Ashes to ashes OR Phoenix rises ?15 Mar 2018 08:43
The very sensible, indeed necessary decision to cancel the upcoming dividend payment means forecast covenant debt at end April is now forecast at �105m. At this level, unless PWC discover further issues, the covenant test should just be met. Discussions with HMRC will be ongoing but a phasing of the �30m payment looks likely. Nonetheless i expect any return to market will be accompanied with some form of fundraising - certainly a significant discount to the suspension price. Maybe a strategic investor with the comfort that the books have by then been thoroughly trawled through. I do not think this to be fraud by the senior management - what would be the point with the tax pay due imminently? What would be the gain? This seems to be, let me put it politely, a failure of basic competences. Of course the CFO must go - after all this was his responsibility. As for the CEO, if she survives then she needs to restore her reputation. It is going to take time - let us just hope that the luxury of time is granted.