Credit Control Failure?29 Sep 2017 14:28
RNS
June "Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation ("TPDC") and Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited ("TANESCO") have recently paid monthly invoices totalling $1.0 million net to Wentworth for gas sales"
July "further payments have been received from Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation ("TPDC") and Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited ("TANESCO") totalling $1.2 million net to Wentworth, bringing the total cash received for invoiced gas sales to $7.9 million in 2017. Since 31 March 2017, receivables from TPDC have remained consistent at four months and receivables from TANESCO have improved from THIRTEEN months to EIGHT months."
August this year - Still only getting partial payment from invoice as far back as last October
"the Company is pleased to confirm that further payments have been received from Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation ("TPDC") and Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited ("TANESCO") totalling $1.9 million net to Wentworth for June 2017 ($1.7 million) and October 2016 ($0.2 million) gas sales invoices respectively"
Then in September
"The Company is pleased to confirm that further payments have been received from Tanzania Petroleum Development Corporation ("TPDC") and Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited ("TANESCO") totalling $2.0 million net to Wentworth for one month's gas sales ($1.7 million) and two month's gas sales ($0.3 million) respectively. The ongoing receipt of payments"
Which looks pretty much like to me that October last year was finally settled and they have made a little start on the November invoices.
How did the Bod let the debt get out of control to a state of THIRTEEN months behind, I would want to sack the credit controller myself for a start.
In my calculation based on invoicing out at 1.9 million per month and being paid arrears at .3 million per month that debt will take around 50 months to pay back!
8 months debt at 1.9 = 15.2 / .3 = 50.66 months / 12 = approximately 4 years 3 months
For a company already with a debt burden of its own, the risk here perhaps looks a little high