Monday, 18 May 2020

$12.7bn annual operating loss for SoftBank driven by Vision Fund

SoftBank has reported a 1.36 trillion yen loss ($12.7bn) in line with its forecasts. These losses, which are the worst ever for SoftBank, have been driven largely by the $100bn Vision Fund, as a result of valuations e.g. WeWork, Uber, dipping in the wave of Covid-19. Alibaba Founder Jack Ma has also resigned from its board. Son invested $20m in Alibaba in 2000, a bet that paid big when Alibaba went public in 2014.

Tuesday, 12 May 2020

Pinault's Kering in 1.2 billion (dual tranche) euro bond issue as Q1 Revenues Fall 15%

French conglomerate Kering, which owns the brands Gucci, Balenciaga, Bottega Veneta, Alexander McQueen and Saint Laurent, reported that group revenue fell 15.4% in Q1 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Kering exited the retail industry and focused on luxury goods under Pinault's leadership. Kering evolved out of PPR (Pinault-Printemps-Redoute). Pinault is a graduate of France's HEC.

It is issuing a dual tranche bond, each tranche amounting to 600m euros, the first maturing in three years (0.25% coupon), the next in eight years (0.75% coupon). The proceeds will, in part, be used to extend the average maturity of their debt.  The conglo's long term debt is A-rated.

Chairman and Chief Executive, Francois-Henri Pinault, stressed renewed focus on business continuity, adapting cost base and preserving cash position as top priorities. He also expressed his belief in his brands' abilities to "blend long-term vision with near-term imperatives".

Key financial metrics for Kering include Revenues (15.9 billion euro in 2019), EBITDA (6bn euros), EBITDA margin, as % of revenue (37.9% 2019, 37.3% 2018), recurring operating margin (30% 2019).