Share

Five ways in which Steinhoff could try to save itself

Johanesburg - Steinhoff International Holdings NV’s attempts to arrest the fallout over accounting irregularities have failed to restore investor trust.

Despite three statements from the company in the past 48 hours, more than R140bn ($10.3bn) in value has been destroyed, showing that investors don’t believe the retailer has gone far enough to boost confidence in the stock.

Here are five things the Frankfurt- and Johannesburg-listed company could do to try to save itself from collapse, according to analysts and fund managers.

1. Sell assets such as property 

Steinhoff said in a statement on Thursday that it could sell “certain non-core assets” and raise a minimum of €1bn ($1.2bn).

Better disclosure about what constitutes a non-core asset might help restore trust.

The company could detail its targets for sales and the expressions of interest it said it had received. Any properties for sale could be listed separately from businesses, according to Ron Klipin, a portfolio manager at Cratos Wealth in Johannesburg.

A report by market researcher Euromonitor International suggested closing some stores.

2. Refinance liabilities and calm funders

The company has already said that subsidiary Steinhoff Africa Retail will refinance long-term liabilities that are due to the parent company.

That’s a step, but total long-term debt is about €10bn, preference share capital is around R1.5bn and short-term debt, amounting to €6.2bn could “fall over if the business fails”, said Adrian Saville, chief executive officer of Cannon Asset Managers in Johannesburg.

More needs to be done than the refinancing by Steinhoff Africa - including sweet-talking the bondholders and bankers who now hold Steinhoff International’s fate in their hands.

3. Disclose the details of off-balance-sheet entities

Steinhoff has not yet disclosed the extent of off-balance-sheet companies and vehicles, or their purpose. “Off-balance-sheet companies were set up to hide losses,” Magda Wierzycka, CEO of Sygnia Asset Management in Cape Town, said on Thursday, adding that “debt was taken on at a massive pace” inside those structures. Murray Dicks, reputation and risk leader for Steinhoff’s auditor, Deloitte & Touche, declined to comment.

4. Start bankrutpcy-protection talks and suspend the shares

Steinhoff has plummeted more than 75% over two days. By any definition, that’s catastrophic.

Steinhoff could initiate bankruptcy-protection talks and move to have its shares suspended.

While it may be hard to recover from what could be seen as an admission of defeat, it would give Steinhoff time to ring-fence itself from claims as it tries to shore up its finances.

5. Expedite PwC's investigation

Steinhoff said on Wednesday it had approached PricewaterhouseCoopers to investigate the accounting irregularities. No detail was given on when the firm would start its work or how long it might take to produce its findings.

Because of the share plunge, Steinhoff can’t wait long.

“Allegations of earnings manipulations, uncontrolled acquisition sprees and tax fraud are just the tip of the iceberg,” according to Wierzycka. “Many names are implicated. Many more will follow.”

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.43
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.2%
Platinum
910.50
+1.5%
Palladium
1,011.50
+1.0%
Gold
2,221.35
+1.2%
Silver
24.87
+0.9%
Brent-ruolie
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders