
PARIS, July 13 (Reuters) - French heavy engineering firm
Alstom launched a 2.2 billion euro rescue share issue
on Tuesday, its third in as many years, as part of a
controversial state-backed bailout to avert its collapse.
Alstom shares dropped more than nine percent by midday as
the issue of new stock diluted shareholders' holdings.
The company said in a statement it was conducting a rights
issue worth a maximum of 1.565 billion euros, partly backed by
the French state. It was also undertaking a debt-for-equity swap
reserved for its creditors worth a maximum of 635 million euros.
The cash call could multiply the number of shares
outstanding by nearly five times, and will hand the state as
much as 31.5 percent of its share capital, strengthening its
debt-heavy balance sheet and reassuring its banks and clients,
but massively diluting shareholders.
"Fundamentally it's good news because it will hopefully
secure the group's survival," said one Paris-based trader. "But
I fear the stock will tumble in the short term with the number
of new shares created."
Alstom shares, which were suspended on Tuesday morning ahead
of the announcement, fell sharply as trading started. At 0950
GMT, the stock was down 9.5 percent at 0.76 euros.
The company's 2006 high-yield bond was unchanged at 99.75
percent of face value, traders said. The cost of insuring
against a default by Alstom fell around 10 basis points to 480
basis points. The price means it costs 480,000 euros per year to
insure 10 million euros of Alstom debt against default.
Under the rights issue, shareholders will be able to buy 14
new shares with five existing shares. The subscription price for
the new shares is 0.40 euros if paid in cash or 0.50 euros if
paid via conversion of debt.
The subscription period will last nine working days, from
July 20 to July 30 inclusive.
The French government, which already owns 18.5 percent of
Alstom, has committed to exercising its rights worth around 185
million euros. It will also subscribe to the issue by converting
500 million euros of Alstom debt.
A banking syndicate led by BNP Paribas , Calyon
and Societe Generale has also backed the
issue to the tune of 880 million euros.
As planned, Alstom also said it was launching a
debt-for-equity swap worth a maximum of 635 million euros, with
a subscription price of 0.50 euros. The subscription period
would also close on July 30.
BAILOUT
Shareholders approved the controversial rescue plan at a
meeting on Friday, and the maker of ultra-fast TGV trains,
cruise ships and gas turbines said it wanted to launch the
capital increase before the end of July.
The cash call forms the backbone of a controversial bailout,
which was approved by the European Commission only after Alstom
agreed to form strategic industrial partnerships over the next
four years. That might mean it cedes sole control of core
businesses, a move it plans to resist.
Chief Executive Patrick Kron said on Friday he wanted to get
the ball rolling as quickly as possible to woo back clients
jittery about Alstom's finances and to reassure its creditor
banks, who have agreed to extend the company billion of euros in
crucial guarantees needed to win new contracts.
Alstom shares have lost almost 90 percent of their value in
the past two years as the firm veered into financial crisis due
to costly technical faults, which have forced asset sales,
rights issues and eventually a government bailout.
The rescue package will safeguard its 70,000 jobs at a time
when the French government is trying to reduce high unemployment
in the euro zone's second biggest economy.
Under European Commission rules, the French government must
sell its stake in Alstom within four years.
(Additional reporting by Marie Maitre, Caroline Jacobs and
Juliette Rouillon)
((Reporting by Rebecca Harrison, editing by Steven Silber;
paris.equities@news.reuters.com; Reuters Messaging:
rebecca.harrison.reuters.com@reuters.net; +33 1 49 49 55 42))
($1=.8064 Euro)
Alstom launched a 2.2 billion euro rescue share issue
on Tuesday, its third in as many years, as part of a
controversial state-backed bailout to avert its collapse.
Alstom shares dropped more than nine percent by midday as
the issue of new stock diluted shareholders' holdings.
The company said in a statement it was conducting a rights
issue worth a maximum of 1.565 billion euros, partly backed by
the French state. It was also undertaking a debt-for-equity swap
reserved for its creditors worth a maximum of 635 million euros.
The cash call could multiply the number of shares
outstanding by nearly five times, and will hand the state as
much as 31.5 percent of its share capital, strengthening its
debt-heavy balance sheet and reassuring its banks and clients,
but massively diluting shareholders.
"Fundamentally it's good news because it will hopefully
secure the group's survival," said one Paris-based trader. "But
I fear the stock will tumble in the short term with the number
of new shares created."
Alstom shares, which were suspended on Tuesday morning ahead
of the announcement, fell sharply as trading started. At 0950
GMT, the stock was down 9.5 percent at 0.76 euros.
The company's 2006 high-yield bond was unchanged at 99.75
percent of face value, traders said. The cost of insuring
against a default by Alstom fell around 10 basis points to 480
basis points. The price means it costs 480,000 euros per year to
insure 10 million euros of Alstom debt against default.
Under the rights issue, shareholders will be able to buy 14
new shares with five existing shares. The subscription price for
the new shares is 0.40 euros if paid in cash or 0.50 euros if
paid via conversion of debt.
The subscription period will last nine working days, from
July 20 to July 30 inclusive.
The French government, which already owns 18.5 percent of
Alstom, has committed to exercising its rights worth around 185
million euros. It will also subscribe to the issue by converting
500 million euros of Alstom debt.
A banking syndicate led by BNP Paribas , Calyon
and Societe Generale has also backed the
issue to the tune of 880 million euros.
As planned, Alstom also said it was launching a
debt-for-equity swap worth a maximum of 635 million euros, with
a subscription price of 0.50 euros. The subscription period
would also close on July 30.
BAILOUT
Shareholders approved the controversial rescue plan at a
meeting on Friday, and the maker of ultra-fast TGV trains,
cruise ships and gas turbines said it wanted to launch the
capital increase before the end of July.
The cash call forms the backbone of a controversial bailout,
which was approved by the European Commission only after Alstom
agreed to form strategic industrial partnerships over the next
four years. That might mean it cedes sole control of core
businesses, a move it plans to resist.
Chief Executive Patrick Kron said on Friday he wanted to get
the ball rolling as quickly as possible to woo back clients
jittery about Alstom's finances and to reassure its creditor
banks, who have agreed to extend the company billion of euros in
crucial guarantees needed to win new contracts.
Alstom shares have lost almost 90 percent of their value in
the past two years as the firm veered into financial crisis due
to costly technical faults, which have forced asset sales,
rights issues and eventually a government bailout.
The rescue package will safeguard its 70,000 jobs at a time
when the French government is trying to reduce high unemployment
in the euro zone's second biggest economy.
Under European Commission rules, the French government must
sell its stake in Alstom within four years.
(Additional reporting by Marie Maitre, Caroline Jacobs and
Juliette Rouillon)
((Reporting by Rebecca Harrison, editing by Steven Silber;
paris.equities@news.reuters.com; Reuters Messaging:
rebecca.harrison.reuters.com@reuters.net; +33 1 49 49 55 42))
($1=.8064 Euro)