Skip Header
Important information: The value of investments can go down as well as up so you may get back less than you invest. Investors should note that the views expressed may no longer be current and may have already been acted upon. This is a third-party news feed and may not reflect Fidelity’s views.

Atos shares drop as IT firm seeks €1.2bn to pay down debt

(Sharecast News) - Shares in struggling French IT and consulting business Atos dived on Tuesday after the company announced it as raising €1.2bn in new debt and equity as it attempts to slash its leverage position and lower debt. Shares were down nearly 10% at €2.09 by 1118 in Paris.

The company, which has seen the value of its stock now drop by more than 80% over the past 12 months, is struggling with its massive debt pile of €4.94bn, €500m of which is due by November with a further €3.15bn due by the end of next year.

In a statement on Tuesday, Atos said that €600m of cash is needed to fund the business over 2024 and 2025, which will be provided in the form of debt and/or equity by existing stakeholders or third-party investors. Meanwhile, it announced a new €300m revolving credit facility and €300m in additional bank guarantee lines.

The refinancing plan is part of Atos's strategy to obtain a BB credit profile by 2026 - up from B- currently - which assumes a financial leverage (or net debt-to-EBITA) ratio of below 3x by the end of 2025 and below 2x by the end of 2026.

Altogether, this implies a gross debt reduction of €2.4bn, it said, while remaining debt maturities will be extended by five years.

The company said it has reached an agreement in-principle with a group of banks, a group of bondholders and the French State on interim financing of €450m for additional liquidity until a formal refinancing agreement is reached with financial creditors - expected by July.

Atos said its financial forecasts assume it generating €9.9bn in revenue in 2024, down 2% on an organic basis, but it is targeting an improvement to €11.4bn by 2027.

Share this article

Related Sharecast Articles

RBC Capital lifts Centrica to 'outperform', shares rally
(Sharecast News) - RBC Capital Markets upgraded Centrica on Friday to 'outperform' from 'sector perform' and lifted the price target to 170p from 145p.
Jefferies reiterates 'buy' on National Grid, trims price target
(Sharecast News) - Jefferies trimmed its price target on National Grid on Friday as it reiterated its 'buy' rating on the energy infrastructure firm.
JPMorgan reiterates 'overweight' on Whitbread
(Sharecast News) - JPMorgan Cazenove reiterated its 'overweight' rating on Whitbread on Friday as it said it continues to be one of its key convictions, and sees the recent pullback - the shares are down 20% year-to-date - as "an opportunity to revisit the story".
Short-lived sunny spell helps boost UK supermarkets
(Sharecast News) - UK supermarket sales pushed higher in May, industry data showed on Friday, boosted by a brief spell of warmer weather.

Important information: This information is not a personal recommendation for any particular investment. If you are unsure about the suitability of an investment you should speak to one of Fidelity’s advisers or an authorised financial adviser of your choice. When you are thinking about investing in shares, it’s generally a good idea to consider holding them alongside other investments in a diversified portfolio of assets. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Award-winning online share dealing

Search, compare and select from thousands of shares.

Expert insights into investing your money

Our team of experts explore the world of share dealing.