Thursday, February 8, 2018

Energy Earth Bankruptcy






Getting to know Energy Earth

Energy Earth public company limited is a Thailand-based company engaged in the import and distribution of coal. It was firstly public in Market for Alternative Investment – MAI in 2010.The main operation of the company is about outsourcing to mine coal in Indonesia and distribute to users in both domestic and overseas market, especially in China.


What went wrong with Energy Earth stock and bonds?

Company’s executive members misused capital by borrowing money to trade stock. They took their own stock as collateral in block trade transactions. When Earth’s stock price fell, Investors(Company’s executive members) were forced sell which means they have to sell their stock to pay loan for block trade. Investors sold a large quantity of stocks; as a result, stock price dropped sharply and caused panic sell from other investors. This situation wiped out liquidity from the company. If the company lacks of liquidity, they won’t be able to pay debt from bonds and B/E or Bill of exchange (Short-term debt securities issued by private companies to raise short-term capital). Then, Company declared to SEC that they defaulted. After that credit rating agency downgraded credit rating from BBB- to D immediately.

Timeline







11 May, 2017 – the first dropping price of energy earth stock and bond
12 May, 2017– the energy earth stock and bond price was falling down on the second floor.

“Company’s executive members misused capital by borrowing money to trade stock. They took their own stock as collateral in block trade transactions. When Earth’s stock price fell, Investors (Company’s executive members) were forced sell which means they have to sell their stock to pay loan for block trade. Investors sold a large quantity of stocks; as a result, stock price dropped sharply and caused panic sell from other investors.” – refer the information mentioned above

7 June, 2017 - energy Earth Public Company Limited declared the subject "default of bill of exchange" or B/E 40 million baht including other next repayments.
8 June, 2017 – the price fell to the third floor. Simultaneously, the SEC has ordered Energy earth Plc. to clarify of the event of default of Bills of Exchange: the cause of the default, relevant impacts and recovery plan, including the reason why the company failed to make necessary preparation in advance to avoid such default within seven days.


Energy Earth’s operating report
From 2014 to the first quarter of 2017
basis
Quarter 1/2017
2016
2015
2014
Asset
35,725.08
34,056.23
29,429.67
17,940.93
Liability
25,034.12
22,944.71
18,718.52
12,643.91
Revenue
7,861
18,502
17,168
14,917
Profit (Loss)
(68)
871
1,026
1,042
Unit: million baht     
Source: The stock exchange of Thailand: SET


Creditors of the Energy Earth public limited company
The large portion is Krungthai bank: KTB about 10,000 million baht. Apart from KTB, Energy Earth has other three bank creditors: Kasikorn bank, Bank of Ayudhya and the ExportImport Bank of Thailand.
Another portion is creditors from bond and bill of exchange.

14 June, 2017 – trading party of Energy Earth stock and bond leads to shareholders of Earth energy Plc. extending from 7,201 to 18,000 persons. (They likely to predict that the Energy EarthPlc. have enough liquidity to operate its own business.)
15 June, 2017 - Energy Earth Public Company Limited inform the clarification of the event of default of Bills of Exchange. That is, the company heavily lacks of liquidity. Furthermore, In order to prevent investor from fraud Company, SEC marked a SPsign to the earth stock.
23 June, 2017 – the SEC ordered the earth energy Plc. to assign special audits from big4, then prepare and inform financial report within 30 days.
21 July, 2017 – the energy earth asked the SEC to extend deadline to submit a special audit report.
24 July, 2017 - the energy earth had summited a rehabilitation petition through the Central Bankruptcy Court because the company had liabilities in excess of assets totaling 26 billion baht due to prosecution by suppliers.
9 August, 2017 - the SEC ordered the Energy Earth to arrange a special audit report regarding the source, existence and status of additional debt, as the amount of increase debt had reach 1.21 times of the company’s financial position. (According to the SEC, the report should be submitted within 30 days.)


Who lost money or are likely to lose money?

Shareholders (18,000 persons) were lost money due to heavily dropped of stock price
Lenders and bondholders (Creditors: Krungthai bank,Kasikorn bank, Bank of Ayudhya and the ExportImport Bank of Thailand, and other bondholders) are likely to lose money because company has less asset than debt.



What types of risks are realized?

Moral hazard


What are the responses of SEC?

In order to prevent investor from fraud company, SEC marked a SP(suspended) sign to the earth stock and appointed special audits to investigate Earth’s suspicious financial report.


Block trade and Leverage terminology

Block trade is the trading method that matching the investor want to buy a future contract of stock and the security company at the price and quantity that both parties have agreed to provide more liquidity for this stock.

Leverage is type of loan for investment. Let’s say, you use leverage 1:2 and 100$ in cash this makes your purchasing power equal to 200$ if you buy a stock at 10$ per share when stock price drops to 5$ per share, you will be forced sell and lost all of your money.


Sources:

un-no Free Script