Atos - comment
Our initial reaction to the four distinct “offer” letters from financial creditors, Bain Capital, EPEI (Kretinsky)/Attestor, and OnePoint/Butler Industries, is slightly reserved. Summary below, but the common theme, as expected: providers of fresh capital to take the lion's shares of the equity with existing shareholders and to a lesser extent bondholders heavily diluted.
- Creditors, including bondholders and bank lenders - size is redacted - are happy to work with a potential anchor investor, the Group is kept whole, banks and bonds are pari-passu and all maturities treated equally, providers of new money will be able to elevate their existing debt to 1.5 lien status, smaller debt conversion (c.37%) and near 100% dilution for existing shareholders.
- Bain Capital - Essentially states need more time. Have previously bid for Digital division, ex Cybersecurity, at an indicative range of €2.4-€2.8bn EV, assuming debt free cash free basis, but given the recent deterioration, unwilling to commit at this stage. Would consider working as a partner with existing shareholders and/or creditors.
- EPEI (Kretinsky) and Attestor - €600m of equity to acquire 99% of the equity. Creditors would have 17c of reinstated debt, subject to some conditions, plus a contingency Instrument based on excess proceeds from the sale of the Cyber security segment.
- OnePoint/Butler Industries - €350m of equity provided by the Group for a minimum of 35% of the post-restricted equity with David Layani to be the CEO. A cascade of options for creditors to provide new money, elevating their existing claims if they provide the additional capital.