Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. (“Steinhoff” or the “Company” and with its subsidiaries, the
“Group”).
Steinhoff is today updating stakeholders on developments since the implementation of the financial
restructuring in August 2019.
Overview
The Group has continued to progress the strategy outlined at the Investor Presentation on 13 August
2019, and again at the Steinhoff AGM on 30 August 2019. Specifically, the financial restructuring
having been implemented on 13 August 2019, at the AGM the Management Board identified two
primary areas of future focus for Steinhoff as the Group strives to recover from the events of
December 2017 and to protect and maximise value for stakeholders: (1) to manage litigation risk and
to continue the implementation of the Remediation Plan; and (2) to reduce the Group’s debt and
financing costs. These areas of focus were also highlighted by Louis Du Preez, Steinhoff CEO, at the
South African Parliamentary Hearing on 4 September 2019.
Pepco Group
On 30 September 2019 the Group announced that Pepkor Europe, the fast-growing multi-format pan-
European discount variety retailer, had been renamed to Pepco Group, to directly link the business to
its market leading Central Europe operations – PEPCO.
During August 2019 Pepco Group concluded a refinancing of its banking facilities and, in doing so,
reduced the overall level of financing costs for the Pepco Group business. The new financing will
provide additional facilities to Pepco Group to support the implementation of its business plan.
In addition, as previously announced, Steinhoff is considering and evaluating a range of strategic
options for the Pepco Group, including a potential public listing. This process remains in its early stages
and no definitive decision has been taken with respect to any specific course of action at this point.
https://www.pepcogroup.eu/
Litigation and Remediation Plan Update
As reported at the Steinhoff AGM and at the Parlimentary Hearing in South Africa, Steinhoff
continues to manage the various litigation claims against the Group as well as assessing claims
available to Steinhoff against third parties. The Litigation Working Group, appointed as a sub-
committee of the Supervisory Board, is intimately involved in the conduct of litigation and the
litigation strategy generally. As shareholders are aware, Steinhoff faces multiple claims brought in
South Africa, the Netherlands and Germany by numerous parties, making the situation highly
complex.
Steinhoff is continuing to conduct its investigations and prepare its defences in the various
proceedings and will bring claims or counter claims against parties where it is appropriate to do so.
As part of its overall litigation strategy, Steinhoff will also consider early resolution of the claims
brought against it and the possibility of using the permitted settlement arrangements introduced
into the new terms of the Steinhoff finance documents and approved as part of the financial
restructuring implemented in August 2019. These arrangements may include, among other options,
an equity issuance by Steinhoff. Given the complexity of the Steinhoff litigation landscape there can
be no certainty that resolution of the disputes can be achieved prior to a final determination by the
relevant Courts but the Litigation Working Group continues to explore the possibility of finding an
acceptable solution to the current disputes.
In addition, the Group is seeking to build on progress made to date to strengthen its recovery, with
the clear objective of stabilising the Group in a way that ensures the long-term security and growth
of its underlying operations, maximises stakeholder returns and protects value.
The Group is therefore continuing to implement the Remediation Plan developed to address
previously identified weaknesses in, and to substantially enhance standards of, corporate
governance and control. The plan is fundamental to strengthening the governance structure of the
business and is being rolled out with determination.
Steinhoff EGM
As shareholders are aware, the Company will be holding an EGM in Amsterdam on 12 November
2019, when the resolution to appoint Mazars Accountants N.V. as its new statutory audit firm will be
proposed. The details are set out in the Notice of EGM, available on
http://www.steinhoffinternational.com/index.php |
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