Samsung Biologics rights offering highlights future growth, but stock price drops

Samsung Biologics will issue new shares worth 3 trillion won ($2.17 billion) to finance its planned acquisition of a Swiss-headquartered contract drug manufacturer and the expansion of its manufacturing facilities in Korea. Its shares fell after the announcement on Friday, as the new offering will increase the number of outstanding shares. However, analysts said the capital increase could strengthen Samsung Biologics’ long-term growth prospects by helping the company quickly enter the fast-growing market for materials used in obesity treatments and expand capacity ahead of further large-scale orders. Samsung Biologics said it will issue 2.27 million new shares, equivalent to 4.9 percent of its outstanding shares. The planned offering price is 1.322 million won per share, which will raise a total of 3 trillion won. Of the proceeds, 2.7 trillion won will be used to finance the acquisition of PolyPeptide Group, and 294.8 billion won will be allocated to facility investment for the company’s sixth plant in Incheon. PolyPeptide Group is a global contract development and manufacturing orga