Subordinated Bond Holders in Hellas Make EUR450m bid for the Greek Mobile Telecoms Company
By Wind Hellas, PRNESunday, November 22, 2009
New and Binding Bid Trumps Weather's EUR124m Offer
LONDON, November 23 - The Committee of Subordinated Bond Holders in Hellas II, the holding
company for the Greek based Wind Hellas telephony company, has today tabled a
new, full and binding EUR450 million offer for the assets of Hellas II.
Earlier this week proceedings were commenced to put Hellas II into
administration, following announcements from the company's management that
Hellas faced problems with its business model and financing.
The previous bid by the Committee which was tabled in October, was
dismissed by the senior bond holders, Hellas II and by implication Weather
which is the incumbent owner and currently the selected preferred bidder of
the management of Hellas II
In raising EUR450 million in funding at both the senior and junior end of
the capital structure in a short period of time, the Committee has clearly
demonstrated that it has the capacity to effect a refinancing of the entire
capital structure when it falls due for payment
The new and improved bid by the Committee for Hellas II offers: - Fully funded, unconditional equity funding of EUR200m (in escrow). This is materially superior to Weather's bid, which is only a Bridge Facility, conditional upon a letter of comfort and then for just a EUR124.6m commitment from its financial advisers - The new equity funding includes EUR100m of liquidity - an increase of EUR50m on Weather's bid - as an equity injection at the operating company level to enhance Hellas's working capital and so safeguard the business from any currently foreseen cash flow issues - The acquisition of the whole EUR250m Revolving credit facility - Higher consent fees on offer to all Senior classes of creditors including margin increases. These exceed the current offer from Weather - An undertaking to fund both the operating company and the role of the administrator while debt holder consents are obtained to avoid both short term liquidity issues and the prevention of an insolvency in Greece - The settlement of any potential litigation claims against other creditors and bondholder committees - The welcome appointment of a truly independent office holder to make the decision and appoint a preferred bidder based solely in the interests of all the creditors which the current Hellas Board failed to address in preferring the incumbent owner's less superior bid
Speaking after the announcement, Adrian Flook a spokesman for the
subordinated note holder Committee said:
"Our new and binding bid is worth EUR450m for Hellas and shows our strong
commitment to the company. It is economically superior in all respects to the
current Weather bid for all classes of creditors. The Committee is confident
that this improved bid is the very best deal for all the stakeholders of
Hellas II. The proposed administrators and senior creditors can only regard
it as such and can now independently assess the bid on its strong merits.
This bid cannot be dismissed; it is patently in the best interests of all
creditors and of the company."
For further information: Adrian Flook +44(0)20-7920-2388 / +44(0)7768-608396 flook@mcomgroup.com
For further information: Adrian Flook +44(0)20-7920-2388 / +44(0)7768-608396, flook at mcomgroup.com .
Tags: London, United Kingdom, Wind Hellas