Travelex says it is capable of operating separately
Travelex commented on yesterday’s announcement released by its indirect parent Finablr regarding potential insolvency appointment.
Following yesterday’s announcement by provider of cross-border payments, FX and payment technology Finablr PLC (LON:FIN) about potential insolvency appointment, Travelex has issued a statement.
Travelex reaffirms that it continues to take decisions, with input from PwC and supported by its other external advisors, regarding the operation of its business in the interests of all relevant stakeholders. Travelex notes that it has maintained a legal and financing structure within the Finablr Group that is capable of operating separately, on a stand-alone basis.
Travelex claims its operations continue as usual with extensive on-going work and the support of its key financial stakeholders to mitigate the severe challenges created by reduced travel volumes as a result of the COVID-19 crisis.
Finablr, Travelex’s indirect parent, said that it engaged an accounting firm to undertake rapid contingency planning for a potential insolvency appointment with a view to maximizing value in the Group.
On March 16, 2020, Finablr confirmed that the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has agreed to the temporary suspension of listing of the shares of Finablr PLC at the request of the company.
The update was published just a couple of days after the company announced a number of factors that were placing significant constraints on its access to daily liquidity and its ability to negotiate longer term financing. Since that announcement, these constraints have become amplified, Finablr said on Monday. They are having a material adverse impact on the company’s operations, including resulting in the company no longer being able to provide certain payment processing services.
In addition, the Board has been informed of the presence of cheques (written by Group companies and dating back to before the IPO), which may have been used as security for financing arrangements for the benefit of third parties. A preliminary view is that the amount of these cheques totals approximately US$100 million. The existence of these cheques has only recently been brought to the attention of the Board and urgent investigations are ongoing.
Travelex’s performance has been affected by a recent cyber-attack and the outbreak of Covid-19 would have a negative impact on its financial results.
Travelex warned that the effects of the ransomware attack, combined with lower transaction volumes from COVID-19, will reduce its underlying EBITDA for the first quarter of 2020 by £25 million. This has prompted S&P to cut Travelex’s rating saying that the effect would be to make the capital structure deeply unsustainable.
