In this week’s recap of substantial holder movements a new investor bought $1m in Yowie (ASX:YOW) shares, various fund managers responded to Opthea’s (ASX:OPT) developments and Regal Funds Management buys into Spirit Telecom (ASX:ST1).

Substantial shareholders are shareholders holding 5 per cent or more of a company’s shares and these can be directors, individual investors or institutional investors.

Shareholders are required to announce to the exchange when they cross above or below the 5 per cent threshold and any change in their holdings while they remain above 5 per cent.

Buyers

The performance of Uniti Wireless (ASX: UWL) since listing would suggest telecommunications is a hot sector. Spirit Telecom has gained over 100 per cent but has only gained back ground it lost during last year’s fourth quarter market downturn.

Regal Funds Management has bought a 5.03 per cent stake in the company. It has accumulated this stake across the last three months – spending nearly $3.9m; and crossed the threshold last week.

Regal also bought more Opthea shares and now owns 11.55 per cent – this ‘top up’ cost $8m. Another firm that bought into Opthea was KiFin, taking a 5.36 per cent stake. This is the private investment vehicle of South African billionaire Nathan Kirsh.

Speaking of eye-care companies, Ellex (ASX:ELX) is another and it welcomed Jencay Capital, which bought a 5.52 per cent stake. Also buying Ellex stock was existing substantial holder Australian Ethical Investments, which now has 9.58 per cent.

PR Company Enero Group (ASX:EGG) welcomed Wilson Asset Management as a substantial holder. It bought a 6.28 per cent stake.

Chocolatier Yowie saw investor Troy Harry take a 5.33 per cent stake, costing $990,000. His vehicle is Trojan investment management, although it is a different company, Norfolk Enchants, that holds it as custodian for his personal retirement fund.

Gold explorer De Grey Mining (ASX:DEG) had two investors increase their holdings – Regal Funds Management and DGO Gold. The latter, a fellow gold explorer, spent over $2m and quadrupled its holdings in the company.

Indiana Resources (ASX:IDA) chair Bronwyn Barnes became a substantial shareholder after tipping in $183,106 to acquire a 5.94 per cent stake.

Paradice Investment Management increased its stake in almond-producer Select Harvests (ASX:SHV) to 7.07 per cent – spending $7.2m. The company’s most recent half yearly profit was $20m. It gave an update only yesterday that its yields are performing even better than last year.

Company Code Market Cap Holder Stake Status
Oilex OEX $7.8M Republic Investment Management 14.74% Increasing
Select Harvests SHV $693.1M Paradice Investment Management 7.07% Increasing
Opthea OPT $648.5M KiFin 5.36% Becoming
BTC Health BTC $23.8M LHC Capital Partners 10.72% Becoming
Northern Minerals NTU $187.1M Conglin Yue 8.58% Increasing
Bod Australia BDA $47.9M SG Hiscock & Company 5.75% Becoming
Uniti Group UWL $203.0M Capital J Investments 7.93% Becoming
Mako Gold MKG $7.5M Resolute Mining 17.00% Increasing
Opthea OPT $656.0M Regal Funds Management 11.55% Increasing
Adriatic Metals ADT $109.6M Sandfire Resources 12.78% Increasing
Eclipx Group ECX $479.5M Wilson Asset Management 6.18% Increasing
De Grey Mining DEG $46.1M DGO Gold 11.60% Increasing
De Grey Mining DEG $46.1M Regal Funds Management 6.48% Becoming
Alliance Aviation AQZ $319.3M IOOF 11.66% Increasing
Base Resources BSE $285.8M Pacific Road Capital 26.60% Increasing
Altech Chemicals ATC $78.0M Delphi 16.30% Increasing
Veris VRS $22.4M Craig Chapman 5.33% Becoming
Ellex ELX $83.3M Australian Ethical Investment 9.58% Increasing
Ellex ELX $83.3M Jencay Capital 5.52% Becoming
Sky Network Television SKT $455.3M RugbyPass Investors 6.06% Becoming
Wellness and Beauty Solutions WNB $4.6M Geoffrey Pearce 6.33% Becoming
Metal Search MSE $8.2M Bin Lu 5.09% Becoming
Betmakers Technology BEt $29.0M JM Financial 8.45% Becoming
Metminco MNC $2.4M Sandfire Resources 17.67% Becoming
Site Group International SIT $31.0M Armada Trading 6.38% Becoming
Powerwrap PWL $57.6M SG Hiscock & Company 6.71% Increasing
Wingara WNR $32.1M Naos Asset Management 25.27% Increasing
Enero Group EGG $154.1M Wilson Asset Management 6.28% Becoming
Cokal CKA $43.2M Aahana Mineral Resources 20.10% Increasing
Lifestyle Communities LIC $684.8M Australian Super 7.41% Increasing
Spirit Telecom ST1 $74.7M Regal Funds Management 5.03% Becoming
Indiana Resources IDA $3.0M Bronwyn Barnes 5.94% Becoming
Medusa Mining MML $157.9M Ruffer 14.94% Increasing
Powerhouse Ventures PVL $1.9M Jun Hong Sheng 9.65% Becoming
Yowie YOW $16.1M Trojan Retirement Fund - Troy Harry 5.33% Becoming
Stemify SF1 $3.8M Parry Capital Management 6.76% Becoming

Sellers

The one substantial holder that completely sold its holdings was Walker Group (the company of property magnate Lang Walker) which sold out of BTC Health (ASX: TC) for $1.3m.

Malaysian investor AIMS Asset Management ceased to be a substantial holder in gold explorer Red 5 (ASX:RED). It sold $4m worth of shares this month.

While other fund managers bought Opthea, BVF Partners cashed out some of its earnings, $38m approximately but it still owns 9.45 per cent.

Company Code Market Cap Holder Current Stake Status
Red5 RED $404.4M AIMS Asset Management 3.14% Ceasing
BTC Health BTC $23.8M Walker Group Holdings 0% Ceasing
Veris VRS $21.5M IOOF 13.76% Decreasing
OM Holdings OMH $470.5M Stratford Sun 7.69% Decreasing
Pacific Energy PEA $415.0M IOOF 5.37% Decreasing
HT&E HT1 $485.8M Perpetual 7.10% Decreasing
Western Areas WSA $675.7M Schroder Investment Management 4.99% Ceasing
Opthea OPT $656.0M BVF Partners 9.45% Decreasing
Nickel Mines NIC $949.3M Regal Funds Management 7.09% Decreasing
BluGlass BLG $52.3M SPP Technologies 11.40% Decreasing
UsCom UCM $14.5M John Gleeson 4.99% Ceasing
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