Акции Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory выросли в три раза после слухов о возможной продаже компании

A U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission report released Wednesday included statements by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory interim CEO Al Harper suggesting the company’s strategic outlook includes a possible sale, merger or going private. “In connection with this process, the Company has received expressions of interest from third parties,” an SEC 8-K report said. “There can be no assurance that this review of strategic alternatives will result in any transaction or other strategic change.” After this information was released, stock prices for RMCF spiked overnight from 66 cents a share to $1.93 per share. Investors may have rushed to buy shares because stock value could increase with the potential of a buyout, said Calvin Romero, a financial adviser with Legacy Financial Advisors in Durango. If a larger company with more resources bought out RMCF, it could potentially make the company more profitable to shareholders. Former interim CEO Jeffrey Geygan stepped down from his position on June 30, leading to the appointment of Harper. Harper on Friday declined to comment on the situation, on advisement from Mel Keating, the director and board chair for RMCF. For the first fiscal quarter of 2027, RMCF’s total revenue decreased from $6.4 million to $6.1 million. While there was an increase in Durango product and retail sales, the price increase was offset by lower royalty and marketing fees under revised franchising agreements, according to a news release from RMCF. Total costs and expenses went up as well from $6.5 million to $7.1 million. The increase was attributed to higher cost of sales, higher administration costs tied to website rollout and higher retail operating costs, the release said. Product and retail profit fell, reflecting lower packaged product sales. Net loss was $1.2 million, or 12 cents per share, for the first fiscal quarter of 2027, according to the news release. This loss dramatically rose from 2026 quarter one’s net loss of $.03 million, or 4 cents per share. The company has around a $6.6 million outstanding balance on two different credit agreements as of May 31, according to the SEC 10-Q report. In March, the Herald reported birthday cake truffles being pulled from RMCF’s shelves. An employee expressed dissatisfaction about quality control at the factory and described the product pull as a recall, which Geygan refuted. “I’m just not satisfied with the quality of it,” Geygan said. “… All we did is made a quality decision and said, ‘We’re going to put this on quality hold.’” With Geygan’s leadership came a revamp to the company in which it opened new franchise stores, introduced ice cream products and experienced a fair amount of turnover with existing staff. Geygan described the employee turnover as a “cultural shift” in holding people accountable. He said in February that although he received frequent requests from private-equity firms, he was not interested in selling the company. He said he would not will not take his leave until RMCF is financially and logistically stable. Between then and Wednesday’s leap in value, stock for RMCF has gone down from around a $2.5 average per share in February to July’s average hovering around $1 per share.