Our Daily Saab: Pang Da And Youngman Bail After Muller Rejects Buyout

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

With a Halloween deadline to get its restructuring back on track looming, Swedish Automobile has rejected an offer by Youngman and Pang Da to buy 100% of Saab’s shares. Moreover, the struggling Swedish brand has canceled the existing agreement with Youngman and Pang Da, its erstwhile would-be rescuers. A Saab presser notes:

Today, Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan) announced that it has given notice of termination with immediate effect of the Subscription Agreement of July, 2011 entered into by Swan, Pang Da and Youngman.

Swan took this step in view of the fact that Pang Da and Youngman failed to confirm their commitment to the Subscription Agreement and the transactions on the agreed terms contemplated thereby as well as to explicit and binding agreements made on October 13, 2011 related to providing bridge funding to Saab Automobile AB (Saab Automobile) while in reorganization under Swedish law.

Pang Da and Youngman have presented Swan on October 19 and 22 with certain conditional offers for an alternative transaction for the purchase of 100 percent of the shares in Saab Automobile which are unacceptable to Swan. However, discussions between the parties are ongoing


So, what exactly happened? Per SvD.se [via Google Translate],

The rejected bid for Saab from Youngman and Pang Da was around 200 million SEK (about $30m), according to new information. An improved bid is expected before long, but the parties are not close.

Victor Muller has had a telephone meeting with Rachel Pang representing Youngman and a representative from Pang Da – while also continuing negotiations with the U.S. investment company North Street Capital.

The Chinese 200 million bid for Saab, according to several sources, concerned 100 percent of the shares of Saab Automobile. It was made last Wednesday and effectively reflects the market capitalization of the parent company Swedish Automobile (Swan). This offer was subsequently rejected. After this, Guy Lofalk requested an halt to the reconstruction.

So, $30m for 100% of Swedish Automobile… that’s less than Saab needs each month just to keep the lights on in a “nuclear winter” scenario (about $50m). And yet Muller and Swedish Automobile won’t give up… although they are having to up their daily Kool Aid intake. Saab’s online mouthpiece at inside.saab.com gives some insight into the company’s current state of self delusion, writing:

Saab doesn’t have a debt crisis. We have a liquidity crisis. Our debt is manageable if we are producing and selling vehicles. In that scenario, the value in the company is much greater than our present market capitalisation.

We are a fantastic company, building great cars designed by fantastic people and we have a market for them. What we don’t have at this second is the lubricant needed to get the machine moving – cash.

There are other entities out there who recognise this and will be attracted to investing in Saab and that scenario is better than a lowball offer such as the one that our board has just said no to.

We have time pressures, for sure. But it ain’t over yet. Not by a long shot.

Speaking of those time constraints, SvD adds

Time is of the essence. On Tuesday the wages are due. On Thursday, must, in principle, an agreement of some kind be completed – because Saab need to show the district court that it is worth continuing reconstruction. Otherwise, bankruptcy awaits.

And speaking of bankruptcy, Saab’s court administrator lays out the grisly endgame (and provides some much-needed counterpoint to Saab’s baffling optimism) in an interview with Swedish TV, translated by Saabsunited.

Svt: Have there been any money at all?

GL: We have got some smaller amounts like twice 4.5milion dollars and once 1.5 milion dollars so we have been able to keep our nose above the surface.

Svt: How come no money arrived sofar?

GL: What I have seen is that the parts have not found an agreement about the deal that was suppose to bring those 70 milion euros. There has been a lot of discussions about this agreement and thats why no money have been transferd.

Svt: So you think that a reconstruction is no longer current because there is not enough liquidity?

GL: The liquidity is about to end so we can not continue the legal process so we have to terminate.

Any questions? Anyone? Bueller? Well, start shutting off the lights… the sad story of Saab’s demise shouldn’t take longer than another week or so.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

More by Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Jeff_vader Jeff_vader on Oct 26, 2011

    A quick update; they would appear to be suggesting that whoever the white knight on the horse is, they aren't Chinese. Surely not North Street Sixpack?

  • Jeff_vader Jeff_vader on Oct 27, 2011

    The Trollhatten local paper is reporting this lunchtime that no defence against the ending of Re-Construction was handed into the Courts by the 13:00 deadline today. It is also reporting that although the government loan for the payment of the wages has been paid because it doesn't cover a full month, they can't actually pay the staff until additional funding arrives. Read this as you will but my guess would be that means that Saab's bank account hasn't even got $100000 in it. The Unions aren't impressed and are yet again getting the staff to vote on bankruptcy. Time for the Swedish Chef one last time?

  • FreedMike Off topic, but folks, this site is not working well for me from a technical standpoint, and it doesn't matter if I'm using my phone, or my computer (on two different browsers). It locks up and makes it impossible to type anything in after a certain point. Anyone else having these issues?
  • Syke Kinda liked the '57, hated the '58. Then again, I hated the entire '58 GM line except for the Chevrolet. Which I liked better than the '57's. Still remember dad's '58 Impala hardtop, in the silver blue that was used as the main advertising color.
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
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