** Shares of Check Point Software Technologies CHKP.O trading flat at $191 premarket after capital raise
** Israeli cyber security solutions provider announced private offering of $1.75 bln 0% 5-yr convertible bonds
** Initial conversion price of $243.65 represents 27.5% premium to stock's last close of $191.10
** CHKP shares fell as much as 3.5% on Weds before finishing session up 2.1% after co unveiled a $1.5 bln offering late Tues
** Co intends to use $168 mln of net offering proceeds to pay the cost of capped call transactions to offset potential dilution, and use $225 mln to repurchase about 1.18 mln of its shares
** It plans to use remaining proceeds for general purposes, including additional share repurchases, potential M&A, business and new product development
** Through Weds, CHKP stock up ~2% YTD
** 14 of 37 analysts rate the stock "strong buy" or "buy", 23 have "hold" ratings; median PT $225 - LSEG
(Lance Tupper is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)
((lance.tupper@tr.com 1-646-279-6380))
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