The performance in both subsidiaries is underpinned by a robust order book, successful debt re-profiling freeing up operating cash flows, and innovative working capital financing accelerating execution.
Tanelec Limited, headquartered in Arusha, Tanzania, is the leading manufacturer and distributor of transformers in the region while AEA Limited, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, provides solutions that enhance infrastructure efficiency and sustainability across the region.
In addition, the Group continued to create enormous commercial opportunities in line with its strategic plan through diversification of products, services, and geographical reach. The gains made have resulted in the Group returning to a positive operating profit.
Furthermore, significant progress in debt restructure has provided the businesses with the opportunity to access the much-needed working capital. Since 2016 the Group has reduced 40% of commercial debt, increased debt tenure with most tenures falling between 5-10 years and reduced debt service cashflow.
The progress made in restructuring debt has allowed the businesses in the Group to redirect more of the operating cash to fund the working capital and results can already be seen in the top line.
On the other hand, through increased efficiency and decisive actions to safeguard value by restructuring non-performing businesses, the Group has significantly reduced operating expenses with a 19.5% reduction in 2019 and upto 46% since 2016. However, as a result of the decision to restructure non-performing entities, there was a one-off impairment loss of Kshs 2.8billion related to goodwill carried in one of the scaled down businesses, without which the Group would have achieved a positive Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization (EBITDA)
Despite the significant one off non-operating impairment loss, the Group reduced the loss before tax by 12.9% with the loss after tax declining by 12.4%.
While releasing the results, The Group Chief Executive Officer Mr. Nganga Njiinu said, “The aggressive top line growth despite scaling down in some of the businesses, confirms that TC capital re-allocation strategy and focus on key levers in the turnaround plan is bearing fruit.”
“In 2019, we strategically scaled down operations in some of our portfolio businesses whose operating environment was incongruent with TC strategy and not supportive of the turnaround” added Mr. Njiinu
Most importantly the restructuring we have undertaken allow us to go to the next level of balance sheet restructure and clean up to reverse significant accrued liabilities linked to non-operating entities and special purpose vehicles (SPV’s) which will substantially improve our balance sheet.
