Air Transat will get $100M bailout as debt load mounts regardless of journey rebound
Transat AT Inc., which owns Air Transat, has secured one other emergency mortgage from Ottawa because the tour operator struggles to shore up its stability sheet.
Transat stated Friday it has reached a deal to borrow $100 million from the Canada Enterprise Emergency Funding Company.
The Crown company mortgage comes exactly 15 months after Transat acquired a $700-million authorities mortgage, saying then that just about half of the funding would circulate towards passenger refunds. The Montreal-based firm acquired an extra $43-million mortgage final March.
Transat, which misplaced about $213 million within the first half of the 12 months, is scrambling to remain afloat whilst passengers flood airports amid a journey resurgence following two years of pent-up demand.
The brand new deal permits for an additional mortgage of as much as $50 million — past the preliminary $100 million — if Transat meets sure circumstances inside one 12 months, resembling securing additional funding from a 3rd get together.
“This complementary financing and the modifications to the prevailing agreements strengthen our treasury place and reinforce our monetary resilience,” CEO Annick Guérard stated in an announcement.
“This necessary financing milestone, mixed with gross sales which were doing properly in current months, will give us the monetary flexibility to deploy our strategic plan with optimism and confidence.”
The corporate stated it has reached an settlement with all lenders to push again credit score deadlines to April 2024, and to defer sure monetary circumstances till October of subsequent 12 months.
Transat’s complete debt stood at $1.78 billion as of June 30, with revenues of $561 million within the first half of 2022.
The recent $100-million mortgage comes through the Massive Employer Emergency Financing Facility. Simply seven firms have acquired LEEFF funding — 4 of them airways — with Transat the one outfit to take action previously 12 months.
Underneath the phrases of the mortgage, 80 per cent of the $100 million carries a 5 per cent curiosity for the primary 12 months and eight per cent for the second, growing by two per cent annually after.
The rate of interest for the remaining 20 per cent is predicated on Transat’s present secured debt.
The credit score association restricts govt compensation, bars dividends and share buybacks and requires an annual “climate-related monetary disclosure report.”
Debt was high of thoughts for analysts wanting over Transat’s shoulder in current months.
“Leverage stays excessive, and we proceed to see a threat of future shareholder dilution. The current spike in jet gasoline costs additionally represents one other near-term headwind to profitability and money circulate,” Nationwide Financial institution analyst Cameron Doerksen advised traders in a June analysis be aware.
“Finally, whereas the corporate’s long-term technique is smart, we want to attend for added indicators of execution, particularly given Transat’s elevated indebtedness,” wrote Benoit Poirier of Desjardins Securities.
Christopher Reynolds/The Canadian Press
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