And what was this “bold, decisive” move, one that could “transform” the company? It was something that in normal circumstances would make an accountant yawn: a special stock dividend, effectively serving as a stock split. But this special dividend would be AMC Preferred Equity, or APE, for short.
But despite the pandering to traders on Reddit or TikTok, the APE dividend serves another purpose: It gives the company the option to raise more cash in the future. In 2021, the company asked investors to sign off on a plan to issue new shares that it could use to raise money. Shareholders indicated that they weren’t on board, and the company tabled the proposal.
“It really is satisfying to play 3D chess, especially if you know how to play it well,” Aron added on Twitter. Whether the gambit works remains to be seen. The split will cause AMC’s primary share to fall in value . And while AMC’s retail investors have been patient, releasing the APEs after shareholders pushed back on a plan to issue new stock could damage that relationship.