MHP ups bond consent fee to 1.25% in new attempt to ease covenants

Only 43% of the Eurobond holders of Ukraine’s largest poultry producer MHP (MHPSA) supported easing bond covenants, the company reported on Feb. 29. The resolution to amend the covenants, for which quorum was a simple majority of bondholders, was not approved and the company has launched another consent solicitation. This time, the company is offering a 1.25% consent payment to those who approve the offer by the new deadline on March 7, provided the offer is supported by a majority. For yesterday’s vote, MHP proposed a 0.5% consent payment.

The key goal of the consent solicitation is to ease the limits to cash use by the company (e.g. for payment of dividends). The limits depend on consolidated profit. The company is asking to exclude non-cash foreign exchange losses generated starting 2H14 from the calculation of consolidated profit. Such losses amounted to USD 289 mln in 9M15. MHP is also offering to limit the cumulative basket for restricted payments to 40% (from 50%) of consolidated profit as of Nov. 30, 2016 and limit dividends and other payments to shareholders to USD 80 mln in 2016.