Ad hoc announcement: DF Deutsche Forfait AG – Appeal for submission of sales offers regarding Company’s bond 2013/2020

  • Talks with investors without results so far
  • Not enough sales offers by bondholders so far

At the cash capital increase with subscription rights for the existing shareholders (“cash capital increase”) announced on June 12 of this year, only approximately 45% of the shares offered were placed by DF Deutsche Forfait AG (Prime Standard, ISIN: DE000A14KN88) (“Company”). Via ad hoc announcement on July 22, 2015, the Company emphasized that the Company’s equity position has not been strengthened to the extent envisaged in the IDW S6 report, with the shortfall amounting EUR 6.0 million. The cash capital increase will only be entered in the Company’s commercial register file, and thus become valid, after the non-cash capital increase (“non-cash capital increase”) has been entered in the commercial register. However, this prior non-cash capital increase is predicated on a certain minimum strengthening of the Company’s equity position which was to be achieved through the cash capital increase, but which has not been achieved.

Since July, the Company has been discussing alternative ways of filling the equity gap with the lender banks and investors. Until now, these discussions have not led to a positive result yet.

One further important component for compensating the shortfall of strengthening the Company’s equity is the Company’s repurchase of a partial amount of its outstanding 2013/2020 bond with the help of investors at a price yet to be determined. The extraordinary income resulting from this exercise would bolster the company’s equity position and could partially compensate for the lower-than-expected issue proceeds from the cash capital increase. However, until now, there have not been enough bondholders who declared their willingness to sell their bonds to the Company.

If not enough sales offers have been submitted and/or the discussions with investors have not led to final results by Monday, September 28, 2015, with high probability the Company will have to file for insolvency proceedings.

Bondholders who are willing to sell their bonds to the Company are thus urgently asked to send the sale offer to be downloaded via the Company’s website to the Company until Sunday, September 27, 2015.