Quote from PolymathMind:
So delta, what is the worst that can happen if I purchase these bonds.. ? And what are you hoping to happen when one acquires these subnote bonds, it wouldn't make a difference if they file a bk or not would it?
UPDATE DD & View:
Huge difference if they have to go to court, file BK vs. coming to a negotiated re-structured settlement with the debt holders.
In a nutshell, if they do have to go to court and file BK 11, the sub notes would, according to current market trading view, potentially be worth somewhere between 5-10 cents on the dollar. Some folks argue higher up to 20 cents on the dollar. It is really tough to gauge because of the previous complicated matters I outlined with the 2014's in play, the collateral Canadian assets going to the studios, etc..
So potentially you could still lose money even buying the notes at current market price in a worst worst case scenario.
If blockbuster announces cash infusion, strategic partner, or negotiates a debt reorg with the bondholders, these notes will move back up. At this point, I have so much capital invested in these notes, I would just be thrilled to see $30> levels again. Some say significantly higher, but I am trying to conservative and realistic.
Truth be told if I could do it over again, I would not have gotten into this trade in the first place at the point in time that I did. At current price of $10, the bonds properly reflect the risk reward of the situation and you would obviously lose allot less money in the worst case scenario more so then folks would bought these notes in the $20's, $30,s $40,s and higher.
This is a very unique situation unlike my previous distressed debt trades. Blockbuster has dragged this out so long now, that pretty much all the equity in the common stock has been sucked out. Had they dealt with these notes last year, when PPS was in the $1 range, it could have been so much easier. They could simply have issued a secondary and sold more issued common shares on the open market and raised cash.
Another thing that I don't like going forward fundamentally about blockbuster is that they really burn through cash flow. Now Keyes is asking for $100M more from the 2012's on a counter offer from their 95% equity stake + $30M in cash.
And the deal they negotiated with NCR is a little suspect for me now that I have been digging into it. I still have yet to pinpoint what their actual share of the revenue stream is going to be from that entire platform. For instance if their cut is only 15 cents on the dollar from each rental, on one hand its going to give them a new revenue stream, but on the other hand, what if people stop going to the stores and start using the kiosks. That is going to ultimately to create an imbalance on the rev side and not a favorable one.
Q2 numbers are going to be critical at measuring whats truly ahead!!! When you factor in Avatar, the 28 day lead, Movie Gallery closings, they need to really hit the numbers out of the ballmark. They better have SSS numbers that are way better than recent years.
And at this point my thought is not bothering to stick around to see it play out. Its not worth the risk. If they announce favorable refi debt reorg at the meeting, the bonds will make the move that they are going to make. At that point I would strongly recommend taking some off the table. And like I said if it gets to $30+ I am completely exiting my entire position.