Phoenix Petroleum unable to pay dividends due preferred shareholders
Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Inc. informed the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) that it is unable to pay dividends due to its preferred shareholders because it has no unappropriated retained earnings.
The PSE had written Phoenix Petroleum, directing it to give an update on the redemption and payment of dividends of the company’s preferred shares in response to several queries.
“Inasmuch as the company would like to make such dividend payments, just as stated in the company’s previous updates, as of the moment the company has no unappropriated retained earnings, hence, the company is unable to declare and payout any cash dividends for any class of shares,” the firm said.
It added that, “the company is still focused on finalizing its liability management exercise and continues to manage its resources in order to increase working capital and in order to fulfill its obligations to different parties.”
Phoenix assured that, “The company continues to recognize that the dividends of the company’s preferred shares are cumulative in nature, and any missed payments of dividends will be paid to the shareholders once there is an availability of unappropriated retained earnings and a subsequent declaration of dividends by the company.”
“The company continues to remain committed to its obligations, and the company shall disclose any further progress on these matters as they develop,” it said.
The trading of Phoenix Petroleum shares has been suspended by the PSE since May last year due to its failure to submit its audited financial statement (AFS) for 2023 and 2024 as well as all quarterly reports for 2024 and 2025.
In response to a query by the PSE last August, Phoenix Petroleum said that, “inasmuch as we would like to submit our deficiencies... our new auditor has yet to release the AFS for 2023 and complete the audit fieldwork for period ending Dec. 31, 2024.”
“We will endeavor to submit the 2023 and 2024 AFS, and [their] relevant quarterly reports, before Oct. 31, 2025,” the firm said.
Meanwhile, to remedy its retained earnings situation, Phoenix Petroleum said it is currently concluding the negotiation for a liability management exercise to manage and restructure its outstanding debts while at the same time managing its current resources in order to boost its recovery trajectory.
“Once this is finalized, then we project the company’s eventual recovery and improvement as we can already attract potential investors and working capital funding,” the company said.