SEBI subtly mandates debt listed companies to prepare quarterly financial results

Stock exchange circular stipulates submission of financials not older than 6 months

Aanchal Kaur Nagpal | Senior Executive, Vinod Kothari & Company

 

NSE, vide clarification dated 14th July, 2020[1], has clarified that audited financials or unaudited financials with limited review, submitted by issuers for listing of their privately placed debentures, including for the stub period, shall not be older than 6 months from the date of the private placement disclosure document.

Schedule I to SEBI (ILDS) Regulations, 2008 mandates furnishing financial parameters upto latest half year in the offer document in addition to providing abridged version of audited consolidated (wherever available) and standalone financial information ( like profit & loss statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement) for at least last three years and auditor qualifications , if any and abridged version of latest audited / limited review half yearly consolidated (wherever available) and standalone financial information (like profit & loss statement, and balance sheet) and auditors qualifications, if any.

There was no express requirement that the half yearly financial results being submitted cannot be older than 6 months. In case of Commercial Paper (‘CPs), SEBI had expressly specified that the audited financial statements to be submitted by an issuer intending to list its CPs, shall not be older than 6 months from the date of the application of listing. [Para 5.2 of Annexure I of SEBI Circular on Framework for Listing CPs dated 22nd October, 2019[2]]

Carve out from the above requirement was provided, as amended vide SEBI Circular dated December 24, 2019[3], to listed issuers who were in compliance with SEBI (LODR) Regulations, 2015. Such listed entities could file unaudited financials with limited review for the stub period in the current financial year, subject to making necessary disclosures in this regard including risk factors.

Impact:

While a clarification in the above context was much needed, however the requirement for financials to be not older than 6 months would pose difficulties on debt-listed companies.

Debt listed entities are required to prepare financials (unaudited or audited) on a half yearly basis within 45 days (except in case of advance intimation) from the end of each half year [Regulation 52(1) of LODR Regulations] while equity listed entities are required to prepare the financials on a quarterly basis within 45 days from the end of each quarter and within 60 days from the financial end of the year for annual financials.

The aforementioned clarification will not impact the following companies:

  1. Equity-listed entities intending to list their privately placed debentures as they would be preparing quarterly financials;
  2. Debt-listed entities that are subsidiaries of equity-listed entities as they would be required to prepare quarterly financials for the purpose of consolidation with their holding equity-listed entity.

However, debt listed entities that are neither subsidiaries of equity listed entities nor having their specified securities listed, won’t be able to raise funds pursuant to issuance of NCDs if the financials are older than 6 months.

Debt-listed entities are required to prepare their financials within the following due dates:

Period of Financials Due Date Period during which financials would be more than 6 months old
Half year ended 31st March 15th May 1st April to 14th May
Half year ended 30th September 15th November 1st October to 14th November

For e.g. a debt listed entity won’t be able to list debt securities on Oct 1 based on financial results of March 31. Such companies will have to either prepare quarterly financials till June 30 or get the half yearly results for September 30 finalized on priority.

Clarity or Complication?

The said NSE clarification serves as a complication rather than a clarity. The said circular strains the ability to raise funds by debt-listed entities. NBFCs too would take a huge hit due to the said restriction on raising funds during periods where latest financials are not available. Where the world is already in a crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, liquidity of the debt market becomes all the more crucial.

On one hand, SEBI has mandated Large Corporates to raise minimum 25% of their incremental borrowings, by way of issuance of debt securities (as defined under SEBI ILDS Regulations), and on the other restriction by way of the said clarification has been imposed wherein the debt listed entities will have to prepare financials on a quarterly basis to be able to issue and list privately placed debt securities as and when there is requirement of funds.

Our other relevant resources –

[1] https://www.sebi.gov.in/legal/circulars/dec-2019/framework-for-listing-of-commercial-paper-amendments_45448.html

[2] https://www1.nseindia.com/content/debt/NSE_Circular_14072020_1.pdf

[3] https://www.sebi.gov.in/legal/circulars/oct-2019/framework-for-listing-of-commercial-paper_44715.html

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