Xero, the cloud-based accounting platform provider, raised $20 million in a placement to major shareholders and will offer new shares to other investors at the same price after electing to chase global revenue growth at the expense of profits.
Shareholders including Trade Me founder Sam Morgan, Sam Knowles, MYOB co-founder Craig Winkler and Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel bought more shares at $2.75 apiece. Xero stock reached a record $3.06 early last month and fell 0.7 per cent to $2.92 today.
The company plans to offer other shareholders on the register as at February 14 the ability to subscribe for up to $15,000 of shares each, with share purchase plan documents to be sent out later this month.
At Xero's annual shareholders' meeting last year, chief executive Rod Drury said the company had abandoned its target, given in 2009, of reaching break-even in 2011, "given the size of the opportunities available."
He said this didn't amount to a change of strategy and gave Xero "the flexibility to pursue options that will add shareholder value without being constrained by short-term profit guidance."
