Allco Finance Group Limited (AFG) booked a $1.74 billion net loss for the 12 months to 30 June, compared to a $219 million profit in 2007. The group said 2009 would be a year of continued restructuring and that the business was dependent on the successful implementation of the new business plan.
The group had anticipated a loss of in excess on $1.5 billion.
Chief executive officer David Clarke said the new business model meant that Allco would be a fiduciary manager of investment funds in aviation, shipping and private Equity.
"We will cease our principal investment activities, sell remaining non-core assets, and in the future only use the balance sheet to co-invest in our managed funds," he said.
"An outcome of this review is also the decision to exit the businesses of Financial Assets and Infrastructure, as previously announced, as well as Rail and Real Estate."
Allco said the result was heavily impacted by the deterioration in the financial markets and the resultant loss of value in recently acquired businesses with non-cash impairments for goodwill, management rights, loans and equity accounted investments.
The company reported non-cash impairment charges of $1.425 billion, including $885.1 million in goodwill writedowns, other non-cash items of $293.3 million, restructuring costs of $50 million.
The group posted net revenue at $1.27 billion and said assets under management in funds grew to $13.7billion from $9.7 billion last year.
Mr Clarke said that aviation presented a compelling market opportunity, with strong long-term growth drivers, a short supply of fuel efficient aircraft and very healthy demand in emerging markets.
The division contributed net revenue of $111.2 million for the year, $25.4 million of which was in the second half.
Allco's shipping division Allocean, reported net revenue for the year totalled $31.6 million, after a net revenue loss of $9.6 million in the second half.
"The division has a wide diversity of vessel types, chartered in established markets to creditworthy operators, with debt facilities in place until the end of 2009," Mr Clarke said.
He said the private equity business was to continue as a core business of Allco, with opportunities opening up from the current market turbulence.
He added that the division had aspirations to manage $2 billion worth of private equity capital in a range of funds over the next three years.
Allco said it needed to preserve capital and liquidity to stabilise the business and significantly reduce borrowings and therefore decided not to pay a dividend, compared to 24c last year.
At 1051 AEST, Allco Finance Group was down 1c to 38.5c.