The Uncertain Future of Social Chain: Seeking Investors for DS Group

Social Chain stock remains under pressure — at penny stock levels. DER AKTIONÄR had already advised against a purchase in 2019. But what is the future for the company, which became known above all through the commitment of Georg Kofler and Ralf Dümmel (both protagonists of the TV show “Die Höhle der Löwen”)?

As reported, Kofler is out as head of Social Chain. In the meantime, Dümmel and some former shareholders of the DS Group have pumped money into Social Chain so that operations can continue (see further articles at the end of the article). On Friday, Social Chain reported that the first payouts from the mass loan have started. The wages for the approximately 40 employees of the stock corporation meanwhile come – as is usual in such cases – from the employment office.

So while operations can continue for the time being, a buyer for Social Chain is now being sought. According to the company, the search for investors focuses “in particular on the DS Group as the most valuable investment within the social chain group of companies”.

The DS Group is the part that was brought into Social Chain by Dümmel and Co. Social Chain announced on Friday: “First talks with interested parties have already been held and show a sustained interest in the DS Group as a whole.” It was again emphasized that the DS Group is independent in terms of personnel, space and organization. The group is therefore not affected by the insolvency of Social Chain AG. A legally correct, but still somewhat questionable formulation, after all, the bankruptcy of Social Chain is unlikely to completely ignore the holdings.

That doesn’t have to bode well for the social chain stock. After all, it would be questionable, for example, what substance remains of Social Chain – and thus for the shareholders – if the DS Group were to be sold. In any case, Social Chain itself writes only very reluctantly about a temporary continuation and the “maintenance of the possibility of a possible restructuring of Social Chain AG”.

You can also read more about Social Chain in the next issue of DER AKTIONÄR (from August 11th in newsagents, for subscribers as an e-paper already available from Wednesday).