Published:
Penn Traffic Enters Agreement to Maintain Letters of Credit and Other Extensions of Credit
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - The Penn Traffic Company (Pink Sheets: PTFC), entered into a forbearance
agreement with all of its senior working capital lenders and General
Electric Capital Corporation ("GE Capital"), as agent for the lenders,
on November 3, 2009.
"We continue to work closely with our lenders and appreciate the
flexibility that they have provided us with this latest agreement," said
President and Chief Executive Officer Gregory J. Young.
The company currently expects that, under the terms of the forbearance
agreement, the participating lenders will continue to provide letters of
credit and other forms of credit to the company through at least
November 25, 2009. This forbearance agreement was necessitated by GE
Capital's notification on October 30, 2009 that Penn Traffic was in
technical default of certain provisions of its current credit agreements.
In connection with the forbearance agreement, Penn Traffic's board of
directors has retained Ronald F. Stengel, senior managing director with
the firm of Conway Del Genio Gries & Co., LLC, as Penn Traffic's chief
restructuring officer, effective immediately. His firm has worked with
Penn Traffic on a variety of matters, including extensive financial
advisory services from 2006 through 2008.
Penn Traffic's procurement partner for most categories represented in
the company's retail stores, C&S Wholesale Grocers Inc., has been
notified of these developments and is expected to continue providing its
services to Penn Traffic without interruption.
About Penn Traffic
The Penn Traffic Company owns and operates supermarkets under the P&C,
Quality and BiLo trade names in Upstate New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont
and New Hampshire. Headquartered in Syracuse, N.Y., Penn Traffic's
conventional supermarkets offer value pricing, fresh and local products,
and full-service stores in convenient neighborhood locations. The
regional retailer's P&C Fresh supermarkets combine all the features of
conventional-format stores with gourmet, premium and store-made fresh
products, as well as ready-to-eat foods, easy-to prepare meals and
expanded natural and organic product offerings. Retail supermarkets and
consumers became Penn Traffic's primary focus with the sale of its
wholesale business segment during fiscal 2009. More information on the
company may be found at www.penntraffic.com.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as
amended, reflecting management's current analysis and expectations,
based on what management believes to be reasonable assumptions. These
forward-looking statements include statements relating to our
anticipated financial performance and business prospects. Statements
preceded by, followed by or that include words such as "believe" ,
"anticipate" , "estimate" , "expect" , "could" , "may" , and other similar
expressions are to be considered such forward-looking statements.
Forward-looking statements may involve known and unknown risks,
uncertainties and other factors, which may cause the actual results to
differ materially from those projected, stated or implied, depending on
such factors as: risk factors set forth in the company's annual report
on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2009; general
economic and business conditions; economic and competitive
uncertainties; the ability of the company to improve its operating
performance and effectuate its business plans; the ability of the
company to operate pursuant to the terms of its credit facilities and to
comply with the terms of its lending agreements or to amend or modify
the terms of such agreements as may be needed from time to time; the
ability of the company to generate cash; the ability of the company to
attract and maintain adequate capital; the ability of the company to
refinance our indebtedness; increases in prevailing interest rates; the
ability of the company to obtain trade credit, and shipments and terms
with vendors and service providers for current orders; the ability of
the company to maintain contracts that are critical to its operations;
potential adverse developments with respect to the company's liquidity
or results of operations; competition, including increased capital
investment and promotional activity by the company's competitors;
availability, location and terms of sites for store development; the
successful implementation of the company's capital expenditure program;
labor relations; labor and employee benefit costs including increases in
health care and pension costs and the level of contributions to the
company sponsored pension plans; the result of the pursuit of strategic
alternatives; the ability of the company to pursue strategic
alternatives; changes in strategies; changes in generally accepted
accounting principles; adverse changes in economic and political
climates around the world, including terrorist activities and
international hostilities; and the outcome of pending, or the
commencement of any new, legal proceedings against, or governmental
investigations of the company. The company cautions that the foregoing
list of important factors is not exhaustive. Accordingly, there can be
no assurance that the company will meet future results, performance or
achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements,
which are not generally required to be publicly revised as circumstances
change, and which the company does not intend to update.
FOR PENN TRAFFIC:
Travers Collins & Company Investor Relations
Jeffrey
Schoenborn, 716-464-4732
jschoenborn@traverscollins.com
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