Liberation has had an eye on
Multimedia Games (MGAM) since late May of this year when it began quietly acquiring shares on the open market. Since then, the investment group has amassed an 8% stake in the company and has begun an activist campaign to increase shareholder value.
In Liberation’s
initial June 30th filing with the SEC, they stated that they had met with Michael Maples, Chairman of the Board of the Company. During the meeting, the two parties discussed ways in which to maximize shareholder value. In particular, the investment group “urged the company to focus on a transaction or restructuring to monetize the Company’s participation arrangements with Native American tribes in the State of Oklahoma and use the proceeds to implement a substantial stock buyback or otherwise create a mechanism to deliver maximum value to shareholders”. Finally, the group warned that if the company did not demonstrate “in the near term” that it has made progress towards these goals, it would pursue all available alternatives.
Well, in a
recent amendment to their original filing yesterday, the group stepped up their campaign by announcing:
“Unless the Company promptly articulates a strategy to maximize shareholder value, the Reporting Persons intend to solicit shareholders to call a special meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing new directors to the Board. If a special meeting is called, the Reporting Persons intend to nominate individuals for election to the Board who will actively pursue strategies to maximize shareholder value consistent with, but not limited to, those described above. The Reporting Persons also intend to solicit proxies in support of the election of such directors at the special meeting.”
The company threatened to install its own board capable of action, or even resort to more extraordinary measures such as M&A activities or liquidation. Overall, this stock is definitely worth watching. The stock is currently trading at only $8.89. This investment group has averaged in from $11 down through $9 a share, and therefore would likely seek strategic alternatives that would recoup all or more of their investment, which represents a 10% to 20%+ premium from the current market price.