Last Year, 121 Listed Companies M&A Down 5.5%... Stock Purchase Claim Payments Down 62.7%

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Last year, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) among listed companies decreased.

According to the Korea Securities Depository on the 26th, the number of listed companies that completed or are in the process of M&A last year was 121, a 5.5% decrease compared to 128 companies the previous year. M&A in the KOSPI market decreased by 3 companies to 43, while in the KOSDAQ market, it decreased by 4 companies to 81. By reason for M&A occurrence, mergers increased by 2 companies to 111 compared to the same period last year. During the same period, business transfer and assignment decreased by 3 companies to 4, and stock exchange and transfer decreased by 7 companies to 6.

During this period, the amount paid by listed companies to shareholders through the Depository as stock purchase claims was 97.6 billion KRW, a 62.7% decrease compared to 261.6 billion KRW the previous year.

In the KOSPI market, 84.2 billion KRW was paid, a 57.1% decrease compared to 196.2 billion KRW the previous year, and in the KOSDAQ market, 13.4 billion KRW was paid, a 79.5% decrease compared to 65.4 billion KRW the previous year.

Meanwhile, the stock purchase claim right is a system designed to protect the interests of minority shareholders from decisions made by majority shareholders. When certain agenda items that significantly affect shareholders' interests (such as mergers, business transfer and assignment, stock exchange and transfer) are resolved by the board of directors, shareholders who opposed the resolution have the right to request the company to purchase their owned shares.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.