksugang paid 1.7 billion KRW due to a merger, respectively.