ACI chairman to extend holdings with Tk6.44cr share purchase

Advanced Chemical Industries (ACI) PLC Chairman Anis Ud Dowla has announced his intention to purchase 3.60 lakh shares of the company, further strengthening his stake in the diversified conglomerate at a time when sponsor-director activity in the stock has been rising. 

According to a disclosure posted on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) today (27 November), the shares will be acquired at the prevailing market price through the block market within the next 30 working days.

On the day of the announcement, ACI shares closed at Tk178.80 each, meaning the intended purchase would be worth roughly Tk6.44 crore. 

The move marks the chairman's continued effort to raise his ownership, as he previously bought 5 lakh shares in October. As per the latest shareholding report, Anis Ud Dowla currently owns 1.92 crore shares, representing 21.87% of the company's total paid-up shares.

Other board members have also been increasing their stakes. Between January and April this year, other ACI directors purchased a substantial volume of shares, contributing to a notable rise in insider accumulation. As a result, the combined stake of sponsors and directors has risen by 9.7%, bringing their total ownership to 45.77% of the company.

The strengthening of insider holdings comes amid signs of recovery in ACI's financial performance. 

For the fiscal year ended 30 June 2025, ACI reported a significant reduction in losses. Its consolidated loss per share fell to Tk7.40—an improvement of nearly 53% from Tk15.88 in FY24. 

The board of directors has recommended a 25% cash dividend for shareholders.