Directors' Trades: Which Malaysian Rich Listers spent over $38 million on their own ASX stock?

The past fortnight has been quieter for ASX directors trades but two trades from Malaysian directors of United Overseas Australia (ASX:UOS) made up $38 million of the total.

United Overseas Australia is a Malaysian property group founded in 1987 and majority owned by Kong Choon Song and Kong Pak Lim.

According to Forbes, the pair are both in the top 50 richest people in Malaysia with the former at No 36 with US$455 million in wealth and the latter at 50 with US$315 million.

Both participated in a dividend reinvestment plan, which allows shareholders to buy more shares with their dividends. Kong Choon Song received $21.58 million in shares while Kong Pak Lim received $16.55 million.

Also participating was May Chee Kong who bought $1.87 million, while Teo Chee Seng only took $3,554 and Alan Winduss received $18,161.

Code	Company	Director	Change	Date	Volume	$	What
ZNO	Zoono	Paul Hyslop	Sell	3 June	7,000,000	$4,851,000	On market
WHC	Whitehaven Coal	George Zage III	Buy	4 June	350,000	$589,750	On market
CTE	Cryosite	Andrew Kroger	Buy	4 June	473,325	$170,209	On market
QGL	Quantum Graphite	Bruno Ruggiero	Buy	4 June	2,076,923	$135,000	Placement
UOS	United Overseas Australia	Kong Chong Soon	Buy	4 June	25,948,442	$21,584,127	Dividend Reinvestment Plan
UOS	United Overseas Australia	Kong Pak Lim	Buy	4 June	22,755,937	$16,554,942	Dividend Reinvestment Plan
UOS	United Overseas Australia	May Chee Kong	Buy	4 June	2,571,615	$1,870,848	Dividend Reinvestment Plan
NET	Netlinkz	James Tsiolis	Buy	9 June	23,143,659	$578,591	On market
TFL	TasFoods	Roger McBain	Sell	11 June	2,530,000	$341,550	Off market
MLG	MLG	Murray Leahy	Sell	8 June	2,000,000	$2,000,000	On market
AIR	Astivita	Lev Mizikovsky	Buy	10 June	4,219,620	$3,038,126	Rights Issue
ARC	Australian Rural Capital	James Jackson	Buy	15 Jun	510,000	$107,100	Rights Issue
BC8	Black Cat Syndicate	Paul Chapman	Buy	18 June	597,015	$400,000	Placement
BC8	Black Cat Syndicate	Philip Crutchfield	Buy	18 June	1,492,537	$1,000,000	Placement
IVT	Inventis	Anthony Mankarios	Buy	15 June	53,279,828	$479,518	Rights Issue
VRC	Volt Resources	Asimwe Kabunga	Buy	16 June	40,000,000	$600,000	Placement
VRX	Venturex Resources	Michael McMullen	Buy	17 June	5,762,712	$461,017	Placement
MGT	Magnetite Mines	Peter Schubert	Options	4 June	5,297,782	$264,889	Conversion

Graphite is back?

Two other notable traders came from some of the few ASX companies still involved in graphite.

Although graphite is a battery metal and many other battery metals have gained the uptake in electric vehicles, many stocks suffered from the US-China trade war as well as Tanzania’s regulatory changes in 2018.

But there have been signs of life in the sector and in certain companies in recent weeks. One was Volt Resources (ASX:VRC) which is buying 70 per cent of a Ukraine-based graphite business which immediately took it to the production stage.

Asimwe Kabunga, who belongs to Volt, bought $600,000 in a placement.

Another is Quantum Graphite (ASX:QGL), which spent three years last decade in securities purgatory but has resumed exploration at its South Australian project.

Quantum chairman Bruno Ruggiero bought $135,000 in a placement.

Other ASX directors trades

Other buyers included Lev Mizikovsky of Astivita (ASX:AIR). His company manufactures a brand of zinc-based sunscreen and he chipped $3 million into his company’s rights issue.

Aspiring gold producer Black Cat Syndicate (ASX:BC8) saw two directors chip into its capital raising – Philip Crutchfield bought $1 million and Paul Chapman bought $400,000.

Coal miner Whitehaven (ASX:WHC) welcomed a $589,750 buy from hedge fund manager George Zage III.

Whitehaven has had a mixed run of late. Despite multiple production downgrades, the share price has held up thanks to the strong performance in coal prices in recent weeks.

And Michael McMullen from copper play Venturex (ASX:VXR) bought $461,017 in a placement.

One options trade was made by Magnetite Mines (ASX:MGT) executive chairman Peter Schubert who acquired nearly 5.3 million shares through a option conversion for a consideration of $264,889.

The entire option conversion saw 85 per cent of the quoted 31 May options exercised raising 7.52 million in fresh capital for the company.