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Buy-now pay-later (BNPL) heavyweight Afterpay (ASX: APT) have surged 9.5 per cent this morning to $26.47 after an institutional placement raised $317 million.
Those who took part in the capital raising will already be reaping the rewards as the new shares were issued at $23 each, while a $30 million share purchase plan (SPP) is on its way.
The funds will go towards overseas expansion for the fintech, which sees significant scale-up opportunities for its US division and opportunities in the UK, Australia and New Zealand.
Afterpay was aiming to raise at least $300 million through the placement.
"We are pleased by the strong investor support shown in the capital raising for the Afterpay business and our global growth strategy as outlined in our previously announced mid-term plan," says director Elena Rubin on behalf of the company's independent directors.
"The Placement was oversubscribed, and we are also pleased to welcome several new high-quality institutions onto our register."
The company also confirmed today the sell-down of 2.1 million shares from founders Anthony Eisen and Nicholas Molnar, as well as 400,000 shares from group head David Hancock, was completed.
These shares were sold to cornerstone US investors Tiger Management and Woodson Capital for around $103.5 million.
"Mr. Eisen, Mr. Molnar and Mr. Hancock have each confirmed their intention to remain as supportive and committed investors in the Company, and have committed to not sell any further shares until at least 120 days from the announcement of the Placement," the company states.
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