Spyker-Saab Upside Down
08-27-2010, 02:36 PM
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Spyker-Saab Upside Down Spyker And Saab In Deep Trouble
By Bertel Schmitt on August 26, 2010
When Spyker bought Saab from GM, they bit off too much than they can chew. Spyker is upside down, under water, or whatever you call it when you have negative equity. They just announced that their debt exceeds their capital. And it looks like they have been dipped by GM: “The negative equity is due to the preferred shares that were issued to GM.”
Preferreds are both equity and debt instruments. Spyker keeps its books according to the Euro-centric IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), not according to the U.S.-centric GAAP. Under INFRS, preferreds must be kept on the books as debt if redemption is beyond the control of the company or if dividend must be paid on a periodic basis. You need money to pay those dividends.
Spyker has never made a cent in profits. In 2009, they had €19.24m losses on sales of €6.6m. A company like that can’t afford Saab. Oh, well. GM was used to selling cars to people who can’t afford them. Why not whole car companies?
According to Automobilwoche [sub] Spyker wants to wait with further comments until they presented their half year report on August 27. As a listed company, Spyker has 5 days to declare itself after the capital is exhausted. Automobilwoche: “Whether Spyker has to declare bankruptcy or whether they can find new capital is unsure.”
Collateral damage: BMW. BMW wanted to deliver engines for the Saab crossover 9-4X and possibly for the Saab 9-3. That deal appears to be on ice for the moment.
By Bertel Schmitt on August 26, 2010
When Spyker bought Saab from GM, they bit off too much than they can chew. Spyker is upside down, under water, or whatever you call it when you have negative equity. They just announced that their debt exceeds their capital. And it looks like they have been dipped by GM: “The negative equity is due to the preferred shares that were issued to GM.”
Preferreds are both equity and debt instruments. Spyker keeps its books according to the Euro-centric IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards), not according to the U.S.-centric GAAP. Under INFRS, preferreds must be kept on the books as debt if redemption is beyond the control of the company or if dividend must be paid on a periodic basis. You need money to pay those dividends.
Spyker has never made a cent in profits. In 2009, they had €19.24m losses on sales of €6.6m. A company like that can’t afford Saab. Oh, well. GM was used to selling cars to people who can’t afford them. Why not whole car companies?
According to Automobilwoche [sub] Spyker wants to wait with further comments until they presented their half year report on August 27. As a listed company, Spyker has 5 days to declare itself after the capital is exhausted. Automobilwoche: “Whether Spyker has to declare bankruptcy or whether they can find new capital is unsure.”
Collateral damage: BMW. BMW wanted to deliver engines for the Saab crossover 9-4X and possibly for the Saab 9-3. That deal appears to be on ice for the moment.
