中信證實對中澳鐵礦減值25億美元
China’s Citic Ltd has confirmed a $2.5bn writedown at its disastrous iron ore joint venture with Clive Palmer as commodity prices plunge — forcing the Australian politician and businessman to deny he is going broke.
中國中信股份有限公司(Citic Ltd)確認，隨着大宗商品價格暴跌，已對其與澳大利亞政客和商人克萊夫•帕爾默(Clive Palmer)的災難性鐵礦石合資企業進行了25億美元減值撥備，此舉迫使帕爾默否認他將要破產。The sprawling state-owned enterprise and Mr Palmer are embroiled in an increasingly acrimonious dispute over Sino Iron, the ill-fated venture that was already five times over budget before iron ore prices collapsed.
龐大的國有企業中信與帕爾默圍繞中澳鐵礦(Sino Iron)陷入了一場越來越激烈的糾紛，這個命運多舛的合資項目開發成本超出預算五倍，到頭來卻迎來鐵礦石價格暴跌的窘境。
Citic has accused Mr Palmer of misusing A$12m ($9.5m) through his company Mineralogy to finance his election campaign. He denies the allegations and claims that Citic owes him royalties related to Sino Iron.
中信指責帕爾默通過他的公司Mineralogy挪用1200萬澳元（合950萬美元），以資助他的競選。帕爾默否認這些指控，並稱，在中澳鐵礦特許權使用費這一塊，中信欠他的錢。
On Tuesday The Australian newspaper ran a story under the headline “Iron or bust? Clive Palmer’s fortune shrinks daily”, alleging his wealth was being crushed by the iron ore price crash.
週二，《澳大利亞人報》(The Australian)發表了一篇標題爲“鐵或破產？克萊夫•帕爾默的財富一天比一天縮水”的報道，稱他的財富正受到鐵礦石價格暴跌的沉重打擊。Mr Palmer told Australia’s state broadcaster the reports were “just not true” and said later in Canberra: “I haven’t got any debts, I’ve got billions of dollars of assets and I’m a happy chappy.”
帕爾默對澳大利亞國家電視臺表示，此類報道“根本不屬實”，隨後他在堪培拉說：“我沒有任何債務，我擁有數十億澳元的資產，我是一個快樂的傢伙。”Sino Iron, set up in 2006, finally began shipping ore late in 2013. Citic on Tuesday said the latest charges, about which it warned in January, involved a $2.5bn hit to operating profits including $1.7bn in intangible value and $794m in the value of property and equipment.
成立於2006年的中澳鐵礦，在2013年後期終於開始發運鐵礦石。中信週二表示，最新的減值撥備（該公司曾在1月對此發佈預警）導致營業利潤縮水25億美元，包括17億美元的無形資產減值和7.94億美元的房地產和設備減值。The group also said it was undertaking a “root and branch” review of its sprawling operations, which include financial services and a football team alongside mining, property, telecoms and others. Its property and natural resources interests would be first in line for an overhaul.
該集團還表示，正對其龐大業務（包括金融服務和一個足球隊，加上採礦、房地產、電信等等）展開全面評估。其房地產和自然資源權益將是首批整改對象。Citic considers itself in the vanguard of state-owned enterprise reform in China after its SOE parent last year transformed its ailing Hong Kong-listed unit with the injection of $37bn in mainland assets.
中信自認爲是中國國企改革的先鋒，去年其國有的母公司將370億美元內地資產注入了境況不佳的香港上市子公司，使後者得以轉型。Chang Zhenming, chairman, warned of the challenges of bringing the Hong Kong and mainland operations of the group together.
中信董事長常振明警告，整合香港和內地業務的努力面臨種種挑戰。“No one should assume that just because we are merging Chinese assets, companies and people, it will be a quick and easy process. Hong Kong and Beijing approach certain things differently,” he said.
他說，任何人都不應假設，僅僅因爲中信在合併中國的資產、公司和人員，一切就將是一個快速和容易的過程；香港和北京在某些事情上的做法是不同的。Citic reported on Tuesday that net profits dropped 20 per cent in 2014 to HK$39.8bn ($5.1bn) as a result of the Sino Iron charges. Without those, profits would have risen 10 per cent led by a strong performance from Citic Bank, the group said.
中信週二報告，對中澳鐵礦進行減值撥備後，2014年淨利潤下降20%，至398億港元（合51億美元）。該集團稱，得益於中信銀行(Citic Bank)的強勁表現，若剔除上述減值影響，則去年利潤上升10%。Mr Chang said he wanted to rebalance financial and non-financial businesses, and to improve the profitability of the non-financial units. The financial division contributed 40 per cent of revenues but 98 per cent of pre-tax profits.
常振明表示，他希望調整金融和非金融業務的平衡，並提高非金融單位的盈利能力。去年金融部門貢獻了40%的營收和高達98%的稅前利潤。
