Asean companies' growth hinges on rising debt and credit availability
The Nation September 11, 2014 1:00 am
Major companies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) remain firmly on their growth path, said Standard & Poor's Ratings Services which cautioned on some companies' growing debt.
The warning came in the first of seven reports, to highlight Standard & Poor’s first-ever survey of 100 of Asean’s largest companies by market capitalisation and discuss the developments in credit quality, leverage, capital spending, and corporate strategies in anticipation of the 2015 Asean Economic Community initiative.
"Asean companies are increasingly using debt to finance growth and are likely to continue doing that over the next two years," said Standard & Poor’s credit analyst Xavier Jean.
Standard & Poor’s estimates that internal cash flows and cash balances could fund only about half of almost US$300 billion Asean’s largest companies spent on expansion and acquisitions between 2008 and the first quarter of 2014. At the same time, these companies issued about $150 billion of additional debt to bridge the gap. The result of ongoing investment by Asean companies has weakened their credit profiles since 2011, when growth in revenues and cash flows started to wane.
Rising leverage raises the risk of financial distress, debt or corporate restructuring, or default if competition increases or growth slows down.
"The largest companies in Asean sailed through the 2008-2009 crisis relatively unscathed because of their low debt," said Jean. "But because of their greater leverage now, we believe the next global financial shock wave or a scenario of lower growth in China could harm these companies more today."
Most Asean companies have enough earnings buffer to absorb a gradual increase in interest rates. In addition, liquidity is generally not an immediate concern. We estimate that these companies have about $70 billion of debt maturing in the next 12 months, compared with close to $110 billion in cash balance.
Acquisitions outside the region are expected to rise as the companies seek to improve their international presence and counter stalling revenues and profits. Acquisitions more than doubled for the 100 ASEAN companies between 2011 and 2012, stayed high in 2013 and are on track for a record year in 2014. Yet, debt-financed acquisitions could pose credit risks.
"Conglomerates are the ones to watch," Jean said. "Their financial structures are becoming more complex and leveraged, and they have a seemingly insatiable appetite for acquisitions. In that context, an understanding of the full picture of a group and the real scale of its leverage and liquidity is more critical than ever to assessing their credit quality and that of their subsidiaries.
Asean companies' growth hinges on rising debt and credit availability
The Nation September 11, 2014 1:00 am
Major companies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) remain firmly on their growth path, said Standard & Poor's Ratings Services which cautioned on some companies' growing debt.
The warning came in the first of seven reports, to highlight Standard & Poor’s first-ever survey of 100 of Asean’s largest companies by market capitalisation and discuss the developments in credit quality, leverage, capital spending, and corporate strategies in anticipation of the 2015 Asean Economic Community initiative.
"Asean companies are increasingly using debt to finance growth and are likely to continue doing that over the next two years," said Standard & Poor’s credit analyst Xavier Jean.
Standard & Poor’s estimates that internal cash flows and cash balances could fund only about half of almost US$300 billion Asean’s largest companies spent on expansion and acquisitions between 2008 and the first quarter of 2014. At the same time, these companies issued about $150 billion of additional debt to bridge the gap. The result of ongoing investment by Asean companies has weakened their credit profiles since 2011, when growth in revenues and cash flows started to wane.
Rising leverage raises the risk of financial distress, debt or corporate restructuring, or default if competition increases or growth slows down.
"The largest companies in Asean sailed through the 2008-2009 crisis relatively unscathed because of their low debt," said Jean. "But because of their greater leverage now, we believe the next global financial shock wave or a scenario of lower growth in China could harm these companies more today."
Most Asean companies have enough earnings buffer to absorb a gradual increase in interest rates. In addition, liquidity is generally not an immediate concern. We estimate that these companies have about $70 billion of debt maturing in the next 12 months, compared with close to $110 billion in cash balance.
Acquisitions outside the region are expected to rise as the companies seek to improve their international presence and counter stalling revenues and profits. Acquisitions more than doubled for the 100 ASEAN companies between 2011 and 2012, stayed high in 2013 and are on track for a record year in 2014. Yet, debt-financed acquisitions could pose credit risks.
"Conglomerates are the ones to watch," Jean said. "Their financial structures are becoming more complex and leveraged, and they have a seemingly insatiable appetite for acquisitions. In that context, an understanding of the full picture of a group and the real scale of its leverage and liquidity is more critical than ever to assessing their credit quality and that of their subsidiaries.
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