Ongoing concerns over YBR loss
The absence of any mention of a "going concern" view from its auditors will fan questions over Yellow Brick Road following a horror loss of A$34 million.YBR yesterday produced its delayed interim report for the half year to December 2018. This report failed to meet expectations that the financial statements would be audited and "unqualified", as forecast by YBR in an announcement to the ASX late last week. Instead, Madeleine Mattera, an audit partner at Grant Thornton Audit produced a "review".Yellow Brick Road last week said its accounts, once finalised, would feature "a material, non-cash impairment charge" and on this aspect the financial statements do not disappoint.The impairment of intangible assets was also $34 million. YBR relied on a tax benefit of $4 million to offset its operating loss.Mark Bouris, YBR executive chair, could rally little good financial news in an overview.Underlying EBITDA (excluding non- cash asset write down) was a loss of $2.4 million compared with a $2.1 million profit for the prior corresponding period.Shareholders in Yellow Brick Road will be wondering when, if at all, Ron Brierley's Mercantile Investment Company will now return with a second offer. No doubt at a fraction of the nine cents a share offer Bouris and the YBR board spurned seven months ago.And where does YBR stand with its financier, Commonwealth Bank? Breaches of lending covenants must be under urgent negotiation.