Committed to growth

The monitoring and controlling of credit risk is performed by the corporate treasury function of the Group. The credit policy requires the
performance of credit evaluations and ratings of customers. The credit quality of each new customer is analyzed before the Group provides
it with the standard terms of delivery and payment. The Group gives preference to customers with an independent credit rating. New
customers without an independent credit rating are evaluated on a sample basis by an appointed rating agency or the score and credit limits
for new customers are set by the appointed insurance company. The credit quality of other customers is assessed taking into account their
financial position, past experience and other factors.
Customers that do not meet the credit quality requirements are supplied on a prepayment basis only.
Although the collection of receivables could be influenced by economic factors, management believes that there is no significant risk of loss
to the Group beyond the provision already recorded (Note 14).
The major part of trade receivables that is neither past due nor impaired relates to wholesale distributors and steel producers for which the
credit exposures and related ratings are presented below.
Group of customers Rating agency Credit rating/Other
31 December
2015
31 December
2014
Wholesale customers – Credit insurance 209,840 211,676
Wholesale customers – Letter of credit 6,857 53,891
Wholesale customers – Bank guarantee 20,142 18,049
Wholesale customers and steel producers Standard & Poor’s 2015: A+ to BB-
2014: A+ to BBB 12,987 10,661
Wholesale customers ICE Good 7,304 –
Wholesale customers ICE Average risk of failure 742 –
Wholesale customers Credit Reform* Good 1,635 1,466
Wholesale customers Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.* Minimum risk of failure 2,728 3,214
Wholesale customers Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.* Lower than average risk 6,078 7,596
Wholesale customers Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.* Average risk of failure 3,251 2,145
Wholesale customers LINCE – cerved group A 2.2.-C 1.1 1,191 681
Wholesale customers CreditInfo A-very good 424 687
Wholesale customers CreditInfo Average risk of failure 947 –
Wholesale customers CreditInfo Lower than average risk 748 –
Wholesale customers Other local credit agencies – – 1,035
Total 274,875 311,101
Strategic Report Corporate Governance Financial Statements
* Independent credit agencies used by the Group for evaluation of customers’ credit quality.
The rest of trade receivables is analyzed by management who believes that the balance of the receivables is of good quality due to strong
business relationships with these customers. The credit risk of every individual customer is monitored.
(c) Liquidity risk
Liquidity risk results from the Group’s potential inability to meet its financial liabilities, such as settlements of financial debt and payments to
suppliers. The Group’s approach to liquidity risk management is to maintain sufficient readily available reserves in order to meet its liquidity
requirements at any point in time.
In order to take advantage of financing opportunities in the international capital markets, the Group maintains credit ratings from Standard
& Poor’s and Fitch. As at 31 December 2015, both Standard & Poor’s and Fitch had affirmed the Group’s rating at BB with stable outlook
(31 December 2014: BB with stable outlook). In January 2016, Fitch affirmed the Group’s rating at BB and revised the outlook to negative.
Cash flow forecasting is performed throughout the Group. Group finance monitors rolling forecasts of the Group’s liquidity requirements to
ensure it has sufficient cash to meet operational needs while maintaining sufficient headroom on its undrawn committed borrowing facilities
(Note 18) at all times so that the Group does not breach borrowing limits or covenants on any of its borrowing facilities. Such forecasting takes
into consideration the Group’s debt financing plans, covenant compliance and compliance with internal balance sheet ratio targets.
EuroChem Annual Report and Accounts 2015 117