Friday 18 June 2010

The Investment Dar - TID and Creditors Debate Expense Controls


AlQabas reports that the Creditors' Co-Ordinating Committee and TID will meet in Dubai on 23 June to discuss the CCC's request that TID reduce operating expenses.   As per the article the creditors want at least a 40% reduction in expenses during the first three years of the rescheduling.   The Five Year Budget and projected financials the Company presented propose expense levels much higher than that.  

TID's argument is that it needs to maintain a certain level of expenses to manage its affairs and fulfill all the requirements of the restructuring -- and from the reports of terms of the restructuring I've seen there are many.   

The creditors for their part claim that the expenses remain elevated and are not consistent with the situation of the Company and general economic conditions and that the Company does not need the number of staff.

As I've written before, there is a natural tension in restructurings between the debtor and the creditor over expenses.  And often the creditors insist on draconian cuts which do not materially improve their repayment prospects but which often dramatically harm the Company's ability to function as a going concern.

Without details it's hard to say.  But I think you can see which side of the debate I'm leaning towards from my comments.  That's of course not to say that there shouldn't be some expense control.  But that it should be focused and relevant. 

No comments: