Highlights
Wirecard Says Missing $2.1 Billion Probably Doesn’t Exist

(Bloomberg) — Wirecard AG, the troubled German payments company, withdrew its financial results, saying the missing 1.9 billion euros ($2.1 billion) of cash on its balance sheet probably doesn’t exist.
Concerns over the missing money have prompted a collapse in Wirecard shares and the resignation of CEO Markus Braun, who was replaced on an interim basis by James Freis. In an indication of the company’s worsening outlook, Moody’s Investors Service said on Friday it cut Wirecard’s credit ratings six levels, putting it one step from the lowest tier of junk.
“There is a prevailing likelihood that the bank trust account balances in the amount of 1.9 billion euros do not exist,” the company said in a statement early Monday. It withdrew results for fiscal 2019 and preliminary results for the first quarter of 2020. The firm had repeatedly delayed filing its statements.
Read more on how Wirecard became an embarrassment for Germany
Wirecard said that it was continuing to investigate the matter and could not exclude potential effects on the financial accounts of previous years.
The company said that it was in “constructive discussions” with its lending banks, including the extension of lines coming due at the end of June. It is working with investment bank Houlihan Lokey on a sustainable financing strategy. Also under consideration are cost reductions, a restructuring, and disposal or termination of business units and product segments, according to the statement.
Wirecard’s lenders are demanding more clarity from the company in return for the extension of almost $2 billion in financing after it breached terms on the loan, people familiar with the matter said earlier. At least 15 commercial lenders, including Commerzbank AG and ABN Amro, are in hectic negotiations about the steps to take, they said.
The deepening mystery over the lost money last week centered on two Philippine lenders, after Wirecard said a couple of unnamed Asian banks had been unable to find accounts with the cash.
Both the Bank of the Philippine Islands and BDO Unibank Inc. said Wirecard wasn’t a client and they hadn’t seen the money.
A document purporting to show a link between Wirecard and BPI was “bogus” and may be part of an attempted fraud, the bank’s President Cezar Consing said Friday. BDO Unibank CEO Nestor Tan said it was a matter of “document fraud which was subsequently clarified by the bank as spurious.”
-
OER Magazines1 month ago
OER, April 25
-
Alamaliktistaad Magazines1 month ago
Al-Iktisaad, April 25
-
Renewables3 weeks ago
Jindal Renewables and OQ Alternative Energy Sign Joint Development Agreement to Advance Integrated Renewable Power Projects in Oman
-
Banking & Finance2 months ago
Bank Nizwa Signs MoU with Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs to Enhance Endowment Management & Islamic Finance Frameworks
-
News2 months ago
Oman Signs Historic Agreement to Establish World’s First Liquid Hydrogen Corridor to Europe
-
Renewables1 month ago
Sembcorp’s 588MW Solar Power Plant In Oman Begins Commercial Operation
-
Banking & Finance1 month ago
How Bank Muscat is Pioneering Digital Solutions to Empower Customers
-
Business3 weeks ago
Tawoos Group acquires NMC Oman