APQ Global
Limited
("APQ
Global" or the "Company")
Refinancing Update &
Proposed Initial Payment to CULS Holders
Further to the Company's
6th September 2024 announcement in connection with the
publication of proposals and the convening of a meeting of CULS
Holders for the extension of the settlement date for the CULS, the
Company provides the following update.
In response to feedback from CULS
Holders on the proposals APQ Global provides some additional
information on Delphos, the financial advisory business for
emerging markets private credit that is wholly owned by the
Company, an overview on the Company's efforts to date to refinance
the CULS, and a liquidity update and proposed amendment to the
terms of the proposals to CULS holders which, subject to CULS
Holders approving the proposals, would involve an initial payment
to CULS Holders on the CULS maturity date.
Delphos
Since the Company acquired Delphos
in 2022, it has invested $12.45m in cash contributions to Delphos
entities. The table below sets out a schedule of these cash
contributions per quarter:
USD
('000)
|
2022 Q2
|
2022 Q3
|
2022 Q4
|
2023 Q1
|
2023 Q2
|
2023 Q3
|
2023 Q4
|
2024 Q1
|
2024 Q2
|
2024 Q3
|
Total
|
Working Capital
|
125
|
290
|
1,768
|
985
|
1,605
|
2,262
|
- 254
|
-
1,759
|
2,084
|
826
|
7,930
|
Equity
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
350
|
150
|
329
|
3,091
|
250
|
250
|
100
|
4,520
|
Total Cash Contributions
|
125
|
290
|
1,768
|
1,335
|
1,755
|
2,591
|
2,837
|
- 1,509
|
2,334
|
926
|
12,450
|
Source: Management
As stated in the 6th
September announcement, Delphos is currently executing around 40
transactions in around 20 countries and the portfolio is
diversified across geographies (Africa, Central Asia, Middle East,
Latin America and South-East Asia) and sectors (infrastructure,
renewables, financial services and funds).
Overview of CULS refinancing discussions
Over the past two months the Company
has engaged with over 10 counterparties for refinancing the CULS,
including:
· A bank
with a focus on emerging markets. An NDA has been signed and
information is being exchanged.
· A
private markets fund based in Latin America with a specific
strategy to develop a global origination platform. An NDA has been
signed and information is being exchanged.
· An EM
private markets fund backed by a large EM bank.
· Boston-based emerging market funds looking to grow in EM
private markets.
· Various other EM-focused funds in the US and
Europe.
Pending the publication of its FY23
accounts and the resumption of trading in the Company's ordinary
shares and CULS, the Company intends to commence negotiating formal
terms with counterparties expediently with the aim of securing a
financing facility for the Company by FY24 year-end.
Liquidity Update and Proposed Initial Payment to CULS
Holders
The Company confirms that its cash
balance currently stands at $9.6m. The Company is required to post
collateral of $3.0m towards its GBPUSD currency hedge of the CULS
liability. Additionally, the Company believes that it is prudent to
reserve $4.0m as a working capital buffer.
The Company is committed to repaying
as much capital as possible to CULS Holders as quickly as possible
over the next six months as income from Delphos' operations and the
proposed refinancing is received. To ensure full repayment of the
premium redemption and increased coupon, it is imperative that the
Company retains its currency hedge of the CULS liability and
retains sufficient working capital to monetize its expected
cashflows from operations.
In response to feedback from CULS
Holders, the Company also proposes that, if the proposals set out
in the Circular are approved at the meeting of the CULS Holders on
30th September 2024, it will pay, on the Maturity Date
of 30th September 2024, an amount equal to $2.7m
(£2.0m), representing approximately 6.76 per cent. of the aggregate
redemption proceeds of the CULS at the Maturity Date (the
"Initial Payment"). The
Initial Payment will be made to the Trustee for onward payment to
CULS Holders. If the Resolution to be proposed at the Meeting of
CULS Holders is passed, the Trust Deed will be amended as set out
in the Circular. The amendments would take effect from completion
of the Initial Payment and would therefore be in respect of the
reduced outstanding principal amount of CULS.
Terms used and not defined in this
announcement shall have the meanings given to them in the Circular
published on 6th September 2024.
- End -
For
further enquiries, please contact:
APQ Global
Limited Bart Turtelboom
|
020 3478
9708
|
|
|
Singer Capital Markets - Nominated
Adviser and Broker
James Maxwell/Sam Greatrex
|
020 7496
3000
|
|
|
Suntera - TISE
sponsor Claire Torode
|
01481 737
277
|
|
|
Investor Relations
IR@APQGlobal.com
|
|
|
|
Notes to Editors
APQ Global Limited
APQ Global (ticker: APQ LN) is an
investment company incorporated in Guernsey. The Company focuses
its investment activities globally (in Asia, Latin America, Eastern
Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Channel Islands,
particularly). The objective of the Company is to steadily grow its
earnings to seek to deliver attractive returns and capital growth
through a combination of building growing businesses as well as
earning revenue from income generating operating activities in
capital markets1. APQ Global run a well-diversified and
liquid portfolio, take strategic stakes in selected businesses and
plan to take operational control of companies through the
acquisition of minority and majority stakes in companies with a
focus on emerging markets. For more information, please
visit apqglobal.com.