CORINTHIA FINANCE P.L.C.
Annual Financial Report and Financial Statements For the year ended 28 February 2022
Contents
Directors’ statement of compliance with the Code of Principles of Good Corporate Governance
Other disclosures in terms of Capital Markets Rules
Statement of total comprehensive income
Statement of financial position
Statement of changes in equity
Notes to the financial statements
Company registration number C 25104
Directors’ report
The directors present their report of Corinthia Finance p.l.c. (the “ Company ”), for the year ended 28 February 2022 .
Principal activities
The principal activity of the Company is to finance the ownership, development, operation and financing of hotels, resorts and leisure facilities, forming part of the Corinthia Group of Companies, of which it is a member.
The Company is essentially a special purpose vehicle set up for financing transactions of the Corinthia Group of Companies. It raised such finance mainly through the issue of bonds, which are quoted on the Malta Stock Exchange and guaranteed by Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Limited (CPHCL), to whom the proceeds from their issue have been advanced.
Review of the business
During the year under review, the Company registered a profit of €6,479. The Company’s financial position as at 28 February 2022 is set out in the statement of financial position.
Directors
The following have served as directors of the Company during the year under review:
Mr Joseph Fenech (Chairman) Mr Frank Xerri de Caro Dr Joseph J . Vella Mr Mario P. Galea
In accordance with the Company’s Articles of Association, the present directors remain in office.
Events after the end of the reporting period
No adjusting or significant non-adjusting events have occurred between the reporting date and the date of authorisation.
Future developments
The Company intends to continue acting as a finance company on behalf of its parent company, CPHCL.
Risk and uncertainties
The main risk of the Company is that CPHCL, as borrower, does not repay its loans and interest. The Directors of the Company are provided with oversight of CPHCL’s cash flow forecasts on a regular basis enabling them to monitor the evolution of these cash flows.
Key performance indicators
The Company earned interest income from the loans made to the parent company, CPHCL in accordance with the loan agreements in place.
Going concern
As required by Capital Markets Rule 5.62 issued by MFSA, upon due consideration of the Company’s state-of-affairs, capital adequacy and solvency, the directors confirm the Company’s ability to continue in operational existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, in preparing the financial statements, they continue to adopt the going concern basis. Refer to Note 2, for the Directors’ assessment of the going concern assumption.
Disclosure of information to the auditor
At the date of making this report, the directors confirm the following:
Statement of directors’ responsibilities
The Companies Act, Cap 386 requires the directors to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state-of-affairs of the Company as at the end of the financial year and of the profit or loss of the Company for that year. In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
The directors are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements have been properly prepared in accordance with the Companies Act, Cap 386. This responsibility includes designing, implementing and maintaining internal controls relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
Auditor
A resolution proposing the appointment of the auditor of the Company will be submitted at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.
Signed on behalf of the Board of Directors on 29 April 2022 by Joseph Fenech (Chairman) and Joseph J. Vella (Director) as per the Directors’ Declaration on ESEF Annual Financial Report submitted in conjunction with the Annual Financial Report.
Registered Office: 22, Europa Centre John Lopez Street Floriana FRN 1400 Malta
Statement by the directors on the financial statements and other information included in the annual financial report
Pursuant to Capital Markets Rule 5.68, we, the undersigned, declare that to the best of our knowledge, the financial statements included in the Annual Financial Report, and prepared in accordance with the requirements of International Financial Reporting Standards as adopted by the EU, give a true and fair view of the assets, liabilities, financial position and profit of the Company, and that this report includes a fair review of the development and performance of the business and position of the Company, together with a description of the principal risks and uncertainties that it faces.
Directors’ statement of compliance with the Code of Principles of Good Corporate Governance
Listed companies are subject to The Code of Principles of Good Corporate Governance (the “Code”). The adoption of the Code is not mandatory, but listed companies are required under the Capital Markets Rules issued by MFSA to include a Statement of Compliance with the Code in their Annual Financial Report, accompanied by a report of the independent auditor.
The board of directors (the “directors” or the “board”) of Corinthia Finance p.l.c. (“CF” or the “Company”) restate their support for the Code and note that the adoption of the Code has resulted in positive effects to the Company.
The board considers that during the reporting period, the Company has been in compliance with the Code to the extent that was considered adequate with the size and operations of the Company. Instances of divergence from the Code are disclosed and explained below.
COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE
Principles 1 and 4: The board
The board of directors is entrusted with the overall direction and management of the Company, including the establishment of strategies for future development, and the approval of any proposed acquisitions by the Company in pursuing its investment strategies.
Its responsibilities also involve the oversight of the Company’s internal control procedures and financial performance, and the review of business risks facing the Company, ensuring that these are adequately identified, evaluated, managed and minimised. All the directors have access to independent professional advice at the expense of the Company, should they so require.
Further to the relevant section in Appendix 5.1 to the Capital Markets Rules the board of directors acknowledge that they are stewards of the Company’s assets and their behaviour is focused on working with management to enhance value to the shareholders.
The board is composed of persons who are fit and proper to direct the business of the Company with the shareholders as the owners of the Company.
All directors are required to:
In terms of Capital Markets Rules 5.117 – 5.134 the board has established an Audit committee to monitor the Company’s present and future operations, threats and risks in the external environment and current and future strengths and weaknesses. The Audit committee ensures that the Company has the appropriate policies and procedures in place to ensure that the Company and its employees maintain the highest standards of corporate conduct, including compliance with applicable laws, regulations, business and ethical standards. The Audit committee has a direct link to the board and is represented by the Chairman of the Audit committee in all board meetings.
Principle 2: Chairman and chief executive
The roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are both carried out by Mr Joseph Fenech. Although the Code recommends that the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are kept separate, the directors believe that, in view of the particular circumstances of the Company, Mr Fenech should occupy both positions.
In terms of Principle 3.1, which calls for the appointment of a senior independent director where the roles of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer are carried out by the same person, the board has appointed Dr Joseph J. Vella as the indicated senior independent director.
The Chairman is responsible to:
Principle 3: Composition of the board
The board of directors consists of one executive director who also acts as Chairman and three non-executive directors. The present mix of executive and non-executive directors is considered to create a healthy balance and serves to unite all shareholders’ interests, whilst providing direction to the Company’s management to help maintain a sustainable organisation.
The non-executive directors constitute a majority on the board and their main functions are to monitor the operations of the executive director and his performance as well as to analyse any investment opportunities that are proposed by the executive director. In addition, the non-executive directors have the role of acting as an important check on the possible conflicts of interest of the executive director, which may exist as a result of his dual role as executive director of the Company and his role as officer of the Company’s parent company, CPHCL and its other subsidiaries. For the purpose of Capital Markets Rules 5.118 and 5.119, the non-executive directors are deemed independent. The board believes that the independence of its directors is not compromised because of long service or the provision of any other service to the Corinthia Group. Each director is mindful of maintaining independence, professionalism and integrity in carrying out his duties, responsibilities and providing judgement as a director of the Company. The board considers that Dr Joseph J. Vella, Mr Frank Xerri de Caro and Mr Mario P. Galea are the three independent Directors of the company and hereby reports that neither of them:
Each of the Directors hereby declares that he undertakes to:
The board is made up as follows:
Mr Eugenio Privitelli acts as secretary to the board of directors.
In accordance with the requirements of the Articles of Association, the term of office of the directors lapsed at the Annual General Meeting held on 29 April 2022, at which date they were re-appointed for a further term.
The board met four times during the period under review. The number of board meetings attended by directors for the period under review is as follows:
Principle 6: Information and professional development
The Company ensures that it provides directors with relevant information to enable them to effectively contribute to board decisions. The Company is committed to provide adequate and detailed induction training to directors who are newly appointed to the Board. The Company pledged to make available to the directors all training and advice as required.
Principle 8: Committees
Audit committee
The audit committee’s primary objective is to assist the board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities over the financial reporting processes, financial policies and internal control structure. The committee is made up of a majority of non-executive directors and reports directly to the board of directors. The committee oversees the conduct of the internal and external audits and acts to facilitate communication between the board, management and, upon the direct request of the audit committee, the internal audit team and the external auditor.
During the period under review, the committee met four times. The internal and external auditors were invited to attend these meetings. The number of audit committee meetings attended by members for the period under review is as follows:
Mr Frank Xerri de Caro, a non-executive director, acts as Chairman, whilst Mr Joseph Fenech, Dr Joseph J. Vella and Mr Mario P. Galea act as members. The Company Secretary, Mr Eugenio Privitelli acts as secretary to the committee .
The board of directors, in terms of Capital Markets Rule 5.118, has indicated Mr Mario P. Galea as the independent non-executive member of the audit committee who is considered to be competent in accounting and/or auditing in view of his considerable experience at a senior level in the banking field.
The Audit committee is also responsible for the overview of the internal audit function. The role of the internal auditor is to carry out systematic risk-based reviews and appraisals of the operations of the Company (as well as of the subsidiaries and associates of the Group) for the purpose of advising management and the board, through the Audit committee, on the efficiency and effectiveness of management policies, practices and internal controls. The function is expected to promote the application of best practices within the organisation.
The directors are fully aware that the close association of the Company with CPHCL and its other subsidiaries is central to the attainment by the Company of its investment objectives and implementation of its strategies. The Audit committee ensures that transactions entered into with related parties are carried out on an arm’s length basis and are for the benefit of the Company, and that the Company and its subsidiaries accurately report all related party transactions in the notes to the financial statements.
Pursuant to Articles 16 and 17 of Title III of the provisions of the Statutory Audit Regulations, the Audit committee has been entrusted with overseeing the process of appointment of the statutory auditors or audit firms.
Principle 9: Relations with shareholders and with the market
The Company is highly committed to having an open and communicative relationship with its bondholders and investors. In this respect, over and above the statutory and regulatory requirements relating to the Annual General Meeting, the publication of interim and annual financial statements, the Company seeks to address the diverse information needs of its bondholders and investors by providing the market with regular, timely, accurate, comparable and comprehensive information.
Principle 10: Institutional shareholders
The Company ensures that it is constantly in close touch with its principal institutional investors. The Company is aware that institutional investors who are mainly bondholders have the knowledge and expertise to analyse market information and make their independent and objective conclusions of the information available.
Institutional investors are expected to give due weight to relevant factors drawn to their attention when evaluating the Company’s governance arrangements in particular those relating to board structure and composition and departure from the Code of Corporate Governance.
Principle 11: Conflicts of interest
The directors are fully aware of their obligations regarding dealings in securities of the Company as required by the Capital Markets Rules in force during the year. Moreover, they are notified of blackout periods, prior to the issue of the Company’s interim and annual financial information, during which they may not trade in the Company’s bonds.
None of the other Directors of the Company have any interest in the shares of the Company or the Company’s subsidiaries or investees or any disclosable interest in any contracts or arrangements either subsisting at the end of the last financial year or entered into during this financial year.
Principle 12: Corporate social responsibility
The Company understands that it has an obligation towards society at large to put into practice sound principles of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). This responsibility is carried out by its parent company, CPHCL.
NON-COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE
Principle 7: Evaluation of the board’s performance
Under the present circumstances, the board does not consider it necessary to appoint a committee to carry out a performance evaluation of its role, as the board’s performance is always under the scrutiny of the shareholders.
Other disclosures in terms of Capital Markets Rules
Statement by the d irectors p ursuant to Capital Markets Rule 5.70.1
Contracts of significance with parent company
The Company provided its parent company, Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Limited with loans, the funds of which were obtained through bonds issued on the Malta Stock Exchange.
Pursuant to Capital Markets Rule 5.70.2
Company secretary and registered office
Eugenio Privitelli 22 Europa Centre, Floriana FRN 1400, Malta Telephone (+356) 21 233 141 |
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Year ended |
Year ended |
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28 February 2022 |
28 February 2021 |
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Notes |
€ |
€ |
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|
|
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Finance income |
5 |
1,750,000 |
1,750,004 |
Finance costs |
5 |
(1,700,000) |
(1,700,000) |
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Net interest earned |
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50,000 |
50,004 |
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Administrative expenses |
6 |
(40,030) |
(39,675) |
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Profit before tax |
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9,970 |
10,329 |
Tax expense |
7 |
(3,491) |
(3,614) |
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Profit for the year |
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6,479 |
6,715 |
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Total comprehensive income for the year |
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6,479 |
6,715 |
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The notes to the financial statements are an integral part of these financial statements.
28 February |
28 February |
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2022 |
2021 |
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Notes |
€ |
€ |
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ASSETS |
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Non-current |
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Loans owed by parent company |
8 |
39,910,000 |
39,910,000 |
Total non-current assets |
39,910,000 |
39,910,000 |
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Current |
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Receivables |
9 |
1,912,222 |
1,924,129 |
Other financial assets |
20,150 |
20,150 |
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Cash and cash equivalents |
10 |
83,059 |
73,169 |
Total current assets |
2,015,431 |
2,017,448 |
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Total assets |
41,925,431 |
41,927,448 |
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EQUITY |
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Share capital |
11 |
250,000 |
250,000 |
Retained earnings |
16,107 |
9,628 |
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Total equity |
266,107 |
259,628 |
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Non-current liabilities |
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Bonds in issue |
12 |
40,000,000 |
40,000,000 |
Total non-current liabilities |
40,000,000 |
40,000,000 |
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Current liabilities |
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Payables |
13 |
1,659,324 |
1,667,820 |
Total liabilities |
41,659,324 |
41,667,820 |
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Total equity and liabilities |
41,925,431 |
41,927,448 |
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The notes to the financial statements are an integral part of these financial statements. |
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The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the Board of Directors on 29 April 2022. The financial statements were signed on behalf of the Board of Directors by Joseph Fenech (Chairman) and Joseph J. Vella (Director) as per the Directors’ Declaration on ESEF Annual Financial Report submitted in conjunction with the Annual Financial Report. |
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Share |
Retained |
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capital |
earnings |
Total |
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€ |
€ |
€ |
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At 1 March 2020 |
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250,000 |
2,913 |
252,913 |
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Comprehensive income: |
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Profit for the year |
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- |
6,715 |
6,715 |
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Total comprehensive income for the year |
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- |
6,715 |
6,715 |
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At 28 February 2021 |
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250,000 |
9,628 |
259,628 |
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At 1 March 2021 |
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250,000 |
9,628 |
259,628 |
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Comprehensive income: |
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Profit for the year |
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- |
6,479 |
6,479 |
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Total comprehensive income for year |
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- |
6,479 |
6,479 |
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At 28 February 2022 |
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250,000 |
16,107 |
266,107 |
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The notes to the financial statements are an integral part of these financial statements.
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Year ended |
Year ended |
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28 February 2022 |
28 February 2021 |
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Notes |
€ |
€ |
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Cash flows from operating activities |
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Cash used in operating activities |
14 |
(38,236) |
(98,849) |
Tax paid |
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(1,874) |
(8,335) |
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Net cash used in operating activities |
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(40,110) |
(107,184) |
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Cash flows from investing activities |
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Interest received |
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1,750,000 |
1,767,087 |
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Net cash generated from investing activities |
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1,750,000 |
1,767,087 |
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Cash flows from financing activities |
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Interest paid |
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(1,700,000) |
(1,700,000) |
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Net cash used in financing activities |
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(1,700,000) |
(1,700,000) |
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Net change in cash and cash equivalents |
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9,890 |
(40,097) |
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Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |
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73,169 |
113,266 |
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Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |
10 |
83,059 |
73,169 |
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The notes to the financial statements are an integral part of these financial statements.
Notes to the financial statements
1. Nature of operations
The principal activity of Corinthia Finance p.l.c. (the “Company”) is to finance the ownership, development, operation and financing of hotels, resorts and leisure facilities, forming part of the Corinthia Group of Companies, of which it is a member.
2. Basis of preparation
The financial statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) and adopted by the European Union, and in accordance with the Companies Act, Cap 386.
Corinthia Finance p.l.c. is a public company and is incorporated and domiciled in Malta. The address of the Company’s registered office is 22, Europa Centre, Floriana FRN 1400, Malta. The parent company of Corinthia Finance p.l.c. is Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Limited (CPHCL) of the same address.
The financial statements are presented in euro (€), which is also the functional currency of the Company.
Assessment of the appropriateness of the going concern assumption taking cognisance of the COVID-19 related events
The Company’s sole activity is the issuance of bonds to the general public and utilising the proceeds to effect advances to CPHCL, the Company’s parent. The Company’s financial transactions include interest payments and interest receipts on the bonds and advances to CPHCL respectively. CPHCL is the parent of the Corinthia group of companies which is principally an investment company but is also involved in the hospitality and catering businesses locally and overseas. CPHCL, at times, also financially supports its subsidiaries providing strategic and funding direction, acting as the ultimate parent holding company within the Corinthia group, and hence utilises its treasury function in this manner to finance the group’s operations. Since CPHCL is the Company’s sole borrowing customer, the Company’s ability to service its debt obligations is intrinsically linked to the financial performance and cash flow position of CPHCL and accordingly, the Company’s ability to continue operating as a going concern is unequivocally dependent on CPHCL’s ability to continue operating as a going concern on Group and Company stand-alone bases.
CPHCL Group’s (the Group) operations and financial performance were severely impacted by the unprecedented decline in both international and domestic travel since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Prior to the pandemic the Group had significant headroom in its cash balances to support its operations, which was later augmented with new debt facilities granted from local banks under the COVID-19 guarantee scheme to ensure availability of funds.
Operating conditions generally improved in the second half of the year, with all hotels open for business, and with the Group projecting that consolidated revenue levels will revert to pre COVID-19 benchmarks during 2024. The trajectory to such performance by the Group will be dependent on the level of travel restrictions that are maintained by governments. It is expected that individual properties will revert over a different timeline, with some attaining this level of performance before 2024.
During the pandemic, CPHCL Group engaged in extensive dialogues with its funding banks in Malta and internationally and entered into ad hoc arrangements with most of its principal lending banks to defer capital and in some cases interest payments too. These moratorium on interest and capital in some instances also extend to the first part of 2022. Certain banking facilities include loan to value and debt service cover covenants which are tested on a periodical basis. Waivers have been obtained in respect of such breaches of these covenants that occurred in 2021 or are expected to occur in the early part of 2022. This situation is being kept under constant review and if additional waivers will be required these will be applied for in due time. If waivers are not successfully negotiated, then the Group would be technically considered in default in respect of the related loan agreements and facilities would need to be repaid, which may mean that the Group may not be able to meet these liabilities at that point in time. However, the Group expects to secure all further future waivers as needed.
At 31 December 2021, CPHCL Group enjoyed a liquidity position which enabled it to sustain its operations as well as meet its capital commitments. At 31 December 2021, CPHCL Group had access to €193.79 million, comprising €50.73 million of undrawn committed facilities and €143.06 million of cash balances. Overall, the Group’s balance sheet position remains robust.
This strong position will also enable the Group to support its operations in St Peterburg which is operating in a curtailed environment following the imposition of international sanctions on Russia as a result of the conflict in Ukraine.
Accordingly, the Directors and senior management consider the going concern assumption in the preparation of the Company’s financial statements as appropriate as at the date of authorisation for issue of the February 2022 financial statements.
The board of directors and senior management remain vigilant on developments and will take appropriate measures as and when necessary to ensure the continued viability of the Company. In their view, as at that date, there were no material uncertainties that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue operation as a going concern.
Standards and amendments to existing standards effective 1 March 2021
There are no standards, amendments to standards or interpretations that are effective for annual periods beginning on 1 March 2021 that have a material effect on the financial statements of the Company.
Standards, interpretations and amendments to published standards that are not yet effective
Certain new standards, amendments and interpretations to existing standards have been published by the date of authorisation for issue of these financial statements but are mandatory for the Company’s accounting periods beginning after 1 January 2021. The Company had not early adopted these revisions to the requirements of IFRSs as adopted by the EU.
3. Summary of accounting policies
3.1 Overall considerations
The significant accounting policies that have been used in the preparation of these financial statements are summarised below.
The financial statements have been prepared using the measurement bases specified by IFRS for each type of asset, liability, income and expense. The measurement bases are more fully described below.
The accounting policies have been consistently applied by the company and are consistent with those used in previous years.
3.2 Revenue recognition
Revenue is measured at fair value. Amounts disclosed as revenue are interest income from loans and other financial assets.
3.2.1 Finance income/cost
Finance income is recognised in profit or loss for all interest-bearing instruments as it accrues using the effective interest method.
Finance cost is reported on an accrual basis using the effective interest method.
3.3 Administrative expenses
Administrative expenses are recognised in profit or loss upon utilisation of the service or at the date of their origin.
3.4 Financial assets
3.4.1 Classification
The company classifies its financial assets in the following measurement categories:
- those to be measured subsequently at fair value (either through OCI or through profit or loss), and - those to be measured at amortised cost.
The classification depends on the entity’s business model for managing the financial assets and the contractual terms of the cash flows.
For assets measured at fair value, gains and losses will either be recorded in profit or loss or OCI.
The Company reclassifies debt investments when and only when its business model for managing those assets changes.
3.4.2 Recognition and derecognition
The Company recognises a financial asset in its statement of financial position when it becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument.
Financial assets are derecognised when the rights to receive cash flows from the financial assets have expired or have been transferred and the Company has transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership.
3.4.3 Measurement
At initial recognition, the Company measures a financial asset at its fair value plus, in the case of a financial asset not at fair value through profit or loss (FVTPL), transaction costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition of the financial asset. Financial assets carried at fair value through profit or loss are initially recognised at fair value. Transaction costs of financial assets carried at fair value through profit or loss are expensed in profit or loss.
Debt instruments
Subsequent measurement of debt instruments depends on the Company’s business model for managing the asset and the cash flow characteristics of the asset. The Company’s debt instruments principally comprise loans and advances to other undertakings.
The Company classifies its debt instruments using the following measurement category:
• Amortised cost: Assets that are held for collection of contractual cash flows where those cash flows represent solely payments of principal and interest are measured at amortised cost. Interest income from these financial assets is included in finance income using the effective interest rate method. Any gain or loss arising on derecognition is recognised directly in profit or loss and presented in other operating expenses together with foreign exchange gains and losses. Impairment losses are presented as separate line item in the statement of profit or loss.
3.4.4 Impairment
The Company assesses on a forward-looking basis the expected credit losses associated with its debt instruments carried at amortised cost. The impairment methodology applied depends on whether there has been a significant increase in credit risk. The recoverability of the loan is assessed at the end of each financial year. Refer to Note 8 for further details.
3.5 Financial liabilities
The Company recognises a financial liability in its statement of financial position when it becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. Financial liabilities not at fair value through profit or loss are recognised initially at fair value, being the fair value of consideration received, net of transaction costs that are directly attributable to the acquisition or the issue of the financial liability. These liabilities are subsequently measured at amortised cost. Financial liabilities at fair value through profit or loss would be initially recognised at fair value through profit or loss with transaction costs in profit or loss and would be subsequently measured at fair value. The Group derecognises a financial liability from its statement of financial position when the obligation specified in the contract or arrangement is discharged, is cancelled or expires.
3.6 Income tax
The income tax expense for the year is the tax payable on the current year’s taxable income based on the current laws of Malta adjusted by changes in deferred tax assets and liabilities attributable to temporary differences and to unused tax losses.
Current and deferred tax is recognised in profit or loss, except to the extent that it relates to items recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity. In this case, the tax is also recognised in other comprehensive income or directly in equity, respectively.
Deferred tax assets are recognised only if it is probable that future taxable amounts will be available to utilise those temporary differences and losses.
3.7 Cash and cash equivalents
For the purpose of presentation in the statement of cash flows, cash and cash equivalents includes deposits held at call with financial institutions.
3.8 Receivables
Receivables are recognised initially at fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
3.9 Payables
These amounts represent liabilities for goods and services provided to the company prior to the end of financial period which are unpaid. Payables are presented as current liabilities unless payment is not due within 12 months after the reporting period. They are recognised initially at their fair value and subsequently measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.
4. Critical accounting estimates and judgements
The preparation of financial statements requires the use of accounting estimates which, by definition, will seldom equal the actual results. Management also needs to exercise judgement in applying the Company’s accounting policies.
Estimates and judgements are continually evaluated and based on historical experience and other factors including expectations of future events that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.
In the opinion of the directors, the accounting estimates and judgements made in the course of preparing these financial statements are not difficult, subjective or complex to a degree which would warrant their description as critical in terms of the requirements of IAS 1.
5. Finance income and finance costs
Finance income and finance costs consist of the following:
6. Expenses by nature
Auditor’s fees
Fees charged by the auditor for services rendered during the financial year ended 2022 and 2021 relate to the following:
During the current year, fees in relation to non-assurance services amounting to €1,035 have been charged by connected undertakings of the Company’s auditor.
7. Tax expense
The relationship between the expected tax expense based on the effective tax rate of the Company at 35% (2021: 35%) and the tax expense actually recognised in the statement of total comprehensive income can be reconciled as follows:
8. Loans owed by parent company
The loan ranks pari passu, without any priority or preference within all other present and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations of the parent company, to which the loans have been advanced.
Based on the current market prices of the issued bond, the fair value of Loan VI is €42,051,000.
9 . Receivables
The carrying value of financial assets is considered a reasonable approximation of fair value.
The amounts owed by parent company are unsecured, interest free and repayable on demand.
10 . Cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents in the statement of financial position and statement of cash flows include the following component:
11 . Share capital
The share capital of Corinthia Finance p.l.c. consists of fully paid ordinary shares with a par value of € 1 each. All shares are equally eligible to receive dividends and the repayment of capital and represent one vote at the shareholders’ meeting of Corinthia Finance p.l.c .
12 . Bonds in issue
The bond issue costs on the bonds have been borne by the parent company. The payment of these bonds and interest thereon are guaranteed by the parent company which has bound itself jointly and severally with the Company.
The carrying value of the bonds in issue is considered a reasonable approximation of their fair values. The quoted market price as at 28 February 2022 for Bond V was €100.04 (as at 28 February 2021: €100.00).
13 . Payables
Payables recognised in the statement of financial position can be analysed as follows:
The carrying value of these financial liabilities is considered a reasonable approximation of fair value.
14 . Cash flow adjustments and changes in working capital
The following non-cash flow adjustments and adjustments for changes in working capital have been effected to profit before tax to arrive at operating cash flows:
15. Related party transactions
The Company ’s related parties include its parent company, fellow subsidiaries , key management personnel (the directors) and all other parties forming part of the Corinthia Group of Companies . Unless otherwise stated, none of the transactions incorporates special terms and conditions and no guarantees were given or received. Outstanding balances are usually settled in cash.
1 5.1 Transactions with key management personnel
Other than the remuneration paid to the directors included in note 6, there were no other transactions with key management personnel.
1 5. 2 Transactions with parent company
Transactions with parent company are included in note 5 whilst balances are shown separately in notes 8 and 9 .
15.3 The individual Directors’ holdings in the bonds were as follows:
As at 28 February 2022, Mr Frank Xerri De Caro held
11,700 units in the € 40 million bond.
As at 28 February 2022, Mr Joseph Fenech held 73,400 units in the € 40 million bond.
16 . Financial instruments risk
Risk management objectives and policies
The Company is exposed to various risks in relation to financial instruments. The Company’s financial assets and liabilities by category are summarised in note 16.4. The main types of risks are credit risk and liquidity risk.
The Company’s risk management is co-ordinated at its head office, in close co-operation with the board of directors.
The Company does not actively engage in the trading of financial assets for speculative purposes. The most significant financial risks to which the Company is exposed are described below.
1 6.1 Credit risk
The Company’s exposure to credit risk is limited to the carrying amount of financial assets recognised at the end of the reporting period, as summarised below:
The Company does not have significant exposure with respect to loans and receivables since the major debtor is the parent company. With the adoption of IFRS 9 ‘Financial Instruments’ as from 1st January 2018, the Company reviewed the risks associated with its loans receivable from its parent and in view of the latter’s history, prudent gearing ratio and level of reserves, it applied judgement in determining an appropriate expected credit loss provision of €90,000 .
The credit risk for liquid funds is considered negligible since the counterpart y is a reputable bank with high quality external credit rating.
None of the Company’s assets is secured by collateral or other credit enhancements.
16.2 Liquidity risk
Management manages the Company’s liquidity needs by carefully monitoring cash flows on a regular basis. Liquidity needs for 6 monthly and yearly periods are identified on a monthly basis.
The Company maintains cash to meet its liquidity requirements for the short-term. Funding for long-term liquidity needs is secured by the parent company.
In view of the nature of activities, the company manages the timing and extent of inflows from its key financial asset, the loans to the parent, to match demands for liquidity in respect of its bond obligations.
As at the period end, the Company ’s liabilities have contractual maturities (including interest payments where applicable) as summarised below:
The above amounts reflect the contractual undiscounted cash flows, which may differ from the carrying values of the liabilities at the reporting date.
1 6.3 Market risk
Foreign currency risk
The Company’s transactions are carried out in euro and all financial assets and liabilities are denominated in euro. Therefore, the company is not exposed to foreign currency risk.
Interest rate risk
The Company is not significantly exposed to interest rate risk since its interest-bearing financial assets and liabilities are at fixed rates of interest. The company secured a spread between its fixed interest income of loans to the parent and fixed interest expense on bonds issued to the public.
1 6.4 Categories of financial assets and liabilities
The carrying amounts presented in the statement of financial position relate to the following categories of financial assets and liabilities:
17. Capital management policies and procedures
The board’s objective is to raise funds through the issue of bonds to the general public, as may be required by the parent company from time to time.
The Company is not subject to externally imposed capital requirements.
18. Events after the end of the reporting period
In February 2022, a military conflict erupted between Russia and Ukraine with consequential international sanctions being imposed on Russia. The situation regarding these sanctions and any counter-sanctions that Russia itself may impose on the international community is continuously developing. The consequences these sanctions could have on the group are difficult to determine. The Group has engaged international legal advisers to assist in managing the situation that the sanctions may have brought about.
The group owns a hotel in St Petersburg with an adjoining Commercial Centre which have been in operation for a number of years. Both the hotel and the Commercial Centre are presently operational. Depending on the duration of this conflict, this may have an adverse effect on operations. Negative effects on traffic patterns are possible and these could extend to neighbouring countries in which the group has investments. Apart from business disruptions which may materially influence the valuation of the hotel and commercial centre, this situation materially increased the volatility of the Rouble exchange rate and may impact the amount reported in the Group financial statements. In addition to that, the Group also has an equity stake in Moscow.
The Rouble exchange rate at the end of 2021 stood at 84.07 to the Euro. The current situation has increased the volatility of the Rouble exchange rate which may negatively impact the net asset value of the Group.
In addition to the above direct exposures, the political and economic uncertainty worldwide may impact the forward-looking assumptions underlying the Group’s forecasts, for example with respect to inflation and discount rates used in its valuation models. The situation continues to evolve, and whilst at this time it is not possible to assess the financial effect on the Group’s consolidated financial statements, there was no material adverse effect as at the date of authorisation for issue of these financial statements.
No adjusting or significant non-adjusting events have occurred between the reporting date and the date of authorisation for issue of these financial statements. |
Independent auditor’s report
To the Shareholders of Corinthia Finance p.l.c.
Report on the audit of the financial statements
Our opinion
In our opinion:
· The financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial position of Corinthia Finance p.l.c. (the Company) as at 28 February 2022, and of the company’s financial performance and cash flows for the year then ended in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (‘IFRSs’) as adopted by the EU; and
· The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Maltese Companies Act (Cap. 386).
Corinthia Finance p.l.c.’s financial statements comprise:
· the statement of total comprehensive income for the year ended 28 February 2022;
· the statement of financial position as at 28 February 2022;
· the statement of changes in equity for the year then ended;
· the statement of cash flows for the year then ended; and
· the notes to the financial statements, which include significant accounting policies and other explanatory information.
Basis for opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (ISAs). Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Statements section of our report.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
We are independent of the company in accordance with the International Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including International Independence Standards) issued by the International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA Code) together with the ethical requirements of the Accountancy Profession (Code of Ethics for Warrant Holders) Directive issued in terms of the Accountancy Profession Act (Cap. 281) that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in Malta. We have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these Codes.
To the best of our knowledge and belief, we declare that non-audit services that we have provided to the company are in accordance with the applicable law and regulations in Malta and that we have not provided non-audit services that are prohibited under Article 18A of the Accountancy Profession Act (Cap. 281).
The non-audit services that we have provided to the company, in the period from 1 March 2021 to 28 February 2022, are disclosed in Note 6 to the financial statements.
Emphasis of matter
We draw attention to Note 2 to the financial statements, which highlights the impact of COVID-19 on the Group’s and Company’s financial results, cash flows and financial position, and the measures being taken by management in this regard. This matter is considered to be of fundamental importance to the user’s understanding of the financial statements because of the potential impact that these uncertainties may have on the valuation of the Company’s assets. Our opinion is not modified in respect of this matter.
Our audit approach
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· Overall materiality: €419,200, which represents 1% of total assets. |
· Recoverability of balance with parent company |
We tailored the scope of our audit in order to perform sufficient work to enable us to provide an opinion on the financial statements as a whole, taking into account the structure of the company, the accounting processes and controls, and the industry in which the company operates.
The scope of our audit was influenced by our application of materiality. An audit is designed to obtain reasonable assurance whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement. Misstatements may arise due to fraud or error. They are considered material if individually or in aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements.
Based on our professional judgement, we determined certain quantitative thresholds for materiality, including the overall materiality for the financial statements as a whole as set out in the table below. These, together with qualitative considerations, helped us to determine the scope of our audit and the nature, timing and extent of our audit procedures and to evaluate the effect of misstatements, both individually and in aggregate on the financial statements as a whole.
Overall materiality |
€419,200 |
How we determined it |
1% of total assets |
Rationale for the materiality benchmark applied |
We chose total assets as the benchmark because in our view, this benchmark is an appropriate measure for this type of entity. We chose 1% which is within the range of quantitative materiality thresholds that we consider acceptable. |
We agreed with the Audit Committee that we would report to them misstatements identified during our audit above €41,900 as well as misstatements below that amount that, in our view, warranted reporting for qualitative reasons.
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial statements of the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial statements as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
Key audit matter |
How our audit addressed the Key audit matter |
Recoverability of balance with parent company
Loan and receivables include loan balance with the parent company, Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Limited, amounting to €39,910,000 as at 28 February 2022. Refer to Note 8.
As explained in accounting policy Note 3.4, the recoverability of the loan is assessed at the end of each financial year.
The loan represent the principal asset of the company, which is why we have given additional attention to this area. |
We have agreed the terms surrounding the loan to supporting loan agreement and agreed outstanding balance as at year end with results of procedures carried out at a Group level. We have assessed the financial soundness of the parent company, Corinthia Palace Hotel Company Limited, which is also the guarantor of the company’s bond. In doing this, we made reference to the management accounts for the current year, the audit procedures carried out on the consolidated financial statements of the Group, cash flow projections and other information. Based on evidence and explanations obtained, we concur with management’s view with respect to the recoverability of this loan. We also assessed the impact of events that occurred during the reporting period in relation to COVID-19 on the financial performance, cash flows and financial position of the guarantor and we reviewed the related disclosures within these financial statements. |
Other information
The directors are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the Directors’ report, the Statement by the directors on the financial statements and other information included in the annual financial report, the Directors’ statement of compliance with the Code of Principles of Good Corporate Governance and the Other disclosures in terms of Capital Markets Rules (but does not include the financial statements and our auditor’s report thereon).
Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon except as explicitly stated within the Report on other legal and regulatory requirements.
In connection with our audit of the financial statements, our responsibility is to read the other information identified above and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.
If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
The directors are responsible for the preparation of financial statements that give a true and fair view in accordance with IFRSs as adopted by the EU and the requirements of the Maltese Companies Act (Cap. 386), and for such internal control as the directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of financial statements that are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial statements, the directors are responsible for assessing the company’s ability to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the company or to cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.
Those charged with governance are responsible for overseeing the company’s financial reporting process.
Auditor’s responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
As part of an audit in accordance with ISAs, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
· Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
· Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit in order to design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control.
· Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors.
· Conclude on the appropriateness of the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial statements or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, because not all future events or conditions can be predicted, this statement is not a guarantee as to the company’s ability to continue as a going concern. In particular, it is difficult to evaluate all of the potential implications that COVID-19 will have on the company’s trade, customers and suppliers, and the disruption to its business and the overall economy.
· Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial statements, including the disclosures, and whether the financial statements represent the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
We communicate with those charged with governance regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide those charged with governance with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, actions taken to eliminate threats or safeguards applied.
From the matters communicated with those charged with governance, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial statements of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
Report on other legal and regulatory requirements
Report on compliance with the requirements of the European Single Electronic Format Regulatory Technical Standard (the “ESEF RTS”), by reference to Capital Markets Rule 5.55.6
We have undertaken a reasonable assurance engagement in accordance with the requirements of Directive 6 issued by the Accountancy Board in terms of the Accountancy Profession Act (Cap. 281) - the Accountancy Profession (European Single Electronic Format) Assurance Directive (“the ESEF Directive 6”) on the Annual Financial Report of Corinthia Finance p.l.c. for the year ended 28 February 2022, entirely prepared in a single electronic reporting format.
Responsibilities of the directors
The directors are responsible for the preparation of the Annual Financial Report, including the financial statements, by reference to Capital Markets Rule 5.56A, in accordance with the requirements of the ESEF RTS.
Our responsibilities
Our responsibility is to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the Annual Financial Report, including the financial statements, complies in all material respects with the ESEF RTS based on the evidence we have obtained. We conducted our reasonable assurance engagement in accordance with the requirements of ESEF Directive 6.
Our procedures included:
· Obtaining an understanding of the entity's financial reporting process, including the preparation of the Annual Financial Report in XHTML format.
· Examining whether the Annual Financial Report has been prepared in XHTML format.
We believe that the evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Opinion
In our opinion, the Annual Financial Report for the year ended 28 February 2022 has been prepared in XHTML format in all material respects.
Other reporting requirements
The Annual Financial Report and Financial Statements 2022 contains other areas required by legislation or regulation on which we are required to report. The Directors are responsible for these other areas.
The table below sets out these areas presented within the Annual Financial Report, our related responsibilities and reporting, in addition to our responsibilities and reporting reflected in the Other information section of our report. Except as outlined in the table, we have not provided an audit opinion or any form of assurance.
Area of the Annual Financial Report and Financial Statements 2022 and the related Directors’ responsibilities |
Our responsibilities |
Our reporting |
Directors’ report and Statement by the directors on the financial statements and other information included in the annual financial report The Maltese Companies Act (Cap. 386) requires the directors to prepare a Directors’ report, which includes the contents required by Article 177 of the Act and the Sixth Schedule to the Act. |
We are required to consider whether the information given in the Directors’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements.
We are also required to express an opinion as to whether the Directors’ report has been prepared in accordance with the applicable legal requirements.
In addition, we are required to state whether, in the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Company and its environment obtained in the course of our audit, we have identified any material misstatements in the Directors’ report, and if so to give an indication of the nature of any such misstatements. |
In our opinion: · the information given in the Directors’ report for the financial year for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and · the Directors’ report has been prepared in accordance with the Maltese Companies Act (Cap. 386).
We have nothing to report to you in respect of the other responsibilities, as explicitly stated within the Other information section.
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Directors’ Statement of Compliance with the Code of Principles of Good Corporate Governance The Capital Markets Rules issued by the Malta Financial Services Authority require the directors to prepare and include in the Annual Financial Report a Statement of Compliance with the Code of Principles of Good Corporate Governance within Appendix 5.1 to Chapter 5 of the Capital Markets Rules. The Statement’s required minimum contents are determined by reference to Capital Markets Rule 5.97. The Statement provides explanations as to how the Company has complied with the provisions of the Code, presenting the extent to which the Company has adopted the Code and the effective measures that the Board has taken to ensure compliance throughout the accounting period with those Principles.
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We are required to report on the Statement of Compliance by expressing an opinion as to whether, in light of the knowledge and understanding of the Company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have identified any material misstatements with respect to the information referred to in Capital Markets Rules 5.97.4 and 5.97.5, giving an indication of the nature of any such misstatements.
We are also required to assess whether the Statement of Compliance includes all the other information required to be presented as per Capital Markets Rule 5.97.
We are not required to, and we do not, consider whether the Board’s statements on internal control included in the Statement of Compliance cover all risks and controls, or form an opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s corporate governance procedures or its risk and control procedures. |
In our opinion, the Statement of Compliance has been properly prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Capital Markets Rules issued by the Malta Financial Services Authority.
We have nothing to report to you in respect of the other responsibilities, as explicitly stated within the Other information section. |
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Other matters on which we are required to report by exception We also have responsibilities under the Maltese Companies Act (Cap. 386) to report to you if, in our opinion: · adequate accounting records have not been kept, or returns adequate for our audit have not been received from branches not visited by us. · the financial statements are not in agreement with the accounting records and returns. · we have not received all the information and explanations which, to the best of our knowledge and belief, we require for our audit.
We also have responsibilities under the Capital Markets Rules to review the statement made by the directors that the business is a going concern together with supporting assumptions or qualifications as necessary. |
We have nothing to report to you in respect of these responsibilities. |
Our report, including the opinions, has been prepared for and only for the Company’s shareholders as a body in accordance with Article 179 of the Maltese Companies Act (Cap. 386) and for no other purpose. We do not, in giving these opinions, accept or assume responsibility for any other purpose or to any other person to whom this report is shown or into whose hands it may come save where expressly agreed by our prior written consent.
Appointment
We were first appointed as auditors of the Company on 20 July 2015. Our appointment has been renewed annually by shareholder resolution representing a total period of uninterrupted engagement appointment of 7 years.
PricewaterhouseCoopers
78, Mill Street
Zone 5, Central Business District
Qormi
Malta
Simon Flynn
Partner
29 April 2022