The climate is good for scalable investments and disruptive technologies, but what about zombie companies and the threat of interest rate rises?

The tax climate has arguably never been better for investors and particularly those wishing to take advantage of the tax breaks available through EIS and Seed EIS.

Many of these investors are looking to back disruptive technologies that can break new ground and shift the playing field. They are looking for opportunities that can be scaled quickly, on a worldwide basis, through digital marketing channels. At this end of the spectrum, the pace of change is both fast and relentless, driven by the need to retain "first mover advantage", particularly where it is difficult to secure IP on a global basis.

At the other end of the spectrum we have what has become known as the "zombie companies" that remain constrained by both their debt and their often outdated business models. These companies are in a circle which is spiralling the wrong way. Now that the indicators are there for interest rates to rise this could force the position, and these businesses should seek help whilst they still have options.

At Secantor we have the resources and capability to deal with both ends of the spectrum, and everything in between. It is not just about knowledge, although that is hugely important to us as an organisation, where knowledge sharing is a way of life, but also about our connections and credibility with providers of both debt and equity.

Nigel Bacon
Secantor CEO
Fulfilling Business Potential
www.secantor.co.uk

Is the case for pre-packs different for quoted companies?

The recent Administration of Media Square (am AIM quoted company) and buyout by its managment throws into light whether a pre-pack process was appropriate in these circumstances.
In the case of a private company the shareholders are often the same as management and will have had opportunity to put further monies in prior to an insolvency process.
In the case of public companies this is not always the case. In the recent demise of Media Square it was announced in 2010 that new banking facilities would only be granted provided that the existing mangement team remained in place, following the AGM. Effectively, shareholders lost the opportunity to appoint management or have the opportunity to put further money into the company in the form of a rights issue. Of course there is nothing technically wrong with this but was it the right thing to do? If the bank was prepared to take a "hair cut" through a pre-pack wouldn't a better option have been to do this coupled with a rights issue and to work with shareholders?
Surely with a quoted company there should be a requirement to ask shareholders if they wish to put up more funds before placing the company into an insolvency procedure?

www.secantor.co.uk