Could a 2025 penny share takeover boom herald big profits for investors?

Subsequent yr may see a tidal wave of takeover bids in London’s Different Funding Market (AIM). That’s the verdict of funding financial institution Peel Hunt. It lately issued a report saying that as many as a 3rd of the small- and medium-sized companies on the junior market may very well be takeover targets subsequent yr.

So may proudly owning penny shares let me profit from this bonanza if it materialises?

Investing for the appropriate causes

Some individuals purchase shares hoping for a takeover. That strikes me as nearer to hypothesis than funding. I’m comfortable to put money into an organization I believe may very well be taken over, however not just for that cause. I at all times need to try to purchase shares in nice corporations at a beautiful value.

What occurs when an organization’s taken over

When an organization will get taken over, homeowners of its shares are successfully compelled to promote to the client at a sure value. That may appear (and should in truth be be) good as typically it represents a pointy improve on the worth the share was buying and selling at previous to the supply.

For long-term buyers although – and I imagine in long-term investing – it will probably imply being compelled to promote a share for lower than one paid for it.

For instance, contemplate luxurious leather-based items model Mulberry (LSE: MUL). The corporate has repeatedly dipped into penny share territory thus far this yr. That clearly excited main shareholder Frasers Group. It bid 130p a share after which upped its supply to 150p per share.

If I had purchased Mulberry shares in late July at round 98p apiece, it may have meant a profitable bid would see me netting a return of over 50% in a matter of months.

The selection is promote – or promote

However what if I had purchased shares within the struggling agency lengthy earlier than, believing its robust model, distinctively British positioning and luxurious value level may make for an amazing enterprise?

In 2012, Mulberry was promoting for near £24 per share. So a takeover even at £1.50 per share, not to mention £1.30, would imply that £1,000 invested then would have became lower than £63.

Frasers owned over a 3rd of the corporate already (a 37% stake). However Mulberry’s greatest shareholder owned greater than half of all shares and determined to reject the supply. If it had accepted it and the takeover proceeded, different shareholders would have had no alternative however to promote their shares on the agreed value.

One threat I see with penny shares

In that instance, one shareholder had a sufficiently big stake to make it extremely concerned in rejecting the bid. However penny shares typically have a fragmented base of small shareholders. That may imply few if any have adequate incentives to combat what they see as a lowball takeover supply.

Distinction that to giant corporations the place institutional shareholders sometimes have a sufficiently big monetary curiosity to inspire them to get entangled in keeping off bids they assume materially undervalue an organization.

So I believe a spree of takeovers in 2025 may in truth be a risk to some long-term homeowners of penny shares they imagine are undervalued, moderately than a chance.