Gould stays silent on farm stake

By Nick Stride

Friday 3rd September 2004

Is there something about the rural air George Gould can't resist?

Allied Farmers' share price has been creeping up recently and one well-placed source says the Christchurch-based investor is accumulating a stake.

Gould himself isn't saying.

"Well, actually, all I've got to say is, we own shares in several companies. Where we're legally required to disclose, we do, and if we're not, we don't."

If the Allied source is correct, Gould is moving slowly.

Even if he were the buyer of all the shares traded over the 10 days to Wednesday, he would still have picked up less than 2% of the company.

Allied Farmers has a market capitalisation $20 million. It provides livestock, merchandise, and real estate services.

The Gould family has sold down its stake in rural services company Pyne Gould Corporation, which grew out of the businesses established by Gould's great grandfather, to about 6%.

The family vehicle Gould controls, Gould Holdings, has significant stakes in plastics packaging group Vertex, Designer Textiles and Mike Pero Mortgages.

Comments from our readers

No comments yet