Malaysia fund's holding in Malaysia Airlines diluted by debt restructuring

KUALA LUMPUR, March 4 (Reuters) – Malaysian sovereign wealth fund Khazanah Nasional’s holding in Malaysia Airlines has been diluted as a result of debt-to-equity conversions that were part of the airline’s debt restructuring plan, the fund said on Thursday.

Khazanah said there was a “minor dilution” to its equity in the national carrier due to debt-for-equity conversions that some creditors took up, and that the fund remained the largest shareholder.

“(The debt-to-equity conversion) adds more value to the existing equity holders by taking out liability from the balance sheet,” Managing Director Shahril Ridza Ridzuan said at a virtual press briefing, without elaborating.

The fund took Malaysia Airlines private in 2014.

Shahril also said discussions surrounding bringing in new investors to the airline will probably have to wait until after a recovery in the industry.

“The only deals that are being done are either fire sales or insolvency proceedings … We don’t expect that (discussion) really, until 2023, maybe 2022 at the earliest,” he said.

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