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INTELLIGENT Wave Philippines Inc. (IWPI), an information
company majority-owned by publicly traded Diversified
Financial Network Inc. (DFNN), expects to generate up to
$2 million (roughly P90 million) via sale of shares to a
strategic investor.
In an
interview, DFNN chief executive Ramon Garcia said the
transaction will be completed before the company’s
planned initial public offering in the second quarter of
2009.
“A
number of developments are expected to occur at IWPI and
we are excited about it,” said Garcia.
He said
DFNN expects to keep the majority stake in IWPI after
private placement and the IPO.
Despite
the prevailing weakness in the market, the company will
proceed with the fund-raising ventures, as Garcia
expects “volatility to be over next year.”
In the
first quarter, IWPI increased its authorized capital
stock from P22 million to P100 million through a rights
offering. The rights offer—or the sale of common stock
to existing investors at a discount—will involve 19.5
million new unissued shares. The increase in shares was
implemented as a prelude to the planned IPO.
Proceeds
from the public sale will fund the expansion of IWPI’s
services allowing it to fully tap the large Japanese
business process outsourcing (BPO) opportunities that
will be created after the expected signing of the
Philippine-Japan Free Trade Agreement.
In
another development, Garcia said DFNN’s gaming unit
based in Singapore, of Pacific Gaming Investments Pte.
Ltd. (PGI), is also planning an IPO next year, with the
shares to be listed at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
DFNN
currently owns 85 percent of PGI The plan is to offer 20
percent to 30 percent of the company through the public
sale.
PGI’s
investments include the Interactive Entertainment
Technology Solutions, a Southeast Asian gaming firm
engaged in event, sports and financial spread bettings.
At the
moment, it is conducting due diligence on a number of
cashflow-positive and operational slot machine arcades
in Cambodia and the Philippines. |