Hyflux - Treatment of perpetual holders by Ezion

Disclaimer: I am not an investment advisor. Heck, i am not even working in the financial industry. Below are my interpretation and i am grateful if you will let me know if anything i say is wrong and i will correct it in a reasonable time. I am not an expert and don't wish to be assumed to be one. I make losses frequently.

I don't like to speculate what will happen. I guess it wouldn't be totally nonsensical to look at what happened to perpetual holders in the case of Ezion. Now, it should be noted that Ezion is in the oil and gas service sector providing liftboats, jack-ups et.c while Hyflux is generally in the water business. The perpetual holders in Ezion are generally accredited investors who are  more sophisticated than the N2H and BTWZ retail holders. In fact, the problems of Ezion is also, arguably, much more the result of market forces than Hyflux. Why do i say so, their customer segments are different and Ezion is affected more directly by world wide oil prices which affect many of their competitors too. Think Pacific Radiance, Ezra, Nam Cheong e.t.c. AND....I have something heavy in my heart to say but i shall reserve it for now, pending further clarification.

I am actually very impressed with Ezion management's pro-activeness.
To summarise,

1) Issued an equity rights exercise in 11 July 2016.
By doing such a rights exercise proactively when the share prices were still not crushed(yet), they showed they were willing to dilute their shareholdings.

2) Took a reduction in compensation since 2015. (See pic)
A heavy reduction of 19% in 2015 and a reduction of  71% in 2017 compared with 2014. Now, i would really feel they are trying their best.

Taken from Ezion investor relation

3) Used 100 million of CEO and family shares for support from banks. (See above pic)

Now, i can really feel the proactiveness and alignment here, so much so that in February 2017 ,in the midst of the mess, they could attain a $120 million 3.65% committed funding backed notes due 2020 from a bank. Long story short, if they couldn't pay back these notes, the bank would pay back first. This was rated Aa1 by Moody!

In addition, RSM Corporate Advisory Pte Ltd also agreed to take shares of Ezion as payment of their fees, at a price of $0.2763 per Professional Fee Share.

In case you forgot!

Now, i am wondering how much goodwill Hyflux has with her bankers and advisors. Hopefully, seeing Hyflux having contributed so much to our nation , with their yearly appearance on National Day, cleaning the water that the bankers and advisors drink everyday, ensuring the water security of our nation ( at a cost of bidding at such an low price), giving bragging rights for Singapore to show that it can build the largest desalination plant in S.E.A and be self-sufficient,  it all amounts to something in the end when Hyflux needs help.

But, the pro-activeness ( or rather lack of it) by the Hyflux management is pathetic. I have never seen an equity rights issuance by Hyflux as a source of funding.
Why? Is it because it will cause dilution?
As opined by Professor Mak in Today about the tenure of the directors and chairman, i absolutely agree with him.

From Annual Report 2017

Is the founder CEO and majority of directors so long in her position that no one would dare to oppose them?
Did they take a pay cut like Ezion's?
Did any of them willingly used their personal fortune to secure funding for Hyflux yet?
If ever Hyflux survives, they should all be changed.

To be fair to Olivia, she did seem to spend some money to result in a dividend in specie in February 2018. This dividend resulted in coupons having to be paid to BTWZ as without a dividend to ordinary shareholders, there was no need of a coupon payment to BTWZ and it would accumulate instead. But some people opined it was her way to separate Hyfluxshop from Hyflux as it had potential and she would have something in the end if Hyflux was liquidated. Anyhow, the BTWZ coupon is now not paid, so, no matter whether her intentions were good or bad, could we demand back the dividend- in -specie of Hyfluxshop from Olivia, since the BTWZ convenant was broken........ BTWZ have to be paid coupons if a dividend to ordinary shareholders was made. I hope the ordinary shareholders (600) sold it back to her.

Anyway, back to Ezion and it is my own interpretation which could be wrong.

Ezion perpetual holders could choose :
1)Series C Non-Convertible Bonds
10 years of 0.25%pa with a 5% redemption premium at the end of 10 years.
( funny i couldn't find the exact terms in the investor relations but could only rely on this)

OR
2) Amended Series 008 Securities ( majority based on value chose this)

7 years of 0.25% pa.
7th year 1.25%pa
Stepping up by 1% every year onwards.
There is no fixed redemption date
There were warrants attached which were convertible to shares at a certain price, though it was a conversion in blocks of $50,000 denominations , after which these will considered to be "redeemed".

Further reading :
1) Considerations about Hyflux
2) The fate of Hyflux
3)Will Hyflux recover? The billion dollar question