Tse Sui Luen Jewellery (International) has reduced its bank loans by $600 million from $1.4 billion in February by selling properties and lowering inventory levels.
Chairman Tse Sui-luen said after yesterday's annual meeting the company would continue its rationalisation strategy to further reduce debt to $300 million by next February.
The company, which incurred a $101 million interest burden last year on its $1.4 billion in debt, plans to move towards its $300 million target by putting up for sale the Polly Commercial Building in Tsim Sha Tsui. The building was valued at $490 million in February.
Mr Tse said this year's interest expenses would be lowered substantially.
He said the company's principal bankers, Standard Chartered Bank and Hongkong Bank, had not called for early repayment on the loans despite its high gearing ratio, which was lowered to 70 per cent after debt was cut to $800 million.
Tse Sui Luen would book a $20 million loss on the sale of 12 properties this year and had also closed five jewellery shops which would incur provisions amounting to a few million dollars.
