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Bankers PetroleumBNK.TOCOMMENTMay 07, 2014Stock price when the opinion was issued
As of Jun 15, 2026. Market Open.
Being acquired by a Chinese group. At the beginning they announced a bid of $2.20, and the stock was trading at about $1.80. He thinks the investment community did not know this Chinese group and not able to assess their legitimacy. They have gotten through various regulatory hurdles. He has elected to sell ahead of the acquisition.
(Market Call Minute.) Recently got a bid from a Chinese Consortium at $2.25. Stock is trading well below that on the fear that the Chinese buyer might not have the cash or may not close the deal. There is also Albanian tax risk. He reads it that this deal probably does go through, and there is a nice spread there for someone willing to take that risk.
Doesn’t see this as a takeover target. Their balance sheet is fine and has no net debt. Valuation is reasonable, but the problem is they are in a fight with the Albanian government over a tax dispute, so their bank accounts were recently frozen. Albania is where all their assets are. Very bad price momentum. Has this as a small Short. This is not something he would hold.
Production continues to grow and net backs are increasing. One of those stories that was loved a number of years ago and then everybody hated it for a couple of years because they weren’t able to have the cash flows people were expecting. Now they have started to do so, incrementally every quarter. He is going to take a closer look at this, but charts are telling you that things are doing well operationally. Cash flow continues to increase. An interesting story at these prices.