Losses mount at Cash Converters
Payday lender Cash Converters has followed up its A$21.5 million loss in 2014/15 with a loss of $11.1 million in the year to June.The 2014/15 result included a payment of $20 million to settle a class action brought by New South Wales borrowers, $3 million in legal costs and a $29.6 million hit from the termination of an agency agreement.In the year to June the result was affected by $33 million of restructuring costs, a $12.5 million compliance provision relating to an investigation into its responsible lending practices and another $2.4 million of legal fees.The bulk of the restructuring cost was asset write-downs associated with closure of stores in the United Kingdom.The company is still under the pump, facing a class action on behalf of borrowers in Queensland, a separate claim filed on behalf of a borrower by the Consumer Action Law Centre and an ongoing Australian Securities and Investments Commission investigation into its lending practices.The underlying business did not fare well either. Personal loan receivables fell from $131.8 million to $101.3 million year on year.In January the company announced the results of a strategic review and a number of changes have been made since then.It closed its Carboodle car package business, replacing it with Green Light Auto Finance. It stopped selling personal loans in the UK and exited its UK corporate stores. It operates as a master franchisor in the UK now.It launched a medium amount credit contract, as it reviews its involvement in the small amount credit contract market.