Lasmo shareholders take up rights issue

THE pounds 219m rights issue by Lasmo, the oil explorer fighting a hostile takeover bid from Enterprise Oil, has been heavily supported by its shareholders, writes Neil Thapar.

Lasmo yesterday announced that 96.5 per cent of the rights, priced at 105p a share, had been taken up. The balance was placed in the market yesterday by its stockbrokers, Cazenove and NatWest Securities.

Lasmo shares closed 1.5p higher at 149p.

The company, which is expected to publish its defence document later this week, is fighting an all-paper offer from Enterprise valuing the target at about pounds 1.5bn.

Helped by a strong crude oil price, Enterprise shares gained 13p to 444p yesterday. That values its offer of 27 Enterprise 'A' shares and 12 warrants for every 80 shares in Lasmo at about 150p each. Graham Hearne, Enterprise's chief executive, was yesterday understood to be holding meetings in the US to sway Lasmo's American investors.

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