Elon Musk has taken a 9.2 percent stake in Twitter to become the platform’s biggest shareholder, a week after hinting he might shake up the social media industry.
Twitter shares surged about 26 percent in premarket trading after Musk’s purchase was revealed yesterday in a regulatory filing. The stake is worth about $2.89 billion (R42bn), based on Friday’s market close.
Musk polled his more than 80 million followers on Twitter last month, asking them whether the company adheres to the principles of free speech. After more than 70 percent said no, he asked whether a new platform was needed and said he was giving serious thought to starting his own.
Musk has been one of the biggest personalities on Twitter and has regularly run into trouble on the platform. The Tesla CEO is currently seeking to exit a 2018 deal with the US Securities and Exchange Commission that put controls in place related to his tweeting about the electric-car maker.
The announcement will be yet another major test for new Twitter chief executive Parag Agrawal, who replaced Jack Dorsey after he unexpectedly resigned in November. Agrawal vowed to increase accountability, make decisions faster and to improve product execution. The company set ambitious goals for growth including increasing annual revenue to $7.5 billion and getting to 315 million daily users by the end of 2023.
“It looks like Elon has his eyes laser set on Twitter,” said Wedbush analyst Dan Ives in a research note, adding that the stake could lead to a “more aggressive ownership role.”
It''s unclear what Musk is planning with his stake. The filing with the SEC shows that the date of the event that triggered the disclosure was March 14. The type of form used often indicates the investor isn’t seeking to acquire control of a company, or to influence who controls it.
REUTERS