Grab rebounded nearly 2% in premarket trading,though it declined nearly 40% since its debut

Grab rebounded nearly 2% in premarket trading, though it declined nearly 40% since its debut.The company made its debut on the Nasdaq on Dec. 2 after merging with Altimeter Growth Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) managed by hedge fund Altimeter Capital. However, the ride-hailing and delivery company has experienced a rocky start, as shares of GRAB stock have declined nearly 40% since. 

Yesterday, Grab announced that it would be buying Jaya Grocer, one of the top premium supermarket chains based in Malaysia. Financial terms of the acquisition were not immediately disclosed, although a source close to the matter said the acquisition price would be between RM 1.5 billion and RM 1.8 billion. As part of the agreement, Grab will buy 100% of all Jaya Grocer ordinary shares and 75% of its preference shares. Additionally, Grab will have the option to buy the remaining preference shares after the transaction closes. Preference shareholders have priority over common stock holders when it comes to dividends, although they do not generally have voting rights.

Furthermore, due to regulatory reasons, Grab plans to partner with a local investor, who will own 50% of the voting shares in Jaya Grocer. However, the local investor has not been disclosed yet. Grab announced that the acquisition will likely close during the first quarter of 2022.

The grocery chain reported RM 1.34 billion in sales for the financial year ended June 2020. Gross profit tallied in at RM 68.65 million.