Matalan founder looking to refinance the company
John Hargreaves, the founder of discount clothing store Matalan, is rumoured to be looking at a potential refinancing of the company which could see him pocket a £250 million special dividend. The company has been for sale for some time although potential buyers refused to match the £1.5 billion price tag and the sale was pulled some weeks ago. However it is believed that the company is looking towards a potential £500 million plus refinancing which would refinance existing debt and also allow the company to pay a special dividend to John Hargreaves.
Discussions regarding the potential refinancing appear to be at a very early stage and there is some concern that demand for so-called "junk bond" issues such as the Manchester United refinancing has weakened over the last few weeks. This refinancing is likely to be over a six year period with many people believing the company will be sold sooner rather than later, once the economy improves, investor appetite returns and buyers are prepared to meet the £1.5 billion asking price.
John Hargreaves has proven very adept at going against the trend in investment markets and indeed either way he will pocket a very significant return on his investment when he took Matalan private a few years ago.
Share this..
Related stories
Brits urged to reassess insurance cover amid economic concerns
Britons have been urged to assess their insurance cover in the light of signs that an economic downturn is setting in. In a study conducted by PruProtection, it was discovered that nine per cent of the population have no insurance cover at all. Meanwhile, just 13 per cent of those polled have mortgage payment protection insurance, payment protection insurance or accident, sickness and unemployment...
Read MoreUK taxpayers to make profit from asset protection scheme
The Asset Protection Agency, the agency in charge of the UK government's asset protection scheme, is confident that UK taxpayers could walk away with a profit from the scheme of anywhere between £5 billion and £6 billion. This is the scheme utilise by Lloyds bank and Royal Bank of Scotland which effectively insures their toxic assets and "puts a lid" on any potential liabilities in the future. I...
Read MorePensions Act 'to allow more National Insurance top-ups'
Around 500,000 Britons could benefit from new amendations to the upcoming Pensions Act.The rules over National Insurance contributions are to be relaxed, with people now allowed to top up shortfalls with one-off lump sum payments.Effectively, this will mean that many women, who took years off work to bring up children, will now be able to take out the full basic state pension.The change applies to...
Read MoreCar insurance fees hit £333m
Britons are paying out huge sums in fees to car insurance providers every year to make amendments to their policies, it has been revealed. The fees are charged by providers when drivers fail to notify them of changes which could invalidate their policies. These include a change of address or name or improvements to vehicles. Price comparison site uSwitch.com calculates that some £333 million was...
Read MoreHated hand-me downs worth £50 million
Brits are hoarding hated hand-me-downs and inherited items worth a whopping £50 million, according to home insurance provider Abbey.Some 12 per cent of people admit to living in homes cluttered up by inherited items, with the average person owning 12 such items, worth an estimated £9,466 per person.Over half (53 per cent) hide the heirlooms around the house, while one-in-five (20 per cent) sell...
Read More