Tan Chong Motors (Tan Chong) has received a notice from its major shareholder - Tan Chong
Consolidated Sdn Bhd (TCC) - that a compromise and settlement agreement has been reached in
relation to disputes between shareholders of TCC.
n Settlement would involve progressive release of portion of shares held by TCC in Tan Chong, to
TCC’s exiting minority shareholders - understood to be over a period of five years, according to
sources. But TCC will retain at least a 33% stake in Tan Chong, with first right of refusal granted
to TCC to buy any of the shares, which such exiting TCC minority shareholders may subsequently
choose to dispose of.
n To recap, the dispute in the Tan family became public in May 2001 when Datuk Tan Kim Hor and
his family - one of the founders of Tan Chong - sought a dissolution of TCC in order to split up the
respective families’ interest in the private vehicle. Move arose from differences between Datuk
Tan Kim Hor’s family and the family of Tan Sri Tan Yuet Foh - one of other founding partner of Tan
Chong.
n Kim Hor has a 45% stake in TCC while the other faction led by his nephew, Datuk Tan Heng Chew
- son of Tan Sri Tan Yuet Foh - holds the other 55% stake. Disputes in TCC later spread to its stable
of companies, namely Tan Chong, APM Automotive, and Warisan TC - which led to several lawsuits
and boardroom tussles. But eventually, the court rejected Kim Hor’s application to wind up TCC.
n Transfer of Tan Chong shares to the exiting shareholders of TCC essentially creates more liquid
means for those exiting shareholders to relinquish their stake in TCC as the exiting shareholders
now have a direct holding in Tan Chong. Due to the sizeable stake to be transferred - circa 13%
stake in Tan Chong in our estimates - we think Tan Chong’s share price could be negatively
impacted should exiting shareholders decide to massively sell their stakes into the open market.
n On a positive note, move will increase the liquidity and free float for Tan Chong’s shares. More
importantly, TCC has first right of refusal to acquire Tan Chong shares that may be disposed of by
exiting minority shareholders - meaning that these shares may not filter down to the market
eventually.
n We se no fundamental shift affecting Tan Chong arising from such a move. We maintain our HOLD
rating on the stock with fair value of RM1.72/share - pegged to 8x Tan Chong’s FY10F earnings.