CORONAVIRUS: INFRASTRUCTURE FINANCE – IMMEDIATE FINANCING CONSIDERATIONS FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTORS AND FUNDERS
The global escalation of the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic has come at a critical time in the financial reporting cycle for many infrastructure investor-owned businesses. In this briefing, we consider some of the key financing issues, looking at liquidity, yield and capital management tools, such as debt buy-backs, as well as touching on issues for businesses further down the stress/distress curve.
For those businesses with a 31 December financial year-end, their annual audited financial statements and projected financial performance for the 2020 calendar year will be due within the next few weeks. For those with a 31 March financial year-end their expected financial year-end results may already be showing signs of deterioration. And, for those with other reporting timetables, similar issues will inevitably arise in the near-term.
The impact on businesses in the transport sector is particularly visible, but the impact on other sectors as a result of supply chain and workforce issues is no less acute.
The prevailing hope is that the current disruption is temporary, but in the meantime the situation requires immediate attention.