This blog gives you the latest topical news plus some informal comments on them from ShareSoc’s directors and other contributors. These are the personal comments of the authors and not necessarily the considered views of ShareSoc. The writers may hold shares in the companies mentioned. You can add your own comments on the blog posts, but note that ShareSoc reserves the right to remove or edit comments where they are inappropriate or defamatory.

Rensburg AIM VCT Merger Agreed

Today (27/11/2015) shareholders in Rensburg AIM VCT (RSB) agreed to merge their company with Unicorn AIM VCT in a unanimous show of hands vote. They also agreed the tender offer which was associated with the deal and those shareholders who submitted tenders will be paid in full. Proxy votes were about 92% in favour on both resolutions.

This is a definitive snub to Bill Nixon  of Maven who attempted to disrupt these plans on the basis that he could make a more attractive offer. Clearly neither the current directors, nor shareholders, were convinced. ShareSoc recommended shareholders vote in favour of the merger as it appeared to provide a satisfactory resolution to what has been a long running saga of problems at this company.

ShareSoc initially ran a campaign to improve the performance of the company and change the management fee arrangements (see www.sharesoc.org/category/campaigns/). Then when the company had run down to an unviable size, we opposed the wind-up suggested by the directors – many shareholders would have been affected by capital gains roll-backs.

This is the second victory for shareholder activism today (the first one was at Alliance Trust) and for the activities of ShareSoc in promoting the interests of private shareholders.

Roger Lawson

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