Original-Research

USU Software AG (von NuWays AG): HOLD

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Original-Research: USU Software AG - from NuWays AG

Classification of NuWays AG to USU Software AG

Company Name: USU Software AG
ISIN: DE000A0BVU28

Reason for the research: Update
Recommendation: HOLD
from: 14.03.2024
Target price: 17.00
Target price on sight of: 12 Monaten
Last rating change:
Analyst: Philipp Sennewald

Delisting intention a punch in the face for investors

On Tuesday evening, USU Software published an ad-hoc stating the intention to delist the company from the stock exchange. Here is what you need to know:

Supported by the supervisory board, the management board of USU aims to delist the company. In order to do so, management consulted majority shareholder AUSUM (51% of voting rights), the investment vehicle of founder Udo Strehl, whether it would be prepared to make a delisting offer, which is the prerequisite for delisting a company that is listed in the prime standard.

On Tuesday, AUSUM informed the management that it is seeking an agreement to finance such an offer and that the respective negotiations are in an advanced stage. Moreover, AUSUM informed the company that the offer price should be expected to be largely in line with the equivalent to the statutory minimum price, e.g. the volume-weighted average price of the past six months, in accordance with section 39 of the German Stock Exchange Act. According to our calculations this should result in an offer price of c. EUR 17.00 per share (EUR 16.97 according to Bloomberg).

During yesterday's conference call, CEO Oberschmidt stated that the main reason for the decision was the "sustained undervaluation" of USU by the stock market, which among others would make it difficult to use the shares as M&A currency in a value accretive manner. In our view, this argument is at least questionable as shares only dropped to current levels following the company's profit warning in August. Moreover, management stated that it is seeking substantial investments in order to considerably expand its product business following the delisting. To finance this, management aims to carve out the product business and get an external partner on board. However, management did not provide any details on the exact nature of such a partnership, stating that the process is in a "very early stage".
Our view: We agree with management regarding the undervaluation of the shares and reiterate our intrinsic fair value of EUR 30 per share. However, we advise investors who have no intention of being invested in a highly illiquid asset to tender their shares once the delisting offer has been made. For the time being, we change our recommendation to HOLD and reduce our PT to EUR 17.

You can download the research here:
http://www.more-ir.de/d/29159.pdf
For additional information visit our website
www.nuways-ag.com/research.

Contact for questions
Die Analyse oder weiterführende Informationen zu dieser können Sie hier downloaden: www.nuways-ag.com/research. NuWays AG - Equity Research
Web: www.nuways-ag.com
Email: [e-mail]
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nuwaysag
Adresse: Mittelweg 16-17, 20148 Hamburg, Germany
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Diese Meldung ist keine Anlageberatung oder Aufforderung zum Abschluss bestimmter Börsengeschäfte. Offenlegung möglicher Interessenskonflikte nach § 85 WpHG beim oben analysierten Unternehmen befinden sich in der vollständigen Analyse. ++++++++++

transmitted by EQS Group AG.

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this research. The result of this research does not constitute investment advice or an invitation to conclude certain stock exchange transactions.

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Die USU Software Aktie wird zum Zeitpunkt der Veröffentlichung der Nachricht mit einem Minus von -1,19 % und einem Kurs von 16,65EUR auf Tradegate (13. März 2024, 22:26 Uhr) gehandelt.

Rating: HOLD
Analyst: