Vietnam conglomerate Masan to issue over 7.5 mln ESOP shares

Vietnam’s leading multi-sector conglomerate Masan Group will issue up to 7.5 million MSN shares under an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) at a par value and issue price of VND10,000 ($0.38) apiece.

This volume represents approximately 0.5% of the company’s current 1.5 billion floating shares, according to a board of directors resolution announced on Thursday.

The ESOP shares will be allocated to outstanding employees of the parent company and its subsidiaries who have delivered exceptional performance and made significant contributions to the group’s operations and long-term growth.

To comply with legal foreign ownership limits, Masan stated that the number of shares expected to be allocated to foreign employees will account for only about 0.027% of the total ESOP shares issued. This ensures the company remains within the legal foreign ownership cap of 100% of charter capital.

The total expected proceeds from the issuance - approximately VND75.65 billion ($2.9 million) - will be used to increase the charter capital, supplement working capital for business activities, and cover bonus, welfare, and office-related expenses.

The board of directors has authorized chairman Nguyen Dang Quang or CEO Danny Le to carry out all related procedures, including determining the issuance date, recording purchase registrations, signing related contracts, registering capital increase with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment, and listing the newly issued shares.

The ESOP issuance is considered an important tool for Masan to retain and motivate key personnel, especially as the company accelerates its restructuring and long-term growth in the retail, food, and consumer sectors.

Masan reported that its after-tax profit in Q2/2025 is estimated at VND1.5 trillion ($57.48 million), a nearly 60% increase year-on-year. This figure surpasses VCBS Securities’s forecast of nearly VND1.2 trillion and 26%, respectively.

At the 2025 AGM, its shareholders approved a maximum 2025 dividend payout of 60% (VND6,000 or $0.23 per share). The recently announced 25% interim dividend represents the first tranche of this year’s plan.

On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), MSN shares closed Friday at VND 76,500 ($2.93) apiece, giving the group a market capitalization of VND110 trillion ($4.2 billion).