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Globalstar reported continuing losses for the quarter ended September 30, 2001. The company also announced that it is finalizing a new business plan aimed at ensuring uninterrupted service for Globalstar customers as discussions of this plan with its principal creditors continue with the objective of achieving a negotiated financial restructuring in the near future. With losses continuing and debt obligations looming, Globalstar is facing an almost inevitable slide into Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as the partnership writes down its 4 billion loss and relaunches the satellite constellation in a similar fashion to Iridium. For the September quarter, Globalstar, L.P. reported a net loss applicable to ordinary partnership interests for the quarter of $129 million, down 10% from the previous quarter's loss of $144 million. The current quarter's loss is equivalent to $1.98 per partnership interest, which converts to a loss of $0.33 per share of Globalstar Telecommunications Limited. Although minutes of use continued to climb in the third quarter, service revenue, net of discounts and promotions, declined 18% from the previous quarter to $1.4 million. This decrease was due in large part to the introduction of a revised, aggressive wholesale pricing scheme. Net revenue, including royalty income from phone sales, and less discounts and promotions, was $1.5 million, down 20% from the previous quarter. To further reduce operating costs, Globalstar has reduced its headcount significantly over the course of this year. By mid-November, the company expects to bring its headcount level down to 125 employees, which will still allow Globalstar to maintain basic operations in conjunction with the consolidation of service provider operations called for in its new business plan.
Restructuring Plan The aim of the service provider consolidation is to bring further efficiencies to the operation of the Globalstar network and to allow for increased coordination in the company's service offerings and pricing. Globalstar also intends to continue to offer its services through independent gateway operators in regions not included in the consolidation. Because the company has been able to reduce its operating expenses more rapidly than originally planned, Globalstar expects to begin 2002 with approximately $45 million cash on hand. If Globalstar's restructuring plan is agreed upon and put into effect, and if the new company receives the revenues currently projected under the plan, Globalstar believes it can achieve cash flow breakeven operations with far less additional funding than would have been required under the company's earlier business model. The company is currently in discussions with a number of possible investors to meet this requirement. Globalstar has been discussing its new business plan with its principal creditors, with the objective of achieving a negotiated financial restructuring plan. Assuming Globalstar is able to successfully conclude these discussions, the company and certain of its affiliates will commence voluntary Chapter 11 cases and seek to confirm a Chapter 11 plan which both implements the terms agreed with its creditors and binds all of Globalstar's creditors. Globalstar will likely decide to seek voluntary protection under the federal bankruptcy laws even without a pre-negotiated settlement with its principal creditors. Moreover, its creditors may, at anytime, initiate involuntary bankruptcy proceedings against Globalstar. In any financial restructuring, all partnership interests will likely be severely diluted, in which event they will have little or no value, or be eliminated entirely. This would apply to equity held by all of Globalstar's partners, including Globalstar Telecommunications Limited, the NASDAQ-listed entity. As announced in January, in order to have sufficient funds available to pursue continued progress in its marketing and service activities, Globalstar has suspended indefinitely principal and interest payments on all of its funded debt, including its credit facility, vendor financing agreements and Senior Notes, as well as dividend payments on its preferred stock. Suspension of these payments remains in effect, and, as a result of these actions, defaults have now occurred with respect to some of Globalstar's debt.
Sales and Marketing Operations
The satellite constellation continues to perform exceptionally well with continued very high rates of call retention and call completion. Although three of the company's 48 operational satellites experienced anomalies earlier this year and were taken out of service, one of the affected satellites has been restored to service, the second was replaced in early October by an on-orbit spare, and the third will be replaced in early December. With only one satellite out of operation, service outages are now very brief and infrequent, affecting only a small number of customers and only in certain non-temperate regions. When the third satellite is replaced in the next few weeks, outages will disappear completely. Related Links Globalstar SpaceDaily Search SpaceDaily Subscribe To SpaceDaily Express
Los Angeles - Nov 6, 2001The satellite constellation industry is in more turmoil than ever with ICO and Teledesic suspending merger discussions as both companies decide to go their separate ways in a bid to interest investors in their differing concepts.
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