Intrum seeks US bankruptcy protection to restructure $4.7 bln net debt
Adds share reaction in paragraph 4, detail and background in paragraphs 7-8
COPENHAGEN, Oct 18 (Reuters) -Intrum INTRUM.ST, Europe's biggest debt collector, said on Friday it will file for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States as it seeks to restructure its own finances.
The company has struggled as the pandemic, an energy crisis and two-decade-high interest rates failed to unleash a wave of loan defaults, with concerns mounting over Intrum's net debt, which reached 49.4 billion Swedish crowns ($4.69 billion) at the end of June.
"Intrum expects to emerge from the prepackaged Chapter 11 process and the Swedish company reorganisation process with ample runway and liquidity to execute its business plan and positioned for long term growth and success," it said in a statement.
Shares in the company fell 2.8% at 0802 GMT.
Intrum had won support for a debt restructuring from 73% of its noteholders, enough for a U.S. Chapter 11 procedure but short of the 75% needed to qualify for a simpler process under English law or a 90% threshold for an all-voluntary process.
Achieving higher levels of consent would simplify the implementation and reduce costs, CEO Andres Rubio said in July, adding that 90% would be optimal, with two-thirds the bare minimum requirement.
The company expects to start the Chapter 11 proceedings by mid-November and get approval of the restructuring plan by year-end, it said, adding this would result in the recapitalisation taking effect during the first quarter of next year.
The move by Intrum comes at a time when the debt collection industry in Europe faces challenges, with a significant decline in non-performing loans diminishing the volume of business available for these companies.
($1 = 10.5304 Swedish crowns)
Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, editing by Terje Solsvik and Tpmasz Janowski
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.
