Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 6 May 2015
Committee of Inquiry into the Banking Crisis
Nexus Phase
Mr. Richie Boucher:
I think one would have to ask an individual shareholder what price they bought the shares at and whether or not they hold them or lost them. Also, I think one of the questions in particular ... we've had two rights issues. So one of the things that we've focused on is the dilution impact in raising capital. We always gave an opportunity ... and shareholders can follow their money and if they follow their money they can ... if the capitalisation of the bank increases ... if they decide not to follow their money, they lose capital. I think, to go to your question, I would be very cognisant of the fact that institutions have a greater ability to follow their money in rights issues than individuals do. And that ... so I would say that the individual shareholder ... personal shareholder didn't have the ability or financial resources to follow the progress the bank has made and to participate in rights issues under which they've made money. So a shareholder that would've bought ... would've held shares ... would've bought shares maybe in 2007, if they had followed their rights, I'd say they'd probably break even at the moment. Shareholders who bought their shares in 2008 have made a lot of money. Shareholders who bought in 2011, including the State, have tripled their money. But I'd also ... you don't actually make your money until you cash out. You know, your share price, your bond price can go up, down. Ultimately, it's when you buy and when you sell.