Retail

RadioShack Earnings Show Need for More Capital -- but From Where?

RadioShack Logo
courtesy of RadioShack
RadioShack Corp. (NYSE: RSH) reported second-quarter 2015 results before markets opened Thursday. The electronics retailer posted an adjusted net earnings per share (EPS) loss of $1.00 on $673.8 million in revenue. In the same period a year ago, the company reported an EPS loss of $0.62 on revenues of $861.4 million. Second-quarter results also compare to the FactSet consensus estimates for an EPS loss of $0.66.

Investors are looking at the numbers this morning, though, and they’re parsing the words of the company’s CEO:

For the past 18 months we have been working hard on our turnaround plan. While we are advancing on many fronts, we may need additional capital in order to complete our work. As a result, we are actively exploring options for overhauling our balance sheet and are in advanced discussions with a number of parties. We are also working with our key financial stakeholders, including our existing lenders, bondholders, shareholders and landlords seeking to create a long-term solution. This may include a debt restructuring, a store base consolidation program, and other measures to make significant reductions in our cost structure. The details of a recapitalization have yet to be finalized, and we are reviewing several alternatives, some of which would require consent from our lenders.

An analyst at Wedbush Wednesday said that the company is on the brink of bankruptcy, and we noted a day earlier that there RadioShack’s creditors might be happier selling all its assets rather than continue trying to turn around a sinking ship. RadioShack’s plan to shut 1,100 stores, announced in March, was throttled by lenders to just 200 closures. That was a pretty clear hint that creditors were sorting out their positions in line for a RadioShack bankruptcy.

Since it reported fiscal first-quarter results in June, RadioShack’s market cap has dropped from around $150 million to around $94 million. Two-thirds of the company’s current assets are tied up in inventory, and Thursday morning RadioShack reported cash and equivalents of just $30.5 million. Why does the CEO think that creditors will want to wait and invest more when it is clear that the longer they wait and the more they invest, the less they’ll get?

RadioShack’s shares traded up about 3.5% in the premarket Thursday, at $0.96 in a 52-week range of $0.55 to $4.36. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of $1.00 before the report.

ALSO READ: Does RadioShack Really Have a Guardian Angel?

Is Your Money Earning the Best Possible Rate? (Sponsor)

Let’s face it: If your money is just sitting in a checking account, you’re losing value every single day. With most checking accounts offering little to no interest, the cash you worked so hard to save is gradually being eroded by inflation.

However, by moving that money into a high-yield savings account, you can put your cash to work, growing steadily with little to no effort on your part. In just a few clicks, you can set up a high-yield savings account and start earning interest immediately.

There are plenty of reputable banks and online platforms that offer competitive rates, and many of them come with zero fees and no minimum balance requirements. Click here to see if you’re earning the best possible rate on your money!

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.