This ASX stock just crashed 24% after a $1.7bn deal. Here’s what spooked investors

Shares in Maas Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: MGH) have been absolutely smashed on Wednesday after the company unveiled a major strategic overhaul.

The Maas share price is down a brutal 23.57% to $4.28, wiping hundreds of millions off its market value as investors fled the stock.

That sell-off comes despite Maas announcing a transformational transaction that will fundamentally reshape the business.

Let’s dive right in!

What did Maas announce?

Maas revealed it has agreed to sell its Construction Materials division to Heidelberg Materials Australia for $1.703 billion.

The consideration includes $120 million in contingent payments, linked to the achievement of agreed post-completion, operational, and commercial milestones.

The assets being sold include Maas’ quarries, concrete, asphalt, and related construction materials operations. Certain freehold land will be retained by Maas and leased back to Heidelberg under long-term commercial arrangements.

The transaction is expected to complete in the second half of CY2026. However, it is still subject to regulatory approvals, including ACCC and FIRB, along with shareholder approval.

Why investors hit the sell button

On paper, the deal looks attractive. Management highlighted that the sale price represents a premium to Maas’ trading multiple and sits above comparable construction materials transactions.

However, the market appears to be focused on what Maas is giving up.

Construction Materials has been a large, stable earnings engine for the group, delivering reliable cash flows through multiple infrastructure cycles. Selling it significantly changes the earnings profile of the business.

Investors are also grappling with uncertainty around capital redeployment. While Maas has outlined its priorities, the exact timing, scale, and returns of future investments remain unknown.

How Maas plans to reset the business

Following the transaction, Maas plans to reposition the business for its next phase of growth.

Proceeds are expected to be used to reduce net debt, strengthen the balance sheet, and fund expansion across electrification, digital infrastructure, and industrial services.

As part of this shift, Maas announced a $100 million minority investment in Firmus, an AI and digital infrastructure platform developer.

Maas will hold an approximate 1.7% equity interest, providing exposure to AI infrastructure without taking on operational control.

Management says this approach reflects disciplined capital recycling rather than a wholesale bet on unproven assets.

Foolish Takeaway

Maas is reshaping the business by exiting a mature, cash-generative division and freeing up significant capital.

Today’s sell-off suggests investors are uneasy about the gap between selling the asset and seeing where the proceeds are ultimately deployed.

From here, the share price will depend on execution and how quickly management can deliver returns from the next phase.

The post This ASX stock just crashed 24% after a $1.7bn deal. Here’s what spooked investors appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.