Why Iren Stock Plummeted Today

Nobody likes a big pile of debt, and that holds doubly true for investors concerned about the balance sheets of their investments.

On Tuesday, cryptocurrency miner and data center operator Iren (NASDAQ: IREN) drew the market's ire by announcing a sizable issuance of new debt and an accompanying share offering. That led to a sell-off that lowered the company's share price by more than 15% that day.

Big issue

Just after market close on Monday, Iren divulged that it aims to float $2 billion worth of convertible, unsecured senior notes. This will be offered in two equal-sized tranches of $1 billion each.

The first of the pair will be due in 2032, with the second maturing in 2033. All are to be sold in a private offering to entities Iren believes are qualified institutional buyers. The company added that it aims to grant the initial buyers of the notes the option to collectively purchase up to $150 million in principal amount of the 2032 securities, and the same amount for the 2033s.

The notes are to be convertible into ordinary shares of the company, cash, or a combination of both. They will be redeemable after Dec. 6, 2028. The company has not yet set the key particulars of conversion or redemption.

Additionally, Iren plans to issue ordinary shares in a registered direct offering. It did not specify how many would be sold.

Brace for impact

Iren said it'll use the net proceeds of both the convertible notes issue and the new share flotation to repurchase existing convertible notes, and "for general corporate purposes and working capital."

That's a legitimate deployment of funds, but the balance sheet could take a significant hit and/or the stock could suffer from dilution. As of the end of September, Iren's long-term debt stood at $964 million, while its market cap was $11.7 billion.

Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.