ACI director to buy company shares worth Tk16cr

Shusmita Anis, a director of ACI PLC, has announced plans to buy 7.75 lakh shares of the company from the block market within the next 30 days, according to a disclosure on the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) today.

On the day of the announcement, ACI shares closed at Tk201.30 each, putting the total value of the planned purchase at around Tk16 crore.

This move follows Shusmita's acquisition of 15.15 lakh shares in January. As per the March shareholding report, she currently holds 32.11 lakh shares, which is 3.66% of ACI's total shares.

In January this year, other top officials of ACI have also increased their stakes. Managing Director Arif Dowla has bought 31 lakh shares, while Chairman Anis Ud Dowla acquired 16 lakh shares.

These acquisitions have raised the combined stake of the company's sponsors and directors by 7.09%, bringing their total ownership to 43.16% of ACI's paid-up shares.

Meanwhile, according to the shareholding report for March, the Investment Corporation of Bangladesh (ICB) increased its stake in ACI by acquiring 28.99 lakh shares.

ICB now holds 9.64% of ACI's shares, up from 6.42% in February. Another significant shareholder is Shanta Holdings Limited, which holds 5.37% of ACI's shares.

Financial performance

ACI incurred a net consolidated loss of Tk70 crore in the first half of FY25, primarily driven by a 43% increase in interest payments due to rising policy rates. Its consolidated loss per share was reported at Tk7.99.  

During the July-December period, the company's total revenue reached Tk6,619 crore, up from Tk6,244 crore in the corresponding period of the previous year, reflecting 6% growth.

In its financial statement, the company reported that for the half-year period ending on 31 December 2024, it achieved 6% revenue growth, driven by several business segments.

During this period, growth in gross profit outpaced the increase in operating expenses, thanks to effective cost control measures that contributed to an improvement in operating profit.

However, the cost of borrowing rose due to higher interest rates, coupled with additional funding for working capital and strategic investments aimed at supporting business growth. This led to the incurred loss, as stated in the report.