Kingsway raises cash

Article Excerpt

KINGSWAY FINANCIAL SERVICES $1.70 (Toronto symbol KFS; SI Rating: Speculative) (905-629-7888; www.kingswayfinancial.com; Shares outstanding: 52.1 million; Market cap: $88.6 million; No dividends paid) has agreed to sell its Jevco Insurance Co. subsidiary for $263 million. This price does not include a $40-million dividend that Jevco will pay Kingsway before the sale is completed. Jevco sells insurance to high-risk drivers, as well as owners of motorcycles, snowmobiles and recreational vehicles. Kingsway will use the proceeds to pay down debt and shore up its capital. Its debt of $336.2 million is 3.8 times its market cap. The company is still restructuring, and may sell shares to raise more capital. Kingsway is a hold, but for highly aggressive investors only. only…