Don't think its that different. IIRC didn't the SISU takeover have add ons based on promotion to the premier league, some of the debt was wiped off and some of the debt was settled at a much lower value than what it stood at with limited debt carried forward?
They also got a championship squad and Ryton for their pound didn't they? Not to mention a much better starting point for rebuilding the club.
It's probably not wise to compare the GH bid with the deal that originally brought SISU here. You may find it stacks up as equal maybe even better.
Its very different both in the accounting and finances.
Buy the company and you take over the liabilities. Buy the assets you don't.
The buy out in 2008 involved quite simple accounting tricks - all totally legal. SISU took responsibility for the debts introduced them into a new company then purchased CCFC H Ltd leaving debts as intercompany and the losses in place. The 2008 CCFC H accounts show amounts owed to group companies of £28m - that's a year end 4mths after SISU took over. Had the debt been wiped out there would have been a corresponding decrease in the debts and losses of CCFC H and then those losses could not have been transferred and converted in to preference shares in Otium. They also provided £571k in cash at time of purchase so it wasn't just £1 paid (which as another poster put on here was actually £5.58 in any case). CCFC H was worthless, it was so far in debt that the assets when revalued (and they were revalued) did not come close to creating a positive so was sold for a fiver.
Hoffman is trying to buy the assets & right to trade less football creditors (liabilities to players, manager, other clubs & FA/FL) that is very different. It is not buying the shares in Otium, so not buying Otium at all so not taking on the total assets less total liabilities of that company then discounting loans etc as was the case when CCFC H was bought. There are therefore no contingent liabilities to agree to cover a valuation unless GH wants to offer them.
Not directed at you tony as such, but I don't understand why people cant see the difference. The 2008 deal was buying the company so a deal on the debt had to be done. Hoffman is not buying the company which means he is leaving the debt and ordinary creditors behind (excluding Football creditors) full stop. Valuations now or then of CCFC H Ltd or Otium Entertainment Ltd are irrelevant to the Hoffman bid. He isn't buying any company
Buy the company and the money goes to the shareholders. Buy the assets and the money all goes to ARVO. The value of the company shares is a lot less than the value of just the company assets because of the effect of the total creditors. Also this is not a distressed sale because of impending administration or liquidation in any case which it was in 2008
The deal has in reality nothing at all to do with valuing this asset or that asset or discounting loans or writing them off. It is simply about fixing a price, how it is structured then walking away with all the assets and selected creditors. SISU will still own/control Otium should Hoffman do the deal
Last Otium accounts showed the following assets at historical cost (ie not at market value)
Players & trademark £181k - even our squad is worth far more than that.
Freehold property £341k - good luck buying Ryton for that
Equipment, fixtures etc £86k - probably no revaluation likely
The trademark and right to trade was purchased 2013 as part of the £1.5m distressed value paid to the administrator.
Hoffman would deduct the football creditors - not likely to be a lot as we are told everything being kept up to date
(Even at the values above more than £1 or £5.58) To sell the assets you would have to value them at todays market value not the historical cost as in the accounts.
It is generally accepted amongst the fans that the shares in Otium are worthless, but as I say no one is buying the Otium shares
SISU are not in a mood to sell to him, therefore any offer that could be successful would have to be at a price in excess of the value of the above items. Which means the deal has no basis in the true assets value at all. It is simply what ever it takes to get rid of them.
In all honesty i do not as yet see any real pressure that will make them go. Lot of noise yes but real pressure? SISU can sit and wait because the club is parked has been for a couple of years, they are not investing so their situation gets no worse, costs will be cut (wages in particular decrease next season as well as income) and if necessary they can sell a player to help fund it. They also know that get a bit of success and people will start going to watch again. There will be lower crowds in L2 at least to start but no crowd would still leave them with income. In terms of what they have whether it is classed as 20000 potential or people actually going there isn't a lot of difference in our situation when valuing it - they will not build a stadium simply because it might get them more the reality is it would probably not after you deduct the funding & finance costs they would need to put in upfront
It isn't therefore whether its a good or fair offer from our point of view it is whether it is good enough for SISU to be interested and go. Right now they are saying what they have been offered isn't any where close