Look, basically it does not matter. We live in age where manipulation is accepted as the norm in the financial markets. Current US financial regulation seeks only to limit it for example. As a result, things often do not trade near their intinsic value. In the equity markets, this is not new, its simply that today its run on automatic. Everything is manipulated in the short term. But keep in mind, whatever the real value is will emerge as long as management keeps more than one interested eligible buyers in the loop. What would help retail out a lot, and the share price, would be management re-inforcing the value that it will always have other parties in the wings, whether it is seeking a deal today or not. Either they cannot do that or don't want to, hence the drift and rumours. Some believe that in itself is a form of manipulation. So it comes down to 2 issues, regardless of what has been drilled: do you have confidence in management and do you feel the manipulation is upward or downward. You should not own shares without the first. If you feel the manipulation is downward, consider buying.