What is a Zombie Company?
08-06-2024
11:28 AM
1 min read
Overview:
An Associated Press analysis found the number of publicly-traded “zombie” companies has soared to nearly 7,000 around the world, including 2,000 in the United States.
About Zombie Company:
- A zombie company is a corporate entity with very limited cash flows, only sufficient to pay the interest on the debt borrowed but not the principal amount of the loan.
- The revenue generated by the business operations only covers the fixed routine and operating costs (wages, rent, interest payments on debt, for example).
- These companies, often referred to as the "living dead" or "zombie stocks," have no excess capital to invest in growth, innovation, or significant improvements.
- They are highly dependent on banks for financing.
- They are typically subject to higher borrowing costs and may be one just event—market disruption or a poor quarter performance—away from insolvency or a bailout.
- They are “uncompetitive survivors” and contribute to lower productivity in the global economy.
- These companies can pose a risk to the broader economy by tying up resources that could be more effectively used by healthier, more innovative firms.
Q1: What is insolvency?
Insolvency refers to situations where a debtor cannot pay the debts they owe. For instance, a troubled company may become insolvent when it is unable to repay its creditors money owed on time, often leading to a bankruptcy filing.
Source: Zombies: Ranks of world’s most debt-hobbled companies are soaring, and not all will survive