Corporate regulator ASIC has launched Federal Court action against Perth-based shipbuilder Austal and its former CEO, David Singleton, for alleged breaches of the Corporations Act and ASIC Act.
ASIC’s proceedings were revealed in a statement issued on Thursday morning.
The news saw the shares dip 2.1% to $2.27.
They involve an alleged failure by Austal to immediately disclose to the market a material change in its prior earnings guidance.
ASIC says Austal had represented that it expected its US shipbuilding business would be profitable in FY2016, but subsequently became aware that it would likely generate a significant loss.
“On 10 December 2015, Austal provided earnings guidance and represented that it expected its US shipbuilding business to be profitable in FY2016. Austal represented that it expected its US shipbuilding EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Tax) margin to be in the range of 4.5% – 6.5% in FY2016 and to see margin improvement on its approximately $3.5 billion US Navy LCS warship program,” ASIC claimed in its statement.
“The US shipbuilding EBIT margin is a measure of operating profit as a percentage of revenue from Austal’s US shipbuilding business. The company affirmed its earnings guidance on 23 February 2016.
ASIC alleged “that from at least 4 June 2016 (a Saturday), Austal was aware that it was likely that a writeback was required of at least US$90m, which would generate a significant loss to Austal USA and/or Austal in FY2016.
“Before market open on 4 July 2016, Austal announced that it would report a US$115m (AU$156m) writeback of work in progress on the LCS program and record a statutory group EBIT loss in the range of AU$116–121m in FY2016.”
ASIC claimed in its statement that Austal “breached its continuous disclosure obligations under s674(2) of the Act between 6 June and 4 July 2016 by failing to disclose that a writeback of at least US$90m was likely required and that this would generate a significant loss.”
“ASIC also alleges that Austal engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct in breach of s1041H(1) of the Act and/or s12DA of the ASIC Act by failing to correct or withdraw its previous guidance.
ASIC also alleged in the statement that “Mr Singleton, Austal’s CEO at the time of the alleged misconduct, contravened sections 180(1) and 674(2A) of the Act for his involvement in Austal’s continuous disclosure contravention and by failing to exercise reasonable care and diligence as a director of Austal.”
In January, 2019, Austal’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard facility was raided by US Securities and Exchange Commission agents as part of the investigation.
Austal has been attempting to prevent ASIC from accessing “a large number of documents” (in the words of its annual report) by claiming legal privilege, a claim rejected by ASIC.
