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By Kwon Mee-yoo
TVXQ, Girls Generation and Super Junior will be able to obtain stocks of their agency SM Entertainment at a bargain price through third-party allocation.
SM Entertainment announced that it will increase capital by issuing 21,120 new stocks and selling them to 48 singers and actors that belong to the company, worth 980 million won.
The entertainment firm said its artists can buy treasury stocks at 45,550 won, 10 percent lower than the average price for the last three days. SM Entertainment shares closed at 46,100 won Wednesday.
"This paid-in capital increase is a way to strengthen the partnership between the company and its artists. We hope this will help the entertainers share the vision and growth of the company and participate in its future," an SM Entertainment spokeswoman said.
The cheaper stock allocation is only for SM artists. Veteran singers such as Kang Ta and BoA have been given the chance to each purchase 680 stocks. Members of Super Junior, TVXQ and Girls Generation are also able to each buy 680 shares, while those in SHINee and f(x) can buy 340.
The artists will pay by April 3 and receive the new stocks on April 13.
Currently, Lee Soo-man, the founder and producer, is the largest shareholder of the company, with 4.4 million shares, worth around 208 billion won going by Monday’s closing price.
SM Entertainment is looking to further growth as its artists are gaining popularity overseas.
The company turned over 109 billion won last year, a 27.2 percent jump from 2010. It was the first time for the firm to record sales over 100 billion won. SM held concerts in Paris and New York last year, broadening the domain of K-pop.
According to the entertainment firm's prospectus, released earlier this month, TVXQ, Girls' Generation, Super Junior, SHINee and f(x) generated up to 80 percent of the company's sales as of the third quarter last year. Girls' Generation alone earned 68.8 billion won from 2009 to 2011.
"The amount of capital increase is small but it is symbolic. Since entertainment management is a human resources business, such a paid-in capital increase could enhance partnerships," SK Securities analyst Lee Hyun-jung said.
Other major entertainment companies YG and JYP are also listed but have not assigned stock to their artists.
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