HNA buying spree at risk as third deal in six months falters

HONG KONG: New Zealand’s rejection of HNA Group Co’s proposed acquisition of Australia & New Zealand Banking Group Ltd’s asset-finance business marks a third deal in six months the debtstrapped conglomerate has failed to complete.

The setbacks come as the Chinabased group has several major purchases pending, including agreements to buy a stakes in Anthony Scaramucci’s SkyBridge Capital LLC hedge fund and the owner of one of Brazil’s busiest airports. The company’s Swissport Group unit is also awaiting approval to buy Aerocare, the biggest airport ground handler in Australia and New Zealand.

The pending deals are left over from a shopping binge amounting to tens of billions of dollars in recent years that has left the group with about US$28bil in short-term debt. Interest expenses have surged above levels it can cover through earnings, while regulators from Germany to Switzerland and New Zealand have raised questions about the accuracy of the company’s statements regarding its ownership.

In July, the conglomerate’s US$416mil purchase of a stake in Global Eagle Entertainment Inc was blocked by regulators in the US, while HNA also failed to complete a US$325mil acquisition of a US technology company as the seller accused the Chinese group provided false and inconsistent information about its ownership to the Treasury’s national security-review panel. HNA said such claims are baseless.

HNA last month agreed to a termination fee exceeding 5% of the A$400mil (US$305mil) enterprise value for its planned acquisition of Automotive Holdings Group Ltd’s business that transports refrigerated products, according to a person familiar with the matter.