Macquarie Group
(ASX:MQG) has come on ASIC’s radar, as the financial regulator is assessing the investment bank’s influence over the problematic $1.7 billion IPO of Nuix.
ASIC has exercised its Section 19 power to require both Nuix and Macquarie to supply further documents and information for its investigation into concerns related to the software developer’s listing.
Macquarie’s 76 per cent-owned data analyst witnessed $2.9 billion being erased from its books, following two downgrades in profit guidance since its listing in December 2020.
The corporate watchdog is seeking more insight for a clearer picture of whether or not Nuix exaggerated its prospectus forecasts ahead of the IPO. Section 19 grants ASIC the authority to place mandatory data collection requests and conduct private witness interviews.
The move happened on the back of media reports that Nuix’s co-founder Tony Castagna has become the subject of a Federal Police investigation into alleged violations of the Corporations Act.
The IPO turned out to be Mr Castagna’s $80 million payday, which has raised suspicions and concerns about the legitimacy of the windfall profit.
Shares in Macquarie Group
(ASX:MQG) are trading 0.1 per cent higher at $153.65
