While our business continued growing in 2023, our operating results, financial condition and cash flows remain vulnerable to fluctuations in the Argentine economy. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Argentina.”
Management review of 2023 and outlook
Review
During 2023, our financial position has remained stable and, as discussed in “B. Liquidity and capital resources”, cash flow from operations has been sufficient to finance our capital expenditures for 2023. The devaluation of the Argentine peso against the U.S. dollar on December 13, 2023, from Ps. 366.65 to Ps. 799.95 (118.3%) had a negative impact on our foreign currency liability position.
Given the economic context and the foreign exchange restrictions, during 2023, we have increased our debt in foreign currency after taking from financial institutions short term loans to cancelled to settle trade payables abroad. During 2023 we incurred new indebtedness with well-known financial institutions of Ps. 35,744 million (US$ 74.0 million) and repaid Ps. 10,891 million (US$ 24.1 million). For additional information regarding the new indebtedness incurred during 2023 see “B. Liquidity and capital resources. Description of indebtedness” below.
We have allocated our short-term investment in financial instruments to protect our financial position from inflation and devaluation by increasing our position in financial assets at amortized cost and measured at fair value through profit or loss.
Notwithstanding the above, we cannot assure that the evolution of inflation and other macroeconomic variables will not have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations. For further information, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors”.
In addition to the above-mentioned respect of the impact of the devaluation of the Argentine peso on our foreign currency liability position, as of December 31, 2023, there have not been material changes to our Statement of Financial Position compared to December 31, 2022.
Our revenues were negatively impacted by the evolution of inflation and the lack of tariff adjustment of the natural gas transportation segment, among others. For further information, see “Discussion of results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022” below.
Outlook and other material events that may impact in our financial condition
Since April 3, 2024 we received a transitional tariff increase of 675% and a monthly increase calculated in accordance with the Transitional Adjustment Index. In 2024, we expect to continue negotiating with ENARGAS the tariffs adjustments under the RTI process that will allow us to obtain a fair and reasonable tariff. See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Tariff Situation” for more information.
Regarding the Liquids segment, the global inflationary context and increase in NGL costs, are expected to increase the volatility in international reference prices. Additionally, as a result of the increase in sea freight costs, the prices at which our products are exported are foreseen to be subject to reduced margins, which could negatively impact the operating margins of the Liquids business segment.
We are expecting inflationary cost to continue at an elevated level throughout 2024 across our business.
To prepare for our long-term growth, we expect to continue focusing on Vaca Muerta and exploring alternatives that will allow us to profit from our investments and to increase our portfolio of services. In this regard, the expansion work we are carrying out in the area is expected to be completed during the winter of 2024, which will allow us to increase our sales revenues from the Midstream business segment.
New accounting pronouncements adopted after January 1, 2023, and pronouncements not yet effective as of December 31, 2023
For more information, see Note 4.a Critical accounting policies to our Financial Statements.
Discussion of Results of Operations for the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022
The following table presents a summary of our consolidated results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, stated in millions of pesos, and the increase or decrease and percentage of change between the periods presented:
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Revenues | | | 452,809 | | | | 512,343 | | | | (59,534 | ) | | | (11.6 | ) |
Net costs of sales | | | (284,746 | ) | | | (299,081 | ) | | | 14,335 | | | | (4.8 | ) |
Gross profit
| | | 168,063 | | | | 213,262 | | | | (45,199 | ) | | | (21.2 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (50,867 | ) | | | (49,695 | ) | | | (1,172 | ) | | | 2.4 | |
Other operating results | | | (759 | ) | | | (238 | ) | | | (521 | ) | | | 218.9 | |
Operating profit | | | 116,437 | | | | 163,329 | | | | (46,892 | ) | | | (28.7 | ) |
Net financial results | | | (72,781 | ) | | | (9,840 | ) | | | (62,941 | ) | | | 639.6 | |
Share of profit / (loss) from associates | | | (30 | ) | | | 281 | | | | (311 | ) | | | (110.7 | ) |
Income tax expense | | | (20,108 | ) | | | (53,130 | ) | | | 33,022 | | | | (62.2 | ) |
Total comprehensive income for the year | | | 23,518 | | | | 100,640 | | | | (77,122 | ) | | | (76.6 | ) |
Year 2023 Compared to Year 2022
Total comprehensive income
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we reported a total net income and a total comprehensive income of Ps. 23,518 million, which represents a Ps. 77,122 million decrease compared to the total comprehensive income of Ps. 100,640 million reported in 2022.
The material factors affecting total comprehensive income were as follows:
| • | Net revenues to third-parties reached Ps. 452,809 million in 2023, which represents a Ps. 59,534 million decrease compared to the 2022 fiscal year. This decrease was mainly due to the reduction in the Liquids Production and Commercialization and Natural Gas Transportation business segments revenues of Ps. 59,120 million and Ps. 27,514 million, respectively. For more information see Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects —A. Operating Results—Regulated Natural Gas Transportation Segment and Liquids Production and Commercialization.” |
| • | Cost of sales, including depreciation of PPE, reached Ps. 284,746 million in 2023, which represents a Ps. 14,335 million decrease compared to the 2022 fiscal year. This decrease was mainly due to: (i) 19,246 the reduction in the cost of natural gas processed in the Cerri Complex (mainly due a decrease in price, measured in current pesos) and (ii) technical operator assistance fee by Ps. 3,473 million. These effects were partially offset by an increase in the labor cost by Ps. 3,264 million and third parties services by Ps.1,927 million. |
| • | Administrative and selling expenses were Ps. 50,867 million in 2023, which represents a Ps. 1,172 million increase compared to the 2022 fiscal year. This increase was mainly due to higher: (i) labor costs by Ps. 1,937 million, and (ii) professional services fees by Ps. 3,081 million These effects were partially offset, principally, by a decrease in taxes and contributions by Ps. 3,160 million (reduction in tax on exports and turnover tax). |
During 2023, subsidies decreased by Ps.7,090 million, this mainly driven by the decrease in international prices, the lack of updating and the measures issued by the government to reduce them during 2023. For more information see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Liquids Production and Commercialization.”
Net cost of sales for the years ended on December 31, 2023 and 2022, represented 62.9% and 58.4%, respectively, of net revenues reported in the corresponding year.
Administrative and selling expenses for the years ended on December 31, 2023 and 2022, represented 11.2% and 9.7%, respectively, of net revenues reported in the corresponding year.
See. “—Analysis of Operating Profit by Business Segment for the Years Ended December 31, 2023 and 2022.”
Share of (loss) / profit from associates
For the year ended December 31, 2023, we recorded a loss from our investment in associates of Ps. 30 million, compared to the profit of Ps. 281 million recorded in 2022.
Net Financial Results
In accordance with IAS 29 we presented the financial results in gross terms considering the effects of the change in the currency purchasing power in a single separate line (“Gain on monetary position”). Gains and losses from monetary positions represent the effects of inflation on our monetary liabilities and assets, respectively.
Net financial results for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, are as follows:
| | | |
| | | | | | |
| | (in millions of pesos) | |
Financial income | | | | | | |
Interest income | | | 24,190 | | | | 5,712 | |
Foreign exchange gain | | | 270,216 | | | | 87,014 | |
Subtotal | | | 294,405 | | | | 92,727 | |
Financial expenses | | | | | | | | |
Interest expense | | | (24,628 | ) | | | (21,171 | ) |
Foreign exchange loss | | | (479,075 | ) | | | (162,262 | ) |
Subtotal | | | (503,703 | ) | | | (183,433 | ) |
Other financial results | | | | | | | | |
Notes repurchase results | | | - | | | | (3,208 | ) |
Fair value gain on financial instruments through profit and loss | | | 195,809 | | | | 75,136 | |
Derivative financial instruments results | | | - | | | | (397 | ) |
Other financial charges | | | (2,771 | ) | | | (2,400 | ) |
Subtotal | | | 193,037 | | | | 69,131 | |
(Loss) / gain on monetary position | | | (56,521 | ) | | | 11,735 | |
Total | | | (72,781 | ) | | | (9,840 | ) |
In accordance with the provisions of IAS 29, we opted to present the gain on the monetary position in a single line included in the financial results. This presentation implies that the nominal values of the financial results have been adjusted for inflation. The real values of financial results are different from the components of financial results presented above.
For fiscal year 2023, the net financial loss increased by Ps. 62,941 million compared to the prior year. This negative variation is mainly due to higher negative net foreign exchange difference of Ps.133,612 caused by the devaluation that occurred in mid-December 2023.
The peso/US dollar exchange rate ended at a value of Ps. 808.45 per US dollar as of December 31, 2023, representing an increase of 356% (or Ps. 631.29 per US dollar) compared to the exchange observed as of December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, such rate increased by 72% (or $74.44 for each US dollar) respect to the exchange rate as of December 31, 2021. Our net liability position in US dollars decrease in 2023.
Likewise, we recorded a loss on net monetary position of Ps. 56,521 million as opposed with the gain of Ps. 11,735 million represented a negative variation of Ps. 68,255 as a consequence of the acceleration of inflation and the net asset monetary position.
The effects mentioned above were partially offset by the positive variation in results generated by financial assets of Ps. 120,673.
Income tax expense
Income tax for fiscal year 2023 was an expense of Ps. 20,108 million, compared to the expense of Ps. 53,130 million in fiscal year 2022. The lower income tax charge was primarily due to the decrease in taxable income in fiscal year 2023.
The following table sets forth revenues and operating income for each of our business segments for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| | | | | Year ended December 31, 2023 compared to year ended December 31, 2022 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | (in millions of pesos) | | | | |
Natural Gas Transportation(1) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues | | | 101,862 | | | | 130,194 | | | | (28,332 | ) | | | (21.8 | ) |
Net cost of sales | | | (90,767 | ) | | | (91,420 | ) | | | 653 | | | | (0.7 | ) |
Gross profit | | | 11,094 | | | | 38,774 | | | | (27,680 | ) | | | (71.4 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (22,514 | ) | | | (22,577 | ) | | | 63 | | | | (0.3 | ) |
Other operating expense | | | (813 | ) | | | (562 | ) | | | (252 | ) | | | 44.9 | |
Operating (loss) /profit | | | (12,233 | ) | | | 15,635 | | | | (27,868 | ) | | | (178.2 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Liquids Production and Commercialization | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues | | | 265,413 | | | | 324,533 | | | | (59,120 | ) | | | (18.2 | ) |
Net cost of sales | | | (161,943 | ) | | | (183,060 | ) | | | 21,118 | | | | (11.5 | ) |
Gross profit | | | 103,470 | | | | 141,473 | | | | (38,002 | ) | | | (26.9 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (17,629 | ) | | | (20,451 | ) | | | 2,822 | | | | (13.8 | ) |
Other operating (expense) / income | | | (77 | ) | | | 118 | | | | (196 | ) | | | (166.1 | ) |
Operating profit | | | 85,764 | | | | 121,140 | | | | (35,376 | ) | | | (29.2 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Midstream | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues | | | 85,615 | | | | 58,380 | | | | 27,235 | | | | 46.7 | |
Net cost of sales | | | (32,605 | ) | | | (26,182 | ) | | | (6,424 | ) | | | 24.5 | |
Gross profit | | | 53,009 | | | | 32,198 | | | | 20,811 | | | | 64.6 | |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (10,155 | ) | | | (6,116 | ) | | | (4,039 | ) | | | 66.0 | |
Other operating income | | | 132 | | | | 205 | | | | (73 | ) | | | (35.6 | ) |
Operating profit | | | 42,986 | | | | 26,287 | | | | 16,699 | | | | 63.5 | |
Telecommunications | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues | | | 2,729 | | | | 2,863 | | | | (135 | ) | | | (4.7 | ) |
Net cost of sales | | | (2,239 | ) | | | (2,045 | ) | | | (194 | ) | | | 9.5 | |
Gross profit | | | 489 | | | | 818 | | | | (328 | ) | | | (40.1 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (568 | ) | | | (550 | ) | | | (18 | ) | | | 3.3 | |
Other operating expense | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
Operating (loss) / profit | | | (79 | ) | | | 267 | | | | (346 | ) | | | (129.6 | ) |
(1) Includes intersegment revenues of Ps. 2,809 million and Ps. 3,627 million for the fiscal years 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Regulated Natural Gas Transportation Segment
The Natural Gas Transportation business segment represented 22.5% and 25.4% of our total revenues during the years 2023 and 2022, respectively. Natural Gas Transportation revenues are derived mainly from firm contracts, under which pipeline capacity is reserved and paid for regardless of actual usage by the shipper. We also provide interruptible natural gas transportation services subject to availability of the pipeline capacity. In addition, we render operation and maintenance services for the Natural Gas Transportation facilities, which belong to certain gas trusts created by the Government to expand the capacity of the Argentine natural gas transportation pipeline system. This business segment is subject to ENARGAS regulation.
For additional information regarding the history of our discussions with various governmental authorities in relation to the adjustment of our gas transportation tariffs see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Regulatory Framework.”
| • | During 2023, the Natural Gas Transportation business segment recorded an operating loss of Ps. 12,233 million, compared to the operating profit of Ps.15,635 million profit recorded in 2022. The main factors that affected the results of operations of this segment compared to 2023 are the following: |
| • | Revenues from the Natural Gas Transportation business segment decreased by Ps.28,332 million for the year 2023 compared to 2022. |
| • | During 2023, we had only received a nominal tariff increase of 95% as of April 29, 2023 while annual inflation was 211,4%. |
| • | Revenues related to natural gas firm transportation contracts for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased by Ps.24,846 million for the year 2023 compared to 2022, as we had only received a nominal tariff increases of 95 % as of April 29, 2023, while the cumulative inflation rate for the Year 2023 was 211.4%. See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Regulatory Framework—Regulation of Transportation Rates—Actual Rates” for additional information. |
| • | Revenues related to interruptible natural gas transportation service decreased by Ps. 1,523 million for the year 2023 compared to 2022. The decrease mainly resulted from tariff increase discussed above, partially offset by higher volumes dispatched. |
| • | Revenues relating to the Access and charged (“CAU”) decreased by Ps. 1,145 million for the year 2023 compared to 2022 primarily as a result of the same tariff effect. The value of the CAU is much lower than the transportation tariff we are permitted to charge for our natural gas transportation services, because we were not required to make any investment in the construction and expansion of the assets to which the CAU relates. See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Pipeline Operations—Pipeline Expansions” for additional information regarding the CAU. |
| • | Costs of sales, administrative and selling expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023 decreased by Ps. 716 million, from Ps. 113,997 million to Ps. 113,282 million, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2022. This decrease was mainly attributable to lower depreciation of Ps. 4,243 million and taxes and contributions of Ps. 1,340 million mainly as a consequence of the reduction in turnover tax. These effects were partially offset by higher labor costs of Ps. 2,547 million, third parties services received by Ps. 1,608 million and easements of Ps. 313 million. |
| • | Other operating expenses decreased by Ps. 252 million for the year 2023 compared to 2022, primarily as a result of lower provision for contingencies. |
On March 16, 2023, our Board of Directors approved the 2023 Transition Agreement. This addendum was subsequently ratified by the PEN through Decree No. 250/2023 of April 29, 2023. Previously, on April 27, 2023, ENARGAS issued Resolution No. 186/2023 through which the new tables were published.
Current tariffs
The 2023 Transition Agreement has similar conditions to the 2022 Transition Agreement and includes:
- As of April 29, 2023, a temporary rate increase of 95% on the natural gas transportation rate and the CAU.
- During its term, tgs may not under any circumstances: a) Distribute dividends; nor b) Cancel in advance directly or indirectly financial and commercial debts contracted with shareholders, acquire other companies or grant credits, unless the credits benefit the users or are granted to contractors that do not fall within the aforementioned assumptions. In the event that tgs deems it appropriate to proceed in a direction contrary to the provisions of paragraph a) above, attaching the corresponding supporting documentation, it will request ENARGAS to submit a status report to the Ministry of Economy, so that the Ministry may authorize or no, and if applicable, determine the manner and form of the request. In the event that tgs considers it appropriate to proceed in a direction contrary to the provisions of paragraph b) above, it must also present to ENARGAS documented grounds that support such decision, for authorization. If a covert operation to distribute dividends is noticed, the request will be made to the Ministry of Economy for its substantiation in that sphere. To this end, the Ministry will notify its decision to the applicant and ENARGAS.
On December 14, 2023, ENARGAS Resolution No. 704/2023 called for a public hearing to be held on January 8, 2024. Effective April 1, 2024, we have received a transitional tariff increase of 675%. In addition, the resulting tariffs will be adjusted monthly from May 2024 until the RTI process is completed in 2024 in accordance with the Transitional Adjustment Index. See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Tariff Situation” for more information.
On December 16, 2023, decree No. 55/2023 was issued declaring the emergency of the national energy sector until December 31, 2024. Among other issues, this decree: (i) establishes the beginning of the process of RTI, (ii) the intervention of ENARGAS as of January 1, 2024 and (iii) instructs the Ministry of Energy to issue the necessary standards and procedures for the sanction of market prices for the public transport service of natural gas.
Liquids Production and Commercialization Segment
Unlike the Natural Gas Transportation segment, revenues of the Liquids Production and Commercialization segment are not subject to full regulation by ENARGAS and the Ministry of Energy. However, in recent years, the Government has enacted a number of laws and regulations that have limited our ability to receive the full international market prices for all of the liquids that the Cerri Complex produces. In addition, ENARGAS has the ability to redirect the volumes of natural gas in the system to cover certain uses and that may result in lower volumes of natural gas to be processed in the Cerri Complex. See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Liquids Production and Commercialization—Regulation” for more information.
The Liquids Production and Commercialization segment represented 58.6% and 63.3% of our total revenues during the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022, respectively. Liquids Production and Commercialization activities are conducted at the Cerri Complex, which is located near Bahía Blanca and is connected to each of our main pipelines. At the Cerri Complex, we recover ethane, LPG and natural gasoline for our own account, on behalf of our customers and on a fee basis, collecting a commission for the extracted Liquids delivered to our customers.
For the fiscal years 2023 and 2022, all of our sales were made for our own account.
All ethane produced by our Liquids segment in the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 was sold locally to PBB.
Our ethane sales for the years 2023 and 2022 represented 38.1% and 24.6% of our Liquids Production and Commercialization net revenues.
In 2023, we sold 60.6% of our production of LPG in the local market to LPG marketers, compared to 50.9% in 2022, with the remainder exported to LPG traders. In addition, all natural gasoline produced during 2023 and 2022 was exported. For more information about these contracts, see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Liquids Production and Commercialization.”
The total annual sales for the Cerri Complex for 2023 and 2022 in tons were as follows:
| | | | | Year ended December 31, 2023
compared to year ended December 31, 2022 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Local Market | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ethane | | | 394,370 | | | | 329,232 | | | | 65,138 | | | | 19.8 | |
Propane | | | 209,058 | | | | 215,753 | | | | (6,695 | ) | | | (3.1 | ) |
Butane | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Subtotal | | | 768,805 | | | | 730,457 | | | | 38,348 | | | | 5.2 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Exports | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Propane | | | 160,625 | | | | 194,810 | | | | (34,185 | ) | | | (17.5 | ) |
Butane | | | 70,484 | | | | 78,460 | | | | (7,976 | ) | | | (10.2 | ) |
Natural Gasoline | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Subtotal | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total Liquids | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Export revenues from our Liquids Production and Commercialization segment command a price premium, as compared to our domestic market sales, primarily as a result of regulation of domestic prices See “Item 8. Financial Information—A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information—Exports.”
For the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the total accrued exports withholding amounted to Ps.8,236 million and Ps.11,396 million, respectively.
In the domestic market, the Secretary of Energy continued issuing a series of measures with the aim of reducing the impact of the subsidies in public accounts in order to reduce the negative impact that the participation in the Households with Bottles Program and Propane for Networks Agreement have in the results of operations of natural gas liquids producers. These measures include an increase in the sales price from selling LPG bottles the above-mentioned agreements.
The sales prices under the program for fiscal years 2023 and 2022 were as follows:
Resolution Nro. | Period | Ps. Per ton (at values determined by each resolution) |
15/23 | January 2023 | Ps. 29,481 |
62/23 | February 2023 | Ps. 32,429 |
168/23 | March 2023 | Ps. 35,672 |
326/23 | April 2023 | Ps. 38,704 |
391/23 | May 2023 | Ps. 40,252 |
391/23 | June 2023 | Ps. 41,862 |
391/23 | July 2023 | Ps. 43,537 |
391/23 | August 2023 | Ps. 45,278 |
762/23 | August 2023 to December 2023 | Ps. 50,938 |
Participation in this program forces tgs to commercialize LPG volumes required by the controlling entity at prices below to market values and under certain circumstances at prices lower than their processing cost.
Regarding the Propane for Networks Agreement, on August 28, 2023 we signed its twentieth renewal, in effect until December 31, 2023.
This agreement contemplates compensations to be paid by the Argentine Government to the participants, calculated as the difference between the price at which propane is commercialized under this agreement and the export parity issued monthly by the Secretary of Energy. However, there have been significant delays in the collection of the mentioned compensation. Its overdue balance as of December 31, 2023 was of Ps. 4,672 million. The twentieth renewal stipulates those payments shall be conducted through fiscal credit certificates to be used by the producers for the payment of hydrocarbon export withholdings. As of this date, said certificates have not been issued. Beyond the supply programs mentioned above, we sold 158,794 tons of propane and 1,290 tons of butane mainly to the fractionating market and to a lesser extent to the industrial, propellant and automobile segments.
In 2023, we continued commercializing ethane, under a long-term agreement entered with PBB. This agreement contemplates similar terms to the ones agreed in the previous one, but involves improvements in the take or pay clause of annual compliance, which ensures us an increase in our sales volume to be implemented gradually over the first five years of the agreement. In the year 2023, ethane tons sold to PBB slightly went up to 394,370 tons, from the 329,232 tons recorded in 2022.
See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Competition—Liquids Production and Commercialization—Regulation—International Market.” for additional information.
During 2023 the Liquids Production and Commercialization business segment recorded operating profit of Ps. 85,764 million, compared to Ps.121,140 million in 2022. The main factors that affected the results of operations for this segment compared to 2022 were the following:
| • | Segment revenue decreased by Ps.59,120 million for the year 2023 compared to 2022. This negative effect was mainly due to the negative real exchange rate variation by Ps. 14,370 million, lower volumes of propane and butane dispatched by Ps. 12,524 million and international benchmark prices by Ps. 51,337 million. These effects were partially offset by higher ethane price by Ps. 8,758 million and higher volumes of natural gasoline and ethane shipped by Ps. 17,962 million. |
| • | Subsidies decreased by Ps. 7,090 million in the year 2023 compared with 2022. |
| • | In 2023 propane, butane and natural gasoline average export prices recorded decreases of 30%, 24% and 16%, respectively, compared to 2022. |
| • | During 2023, the production of Liquids reached 1,129,186 tons (182 tons more than in 2022). |
| • | It should be noted that there were no production restrictions during the winter period, as a result of a greater supply of local gas due to non-conventional gas developments. |
| • | Notwithstanding the changes made to the Households with Bottles Program to supply butane to the domestic market described above, our obligations under this program continues to have an adverse impact on this segment, resulting, under some circumstances, in a negative operating margin on domestic sales of LPG. |
| • | Costs of sales, administrative and selling expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023, decreased by Ps. 23,939 million, to Ps. 179,572 million from Ps. 203,511 million, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2022. This decrease was mainly due to lower: (i) cost of natural gas purchased as RTP of Ps. 19,246 million (principally as a consequence of the decrease in the price of the natural gas), (ii) taxes and contributions of Ps. 4,129 million (mainly tax on exports and turnover tax) and (iii) third parties services received by Ps. 2,846 million. These effects were partially offset higher: (i) repair and maintenance expenses by Ps. 1,129 million, (ii) labor costs by Ps. 783 million and (iii) depreciations by Ps. 428 million. |
| • | Other operating expenses decreased by Ps. 196 million. |
In 2023, export revenues from the Liquids Production and Commercialization segment were Ps.95,390 million and accounted for 21% (28% in 2022) of total net sales and 36% (44% in 2022) of total Liquids Production and Commercialization revenues.
In 2023, we exported propane and butane at spot prices, which allowed us to capture opportunities associated with different market niches, allowing us to considerably increase the individual fixed prices of each operation.
We sold our LPG exports at spot prices and to the date of this Annual Report, we are under negotiations for new agreements.
As in prior years, in the period from May to September 2023, the sales of these products were conducted mainly in the domestic market, due to the restrictions in natural gas consumption for the production of Liquids and governmental requirements to supply the domestic market within the framework of the programs outlined by the Government for the supply of LPG.
Regarding natural gasoline exports, throughout the year 2023 and until February 2024 we traded such product by means of an agreement entered with Trafigura Pte Ltd at an international price, less a discount. As of the date of the present Annual Report, a new agreement has been entered with Trafigura Pte Ltd., with expiration date in February 2026 and better terms than the previous agreement in force in 2023.
Regarding international reference prices of the products, we export —propane, butane and natural gasoline— they recorded some variations in 2023 compared to the previous year, presenting an uneven trend. During the first months of the year, they increased within the context of commodities prices recovery given the world economy recovery and the energy setbacks that Asia and Europe faced. As from the second quarter of the year prices contracted and stabilized similar to the levels of prices at the closing of 2022 and starting the last 2023 quarter they started to rise again.
In 2023, we continued commercializing LPG by land, dispatching roughly 15,518 trucks (379,544 tons) loaded with our own product, compare to the approximately 16,156 trucks (390,914 tons) of our own product dispatched in 2022. Trucks dispatches are basically carried out to meet our domestic demand but also allow us to export our products to neighboring countries. Although their volumes are substantially lower than the exports conducted by sea, they capitalize a higher operative margin and increase our clients’ portfolio. Propane and butane deliveries overseas were conducted in a spot modality in 2023, seizing opportunities related to different niche markets, which allowed us to increase considerably the fixed premiums of each transaction. We keep upholding our positioning in the Brazilian market, which constitutes a 2024 goal, maintaining our sea exports in a direct modality (with no go-betweens) to Brazilian LPG distributors.
In 2023, we continued participating in the several supply programs dictated by the National Government. Such is the case of the program for LPG Supply at subsidized prices (“Household Program”)— which had been created by National Executive Decree N° 470/2015. The Household Program establishes a maximum reference price to the different links of the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (“LPG”) commercialization chain to ensure its supply to low- income residential users, forcing producers to provide LPG to fractionating companies at a determined price and with a defined quota for each of them.
Participation in this program forces tgs to commercialize LPG volumes required by the controlling entity at prices inferior to market values and under certain circumstances at prices lower than their processing cost.
Regarding the Propane for Networks Agreement, on August 28, 2023 we signed its twentieth renewal, in effect until December 31, 2023.
Midstream
This segment includes midstream services. Midstream services include natural gas treatment, separation and removal of impurities from the natural gas stream and compression services, which are generally rendered to the natural gas producers at the wellhead, transportation and conditioning services in Vaca Muerta, as well as activities, related to construction, operation and maintenance of pipelines and compressor plants.
During 2023, the Midstream business segment recorded an operating profit of Ps.42,986 million, which represents a Ps.16,699 million increase compared to Ps. 26,287 million in 2022.
The main factors that affected the results of operations of this segment during 2023 are the following:
| • | Revenues increased by Ps. 27,235 million primarily due to: (i) higher natural gas transportation and conditioning services in Vaca Muerta for Ps. 27,905 million and (ii) higher operating and maintenance NK pipeline and Transpor.Ar Program by Ps. 3,393. These effects were partially offset by the decrease in the exchange rate on sales revenues denominated in U.S. dollars for Ps. 2,912 million, compression of natural gas services by Ps.750 million and lower operation and maintenance services rendered by Ps. 223 million. |
| • | Costs of sales, administrative and selling expenses increased by Ps. 10,463 million, mainly due to the increase in: (i) depreciations of Ps. 3,491 million, (ii) turnover tax by Ps. 1,997 million, (iii) salaries, wages, and other compensation by Ps. 1,842 million, (iv) repair and maintenance expenses by Ps. 1,346 million and (v) third party services by Ps. 1,066 million. |
Telecommunications
Telecommunication services are rendered by our subsidiary, Telcosur. During 2023, the Telecommunications business segment recorded an operating profit of Ps. (79) million, compared to a profit of Ps. 267 million in 2022. The main factors that affected the results of operations of this segment during 2023 are the following:
| • | Net revenues decreased by Ps.135 million in the year ended December 31, 2023, when compared to 2022. |
| • | Costs of sales, administrative and selling expenses increased by Ps.212 million in the year ended December 31, 2023, when compared to 2022, mainly due to higher salaries, wages and contributions and third party services. |
Year 2022 Compared to Year 2021
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
Revenues | | | 512,343 | | | | 539,731 | | | | (27,388 | ) | | | (5.1 | ) |
Net costs of sales | | | (299,081 | ) | | | (289,121 | ) | | | (9,959 | ) | | | 3.4 | |
Gross profit | | | 213,262 | | | | 250,610 | | | | (37,348 | ) | | | (14.9 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (49,695 | ) | | | (44,642 | ) | | | (5,052 | ) | | | 11.3 | |
Other operating results | | | (238 | ) | | | 781 | | | | (1,020 | ) | | | (130.5 | ) |
Operating profit | | | 163,329 | | | | 206,749 | | | | (43,420 | ) | | | (21.0 | ) |
Net financial results | | | (9,840 | ) | | | (2,647 | ) | | | (7,193 | ) | | | 271.7 | |
Share of profit from associates | | | 281 | | | | 129 | | | | 152 | | | | 117.8 | |
Income tax expense | | | (53,130 | ) | | | (77,263 | ) | | | 24,133 | | | | (31.2 | ) |
Total comprehensive income for the year | | | 100,640 | | | | 126,968 | | | | (26,328 | ) | | | (20.7 | ) |
Total comprehensive income
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we reported a total net income and a total comprehensive income of Ps. 100,640 million, which represents a Ps. 26,328 million decrease compared to the total net income and total comprehensive income of Ps. 126,968 million reported in 2021.
The material factors affecting total comprehensive income were as follows:
| • | Net revenues to third-parties reached Ps. 512,343 million in 2022, which represents a Ps. 27,388 million decrease compared to the 2021 fiscal year. This decrease was mainly due to the reduction in the Natural Gas Transportation and Liquids Production and Commercialization business segments revenues of Ps. 23,902 million and Ps. 13,530 million, respectively. |
| • | Cost of sales, including depreciation of fixed assets, reached Ps. 299,081 million in 2022, which represents a Ps. 9,959 million increase compared to the 2021 fiscal year. This increase was mainly due to: (i) the growth in the cost of natural gas processed in the Cerri Complex (mainly due an increase in price, measured in constant pesos) by Ps. 9,749 million, (ii) labor costs by Ps. 3,920 million and (iii) depreciations by Ps. 2,899 million. These effects were partially offset by a decrease in the repair and maintenance costs by Ps. 4,197 million and third parties services by Ps. 2,105 million. |
| • | Administrative and selling expenses were Ps. 49,695 million in 2022, which represents a Ps. 5,052 million increase compared to the 2021 fiscal year. This increase was mainly due to higher: (i) labor costs by Ps. 1,836 million, (ii) tax on export and taxes by Ps.2,171 million, (iii) services received from third parties by Ps. 903 million and a lower charge for doubtful accounts by Ps. 404 million. These effects were partially offset, principally, by a decrease in turnover tax of Ps. 691 million. |
During 2022, subsidies increased by Ps.4,176 million, this mainly driven by the increase in international prices and the lack of updating of the prices paid in the local market. For more information see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Liquids Production and Commercialization.”
Cost of sales for the years ended on December 31, 2022 and 2021, represented 58.4% and 53.6%, respectively, of net revenues reported in the corresponding year.
Administrative and selling expenses for the years ended on December 31, 2022 and 2021, represented 9.7% and 8.3%, respectively, of net revenues reported in the corresponding year.
See. “—Analysis of Operating Profit by Business Segment for the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.”
Share of profit from associates
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we recorded a profit from our investment in associates of Ps.281 million, compared to the profit of Ps.129 million recorded in 2021.
Net Financial Results
In accordance with IAS 29 we presented the financial results in gross terms considering the effects of the change in the currency purchasing power in a single separate line. Gains and losses from monetary positions represent the effects of inflation on our monetary liabilities and assets, respectively.
Net financial results for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, are as follows:
| | | |
| | | | | | |
| | (in millions of pesos) | |
Financial income | | | | | | |
Interest income | | | 5,712 | | | | 4,805 | |
Foreign exchange gain | | | 87,014 | | | | 36,882 | |
Subtotal | | | 92,727 | | | | 41,687 | |
Financial expenses | | | | | | | | |
Interest expense | | | (21,171 | ) | | | (27,103 | ) |
Foreign exchange loss | | | (162,262 | ) | | | (75,483 | ) |
Subtotal | | | (183,433 | ) | | | (102,586 | ) |
Other financial results | | | | | | | | |
Notes repurchase results | | | (3,208 | ) | | | (2,513 | ) |
Fair value (loss) / gain on financial instruments through profit and loss | | | 75,136 | | | | 7,224 | |
Derivative financial instruments results | | | (397 | ) | | | (490 | ) |
Other financial charges | | | (2,400 | ) | | | (2,992 | ) |
Subtotal | | | 69,131 | | | | 1,231 | |
Gain on monetary position | | | 11,735 | | | | 57,022 | |
Total | | | (9,840 | ) | | | (2,647 | ) |
In accordance with the provisions of IAS 29, we opted to present the gain on the monetary position in a single line included in the financial results. This presentation implies that the nominal magnitudes of the financial results have been adjusted for inflation. The real magnitudes of financial results are different from the components of financial results presented above.
For fiscal year 2022, the net financial loss increased by Ps. 7,193 million compared to the 2021 fiscal year. This negative variation is mainly due to the lower gain on net monetary position (due to the lower net monetary liability position during 2022) and the higher negative net foreign exchange difference. These effects were partially offset by the gain recognized in 2022 for generated by financial assets measured at fair value and higher interest.
The selling peso/U.S. dollar ended exchange rate closed at a value of Ps. 177.96 per U.S. dollar as of December 31, 2022, representing an increase of 72% (or Ps. 74.44 per U.S. dollar) compared to the exchange rate observed at the closing of 2021. As of December 31, 2021, said rate had increased by 22% (or Ps. 18.57 for each U.S. dollar) regarding its quote at the closing of the 2020. For its part, our net liability position in U.S. dollars has been reduced in 2022.
Income tax
Income tax for fiscal year 2022 was an expense of Ps. 53,130 million, compared to the expense of Ps. 77,263 million in fiscal year 2021. The lower income tax charge was primarily due to the decrease in taxable income in fiscal year 2022.
Analysis of Operating Profit by Business Segment for the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
The following table sets forth revenues and operating income for each of our business segments for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021:
| | | | | Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to year ended December 31, 2011 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Natural Gas Transportation(1) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues from sales | | | 130,194 | | | | 154,096 | | | | (23,902 | ) | | | (15.5 | ) |
Net cost of sales | | | (91,420 | ) | | | (94,663 | ) | | | 3,243 | | | | (3.4 | ) |
Gross profit | | | 38,774 | | | | 59,433 | | | | (20,659 | ) | | | (34.8 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (22,577 | ) | | | (22,340 | ) | | | (237 | ) | | | 1.1 | |
Other operating expense | | | (562 | ) | | | (1,236 | ) | | | 674 | | | | (54.5 | ) |
Operating profit | | | 15,635 | | | | 35,857 | | | | (20,222 | ) | | | (56.4 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Liquids Production and Commercialization | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues from sales | | | 324,533 | | | | 338,063 | | | | (13,530 | ) | | | (4.0 | ) |
Net cost of sales | | | (183,060 | ) | | | (175,262 | ) | | | (7,798 | ) | | | 4.4 | |
Gross profit | | | 141,473 | | | | 162,801 | | | | (21,328 | ) | | | (13,1 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (20,451 | ) | | | (17,293 | ) | | | (3,158 | ) | | | 18.3 | |
Other operating income | | | 118 | | | | 1,952 | | | | (1,834 | ) | | | (94.0 | ) |
Operating profit | | | 121,140 | | | | 147,460 | | | | (26,320 | ) | | | (17.8 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Midstream | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues from sales | | | 58,380 | | | | 50,254 | | | | 8,126 | | | | 16.2 | |
Net cost of sales | | | (26,182 | ) | | | (22,716 | ) | | | (3,466 | ) | | | 15.3 | |
Gross profit | | | 32,198 | | | | 27,538 | | | | 4,660 | | | | 16.9 | |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (6,116 | ) | | | (4,596 | ) | | | (1,520 | ) | | | 33.1 | |
Other operating (expense) / income | | | 205 | | | | 63 | | | | 142 | | | | 227.9 | |
Operating profit | | | 26,287 | | | | 23,004 | | | | 3,283 | | | | 14.3 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Telecommunications | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Revenues from sales | | | 2,863 | | | | 2,779 | | | | 84 | | | | 3.0 | |
Net cost of sales | | | (2,045 | ) | | | (1,942 | ) | | | (103 | ) | | | 5.3 | |
Gross profit | | | 818 | | | | 838 | | | | (20 | ) | | | (2.3 | ) |
Administrative and selling expenses | | | (550 | ) | | | (412 | ) | | | (138 | ) | | | 33.7 | |
Other operating expense | | | - | | | | 2 | | | | (2 | ) | | | (100.0 | ) |
Operating profit | | | 267 | | | | 428 | | | | (161 | ) | | | (37.5 | ) |
(1) Includes intersegment revenues of Ps. 3,627 million and Ps.5,462 million for the fiscal years 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Regulated Natural Gas Transportation Segment
The Natural Gas Transportation business segment represented 25.4% and 28.5% of our total revenues during the years 2022 and 2021, respectively.
For additional information regarding the history of our discussions with various governmental authorities in relation to the adjustment of our gas transportation tariffs see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Regulatory Framework.”
| • | During 2022, the Natural Gas Transportation business segment recorded an operating profit of Ps. 15,635 million, compared to a Ps.35,857 million profit recorded in 2021. The main factors that affected the results of operations of this segment compared to 2022 are the following: |
| • | Revenues from the Natural Gas Transportation business segment decreased by Ps.23,902 million for the year 2022 compared to 2021. |
| • | During 2022, we had only received a nominal tariff increase of 60% as of March 1, 2022 while annual inflation was 94.8%. |
| • | Revenues related to natural gas firm transportation contracts for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased by Ps.15,016 million for the year 2022 compared to 2021, as we had only received a nominal tariff increases of 60% as of March 1, 2022, while the cumulative inflation rate for the Year 2022 was 94.8%. See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Regulatory Framework—Regulation of Transportation Rates—Actual Rates” for additional information. |
| • | Revenues related to interruptible natural gas transportation service decreased by Ps. 6,210 million for the year 2022 compared to 2021. The decrease mainly resulted from tariff increase discussed above, partially offset by higher volumes dispatched. |
| • | Revenues relating to the CAU decreased by Ps. 841 million for the year 2022 compared to 2021 primarily as a result of the same tariff effect. The value of the CAU is much lower than the transportation tariff we are permitted to charge for our natural gas transportation services, because we were not required to make any investment in the construction and expansion of the assets to which the CAU relates. See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Pipeline Operations—Pipeline Expansions” for additional information regarding the CAU. |
| • | Costs of sales and administrative and selling expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022 decreased by Ps. 3,006 million, from Ps. 117,004 million to Ps. 113,998 million, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. This decrease was mainly attributable to lower PPE maintenance expenses of Ps. 4,631 million, as during 2022 we performed less repairs, technical operator assistance fees of Ps. 1,442 million and lower turnover tax by Ps. 1,520 million. These effects were partially offset, principally, by higher: (i) labor costs of Ps. 1,691 million, (ii) depreciation of Ps. 1,934 million. |
| • | Other operating expenses decreased by Ps. 673 million for the year 2022 compared to 2021, primarily as a result of higher provision for contingencies. |
Liquids Production and Commercialization Segment
The Liquids Production and Commercialization segment represented 63.3% and 62.6% of our total revenues during the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively
For the fiscal years 2022 and 2021, all of our sales were made for our own account.
All ethane produced by our Liquids segment in the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 was sold locally to PBB.
Our ethane sales for the years 2022 and 2021 represented 24.6% of our Liquids Production and Commercialization net revenues.
In 2022, we sold 50.9% of our production of LPG in the local market to LPG marketers, compared to 55.1% in 2021, with the remainder exported to LPG traders. In addition, all natural gasoline produced during 2022 and 2021 was exported. For more information about these contracts, see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Liquids Production and Commercialization.”
The total annual sales for the Cerri Complex for 2022 and 2021 in tons were as follows:
| | | | | Year ended December 31, 2022 compared to year ended December 31, 2021 | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
Local Market | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Ethane | | | 329,232 | | | | 353,078 | | | | (23,846 | ) | | | (6.7 | ) |
Propane | | | 215,753 | | | | 238,284 | | | | (22,531 | ) | | | (9.4 | ) |
Butane | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Subtotal | | | 730,457 | | | | 773,314 | | | | (42,857 | ) | | | (5.5 | ) |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Exports | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Propane | | | 194,810 | | | | 144,801 | | | | 50,009 | | | | 34.5 | |
Butane | | | 78,460 | | | | 85,627 | | | | (7,167 | ) | | | (8.4 | ) |
Natural Gasoline | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Subtotal | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total Liquids | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
For the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the total accrued exports withholding amounted to Ps.11,394 million and Ps.9,560 million, respectively.
In the domestic market, the Secretary of Energy continued issuing a series of measures with the aim of reducing the impact of the subsidies in public accounts in order to reduce the negative impact that the participation in the Households with Bottles Program and Propane for Networks Agreement have in the results of operations of natural gas liquids producers. These measures include an increase in the sales price from selling LPG bottles the above-mentioned agreements.
The sales prices under the program for fiscal 2022 and 2021 were as follows:
Resolution Nro. | Period | Ps. Per ton (at values determined by each resolution) |
249 | April 2021 to April 2022 | Ps. 12,627 |
270 | April 2022 to July 2022 | Ps. 15,152 |
609 | July 2022 to August 2022 | Ps. 17,500 |
609 | September 2022 to October 2022 | Ps. 18,375 |
861 | November 2022 to December 2022 | Ps. 26,801 |
See “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Competition—Liquids Production and Commercialization—Regulation—International Market.” for additional information.
During 2022 the Liquids Production and Commercialization business segment recorded operating profit of Ps.121,140 million, compared to Ps.147,460 million in 2021. The main factors that affected the results of operations for this segment compared to 2021 were the following:
| • | Segment revenue decreased by Ps.13,530 million for the year 2022 compared to 2021. This negative effect was mainly due to the negative real exchange rate variation by Ps. 57,810 million and lower volumes of ethane and butane dispatched by Ps. 8,137 million. These effects were partially offset by higher ethane by Ps. 18,974 million and international benchmark prices by Ps. 15,617 million and higher volumes of natural gasoline and propane shipped by Ps. 14,898 million. |
| • | Subsidies increased by Ps. 3,802 million in the year 2022 compared with 2021. |
| • | In 2022 propane, butane and natural gasoline average export prices recorded increases of 5%, 8% and 16%, respectively, compared to 2021. |
| • | During 2022, the production of Liquids reached 1,129,004 tons (9,585 tons or 0.9% more than in 2021). |
| • | It should be noted that there were no production restrictions during the winter period, as a result of a greater supply of local gas due to non-conventional gas developments. |
| • | Notwithstanding the changes made to the Households with Bottles Program to supply butane to the domestic market described above, our obligations under this program continues to have an adverse impact on this segment, resulting, under some circumstances, in a negative operating margin on domestic sales of LPG. |
| • | Costs of sales, administrative and selling expenses for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased by Ps. 10,956 million, to Ps. 203,511 million from Ps. 192,556 million, as compared to the year ended December 31, 2021. This increase was mainly due to higher: (i) cost of natural gas purchased as RTP of Ps. 9,750 million (principally as a consequence of the increase in the price of the natural gas), (ii) taxes of Ps. 2,046 million (especially tax on exports) and iii) salaries, wages and other compensations by Ps. 626 million. These effects were partially offset by technical operator assistance fees of Ps. 2,332 million. |
| • | Other operating expenses decreased by Ps. 1,834 million. |
In 2022, export revenues from the Liquids Production and Commercialization segment were Ps.144,224 million and accounted for 28% (26% in 2021) of total net sales and 44% (41% in 2021) of total Liquids Production and Commercialization revenues.
In 2022, we exported propane and butane at spot prices, which allowed us to capture opportunities associated with different market niches, allowing us to considerably increase the individual fixed prices of each operation.
We sold our LPG exports at spot prices and to the date of this Annual Report, we are under negotiations for new agreements.
As in prior years, in the period ranging from May to September 2022, the sales of these products were conducted mainly in the domestic market, due to the restrictions in natural gas consumption for the production of Liquids and governmental requirements to supply the domestic market within the framework of the programs outlined by the Government for the supply of LPG.
Regarding the export of natural gasoline, after the termination of the term contract with Petrobras Global Trading B.V. traded until January 31, 2021, spot trades with Trafigura Pte Ltd were conducted until May. Starting in June, we traded with Trafigura Pte Ltd under a term agreement, with an extension until March 2023 inclusive.
In March 2023, we signed a new agreement with Trafigura to export natural gasoline. This agreement will expired in February 2024 and includes similar conditions as the previous one.
As mentioned above, overall international prices showed a rising trend, mainly in the first quarter of 2022, slightly contracting during the first half of the year and towards the year end. International prices are expected to increase in the short term, though below the averages of the first half of 2022. Additionally, as a result of the increase in sea freight costs, the prices at which our products are exported are foreseen to be subject to reduced margins, which could negatively impact the operating margins of the Liquids business segment.
We keep expanding our positioning in the Brazilian market and in 2022 continued exports by sea to Brazilian LPG distributors, which started in 2021 in a direct modality, with no go-betweens. Besides, in September 2022 we conducted our first direct sea export to a Brazilian industrial user. Also, in December 2022, we conducted the largest LPG export to private Brazilian companies by sea.
Additionally, we export to Chile, Paraguay and Brazil by trucks.
Regarding the price of natural gas, measured in U.S. dollars, acquired for RTP for processing at the Cerri Complex, it has suffered an increase of approximately 29% with respect to 2021 Said increase is related to the start up of the Plan Gas.Ar, implemented by the National Government, the aim of which is to generate the framework that facilitates the recovery of national gas production, establishing new market price references, added to a drop in the supply of certain productive basins and transportation restrictions from the Neuquén basin.
Although the Plan Gas.Ar could have a positive effect allowing to stop the fall in production levels that has been registered in the last periods, it is important to highlight the impact that it could have on the prices at which we would acquire the natural gas used in the Cerri Complex.
Midstream
During 2022, the Midstream business segment recorded an operating profit of Ps.26,287 million, which represents a Ps.3,283 million increases compared to Ps.23,004 million in 2021. The main factors that affected the results of operations of this segment during 2022 are the following:
| • | Net revenues increased by Ps. 8,126 million primarily due to: (i) higher natural gas transportation and conditioning services in Vaca Muerta for Ps. 12,927 million, and (ii) compression of natural gas services by Ps. 1,934 million. These effects were partially offset by the decrease in the exchange rate on sales revenues denominated in U.S. dollars for Ps. 7,000 million and lower operation and maintenance services rendered by Ps. 411 million. |
| • | Costs of sales, administrative and selling expenses increased by Ps. 4,986 million, mainly due to the increase in: (i) professional services fees by Ps.1,249 million, (ii) depreciations of Ps. 613 million, (iii) salaries, wages and other compensation by Ps. 551 million, and (iv) turnover tax by Ps. 579 million. |
Telecommunications
During 2022, the Telecommunications business segment recorded an operating profit of Ps.267 million, compared to a profit of Ps.428 million in 2021. The main factors that affected the results of operations of this segment during 2021 are the following:
| • | Net revenues increased by Ps.84 million in the year ended December 31, 2022, when compared to 2021. |
| • | Costs of sales, administrative and selling expenses increased by Ps.242 million in the year ended December 31, 2022, when compared to 2021. |
B. Liquidity and Capital Resources
We expect our main sources of liquidity in the near term to be cash flow from operations and, to a lesser extent due to the limited availability of financing for Argentine companies, cash flow from third parties obtained from financial institutions. Because of the aforementioned, we closely monitor our liquidity levels in order to ensure compliance with our financial obligations and to achieve our objectives. Our principal uses of cash flows are expected to be capital expenditures, operating expenses, dividend payments to our shareholders, payments of financial debt and for general corporate purposes. We expect working capital, funds generated from operations and, to a lesser extent, financing from third parties to be sufficient. We assume that we will be able to access the domestic and international capital markets to refinance our 2018 Notes, if necessary.
To preserve cash surpluses, we invest in low-risk and highly liquid financial assets offered by high-quality financial institutions that are located in Argentina and the United States. Our policy is designed to diversify credit risk. Given that our total financial indebtedness is denominated a different currency than the Argentine peso, we prioritize the placement of funds in U.S. dollar-denominated investments.
We currently do not have any off-balance sheet arrangements or significant transactions with unconsolidated entities not reflected in our Financial Statements. All of our interests in and/or relationships with our subsidiaries are recorded in our Financial Statements.
In the short-term, the most significant factors generally affecting our cash flow from operating activities are: (i) fluctuations in international prices for LPG products, (ii) fluctuations in production levels and demand for our products and services, (iii) changes in regulations, such as taxes, taxes on exports, tariffs for our regulated business segment and price controls, (iv) fluctuations in the natural gas price used as RTP, (iv) fluctuations in exchange rates and (v) operating cost increases given inflation.
Our cash flows from operations have been affected in past years due to the lack of adjustment to our natural gas transportation tariffs to cover increases in our operating costs and capital expenditures. Along these lines, and as a guiding principle, financial solvency is our main objective.
During 2023, our cash generation has allowed us to cover all our financial needs, mainly the investments made for the maintenance of the transportation system and other operating assets of the remaining business segments, as well as those made for new projects.
In 2023, we have pursued the diversification of our investment’s portfolio. To that end, we acquired public and private bonds linked to the U.S. dollar and to CER (BCRA’s index: Stabilization Reference Coefficient) to mitigate the exchange rate risk on our liabilities in United States dollars and the impact of inflation on availabilities denominated in pesos.
The performance of the Natural Gas Transportation segment was marked by the lack of tariff updates, the last of which was received in April 2023 (the previous tariff increase had been received in March 2022), which in the framework of the Solidarity Law and its complementary rules provided for a tariff freeze and the renegotiation of the RTI.
During 2023, we continued participating in the Households with Bottles Program, which generates operating margins by virtue of the fact that the price determined by the SHR is significantly lower than the costs of processing natural gas. For further information, see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Liquids Production and Commercialization.”
We believe that we will have to rely only on our operating cash inflow to meet our working capital, debt service and capital expenditure requirements for the foreseeable future. Actual results may differ materially from our expectations described above as a result of various factors affecting the Argentine economy.
In the Liquids Production and Marketing business segment, despite the volatility of prices of commodities, we were able to maintain a positive cash flow.
As a result of a combination of external and local factors in the macroeconomic context, the exchange rate of the U.S. dollar increased by 356.3% during 2023, from Ps.177.16 to Ps.808.45. As of December 31, 2023, 89%, or U.S.$404 million, of our fund placements were denominated in U.S. dollars, to mitigate such risk. During the period ended on December 31, 2023, sales revenues denominated in U.S. dollars amounted to 65%.
The foregoing allows us to conclude that we managed to limit the impact of the recent turbulence in the exchange rate on the future cancellation of indebtedness.
A further devaluation of the peso or further inflation with no compensating effect in our natural gas transportation tariffs or lower liquids prices could harm our cash-generating ability and materially adversely affect our liquidity, our ability to carry out mandatory capital investments and our ability to service our debt.
Our financial position is and will be significantly dependent on its operating performance, our indebtedness and capital expenditure programs.
Our primary sources and uses of cash during the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 are shown in the table below:
| | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | (in millions of pesos) | |
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year | | | 9,308 | | | | 26,865 | | | | 42,607 | |
Cash flows provided by operating activities | | | 189,571 | | | | 110,282 | | | | 183,804 | |
Cash flows used in investing activities | | | (206,428 | ) | | | (125,235 | ) | | | (183,701 | ) |
Cash flows provided by / (used in) financing activities | | | 24,653 | | | | 11,292 | | | | (5,821 | ) |
Net (decrease) / increase in cash and cash equivalents | | | 7,796 | | | | (3,660 | ) | | | (5,718 | ) |
Foreign exchange gains on cash and cash equivalents | | | 1,451 | | | | 911 | | | | 1,960 | |
Monetary results effect on Cash and cash equivalents | | | (11,955 | ) | | | (14,808 | ) | | | (11,984 | ) |
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year | | | 6,599 | | | | 9,308 | | | | 26,865 | |
In our opinion, the working capital is sufficient for the company’s present requirement.
Cash Flows Provided by Operating Activities
The cash flow provided by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased by Ps. 79,289 million, mainly due to lower income tax payments by. 68,813 million and the increase in cash inflows by Ps. 22,663 million in connection with changes in assets and liabilities. The increase in cash inflows was mainly due to higher contract liabilities and trade payables, partially offset by the increase in trade receivables. These effects were partially offset by lower comprehensive income, adjusted for non-cash income and expense by Ps. 12,187 million.
The cash flow generated by operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased by Ps. 73,522 million, mainly due to higher income tax payments by. 53,958 million, lower net income adjusted by non-cash items (including depreciation and financial results accrued) by Ps. 43,719 million. These effects were partially offset by higher collections of trade and other receivables by Ps. 14,892 million and lower interest paid by Ps. 4,917 million.
Cash Flows Used in Investing Activities
The cash flow used in investment activities for the year ended December 31, 2023, increased by Ps. 81,194 million, mainly driven by higher acquisitions of capital assets within the framework of Midstream projects by Ps. 56,273 and financial assets not considered cash equivalents according to IFRS Accounting Standards by Ps.24,921 million.
The cash flow used in investment activities for the year ended December 31, 2022, decreased by Ps.58,467 million, mainly driven by lower acquisitions of financial assets not considered cash equivalents by Ps.79,851 million. This effect was offset by higher funds earmarked for the acquisition of capital goods within the framework of projects for other services undertaken by Ps.20,282 million.
Cash Flows Provided by / (Used in) Financing Activities
Cash flow provided by financing activities, amounted to Ps. 24,653 million compared to the cash flow used in financing activities for Ps. 11,292 million for 2022. This effect was due to net proceeds of financial debt during 2023 by Ps 16,546.
Cash flow provided by financing activities, amounted to Ps. 11,292 million compared to the cash flow used in financing activities for Ps. 5,820 million for 2021. This effect was due to net proceeds of financial debt during 2022 as opposed to the repurchase of notes of 2021.
Description of Indebtedness
As of December 31, 2023, 100% of our total indebtedness was entirely denominated in U.S. dollars. The following table shows our total indebtedness as of 2023 and 2022:
| | | | | | | | | |
| | (in millions of U.S. dollars) (2) | | | (in millions of pesos) | |
Current loans: | | | | | | | | | |
2018 Notes Interest | | | 5 | | | | 4,278 | | | | 2,919 | |
Bank loans | | | 62 | | | | 49,995 | | | | 5,663 | |
Leasing | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total current loans | | | 75 | | | | 60,567 | | | | 12,207 | |
Non-current loans: | | | | | | | | | | | | |
2018 Notes | | | 470 | | | | 380,226 | | | | 259,379 | |
Leasing | | | 14 | | | | 10,921 | | | | 9,648 | |
Bank loans | | | 25 | | | | 19,934 | | | | 13,402 | |
Total non-current loans | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total loans(1) | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(1) Issuance expenses net.
(2) Converted at the exchange rate of Ps.808.45 per U.S.$1.00, which was the selling exchange rate as of December 31, 2023.
In order to improve the maturity profile of our financial debt, on April 19, 2018, we launched the Tender Offer (as defined below) to purchase for cash any and all of our negotiable instruments class 1 issued in February 2014 (the “2014 Notes”), which expired on April 26, 2018, and settled on February 11, 2014. On April 27, 2018, U.S.$80,083,898.25 in aggregate principal amount of the 2014 Notes (or approximately 41.80% of the 2014 Notes then outstanding), were redeemed pursuant to the Tender Offer and the remaining 2014 Notes were redeemed on May 2, 2018, pursuant to the provisions of the indenture, dated February 11, 2014, among Delaware Trust Company (successor to Law Debenture Trust Company of New York), as trustee, co registrar, principal paying agent and transfer agent, and Banco Santander Rio S.A., as registrar (the “2014 Indenture”). The redemption of the 2014 Notes was financed with the proceeds from the offering of the 2018 Notes.
On January 3, 2014, the CNV authorized the public offering through Resolution No. 17,226. Our Board of Directors proposed that the 2017 Shareholders’ Meeting authorize an increase of up to U.S.$700,000,000 (or its equivalent in other currencies) of the medium-term note program approved by the CNV on January 3, 2014, for the issuance of short- and medium-term bonds not convertible into shares. On October 31, 2018, we obtained approval from the CNV for the extension of the program to January 3, 2024. On 9 October 2019, we obtained approval from the CNV for the extension of the program to U.S.$1.2 billion.
On October 11, 2023, the CNV approved the expansion of the bonds program to a maximum amount of U.S.$ 2,000 million and the extension of its maturity up to January 3, 2029.
On May 2, 2018, within the framework of the 2017 short- and medium-term negotiable obligations program approved by the CNV, we issued the 2018 Notes with the following characteristics:
Amount in U.S.$ | | 500,000,000 | |
Interest Rate | | 6,75% annual | |
Pricing | | 99,725% | |
| | | | Percentage on the Principal Amount to be Paid |
Amortization | | May 2, 2025 |
| 100% |
Frequency of Interest Payment | | Semiannual, payable on May 2 and November 2 of each year. |
Guarantor | | None. |
The proceeds obtained from the 2018 Notes were used to: (i) repurchase the 2014 Notes for an amount equivalent to U.S.$86,511,165; (ii) cancel and totally redeem the 2014 Notes for U.S.$120,786,581; and (iii) make capital investments with the remaining balance.
As of December 31, 2023 the principal amount of outstanding 2018 Notes was U.S.$ 500 million. During 2022, we repurchased our marketable debt for a nominal value of U.S.$ 29.7 million for which it paid Ps. 7,637,322. This transaction generated a result of (Ps. 3,208,025), recognized in the financial results of the Statement of Income.
We are subject to several restrictive covenants under our 2018 Notes that limit our ability to obtain additional financing, including limitations on our ability to incur additional indebtedness to create liens on our property, assets or revenues. In addition to the required principal amortization payment obligations, we are also subject to other restrictive covenants that affect our use of cash on hand, such as limitations on our ability to pay dividends to our shareholders and limitations on our ability to sell our assets. See “Item 10. Additional Information—C. Material Contracts—Debt Obligations” for a detailed discussion of the terms of our financial debt, including the interest rates and material covenants applicable to such indebtedness.
It should be noted that, given the economic context and the foreign exchange restrictions, which generated some delays to pay our imports, during 2023, we incurred new indebtedness with well-known financial institutions of Ps. 35,744 million (US$ 74.0 million) and paid Ps. 10,891 million (US$ 24.1 million).
The following table shows the details of other financial indebtedness as of December 31, 2023:
Currency | | Amount (in miles) | | | Interest rate | | | Expiration date |
USD | | | 60,162 | | | | 7.76 | % | | Between January and November 2024 |
Euros | | | 61 | | | | 7.00 | % | | May 2024 |
All of these loans are guaranteed by time deposits included as “Financial Assets at Current and Non-Current Amortized Cost.”
In March 2023, our subsidiary Telcosur, renew the loan for U.S.$24 million taken in March 2022. The main terms of such loan are:
Amount in US$ | 24,000,000 |
Interest rate | 1.5% annual rate |
Amortization | January 25, 2025 |
Interest payment frequency | Upon maturity |
Collateral | Fixed-term deposit in foreign currency (1) |
Included as “Other financial assets at amortized cost, non-current.”
We regularly implement actions aimed at minimizing the impact of the exchange rate variation on our financial indebtedness, including entering into currency-forward agreements with major financial institutions for the purchase of U.S. dollars to cover exposure to the exchange rate risk derived from our financial indebtedness. In addition, we are able to invest in financial instruments, which reflect the variation of the exchange rate. During 2023 and 2022, we did not enter into any derivative instruments to hedge the foreign exchange risk.
Future Capital Requirements
As of December 31, 2023, our estimated material short-term and long-term contractual cash obligations consist of our borrowings, purchases of natural gas used in our Liquids Production and Commercialization business segment, and lease commitments and are detailed by maturity in Note 22 to our Financial Statements.
As it was mentioned before, we’re engaged in increasing our conditioning capacity in our Midstream business segment. for the year of 2024, we expect to invest U.S.$177 million to completed our current expansion project in Vaca Muerta area. For additional information see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Operating Results—Midstream.”]
Operation of our assets imply that we must incur in capital expenditures to comply with the safety and maintenance of our natural gas pipeline system and other facilities of our business segments.
We currently expect to continue to rely on cash flow from operations and short-term borrowings and other additional financing activities to finance capital expenditures in the near term.
As from December 31, 2023, to the date of this Annual report, we have increased net financial indebtedness by Ps. 7,711 million for Vaca Muerta capital expenditures capex.
Currently we have a debt program and given that the 2018 Notes are expiring in May 2025, we will be looking for alternatives for its refinancing, as long as the financing conditions are adequate.
Our level of investments will depend on a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control. Among them we can mention changes in current regulations, including the status of negotiations with ENARGAS in order to conclude the RTI process, the development of the Vaca Muerta area and the increase in natural gas supply, changes in tax legislation, and the political, economic and social situation prevailing in Argentina.
Currency and Exchange Rates
Due to the fact that our entire financial indebtedness is denominated in U.S. dollars, any significant devaluation of the peso would result in an increase in the cost of paying our debt, and therefore, may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Our results of operations and financial condition are also sensitive to changes in the peso-U.S. dollar exchange rate because most of our capital expenditures, and the cost of natural gas used in our Liquids business are denominated in U.S. dollars.
Therefore, our primary market risk exposure is associated with changes in the foreign currency exchange rates because our debt obligations are denominated in U.S. dollars and 35% of our consolidated revenues were peso-denominated for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Contributing to this exposure are the measures taken by the Government since the repeal of the Argentine Convertibility Act and the pesification of our regulated tariffs described elsewhere in this Annual Report. This exposure is mitigated in part by our revenues from our Liquids Production and Commercialization business segment, 87% of which are denominated in U.S. dollars for the year ended December 31, 2023. Likewise, 83% of the operating costs of this business segment for that period were denominated in U.S. dollars. For more information, see “Presentation of Financial and Other Information—Currency.”
We place our cash and current investments in high quality financial institutions in Argentina and the United States. Our policy is to limit exposure with any financial institution. Our temporary investments primarily consist of money market mutual funds and Government bonds.
Our strategy will remain focused on mitigating both the exchange rate risk arising from our liabilities in dollars and the effect of inflation on our liquidity. In a hyperinflationary accounting environment, maintaining monetary assets generates loss of purchasing power and maintaining monetary liabilities generates a gain in purchasing power; provided that such items are not subject to an adjustment mechanism that compensates to some extent for these effects. The monetary loss or gain is booked in the statement of comprehensive income. During the 2021 fiscal year, we have maintained a net liability monetary position. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022 we are maintaining a net asset monetary position.
C. Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc.
Not applicable.
D. Trend Information
See “—A. Operating Results” and “Item 8. Financial Information—A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information—Legal and Regulatory Proceedings.”
E. Critical Accounting Estimates
See Note 5 (Critical Accounting Estimates) to our consolidated financial statements for a description of our critical accounting estimates.
Item 6. | Directors, Senior Management and Employees |
A. Directors and Senior Management
General. Management of our business is vested in the Board of Directors. Our Bylaws provide for a board of directors consisting of a minimum of nine principal directors and nine alternate directors and a maximum of 11 principal directors and 11 alternate directors. In the absence of one or more principal directors, alternate directors will attend meetings of the Board of Directors. Principal directors and alternate directors are elected at an ordinary meeting of shareholders and serve one to three-year renewable terms, as resolved by the shareholders, subject to reelection. Effective and alternate directors shall remain in their positions until substituted by the shareholders. In December 2019, the board approved the rules of its internal operation.
Under our Bylaws and Argentine law, the Board of Directors is required to meet at least once every three months. A majority of the members of the Board of Directors constitutes a quorum, and resolutions must be adopted by a majority of the directors present. In the case of a tie, the Chairman or the person replacing him at a particular meeting is entitled to cast the deciding vote. The Board of Directors may hold meetings either by members in physical attendance thereat or by communication among themselves through other means of simultaneous transmission of sound, images and words.
Current Board of Directors members were designated at the 2024 Shareholders’ Meeting. All the member of our Board of Directors were appointed until the shareholders’ meeting that considers the financial statements as of December 31, 2024.
The Shareholders’ Agreement (as defined in “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—A. Major Shareholders—Shareholders’ Agreement”) contains provisions governing the voting of our shares held by CIESA, the election of the members of our Board of Directors and certain other matters.
In February 2015, the Executive Branch enacted Decree No. 196/2015, which complements the provisions of Decree No. 1278/2012, mainly extending indemnity and legal assistance coverage to directors and statutory committee members appointed by the Government in companies in which it has stock participation.
Decree No. 894/2016, established that directors appointed by the FGS shall have the functions, duties and powers established by the General Companies Act, the Capital Markets Law and all the rules applicable to the company in which they act as directors, its bylaws and other internal regulations. On November 19, 2020, Law 27,574 was published in the Official Gazette, which regulates the role of the representatives of the FGS in those companies in which it has a stake, providing that the FGS will dictate the rules that are necessary in order to regulate their appointment, function, responsibility, performance and remuneration, which has been regulated by Decree No. 1041/2020 and ANSES Resolution No. 57/2021.
The General Companies Act governs the way directors are appointed. The members of the Board of Directors are appointed by the shareholders at the general annual shareholders’ meeting or by the Statutory Committee, as the case may be, when authorized by the Bylaws. It is not mandatory to be a shareholder of the company to be eligible to be appointed as a director. Section 263 of General Companies Act mandates that up to one-third of the members of the board can be appointed by the “cumulative vote system.” The vote of each shareholder who chooses to use the “cumulative vote system” shall be multiplied by the number of members to be appointed; the result may be partially or fully allocated to any of the candidates. All of the shareholders are entitled to choose the “cumulative vote system,” in other words, not only ANSES has the right to appoint members to the Board of Directors through that system.
Duties and Liabilities of Directors. Under Argentine law, directors have the obligation to perform their duties with the loyalty and diligence of a prudent business person. Directors are jointly and severally liable to us, shareholders and third parties for the improper performance of their duties, for violating the law, our Bylaws or regulations, if any, and for any damage caused by fraud, abuse of authority or gross negligence. Under Argentine law, specific duties may be assigned to a director by our Bylaws, regulations or by a resolution of a shareholders’ meeting. In such cases, a director’s liability will be determined with reference to the performance of such duties; provided that certain recording requirements are met. Moreover, under Argentine law, directors are prohibited from engaging in activities in competition with us without express shareholder authorization. Certain transactions between us and directors are subject to ratification procedures established by Argentine law.
A director who participates in the adoption of a resolution or who advises on or recognizes such resolution, will be exempted from liability if he leaves written evidence of his objection and notifies the Statutory Committee before his liability is reported to the board of directors, the Statutory Committee, a shareholders’ meeting, or competent authority or before judicial action is exercised. Shareholder approval of a director’s performance terminates any liability of a director vis-à-vis the Company; provided that shareholders representing at least 5% of our capital stock do not object and that such liability does not result from a violation of the law, our Bylaws or regulations.
Causes of action against directors may be initiated by us upon a majority vote of shareholders. If a cause of action has not been initiated within three months of a shareholders’ resolution approving its initiation, any shareholder may initiate the action on behalf of and for our account.
At the general annual shareholders’ meeting held on March 6, 1996, our shareholders approved the acquisition of civil liability insurance coverage for directors, Syndics and officers. Such coverage is common practice among public companies who seek protection for such persons against shareholders’ and other parties’ claims.
As of the date of this Annual Report, five of the principal directors of our Board of Directors qualify as independent as defined in the NYSE in Section 303A of its Listed Company Manual (the “NYSE Standards”), Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act and the CNV Rules. Three of the principal directors of our Board of Directors (all of whom are independent in accordance with the NYSE Standards and two of whom are independent in accordance with the CNV Rules) are also members of our Audit Committee. The remaining members of the Board of Directors are not independent. Under the independence requirements, a director is not independent if any of the following apply:
| • | Is also a member of the management body of the controlling entity or another company belonging to the same economic group by a relationship existing at the time of its election or that ceased during the three years immediately preceding. |
| • | Is linked to the issuer or its shareholders that hold directly or indirectly “significant shareholding” or with companies in which these also have direct or indirectly “significant shareholding,” or was linked to them by a contract of employment during the last three years. |
| • | Provides, or belongs to a professional corporation or association, which renders professional services to or receives any form of remuneration or fees (other than the corresponding remuneration for its position in the administration body) from the issuer, or those shareholders that have any direct or indirect “significant shareholding” in us or from corporations in which shareholders also have any direct or indirect “significant shareholding.” |
| • | Directly or indirectly, holds five percent or more of shares entitled to vote of our capital or in a company which holds “significant shareholding” in the latter. |
| • | Directly or indirectly, sells or provides goods or services to the company or its shareholders, who hold direct or indirect “significant shareholding” for an amount substantially higher than the compensation received from the position as members of the administration body. This prohibition covers commercial relations that took place during the last three years prior to the appointment as director. |
| • | Has been a director, manager, administrator or principal executive of non-governmental organizations that have received funds, for amounts exceeding Ps. 800,000 from the company, its controlling entity and other companies of the group of which tgs is a part. |
| • | Receives some payment, including participation in stock option plans, from the company or the companies in its same group, other than the fees to be received under his position as director. |
| • | Has served as director at the company, its controlling entity or another company belonging to the same economic group for more than ten years. The condition of independent director will be recovered after at least three years have elapsed since the cessation of his position as director. |
| • | Is a husband or wife, legal partner, close relative up to third degree of consanguinity or second degree of relationship that, in the case of being a member of the administrative body, would not be independent as set forth in the CNV regulations. |
In all cases, “significant shareholding” refers to those shareholders holding at least five percent (5%) of our common stock, or less in cases when they are entitled to appoint one or more directors per class of share, or have agreements with other shareholders relating to the management and administration of any such companies, or its controlling entity.
The following table reflects the current members of our Board of Directors, their respective positions on the Board of Directors and the year they were appointed to such position.
Additional information regarding the occupation and employment background of each of our regular directors is set forth below:
| | | | | | | | Position in Other Company |
Horacio Jorge Tomás Turri | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Chairman | | Executive director oil and gas at Pampa Energía |
Luis Alberto Fallo | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Vice Chairman | | Director of Sagua Argentina S.A. |
Pablo Daniel Viñals Blake | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Director | | Partner at Marval O’Farrell Mairal Law Firm |
María Carolina Sigwald | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Director | | Legal Executive director at Pampa Energía |
Luis Rodolfo Secco | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Director | | Economist |
Carlos Alberto Olivieri | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Director | | Independent Consultant |
Carlos Alberto Di Brico | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Director | | Public Accountant |
Carlos Alberto Caffarini | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Director | | Partner of the law firm Caffarini & Asociados |
Federico Alberto Levy Alen | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Director | | Partner at pharmaceutical industry |
Jorge Romualdo Sampietro | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Alternate Director | | Senior Director at Petroquímica Cuyo |
| | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Alternate Director | | Pampa Energía’s legal affairs vice president |
Francisco Antonio Macías | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Alternate Director | | Partner at Marval O’Farrell Mairal Law Firm |
María Agustina Montes | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Alternate Director | | Legal affairs and compliance manager at Pampa Energía |
Enrique Llerena | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Alternate Director | | Partner at Llerena – Amadeo Law Firm |
Santiago Alberto Fumo | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Alternate Director | | Independent consultant |
Martin Irineo Skubic | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Alternate Director | | Manager of Alliances and New Business Development Latam South at Elli Lilly Interamerica |
Hernán Castrogiovanni | | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Alternate Director | | Coordinator of the General Directorate of Project Analysis at the FGS-Anses |
| | 4/17/2024 | | 2025 | | Independent Alternate Director | | Advisor at the ANSES |
Horacio Jorge Tomás Turri is currently Executive Director of oil and gas at Pampa Energía. From August 1997 to March 2000, Mr. Turri was Chief Executive Officer of Hidroeléctrica Piedra del Águila. From 1994 to 1997, he was Chief Executive Officer of Gener Argentina S.A. Prior to 1994, he was Development Assistant Manager at Central Puerto S.A. From 1990 to 1992, Mr. Turri worked as investment project’s analyst for the oil, gas, and electricity sectors at SACEIF Luis Dreyfus. He also worked at Arthur Andersen & Co. and Schlumberger Wireline in 1987-1990 and 1985-1987, respectively. He is CIESA’s Chairman, as well. Mr. Turri is an Industrial Engineer and received his degree at Instituto Tecnológico Buenos Aires. He was born on March 19, 1961.
Luis Alberto Fallo holds a degree in Accounting from the Universidad de La Plata and a Master's degree in Business Administration from the Universidad del CEMA (Center of Macroeconomic Studies). He currently serves as Director of Simali S.A., Executive Director of Sagua Argentina S.A., President of Beau Lieu S.A., President of Finca de Los Andes S.A., Vice President of Aguas de Santiago S.A., President of PEPCA S.A. and Vice chairman of CIESA, President of First Class Flights S.A. and Vice President of Hostería Las Balsas S.A. Since 1992 he has worked with Grupo Sielecki, the main and controlling shareholder of several companies to which he serves as Director. He was born on January 29, 1960.
Pablo Daniel Viñals Blake holds a law degree from the Universidad Católica Argentina and a master law degree from Harvard Law School. Mr. Viñals Blake has been a foreign associate in the New York office of Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy LLP and since 1997 is a partner in the Buenos Aires office of Marval, O’Farrell & Mairal. Mr. Viñals Blake is currently the co-head of Marval’s Mergers & Acquisitions team and head of the Private Equity and Venture Capital and the Agribusiness groups. He has represented domestic and multinational companies, private equity, hedge funds and financial institutions in most of the largest M&A, Agribusiness and project financing transactions in Argentina in the last two decades and advised multilateral financial institutions such as the IFC, IDB and the United States Eximbank on their Argentine operations. He currently serves as a board member of BlackRock Argentina Asesorias S.A., PEPCA S.A. and CIESA. He was born on October 3, 1962.
María Carolina Sigwald has been a member of the Board of Directors of Pampa Energía since 2018 and serves as Executive Director of Legal Affairs of Pampa Energía. Ms. Sigwald worked at the legal department of Central Puerto S.A., and then served as an associate at the New York office at Chadbourne & Parke and then worked at the Corporation Interamericana de Inversiones (IIC) based in Washington. In 1998, Ms. Sigwald returned to Argentina and founded the firm Díaz Bobillo, Sigwald & Vittone, in which she served as an external consultant for energy companies. Before joining as a director at Pampa Energía, between 2015 and 2017, Ms. Sigwald was the director of regulatory and legal affairs at Edenor. Ms. Sigwald is also a member of the boards of CITELEC, CT Barragán, Transba, CIESA., Comercializadora e Inversora S.A. y Vientos de Arauco Renovables S.A.U. and alternate director of Transener, Vientos Solutions Argentina S.A.U. y Fiplasto S.A. In addition, Ms. Sigwald acts as Vice-Chairman of Enecor, Autotrol, Pampa Energía Soluciones S.A., Digipa S.A., Pampa Energía Bolivia S.A. y Generación Argentina S.A. Ms. Sigwald is also member of the administration committee of Fundación Pampa Energía Comprometidos con la Educación.. Ms. Sigwald holds a law degree with honors from University of Buenos Aires. She was born on November 15, 1967.
Luis Rodolfo Secco holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Banking Disciplines from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. In 1990 he obtained a scholarship as a full time researcher at the Universitá degli Studi di Siena. Between 1992 and 1994, he was a researcher and director of the School of Banking Disciplines of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Between 1994 and 1999, he worked as Chief Economist of M.A.M. Broda and Associates. At the beginning of 2000 he was summoned to work in the government of the then president Fernando De la Rua as economic adviser to the Presidency and General Director of Strategic Analysis of the Secretary of State Intelligence, a position he held until January 2002. In 2002, Mr. Secco founded his economic consulting firm, Economic Perspectives, and is currently director and editor of the Economic Perspectives newsletter. Between 2004 and 2012 he was external director of the Department of Economics of Deloitte Argentina. Since 1988 he has served as a professor at the Faculty of Economic Sciences of the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. He is also a guest columnist for the newspapers La Nación, Perfil and El Economista. He was born on December 14, 1963.
Carlos Alberto Olivieri holds a Public Accountant degree from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario and a postgraduate degree in Corporate Financial Management from the University of Michigan and Stanford University. At present, Mr. Olivieri is professor of Finance at Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. Between 2008 and March 2010, Mr. Olivieri acted as a financial advisor at Raymond James and, between 2002 and 2007, he worked for YPF as Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) for Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia. Previously he acted as CFO of YPF S.A., Quilmes Industrial S.A. and Eaton S.A. and President of YPF GAS S.A. and Maxus Corporation (USA). He also had executive responsibilities in other industries, such as Aerolíneas Argentinas and Arthur Andersen & Co. and taught at the Universidad de Buenos Aires and University of Michigan. Mr. Olivieri is also member of the board of directors of Metlife Seguros S.A. and acts as financial advisor. He was born on May 14, 1950.
Carlos Alberto Di Brico holds a degree in Administration and Public Accountancy from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He is a member of the board of NTN SNR Argentina SA, FDV Intive Argentina SA, Aristocrat Argentina PTY Limited, Perform Media Argentina SRL and Perform Content South America SAS. He has held several management positions at Eveready Argentina S.A. between 1975 and 1995. From 1995 to 1998, he was CFO at Stafford Miller Argentina S.A. Between 2001 and 2013, he served as CFO and later as CEO at Emerson Argentina. Between 2010 and 2017, he was a member of the board of directors of Camuzzi Gas Pampeana S.A. He was born on August 1, 1952.
Carlos Alberto Caffarini holds a law degree from the UBA. During his professional career he has held several positions as advisor to various public administration bodies as well as participated in the drafting of various laws and regulations with an impact on the regulatory framework of national transport and logistics. Likewise, in his private practice he provides legal advice to several organisations and is a partner of the law firm Caffarini & Asociados. He was born on October 22, 1952.
Federico Alberto Levy Alen holds a public accountant degree from the Universidad del Salvador and a specialization in capital markets from the Universidad del CEMA. Since September 2013 he acts as partner in a La Franco pharmacy. Previusly he acted as financial advisor in Banco Galicia.
Jorge Romualdo Sampietro holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad de Buenos Aires and an Executive Program at Darden Business School - University of Virginia. Between 1968 and 1973, he worked as Technical Sales Manager at Dow Química Argentina. From 1973 to 1975, he was Export Manager at Petroquímica Mosconi. Since 1976, he has worked as Commercial and General Manager at several companies. Since 1994, he has been General Manager of Petroquímica Cuyo and currently holds the position of Director of Petroquímica Cuyo S.A.I.C. and of Alternate Director of CIESA and PEPCA. He was born on May 12, 1944.
Gerardo Carlos Paz. Mr. Paz obtained a law degree from Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. He has worked at several places such as ENRE from 1994 to 2000, Camuzzi Gas Pampeana from 2001 to 2007 and Pampa Energía S.A. since 2007. Mr. Paz holds a Master’s degree in business law. Mr. Paz serves as Vice Chairman of PACOSA and Transelec. He is also director of HIDISA, HINISA, TJSM and TMB and alternate director of CPB, CIESA and Transba. Mr. Paz is also a member of the supervisory committee of CAMMESA. He was born on October 24, 1968
Francisco Antonio Macías holds a Law degree from the Universidad Católica Argentina and a Post Graduate degree in International and EC Law from the School of Law of the University of Siena, Italy and a Post Graduate Degree in International Operations from the National Foreign Office Institute of Argentina. Since 2002, Mr. Macías is a partner in Marval, O’Farrell Mairal law firm and is currently the head of Marval’s Oil & Gas practice. Before joining Marval he worked for the firm of Bazán, Cambré & Orts and for BBVA Banco Francés. He was born on January 19, 1967.
María Agustina Montes is an alternate member of Pampa Energía’s Board of Directors. Energy. Ms. Montes is a lawyer graduated from the University of Buenos Aires. She currently works as Corporate Legal and M&A Manager of the Company, having joined the company in 2011. She has also worked at Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton in their New York office during 2014. Previously, Ms. Montes worked as an attorney at Bruchou, Fernandez Madero & Lombardi. Currently, Ms. Montes serves as a director of HINISA and Pampa Energía Bolivia S.A., and as an alternate director of Enecor, S.A., and as a member of the board of directors of Enecor, S.A. alternate director of Enecor and, HIDISA, Transba, TGS, CITELEC, CTB, Digipa S.A., CISA, VAR and Autotrol. Ms. Montes serves as president of Trovinver S.A. She was born on September 28, 1981.
Enrique Llerena holds a Law degree from the Universidad Católica Argentina. He also holds a degree in Diplomatie et administration des Organization Internationales from the Universite et Paris XI. Since 1982, he has been a partner of the law firm Llerena Amadeo. He has served as the principal director and member of the audit committee of various companies. He is currently the Managing Director of Tradelog S.A. He is also a partner at Llerena & Arias Uriburu. He was born on April 9, 1955.
Santiago Alberto Fumo graduated as a Public Accountant at the Universidad del Litoral, and he also holds a Master’s degree in Law and Economy for the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella. He currently works as an independent consultant in startups and takeovers. Additionally, he acts as syndic at Molinos Río de la Plata S.A., National Oilwell Varco MSW S.A., Tuboscope Vetco de Argentina S.A. and Antares Naviera S.A. He was born on December 10, 1960.
Martín Irineo Skubic serves as manager for alliances and development at Elli Lilly Interamerica. In addition Mr. Skubic has served as senior officer at Jergens Argentina S.A., Stafford Miller Argentina S.A., Eveready Argentina S.A. and Pistrelli, Díaz y Asociados. Mr. Skubic holds a degree in public accounting from Universidad de Buenos Aires and holds a Master in Business Administration from Universidad del CEMA.
Hernán Castrogiovanni holds a degree in organizational management and a master’s degree in energy from the University of Buenos Aires. He is currently coordinator of the General Directorate of Project Analysis at the FGS-Anses, where he has been working since 2004.
Gastón Ignacio Marra holds degrees in business administration and organizational information systems, both from the University of Buenos Aires. He currently works as an advisor to the general management at ANSES where he has held various positions since 2014. He was born on August 17, 1970.
Executive Committee. In order to achieve more streamlined management of the Company, the 2017 Shareholders’ Meeting approved the amendment of our Bylaws for the purpose of allowing, within the scope of the Board of Directors, the possibility of constituting an executive committee (the “Executive Committee”), under the terms established by article 269 of the General Companies Act.
The Board of Directors is the body in charge of appointing the members of the Executive Committee, which will be made up of four members: the directors who have been appointed as our President and Vice President, and any other two directors elected by simple majority, with a mandate to serve for one year.
The Executive Committee will function with a quorum of the majority of its members; the quorum must include our President and Vice President. It will adopt its decisions unanimously and will have the powers determined by the Board of Directors.
The current composition of the Executive Committee was decided by the Board of Directors at its meetings of April 17, 2024. Horacio Jorge Tomás Turri, Luis Alberto Fallo, Pablo Viñals Blake and María Carolina Sigwald are in office for a term of one fiscal year, until the meeting that considers the financial statements as of December 31, 2024.
Executive Officers. The following is a list of our executive officers as of the date of this Annual Report, their respective positions with us and the year they were appointed to such position:
| | | | |
Oscar Jose Sardi | | 2019 | | CEO |
Claudia Trichilo | | 2019 | | Operations Director |
Carlos Hector Sidero | | 2013 | | Human Resources Director |
Alejandro Mario Basso | | 2016 | | CFO and Services Director |
Hernan Diego Flores Gomez | | 2017 | | Legal Affairs Director |
Juan Ignacio de Urraza | | 2020 | | Business Director |
Rubén De Muria | | 2018 | | Institutional and Regulatory Affairs Director |
There is no expiration term defined for the executive officers.
Below is a description of the main activities currently carried out by each of our executive officers, together with the biographical information thereof:
Oscar Jose Sardi received a Mechanical Engineering degree from the Universidad Nacional de Rosario and holds a major in Natural Gas from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He also participated in a General Administration Program at the Universidad Austral. He worked for GdE between 1983 and 1992 and since then, he has held different positions in our operations area. In April 2005, he was designated as our Service Vice President, and subsequently appointed as our Operations Director from October 2016 until April 2019, when he was appointed as our CEO. He also acts as President of Telcosur and of TGU. He was born on September 1, 1955.
Claudia Beatriz Trichilo received a Chemistry degree and a post-graduate degree in Engineering from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. From June 1988 to December 1992, she worked at the Industrial Engineering Department of Gas del Estado. In 1992, Ms. Trichilo joined tgs as Chief of Technical Planning and held such position until December 2002, when she was appointed Technical Developments Manager. From 2007 to 2010, Ms. Trichilo acted as Coordinator of Operations until August 2019, when she was appointed as our Operations Vice President. She also acts as Vice President of CTG. She was born on March 21, 1963.
Carlos Hector Sidero graduated from Universidad de Buenos Aires as a Certified Public Accountant in Argentina. He worked with Isaura S.A. from 1981 through 1994. From 1994, he managed different areas within the Human Resources department at Eg3 SA and Petrobras Argentina. He joined us in March 2013 as Vice President of Human Resources. He was born on February 16, 1956.
Alejandro Mario Basso received a Public Accounting degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He worked for Compañía Naviera Pérez Companc from 1987 to 1992, and for Quitral-Co S.A. from 1992 to 1994. From 1994 to 1998, he acted as our Planning and Corporate Control Manager, and between September 1998 and March 2008, he was our Planning and Control Vice President. Between March 2008 and October 2016, he acted as our Management Control and Corporate Governance Vice President. In October 2016, he was designated as our CFO and Services Vice President. He also acts as President of CTG, Vice president of Telcosur S.A. and Gas Link S.A., Alternate Director of TGU and Liquidator at EGS. He was born on October 13, 1961.
Hernán Diego Flores Gómez received a Law degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He is a co-founder and professor of the Hydrocarbons and Energy Industry Law post-graduate course at Universidad Católica Argentina, and he is also a co-founder and professor of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Law post-graduate course at Universidad de Buenos Aires, and professor of the Energy Master’s degree at the Energy Regulatory Activity Studies Center (“CEARE”). Additionally, Dr. Flores Gómez has a Master’s degree in Business Law from the Escuela Superior de Economía y Administración de Empresas (ESEADE), a Master’s degree in Finance from the Universidad del CEMA and a Postgraduate degree in Damage Law from Universidad Católica Argentina. He began his career in the National Judicial Branch. Throughout his career, he held various relevant positions on legal matters, institutional and management relationship at companies such as Capsa / Capex S.A., Pluspetrol S.A. and ENAP Sipetrol Argentina S.A. He was born on June 10, 1966.
Juan Ignacio de Urraza holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Universidad Nacional de La Plata. He completed several postgraduate courses in Strategic Management, Business Management, Management Development, Management Development and Advanced Leadership. Between March 1991 and July 1992 he worked at the Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas, Teóricas y Aplicadas as a researcher in the Corrosion Department. From September 1992 to January 1993 he worked as a fellow at Petroken Petroquímica Ensenada. From July 1993 to September 1994 he worked first as a Process Engineer and then as a Consultant at A&C Analistas Económicos y Consultores de Empresas. Between November 1994 and February 2005 he held different positions in Metrogas. In March 2005 he joined us as Liquids Commercial Head, until September 2007, when he took over as Natural Gas Liquids Commercial Manager. In November 2020 he was appointed Business Director. He was born on September 27, 1969.
Rubén De Muria received a Public Accountant degree from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He obtained a Master degree in Regulations of Gas and Electricity Industries from CEARE. He worked for Chase Manhattan Bank Argentina and Perez Companc S.A. between 1985 and December 1992. In December 1992, he joined us as member of the Regulatory Matters and Rates Department. In August 2006, he was promoted to Regulatory Matters and Rates Manager. In December 2015, he was appointed as Institutional and Regulatory Affairs Executive Manager, and, finally in January 2018, as Institutional and Regulatory Affairs Vice President. He was born on January 31, 1964.
For additional information regarding the provisions included in the Shareholders’ Agreement for the election of our CEO, see “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—A. Major Shareholders—Shareholders’ Agreement.”
Indemnification of Officers and Directors. Under the Shareholders’ Agreement, the shareholders of CIESA require us to: (i) limit the liability of each of our officers, syndics and directors for all consequences of their acts or omissions, excluding acts or omissions where there is evidence of fraud or gross negligence and (ii) enter into agreements obligating us to defend, indemnify and hold harmless each of our officers, syndics and directors from and against all liabilities, losses, and other expenses incurred by each such officer, syndic or director in connection with a pending, threatened or completed civil, criminal, administrative or other proceeding, or any investigation that could lead to such a proceeding, by reason of the fact that such officer, syndic or director is or was one of our officers, syndics or directors, including claims alleged to be due to the negligence of such person, but excluding acts or omissions that involve fraud or gross negligence towards us.
B. Compensation
The remuneration paid by us during the year 2023 to the members of our Board of Directors and executive officers amounted to Ps. 342 million and Ps. 1,233 million, respectively. We do not grant pension or retirement plans or other benefits to members of our Board of Directors or to our executive officers.
Executive officers are subject to a goal-directed management system with a variable remuneration program. Consensual objectives are in line with our global objectives, as the variable remuneration program links a portion of its compensation to the performance thereof and our performance. Total compensation of executive officers consists of a fixed portion (normal and usual remuneration) and a variable portion. The variable portion depends on the level of achievement of the “Outcome” objectives, which consist of economic and financial targets, and “Performance Results,” including business objectives that do not have an associated economic result. We measure achievement of these objectives annually, based on performance during the fiscal period.
C. Board Practices
For information on the term of office of our directors and executive officers, see “—A. Directors and Senior Management” above. The information in that section is incorporated herein by reference.
None of the members of our Board of Directors are party to any service contract with us or any of our subsidiaries providing for benefits upon termination of employment.
Audit Committee
According to the Capital Markets Law, publicly listed companies must have an Audit Committee "that will function on a collegiate basis with three or more members of the Board of Directors, the majority of whom must be independent under CNV regulations." The Audit Committee operates under its Charter of Procedure, which was approved in its meeting held in 2013 in accordance with the requirements of the Capital Markets Law. The Charter of Procedure require that the majority of the members that form the Audit Committee must be independent according to the CNV's standards. Audit Committee members are designated by a simple majority of the Board of Directors, at the first meeting following designation of the members of the Board of Directors, and they hold office until their successors are designated. The Audit Committee adopts its own regulations and must prepare a working plan for each fiscal year.
The Board of Directors meeting held on April 17, 2024 appointed the current members of the Audit Committee, who as of the date of this Annual Report are Carlos Alberto Di Brico, Carlos Alberto Olivieri and Luis Rodolfo Secco and their respective alternates, Martin Irineo Skubic, Santiago Alberto Fumo and Enrique Llerena. All of Audit Committee members meet the independence criteria set forth under Rule 10 A-3 of the Exchange Act, SEC regulations and NYSE Standards, but according to CNV rules Mr. Carlos Olivieri does not qualify as independent since he has served as director for more of ten years.
The Audit Committee’s mandatory duties are to:
| - | supervise the internal control and accounting systems as well as the reliability of the latter and all the financial information and other significant issues that are to be submitted to the SEC, CNV and BYMA in compliance with the applicable disclosure policies; |
| - | supervise the application of information policies regarding our risk management; |
| - | ensure that the market is informed about those operations where there may be a conflict of interest with one or more members of the Board of Directors, controlling shareholders or other parties as defined by the applicable regulations; |
| - | express its view on the reasonableness of fees and stock option plans for directors submitted by the Board of Directors; |
| - | express its view as to compliance with laws and regulations and the reasonableness of the conditions of an issuance of shares (or convertible securities), in the case of a capital increase, excluding or limiting preferential rights; |
| - | oversee compliance with the Code of Ethics (see “Item 16B. Code of Ethics”); and other relevant rules; |
| - | issue a well-founded opinion on whether the terms and conditions of relevant transactions with related parties are according to market practice, within five business days from the receipt of a petition issued by the Board of Directors, and at any other time at which a conflict of interest exists or might exist; |
| - | prepare an annual working plan for the fiscal year and notify the Board of Directors and the Statutory Committee within 60 days from the beginning of the period; |
| - | fulfill all the obligations stated in our Bylaws and applicable laws and regulations; |
| - | express its view on the Board of Directors’ proposals on whether to appoint the external auditors to be hired and monitor the auditors’ independence; and |
| - | establish procedures for: (i) the receipt, treatment, investigation and administration of the complaints received by us regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters; and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by our employees of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters. |
Also, regarding the internal and external auditors, the Audit Committee must:
| - | evaluate and give an opinion on their plans and performance when issuing the annual Financial Statements. |
In evaluating the external auditors’ performance, the Audit Committee must:
| - | analyze the different services rendered by the external auditors as well as their independence, according to Technical Resolution (“TR”) No. 34 of the FACPCE, and any other related regulations issued by professional councils; |
| - | report separately the fees billed as follows: (i) fees for external audit and other related services meant to provide reliability to third parties (e.g., special reports about internal controls, shareholding prospectuses, certifications and special reports requested by regulators, etc.); and (ii) fees related to other special services different from those mentioned above; and |
| - | review independence policies of the external auditors in order to verify their fulfillment. |
Additionally, the Audit Committee must perform the following mandatory duties contained in the regulatory framework:
| - | Give a prior assessment, that shall be used by the CNV to require us to designate an external auditor as requested by minority shareholders, as long as such shareholders represent at least 5% of our common stock and provide a justified request (in those cases in which the minority shareholders’ rights might be affected) and if CNV understands the credibility of the damage invoked by said shareholders in order to carry out one or more specific reviews. The charges of such reviews shall be borne by the petitioning shareholders (Act No. 26,381, article 108.f); |
| - | provide a well-founded assessment about an acquiring tender (Act No. 26,381, article 98); and |
| - | issue a report supporting a Board of Directors’ resolution to buy back our shares (Act No. 26,381, article 64). |
Once a year, the Audit Committee is required to prepare a plan for the fiscal year to be presented to the Board of Directors and to the Statutory Committee. The directors, members of the Statutory Committee, managers and external auditors must, when requested by the Audit Committee, attend its meetings, provide the Audit Committee with information and otherwise assist the Audit Committee in the performance of its functions. In order to better perform its functions, the Audit Committee may seek the advice of legal counsel and other independent professionals at our expense, pursuant to a budget approved by the shareholders, and we must provide the Audit Committee with access to the information and documents it may deem necessary to perform its duties.
According to CNV Rules, at least once a year and upon the filing of the annual Financial Statements, the Audit Committee shall issue a report to the shareholders, addressing how such committee performed its duties and the results of its work.
The aggregate compensation paid by us for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 to the members of the Audit Committee was Ps. 120 million. We do not provide pension, retirement or similar benefits to any member of the Audit Committee.
Statutory Committee
The Statutory Committee is our monitoring body as stipulated in Section No. 284 of the General Companies Act. Our Bylaws provide for a Statutory Committee consisting of three syndics and three alternate members (“Alternate Syndics”). In accordance with our Bylaws, two syndics and the corresponding Alternate Syndics are elected by a majority vote of the holders of our Class “A” shares. The remaining syndic and corresponding alternate syndic are elected by the majority vote of the remaining holders of our common stock. Each member of the Statutory Committee is elected at the general annual shareholders’ meeting and serves for a one-year renewable term. Members of the Statutory Committee must be lawyers or accountants qualified under Argentine law and, for the accountants, TR No. 45. Our directors, officers and employees may not be members of the Statutory Committee, all members must be independent. Our Bylaws require the Statutory Committee to hold meetings at least once per month.
The primary responsibilities of the Statutory Committee consist of monitoring our management’s compliance with the General Companies Act, our Bylaws and the shareholders’ resolutions, and without prejudice to the role of external auditors, reporting to the shareholders at the general annual shareholders’ meeting regarding the reasonableness of our financial information. Furthermore, the members of the Statutory Committee are entitled to: (i) attend Board of Directors, Executive Committee and shareholders’ meetings, (ii) call special shareholders’ meetings when deemed necessary and general annual shareholders’ meetings when the Board of Directors fails to do so, and (iii) investigate written inquiries initiated by the shareholders. The Statutory Committee does not control our operations or evaluate management’s decisions, which are the exclusive responsibility of the Board of Directors.
The aggregate compensation paid by us for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023 to the members of the Statutory Committee was Ps. 65 million. We do not provide pension, retirement or similar benefits for syndics and alternate syndics.
The following table sets forth the current membership of our Statutory Committee, each of whom was appointed at the 2024 Shareholders’ Meeting, the year when each member was initially appointed and the year when their term expires:
| | | | | | |
Pablo Fabián Waisberg | | 8/21/2020 | | 2025 | | Syndic |
José Daniel Abelovich | | 4/21/2020 | | 2025 | | Syndic |
María Valeria Fortti | | 4/21/2020 | | 2025 | | Syndic |
Marcelo Héctor Fuxman | | 4/21/2020 | | 2025 | | Alternate Syndic |
Fernando Pedro Tetamanti | | 8/21/2020 | | 2025 | | Alternate Syndic |
Héctor Horacio Canaveri | | 4/19/2023 | | 2025 | | Alternate Syndic |
The present principal occupations and employment history of our syndics are set forth below:
Pablo Fabián Waisberg is a Certified Public Accountant from the University of Buenos Aires. He is currently an accounting and tax advisor. He is also a trustee of Petrosiel S.A., Areic S.A., Grainco S.A., Petroquímica Cuyo S.A., Sagua Argentina S.A., Noragua S.A., CIESA and Aguas de Santiago S.A. He was born on February 3, 1965.
José Daniel Abelovich obtained a degree in Accounting from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He is a founding member and partner of Abelovich, Polano & Asociados S.R.L., a member firm of Nexia International. Formerly, he was Manager of Harteneck, López y Cía/Coopers & Lybrand and has served as a Senior Advisor in Argentina for the United Nations and the World Bank. He is a member, among others, of the supervisory committees of Cresud, IRSA, Hoteles Argentinos, Inversora Bolívar, Banco Hipotecario S.A. and CIESA He was born on July 20, 1956.
Valeria Fortti obtained a degree in Accounting and a bachelor in Administration form the Universidad de Buenos Aires. She also holds a Master in Business Administration from the same university. Since 1994, she has been a trustee in the Argentine National Auditing Commission. She is also a member of the supervisory committees of Emprendimientos Energéticos Binacionales S.A., Nucleoeléctrica Argentina S.A. and TELAM S.E. She was born on December 20, 1973.
Fernando Pedro Tetamanti obtained a degree is Accounting from the Universidad de Belgrano. He is partner of Tycompany advisors.
Marcelo Héctor Fuxman obtained a degree in Accounting from the Universidad de Buenos Aires. He is a partner of Abelovich, Polano & Asociados S.R.L., a member firm of Nexia International. He is also a member, among others, of the supervisory committees of Cresud, IRSA, Inversora Bolívar and Banco Hipotecario S.A. He was born on November 30, 1955.
Compensation Committee
We do not have a compensation committee. Compensation decisions are made by our senior management.
Corporate Governance Practices; NYSE Requirements
See “Item 16G. Corporate Governance.”
D. Employees
The following table sets out the number of employees per department as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:
| | Number of Employees as of December 31,
| |
| | | | | | | | | |
General | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | |
Administration, Finance and Services | | | 121 | | | | 118 | | | | 118 | |
Human Resources | | | 29 | | | | 27 | | | | 27 | |
Legal Affairs | | | 11 | | | | 11 | | | | 11 | |
Public and Regulatory Affairs | | | 12 | | | | 11 | | | | 11 | |
Safety and Environmental | | | 30 | | | | 30 | | | | 31 | |
Business | | | 72 | | | | 73 | | | | 76 | |
Internal Audit | | | 5 | | | | 4 | | | | 4 | |
Operations | | | 840 | | | | 814 | | | | 822 | |
Trainees program | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Total | | | | | | | | | | | | |
The following table sets out the number of employees according to geographical location as of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021:
| | Number of Employees as of December 31, | |
| | | | | | | | | |
City of Buenos Aires | | | 301 | | | | 290 | | | | 289 | |
Province of Buenos Aires | | | 445 | | | | 444 | | | | 455 | |
Province of Chubut | | | 55 | | | | 54 | | | | 59 | |
Province of La Pampa | | | 17 | | | | 14 | | | | 13 | |
Province of Neuquén | | | 156 | | | | 141 | | | | 138 | |
Province of Río Negro | | | 63 | | | | 65 | | | | 59 | |
Province of Santa Cruz | | | 85 | | | | 84 | | | | 92 | |
Province of Tierra del Fuego | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | | 3 | |
Total | | | | | | | | | | | | |
As of December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the number of temporary employees working for us was 55, 51 and 47, respectively.
Under Argentine law, in the event of a dismissal of an employee without cause, the employer is required to pay the terminated employee severance, the amount of which is regulated by the Argentine Labor Law (Section 245). The severance consists of payment of one month’s wages for each year of employment. The Argentine Labor Law stipulates limits to the severance payment; these limits affect only employees who earn high wages. However, the Supreme Court has ruled this severance payment limitation unconstitutional when it results in a loss of more than 33% for a terminated employee as compared to the unlimited amount.
On December 13, 2019, the Executive Branch issued Decree No. 34/2019 which for a 180-days term doubles the amount of compensation mentioned above. The Government went a step further amid the COVID pandemic, extending this measure on several occasions, most recently by Decree no. 39/2021, effective until April 24, 2021.
The Supreme Court held the Law of Occupational Hazard Prevention unconstitutional as applied to contractors whose employees are injured in the course of employment, extending liability to the company that contracted with the contractor for the services.
Some courts have held that a company that contracts with a contractor for services is jointly liable for a contractor’s obligations to provide its workers and third-party service providers with social security benefits, wages, insurance, etc., even if the service for which the company contracts is not part of the company’s usual business.
Recent years presented an inflationary scenario that required numerous meetings with union representatives. We maintain a positive relationship with each of the employee unions with representation before our company. The fruits of this work were the agreements reached with each such union, which have been submitted to the national labor authority for approval and inclusion in existing collective bargaining agreements. Those agreements effectively prevented trade union conflicts and work stoppages.
Our collective bargaining agreements with our unions were approved by the competent Argentine authority and maintain their ultra-activity as established by current legislation. Regarding the salary corresponding to 2023, we signed agreements for the period of April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024. This is a consequence of the fact that tgs salary period comprises from the month of April of each year to the month of March of the following year. We are currently in negotiations with trade unions to conclude bargaining agreements for the period April 1, 2024 – March 31, 2025, but the status of this negotiation remains uncertain.
As of December 31, 2023, approximately 79% of our workforce is under trade union representation, having the same employment benefits. The unions that represent such employees are Unión del Personal Superior del Gas, Federación Argentina del Gas Natural de la República Argentina (which groups the unions of the capital, Bahía Blanca and Patagonia Sur) and Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Industria del Gas Natural Derivados y Afines of Neuquén and Río Negro.
E. Share Ownership
As of April 17, 2024, the following members of our board of directors and our senior management had an ownership interest in our Class B shares of: Carlos Olivieri (0.001%), Carolina Sigwald (0.005%), Martín Skubic (0.001%) and Oscar Sardi (0.005%).
Class B shares held by directors and trustees do not have different voting rights than the other shareholders holding Class B Shares. The directors, trustees and senior executives of the Company do not have options regarding the Company’s shares. There are no agreements that grant participation to employees in the assets of the Company, including the issuance or granting of options, shares or any other negotiable value.
F. Disclosure of a registrant’s action to recover erroneously awarded compensation
Not applicable.
Item 7. | Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions |
A. Major Shareholders
The following table sets forth certain information with respect to each shareholder known to us to beneficially own five percent or more of our common stock as of March 31, 2024:
| | | | | Percent of Total Common Shares | | | | |
CIESA | | | 405,192,594 | | | | 51.00 | % | | | A |
|
FGS | | | 190,685,633 | | | | 24.00 | % | | | B |
|
Holders through BYMA | | | 79,438,009 | | | | 10.00 | % | | | B |
|
Treasury shares | | | 41,734,225 | | | | 5.25 | % | | | B |
|
ADRs through Citi | | | 77,444,822 | (1) | | | 9.75 | % | | | B |
|
Total | | | 794,495,283 | | | | 100.00 | % | | | -- | |
(1) Equivalent to 15,488,257 ADRs.
Our controlling shareholder is CIESA, which holds 51% of our common stock and all of our Class A shares and local and foreign investors hold the remaining shares of our common stock, distributed among minority holders with 25% and FGS (managed by ANSES) with 24%. CIESA is under co-control of Pampa Energía, which holds 50% of CIESA’s common stock, and GIP and PCT, who in the aggregate hold a combined 50% indirect ownership interest in the outstanding capital stock of CIESA, as follows: GIP holds 27.1% and PCT holds 22.90%.
The current ownership of CIESA is the result of the acquisition of CIESA which encompassed the following steps:
| • | On July 27, 2016, Pampa Energía acquired from Petrobras Internacional Braspetro B.V. all the stock and voting rights of Petrobras Participaciones S.L., the holder of the 67.1933% of the capital stock and voting rights of Petrobras Argentina and, consequently, the indirect control of Petrobras Hispano Argentina. |
| • | On the same day, (i) Pampa Energía and its subsidiary Pampa Participaciones S.A. sold all of the capital stock and voting rights of PEPCA to GIP by 51%, WST S.A. (“WST”) by 45.8% and PCT L.L.C. by 3.2% and (ii) Pampa Inversiones S.A. transferred its status as beneficiary of the Trust to GIP and PCT, in a proportion of 55% and 45%, respectively. This transaction was authorized by ENARGAS on August 9, 2016, through Resolution No. I / 3939. |
| • | On January 17, 2017, CIESA was informed of the exercise of the swap option agreed among Pampa Energía, GIP, WST and PCT LLC. Pursuant to such option, (i) GIP and PCT transferred to PHA (formerly Petrobras Hispano Argentina) their position as beneficiary of a trust formed to that purpose (the “CIESA Trust”) owning of 40% of the stock and voting rights of CIESA; and (ii) Pampa Energía and PHA (formerly Petrobras Hispano Argentina) transferred to GIP and PCT shares representative of 40% of the capital and voting rights of CIESA, while Pampa Energía kept a direct participation in CIESA of 10% of its capital and voting rights. |
| • | On March 24, 2020, CIESA was informed of the transfer of the 40% capital stock owned by the CIESA Trust to PHA. |
| • | On July 13, 2020, PCT acquired WST participation in PEPCA, or 4.58% of CIESA, which resulted in GIP and PCT owning in the aggregate 50% in CIESA. |
| • | On January 5, 2022, Pampa Energía merged with PHA. By virtue of this, PHA transferred to Pampa Energía all of the shares it held in CIESA, and as of that date, Pampa Energía had a 50% direct participation in CIESA. |
Pursuant to the Pliego and the terms of the 2018 Notes, CIESA may not reduce its shareholding below 51% of our share capital.
FGS owns 24% of our common stock. On October 5, 2015, the Argentine Congress passed Law No. 27,181, declaring the protection of the Government’s shareholdings, including those forming part of the portfolio of the FGS, to be in the public interest, and creating the Argentine Agency of Government Investments in Companies as an enforcement authority. This agency was later replaced by the Secretary of Economic Policy and Development Planning of the Ministry of Finance. This agency is in charge of implementing any policies and actions related to the exercise by the Government of any rights arising out of the shares it holds.
In June 2016, the Argentine Congress passed Law No. 27,260, repealing or modifying earlier laws relating to the FGS. Among other things, Law No. 27,260 established that ANSES’ shareholding in public companies may not be sold, in most cases, without the prior authorization of the Argentine Congress if this sale represents a reduction in the FGS’s aggregate shareholding in public companies to below 7%.
Decree No 894/2016, which regulates Law No. 27,260, created the Secretary of Economic Policy and Development Planning. This new agency is responsible for executing policies relating to the exercise of rights corresponding to shareholdings of companies where the Government holds a minority interest. Decree No. 897/2016 states that the directors appointed by ANSES shall have the functions, duties and powers established by General Companies Act.
According to applicable regulations, any transfer or other action that limits, alters, cancels or modifies the destination, ownership, possession or nature of the shares held by the FGS which results in a decrease of the FGS’s holdings in a manner inconsistent with applicable law, shall not be conducted without prior express authorization of the Argentine Congress, with the following exceptions:
| • | Public takeover bids addressed to all holders of such shares at a fair price authorized by the CNV, under the terms of Chapters II, III and IV of Title III of the Capital Markets Law. |
| • | Exchange of shares for other shares of the same or another company in the context of a merger, split or corporate reorganization processes. |
All outstanding shares are entitled to one vote each and there are no preferred shares or any privilege.
On February 16, 2017, the special shareholders’ meetings of Pampa Energía and Petrobras Argentina approved the prior merger commitment, under which Pampa Energía will be the surviving entity and Petrobras Argentina will be dissolved without liquidation. The merger is effective as of November 1, 2016. Subsequently, on April 26, 2018, the CNV notified the Board of Directors of the approval of the merger, which was recorded in the Argentine commercial public registry on May 2, 2018.
Shareholders’ Agreement
As a result of changes in the shareholding of our controlling company, CIESA, a shareholders’ agreement was signed on August 29, 2005 (the “Shareholders’ Agreement”). This agreement governs certain matters relating to shareholder participation in CIESA and in us. This agreement grants the shareholders different rights and obligations with respect to us and CIESA, mainly regarding the designation of the members of our Board of Directors and our Statutory Committee.
The following table shows the current CIESA’s shareholding:
Shareholder | Number of shares | Class of shares | Ownership (%) |
| Pampa Energía S.A. | 319,409,348 | | A | 50% |
| PEPCA S.A. | 63,881,870 | | B | 10% |
| PCT L.L.C. | 114,987,364 | | B | 18% |
| Grupo Inversor Petroquímica S.L. | 140,540,114 | | B | 22% |
| Total | 638,818,696 | | | |
As reported in “Item 4. Our Information—A. Our History and Development—Controlling shareholders,” the control of CIESA / tgs is divided into two groups, on the one hand Pampa Energía, and, on the other hand, GIP and PCT. Thus, CIESA is under joint control between Pampa Group and GIP/PCT Group.
Transfers of Our Shares. Sales or transfer of our Class A shares must be approved by the affirmative vote of the shareholders representing at least sixty percent (60%) of the ordinary voting shares issued by CIESA.
Acts that require special approval of the Board of Directors. The Shareholders’ Agreement determines which decisions must be approved by an absolute majority of our Directors, including, among others: (i) the approval of the sale of assets outside the ordinary course of business; (ii) the approval of the annual budget and any modification thereof; (iii) approval to borrow or incur operating expenses in an amount that exceeds, in both cases, more than 10% of the amount approved in the annual budget; (iv) the approval to make investments that exceed U.S.$0.5 million; (v) the approval to establish or modify wage and compensation policies; and (vi) the termination or extension of the SATFO.
Changes in the shareholders’ structure of CIESA
For more information to respect of the changes in the shareholding composition of CIESA see above. On its behalf, the mentioned share changes were duly authorized by ENARGAS and by the National Commission of Defense of Competition of Argentina.
On August 9, 2016, ENARGAS authorized the transaction through Resolution No. I-3939/2016. Later, the exchange option was authorized by ENARGAS on December 29, 2016. Similarly, on January 10, 2018, the National Commission of Defense of Competition of Argentina, and subsequently on February 8, 2018, the Secretary of Commerce, approved the mentioned share changes as described above.
On March 24, 2020, CIESA was informed of the transfer of the 40% holding owned by the CIESA Trust to PHA.
In addition, on March 26, 2020, Pampa Energía informed to CIESA of the beginning of the reorganization process by means of a merger through absorption process between Pampa Energía, as absorbing company, and Pampa Cogeneración S.A. and PHA, as absorbed companies. This reorganization process, effective since April 1, 2020, will result in Pampa Energía holding the 40% stake of CIESA currently owned by PHA.
On January 5, 2022, Pampa Energía merged with PHA. By virtue of this, PHA transferred to Pampa Energía all of the shares it held in CIESA, and as of that date, Pampa Energía had a 50% direct participation in CIESA.
Repurchase of Shares
On May 9, 2018, our Board of Directors approved a first program for the acquisition of our Shares in the open market. Since then, our Board of Directors has approved new share repurchase programs. For additional information of such programs, please see “Item 16E. Purchases of Registered Equity Securities of the Issuer by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers.” As of December 31, 2021, we had 41,734,225 treasury shares, representing 5.25% of the total share capital. The acquisition cost of the same in the market amounted to Ps. 10,924 million (together with the trading premium on treasury stock of Ps. 3,169 million) which, in accordance with the provisions of Title IV, Chapter III, article 3.11.c) and e) of the CNV’s Rules, restricts the amount of the realized and liquid gains mentioned above that we may distribute to our shareholders.
B. Related Party Transactions
Transactions with related parties are carried out in the ordinary course of business according to common practices and in accordance with applicable laws and regulations.
SATFO
Pampa Energía is our technical operator, according to the approval of ENARGAS in June 2004, and subject to the terms and conditions of the SATFO which provides that Pampa Energía is in charge of providing services related to the operation and maintenance of the natural gas transportation system and related facilities and equipment, to ensure that the performance of the system is in conformity with international standards and in compliance with certain environmental standards. Pursuant to this agreement, Pampa Energía, also provides financial advice to us. For these services, we pay a fixed annual amount or a monthly fee based on a percentage of our operating income, the higher of the before mentioned. At the Shareholders Meeting held on October 17, 2019, certain modifications to the amount and term of this agreement were approved. For additional information see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Natural Gas Transportation—Pipeline Operations—Technical Assistance Services Agreement.”
Commercial transactions
In the normal course of business, we carry out transactions with related parties of the following nature:
| • | agreements for the purchase of natural gas used as RTP; |
| • | natural gas transportation services; |
| • | compression and treatment of natural gas services. On November 1, 2016, Pampa Energía assigned the operation of the Río Neuquén area and its related contracts to YPF. Until that date, our transactions under those contracts were reported as transactions with related parties of our Midstream business segment. |
| • | The board of directors approved the formation of the UT together with SACDE. The corporate purpose of the UT is to assembly of pipes for the construction of the project of “Expansion of the Natural Gas Transportation and Distribution System” in the province of Santa Fé, called through National Public Bid No. 452-0004-LPU17 by the former MINEM (the “Santa Fe Work”). |
| • | On October 27, 2017, tgs - SACDE UT executed the corresponding work contract with the former MINEM. UT will continue to exist until its purpose has been fulfilled, that is, once the work involved in the Santa Fe Work and until the end of the warranty period, set at 18 months from the provisional reception. |
In addition, we have entered into a UT operation with SACDE through which work related to the construction of the Regional II - Recreo / Rafaela / Sunchales Gas Pipeline will be carried out. Construction works are still in progress.
Leasing with Pampa Energía
On August 11, 2016, we entered into a financial lease with Pampa Energía. The term of the agreement is for 10 years and it determines that during nine years and 11 months we will pay Pampa Energía a monthly fee of U.S.$623,457, before taxes. A purchase option is established on the leased property in our favor to be exercised within 30 days prior to the termination of the agreement.
The objective of this financial lease was to finance the acquisition of property, plant and equipment located in the Río Neuquén hydrocarbon area for a net book value of Ps. 3,716 million, which allowed us to expand our midstream services provided in that area.
The details of significant transactions with related parties as of December 31, 2023, are as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | Production and commercialization of Liquids | | | | | | | | | Compensa-tion for technical assistance | | | Revenues for administrative services | | | | | | | | | Interest income / fair value results | |
| | | (in thousands of pesos) | | | | | | | |
| Controlling shareholder: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CIESA | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | 219 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
| Company which exercises joint control on the controlling shareholder: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Pampa Energía | | | 3,460,789 | | | | 8,605,778 | | | | 17,632,528 | | | | 16,522,448 | | | | 6,078,353 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | 917,514 | | | | - | |
| tgs´ associates with significant influence: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Link | | | - | | | | - | | | | 141,201 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | �� | | - | |
| Other related companies: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| SACDE. | | | - | | | | - | | | | 53,269 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
| Comercializadora e inversora S.A. | | | 700,506 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | | |
| Transener S.A. | | | - | | | | - | | | | 593 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
| Oleoductos del Valle S.A. | | | 89,665 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | | | | | - | |
| CT Barragan | | | - | | | | - | | | | 59,891 | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | 6.810,283 | |
| Fundación tgs | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Total | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
As of December 31, 2023, we have a balance of Ps. 9,983 million corresponding to dollar linked notes issued by CT Barragán S.A. that amortize the total principal on June 4, 2023, November 2024 and May 2025.
Additionally, during the year ended December 31, 2023, we received from SACDE Sociedad Argentina de Construcción y Desarrollo Estratégico S.A., construction engineering services for Ps. 41,078 million which are activated within the balance of advances to suppliers.
For additional information regarding revenues, costs, and outstanding balances relating to transactions with related parties as of and for the year ended December 31, 2023, see Note 21 to our Financial Statements included in this Annual Report on Form 20-F.
C. Interests of Experts and Counsel
Not applicable.
Item 8. | Financial Information |
A. Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information
Our Financial Statements, which are set forth in the index to Financial Statements in Item 18, are filed as part of this Annual Report.
Exports
For additional information regarding our exports, see “Item 4. Our Information—B. Business Overview—Liquids Production and Commercialization.”
Legal and Regulatory Proceedings
In addition to the matters discussed below, we are a party to certain lawsuits and administrative proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. Although no assurances can be given, we believe we have meritorious defenses, which we will assert vigorously to challenge all claims, and that possible liabilities from these claims will not have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Tax Claims
Turnover tax calculated on the natural gas price consumed by us as fuel
We have interpretative differences with several provinces regarding the liquidation of the turnover tax calculated on the natural gas used by us as fuel to render our transportation services. Several lawsuits have been initiated against us, which were concluded in a manner adverse to us.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, we recorded a provision of Ps. 2,153.4 million and Ps. 5,161.3 million, respectively, in respect of this claim under the line item “Provisions,” which amounts were determined in accordance with the estimations of tax and interests, that would be payable as of such date.
If our position regarding the turnover tax claims mentioned above fails and the turnover tax has to be paid, we are entitled to recover this amount by a transportation tariff increase as set forth in the License. However, there can be no guarantee that such tariff increase would be granted, notwithstanding the terms of the License.
Action for annulment of ENARGAS Resolutions
On April 11, 2012, we filed a judicial action before the National Court of First Instance in the Federal Administrative Litigation Court No. 1 (the “Court”) in order to obtain the declaration of invalidity of Decree No. 2,067/08 and the Gas Charge Resolutions as well as the declaration of unconstitutionality of the Natural Gas Processing Charge. As of the date of this Annual Report, the case is pending judgment.
On July 5, 2012, the Court issued in our favor a precautionary measure that suspended the charge on the terms set forth in the Gas Charge Resolutions. This decision was appealed in different opportunities by the Government and as a result the term of the precautionary measure was limited to six months. However, at the end of such term, we were entitled to obtain a new precautionary measure for a similar period.
The National Court of Appeals in Contentious Administrative rejected the extraordinary appeal filed by the Government against the judgment of that court that confirmed the rejection made by the Court at the request of ENARGAS to declare abstract the legal action initiated by us in accordance with the precedent “Alliance” issued by the Supreme Court in December 2014.
On March 26, 2019, we were served notice of the first instance judgment rendered in the proceedings, which upholds the legal action filed by us and declares the unconstitutionality of Executive Decree No. 2,067/08, MPFIPyS Resolution No. 1451/08 and the Gas Charge Resolutions, as well as of any other act aimed at enforcing the Executive Decree No. 2067/08, and therefore declare invalid said regulations. On March 29, 2019, the Secretary of Energy appealed the judgment, which was granted on April 3, 2019. On October 29, 2019, the judge resolved to extend the injunction (“medida cautelar”) (which prevents the Government from requiring us to pay the charges for the period between November 2011 and March 2016) until April 29, 2020 or until the award becomes final, whichever occurs first. The injunction has been extended until July 1, 2021.
Our management believes we have sufficient valid arguments to defend our position, and thus, we have not recorded any liability from the charge for natural gas consumptions from the date of obtaining the injunction until April 1, 2016, and of the effective date of Resolution No. 28 issued on March 28, 2016 by the former Ministry of Energy.
On May 14, 2021, we were notified of the judgment handed down by Chamber I of the Chamber in Administrative Litigation that (i) has revoked the decision of the First Instance Judge and (ii) has imposed the costs in both instances in the order caused. tgs considers that it possesses reasonable arguments to defend his position on the substantive question raised and, for that reason, he appealed the ruling of the Chamber in Administrative Litigation.
On June 4, 2021, we filed an extraordinary federal appeal against the sentence of the Chamber, which was answered by ENARGAS and the Government and was granted by the Court of Appeals itself on July 14, 2021, on the understanding that “At stake is the interpretation and scope of regulations of an unquestionable federal nature, such as Decree 2067/08 and MINPLAN Resolution No. 1451/2008, ENARGAS Resolutions No. 1982/11 and 1991/11, as well as articles 53 and 54 of Law 26,784”.
On April 8, 2021, we submitted a complaint to the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (“CSJN”) regarding the partial denial of the extraordinary federal appeal related to the objection of arbitrariness. The ongoing process is currently being handled by Secretary No. 4 of the CSJN. The primary case file was forwarded to the CSJN on August 20, 2021 and is presently under review.
By virtue of the precautionary measure issued, and its 12 extensions obtained, as well as the favorable ruling obtained in the first instance, the existence of favorable precedents issued by the Supreme Court with respect to other processors of natural gas and the granting of the extraordinary appeal that will result in the Supreme Court ruling on the case, the Management of tgs and its legal advisors consider that they have solid arguments to defend their position and that it is probable the obtention of a favorable resolution to their interests on the substantive issue. Therefore, no provision has been made for the eventual liability for the increase in the charge to finance the importation of natural gas applicable to natural gas consumptions related to the processing activity at the Cerri Complex for the period between the date of obtaining the precautionary measure and April 1, 2016, the effective date of Resolution No. 28/2016.
This resolution has annulled the acts that determined the value of the charge established by Decree 2067, for which as from April 1, 2016, ENARGAS and the body in charge of the collection thereof have ceased to collect the increase established by the Resolutions.
Regarding the last extension of the precautionary measure, expired on July 1, 2021, tgs has not required a new extension, by virtue of the premature procedural stage in which the appeal against the Court judgment is found.
Given the complex procedural instance, the nature of charge 2067, the background presented in this and other legal cases initiated against charge 2067, as of the date of issuance of this Annual Report, it is not possible to make a definitive quantification of the amount that should be paid by tgs in case of not obtaining a favorable ruling from the Supreme Court, while an eventual demand for payment in the current circumstances may be challenged and questioned by us in the framework of the corresponding administrative and judicial instances, where the amount of the charge that tgs may eventually be required to pay may be debated.
Other Litigation
Below is a description of certain other litigation in which we are involved. No assurances can be provided as to the outcome of these proceedings.
Environmental matters
We are subject to extensive environmental regulations in Argentina. Our management believes that our current operations are in material compliance with applicable environmental requirements, as currently interpreted and enforced. We have not incurred in material environmental liabilities as a result of our operations to date. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the total amount of these provisions amounted to Ps. 81.1 million and Ps. 182.2 million, respectively.
Others
In addition to the matters discussed above, we are a party to certain lawsuits and administrative proceedings which involve taxation, labor claims, social security, administrative and others arising in the ordinary course of business. Our management and our legal advisors estimate that the outcome of these differences will not have significant adverse effects on our financial position or results of operations. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, the total amount of these provisions amounted to Ps. 168.4 million and Ps. 241.0 million, respectively.
Dividend Distribution Policy
According to Argentina’s General Companies Act, dividends may be lawfully declared and paid only out of retained earnings reflected in the financial statements that have been approved by shareholders, if losses for prior fiscal years have been absorbed, if the applicable payment has been expressly approved by our shareholders and applicable legal reserves have been created, as described below.
To that effect, every year our Board of Directors must submit our financial statements for the immediately preceding fiscal year, together with reports thereon by our statutory committee (“Statutory Committee”), for the consideration and approval of the shareholders at the General Annual Shareholders’ Meeting which must approve our annual financial statements and determine the allocation of net income for such year, within four months of the close of the fiscal year, that is, for tgs before April 30 of each year. Pursuant to the General Companies Act and the CNV Rules, we are required to allocate a legal reserve (“Legal Reserve”) equal to at least 5% of each year’s net income (as long as there are no losses for prior fiscal years pending to be absorbed) until the aggregate amount of such Legal Reserve equals 20% of the sum of (i) “common stock nominal value” plus (ii) “inflation adjustment to common stock,” as shown in our consolidated statement of changes in equity. If there are any losses pending to be absorbed from prior fiscal years, such 5% should be calculated on any excess of the net income over such losses, if any. Dividends may not be paid if the Legal Reserve has been impaired, nor until it has been fully replenished. The Legal Reserve is not available for distribution as a dividend.
Pursuant to our Bylaws, after the allocation to the Legal Reserve has been made, an amount will be allocated to pay dividends on preferred stock, if any, and an amount equal to 0.25% of the net income for the year will be allocated to pay the statutory employee profit-sharing. The balance of the retained earnings for the year may be distributed as dividends on common stock or retained as a voluntary reserve, as determined at the General Annual Shareholders’ Meeting. For information on dividend taxation, see “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation.”
In addition, under the General Companies Act, our shareholders may establish additional voluntary reserves from time to time and for different purposes. Once established, the terms and conditions of any voluntary reserve cannot be changed without the prior approval of the shareholders.
In our Board of Directors meeting held on December 18, 2019, the Board approved a written dividend policy. This policy provides that in making its evaluation, our Board of Directors should consider our financial results, our liquidity, our future financing needs and other information, including economic and financial projections for both our and the economy as a whole. Each year, our Board evaluates whether to submit a distribution proposal to the shareholders’ meeting.
Nevertheless, there are a number of restrictions that limit our ability to distribute dividends, including:
| • | Per the Tax Reform, for fiscal periods beginning on January 1, 2018, distribution of dividends made to human persons and foreign beneficiaries are subject to a tax withholding which we must withhold and enter to the tax authority as a single and definitive payment when the dividends are paid. This additional tax will be 7% or 13%, depending on whether the dividends distributed correspond to earnings of a fiscal period at the enacted income tax rate of 30% or 25%, respectively. For these purposes it is considered, without admitting proof to the contrary, that the dividends that are made available correspond, firstly, to the oldest accumulated earnings. |
| • | The acquisition of treasury shares and the additional paid-up capital for the distribution of treasury shares in accordance with CNV Rules, restricts the amount of the retained earnings that the Company may distribute. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—A. Major Shareholders—Repurchase of Shares.” |
| • | According to the BCRA regulations, under certain conditions, we have to obtain its previous authorization before transferring dividend payments outside of Argentina. For additional information see “Item 10. Additional Information—D. Exchange Controls.” |
Further, our ability to make dividend payments may be limited by covenants in our existing debt instruments or in debt instruments we enter into in the future, and by our subsidiaries’ ability to generate income and cash flows to pay dividends to us. In particular, under the indenture dated May 2, 2018 (the “2018 Notes Indenture”), entered into with Delaware Trust Company as trustee, co-registrar, paying agent and transfer agent, and Banco Santander Rio S.A., as registrar, Argentine paying agent, Argentine transfer agent and representative of the trustee in Argentina, relating to the issuance of our class 2, 6.750% senior notes due 2025 (the “2018 Notes”), we may pay dividends as long as immediately after giving effect to such dividend payment we are able to incur at least U.S.$1.00 (other than “Permitted Indebtedness” as defined in the 2018 Notes Indenture) under the limitation of debt covenant of the 2018 Notes Indenture. To incur debt (other than Permitted Indebtedness), the 2018 Notes Indenture requires that (i) no default exists under the 2018 Notes Indenture at the time of such incurrence and (ii) (a) the Consolidated Coverage Ratio (as defined in the 2018 Notes Indenture, which is the ratio of our consolidated adjusted EBITDA to our consolidated interest expense) would be greater than or equal to 2.0:1.0; and (b) the Consolidated Debt Ratio (as defined in the 2018 Notes Indenture, which is the ratio of our consolidated total indebtedness to our consolidated adjusted EBITDA) would be less than or equal to 3.50:1.0. See “Item 10. Additional Information—C. Material Contracts—Debt Obligations.”
Moreover, per CNV Rules the amounts subject to distribution are restricted up to the acquisition cost of treasury shares and the additional paid-up capital accounts balance as discussed elsewhere herein.
In addition, according to the transitory agreement 2022, and during its term, tgs will not be able to distribute dividends.
For additional information regarding dividend payment restrictions see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Relating to Our Shares and ADSs—Shareholders outside Argentina may face additional investment risk from currency exchange rate fluctuations in connection with their holding of our shares or ADSs represented by ADRs. Exchange controls imposed by the Government may limit our ability to make payments to the Depositary in U.S. dollars, and thereby limit ADR holders’ ability to receive cash dividends in U.S. dollars.”
A summary of the dividends declared and paid during the five most recent fiscal years is set forth below:
|
| | Dividends declared and paid | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2019(3)(4) | | | 17,683 | | | | 222.4 | | | | 22.78 | | | | 0.286 | | | | 1.432 | |
| 2020 | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
| 2021 | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
| 2022 | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
| 2023 | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | |
(1) | Stated in Ps.at Current Currency. |
(2) | Stated in U.S. dollars translated from pesos at the exchange rate in effect on the payment date. |
(3) | At the General Annual Shareholders’ Meeting held on April 11, 2019, our shareholders resolved to create a voluntary reserve for capital expenditures, stock buyback and/or dividends in an amount equal to Ps.12,462 million and a cash dividend payment of Ps.12,506 million. At its meetings held on April 11 and October 31, 2019, our Board of Directors approved the partial distribution of such reserve to our shareholders in an amount equal to Ps.783 million the form of a cash dividend. |
(4) | Includes the dividend in kind approved by the General and Special Shareholders’ Meeting held on October 17, 2019 and our Board of Directors’ meeting held on October 31, 2019 consisting in 29,444,795 shares (0.052 shares per share or 0.262 per ADS) at a price of Ps.139.20, calculated by reference to the closing price of our shares in BYMA as of November 12, 2019, the day immediately preceding the date of distribution of such shares to our shareholders. |
The General Annual Shareholders’ Meeting held on April 17, 2024 approved to allocate Ps.1,783 million to the Legal Reserve and to allocate Ps. 751,449 million to the “Reserve for capital expenditures, acquisition of treasury shares and/or dividends” (the “2024 Reserve”) and to delegate to the Board of Directors the decision to use the 2023 Reserve to make investments, distribute dividends or repurchase stock. The amount of the 2023 Reserve will be restated in constant pesos at any given time pursuant to CNV Resolution No. 777/2018. To determine the maximum distributable amount out of the 2023 Reserve, the restated amount of the stock that has actually been repurchased and the additional paid-up capital must be determined in advance, since an amount equal to such stock already repurchased cannot be released to shareholders pursuant to the provisions of the CNV Rules.
B. Significant Changes
No undisclosed significant change has occurred since the date of our Financial Statements.
Item 9. | The Offer and Listing |
A. Offer and Listing Details
Not Applicable.
B. Plan of Distribution
Not Applicable.
C. Markets
The Argentine Securities Market. In Argentina, the oldest and largest exchange is the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange (“BASE”), founded in 1854. The BASE was the exchange on which the majority of equity trades in Argentina were executed. BYMA is the result of an alliance between BASE and Mercado de Valores de Buenos Aires S.A. (“MERVAL”), dated 2013. From April 17, 2017 all the shares previously listed in the MERVAL were transferred to BYMA without any further consequence for listed companies.
Securities may also be listed and traded through over-the-counter market brokers who are linked to an electronic reporting system. The activities of such brokers are controlled and regulated by the Mercado Abierto Electrónico S.A. (the “MAE”), an electronic over-the-counter market reporting system that functions independently from the BYMA. Under an agreement between the BASE and the MAE, trading in equity and equity-related securities is conducted exclusively on the BASE (now BYMA) and trading in corporate debt securities is conducted on both the MERVAL/BASE (now BYMA) and the MAE. Trading in Government securities, which are not covered by the agreement, may be conducted on either or both of the BYMA and the MAE. The agreement does not extend to other Argentine exchanges.
Changes to the legal framework of securities trading have been introduced, permitting issuance and trading of new, non-bank financial products in the Argentine capital markets, including commercial paper, new types of corporate bonds, futures and options. The Government deregulated brokerage fees and eliminated transfer and stamp taxes on securities transactions in November 1991.
The Capital Markets Law, enacted in December 2012, sets out the rules to govern capital markets, its players, and the securities traded therein subject to the CNV regulation and monitoring. On May 9, 2018, the Argentine Congress approved the Act on Productive Financing No. 27,440, which introduces significant reforms to the Capital Markets Law, the Law on Common Investment Funds No. 24,083, the Argentine Law No. 23,576, as amended by Argentine Law No. 23,962 (the “Negotiable Obligations Law”), and other regulations, with the objective of promoting the development of the local capital market. Among other items, the new law seeks to broaden the base of investors and companies that can participate in the capital market, promoting productive financing, especially with respect to micro, small and medium enterprises, creating a regime that promotes and facilitates their access to financing. Likewise, this law provides for the modification of certain tax provisions, tax regulations, regulations related to derivative instruments and a program for the promotion of financial inclusion. The reforms also establish some limitations to the powers granted to the CNV by the Capital Markets Law.
The Capital Markets Law provides rules and provisions guided by the following goals and principles:
| • | Promoting the participation of small investors, union associations, industry groups and trade associations, professional associations and all public savings entities in the capital market, particularly encouraging mechanisms designed to promote domestic savings and channel such funds towards the development of production; |
| • | Strengthening mechanisms for the protection of and prevention of abuses against small investors and for the protection of consumers’ rights; |
| • | Promoting access of small- and medium-sized companies to the capital market; |
| • | Fostering the creation of a federally integrated capital market through mechanisms designed to achieve an interconnection of computer systems from different trading markets, with the use of state-of-the-art technology; and |
| • | Encouraging simpler trading procedures available to users to attain greater liquidity and competitiveness in order to provide the most favorable conditions for the implementation of transactions. |
The CNV is a self-administered agency of the Government with jurisdiction covering the territory of Argentina, governed by the provisions contained in the Capital Markets Law and the CNV Rules, among other related statutory regulations. The relationship of the CNV and the Argentine Executive Branch is maintained through the Ministry of Finance, which shall hear any appeals filed against decisions made by the CNV, notwithstanding any other legal actions and remedies contemplated in the Capital Markets Law.
The CNV supervises and regulates the authorized markets in which the securities and the collective investment products are traded, the corporations authorized in the public offer regime, and all the other players authorized to operate in the public offer regime, as the registered agents, the trading agents, the financial advisors, the underwriters and distributors, the brokers, the settlement and clearing agents, the managers of collective investment products, the custodians of collective investment products, the collective depositories, and the risk rating agencies, among others.
The BYMA. Pursuant to the Capital Markets Law, the CNV has authorized nine stock markets since September 2014. BYMA is a private entity whose stock capital is composed of publicly traded shares. On December 29, 2016, BYMA was authorized by CNV as a market, Registry No. 639. BYMA’s main functions comprise trading as well as performing as a Clearing House and Central Counterparty (CCP) in the settlement and monitoring of transactions carried out through its trading systems.
BYMA’s main functions under the Capital Markets Law are as follows:
| • | issue regulations that allow stock brokers and brokerage firms authorized by the CNV to perform their duties; |
| • | authorize, suspend and cancel the listing and/or trading of negotiable securities pursuant to the provisions set forth in its bylaws; |
| • | issue regulations that ensure veracity in the record of prices and trades; |
| • | issue the regulations and policies deemed necessary to ensure transparency in the trades conducted by member stock brokers; |
| • | fix the margins that member brokers are to comply with for each type of trade BYMA guarantees; and |
| • | set up arbitration tribunals. |
These powers may be exercised by BYMA or delegated, in whole or in part, to other qualified entities. Accordingly, BYMA has entered into an agreement with BASE to enforce items b) and f), due to the fact that BASE has been authorized to operate as a qualified entity, pursuant to Capital Markets Law.
New York Stock Exchange. The ADSs, each representing five Class B Shares, are listed on the NYSE under the trading symbol “TGS.” The ADSs began trading on the NYSE in November 1994, and have been issued by the Depositary.
According to data provided by the Depositary, as of March 31, 2024, there were 15,488,257 ADSs outstanding. Such ADSs represented approximately 9.75% of the total number of issued and outstanding Class B Shares as of such date.
Market Capitalization. Investors in the Argentine securities market are primarily individuals, companies and institutional investors consisting of a limited number of mutual funds.
D. Selling Shareholders
Not applicable.
E. Dilution
Not applicable.
F. Expenses of the Issue
Not applicable.
Item 10. | Additional Information |
A. Share Capital
Not applicable.
B. Memorandum and Articles of Association
Information contained in Item 14 of tgs’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (Registration No. 33-85178) is hereby incorporated by reference.
Bylaws amendments
The ordinary and special shareholders meeting held on April 30, 2014, approved certain amendments of our bylaws. The purpose of these amendments was to provide our administration with greater flexibility to manage as well as adapt the Bylaws to the requirements of the Capital Markets Law. Below you will find a description of the amendments to our Bylaws:
| • | Subject to the approval of the annual shareholders meeting, the number of members of the Board of Directors may vary between nine and eleven directors and an equal number of alternate directors. |
| • | The Board of Directors meetings may be held not only with the members present, but also with the members communicating remotely. Under our Bylaws, all members will have the same power to vote on a proposal and will be considered to constitute a quorum. |
| • | The Audit Committee duties, which are in line with those requirements stipulated in the Capital Markets Law, were incorporated to our Bylaws. For additional information regarding Audit Committee duties, see “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—C. Board Practices—Audit Committee.” |
The amended Bylaws approved by the 2014 Shareholders’ Meeting held on April 30, 2014, were filed with our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015, and are incorporated by reference in this Annual Report as Exhibit 1.2.
The 2017 Shareholders’ Meeting amended our Bylaws in order to: (i) expand our corporate purpose in order to incorporate the development of complementary, accessory, related and / or derived activities of natural gas transportation, such as the generation and sale of electricity and the provision of other services for the hydrocarbons sector in general, and (ii) allow the creation of an Executive Committee of the Board of Directors under the terms of Article 269 of the General Companies Act. The purpose of these amendments is to provide management with greater flexibility in decision-making. In relation to compliance with the regulatory requirements, this modification has not received comments from ENARGAS, as informed by a note from ENARGAS dated April 25, 2017, nor from the CNV, which has accepted this amendment through a note dated April 18, 2017.
On July 14, 2017, through the issuance of Resolution No. 18,852, the CNV approved the amendment to our Bylaws, which was approved by the General Inspection of Justice on July, 25, 2017. Such amendment to our Bylaws was filed with the SEC pursuant to current report on Form 6-K, dated April 12, 2017 (Commission File No. 1-13.396), and are incorporated by reference in this Annual Report as Exhibit 1.2.
The 2021 Shareholders’ Meeting amended our Bylaws in order to let shareholders meetings may be duly convened remotely. The CNV approved the amendment to our By-laws, which was approved by the General Inspection of Justice on November 19, 2021.
C. Material Contracts
Debt Obligations
2018 Notes
On May 2, 2018, we issued the 2018 Notes in the aggregate principal amount of U.S.$500 million, the proceeds of which were used to redeem all of our then outstanding 9.625% of the 2014 Notes pursuant to (i) a tender offer to purchase for cash (the “Tender Offer”) any and all of our 2014 Notes launched on April 19, 2018, which expired on April 26, 2018, and (ii) the optional redemption provisions of the 2014 Indenture. On April 27, 2018, U.S.$80,083,898.25 in aggregate principal amount of the 2014 Notes (or approximately 41.80% of the 2014 Notes then outstanding), were redeemed pursuant to the Tender Offer and the remaining 2014 Notes were redeemed on May 2, 2018 pursuant to the provisions of the 2014 Indenture.
The 2018 Notes were issued pursuant to the program, which provides for the issuance of up to a maximum principal amount of U.S.$2,000 million in notes, and was authorized by resolutions of an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting dated April 25, 2013, April 13, 2017 and April 19, 2023, and by resolutions of our Board of Directors adopted on July 23, 2013, December 23, 2013, June 29, 2017 and August 7, 2023. The program was also authorized by the CNV by Resolution No. 17,262 dated January 3, 2014, Resolution No. 18,938 dated September 15, 2017 and Resolution No. DI-2023-52-APN-GE# dated October 11, 2023.
The scheduled maturity date of the 2018 Notes is January 3, 2029. The 2018 Notes accrue interest at an annual fixed rate of 6.750%, payable semiannually.
We are also permitted to redeem the 2018 Notes in whole, but not in part, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount outstanding if, as a result of any change in, or amendment to, the laws or regulations of Argentina or any governmental authority thereof or therein having power to tax or as a result of any change in the application or official interpretation of such laws or regulations, we become obligated to pay additional amounts with respect to the 2018 Notes and cannot avoid such obligation by taking reasonable measures available to us.
In the event that the Republic of Argentina, directly or indirectly, through any one or more controlled entities, as a result of a condemnation, nationalization, confiscation, seizure, compulsory acquisition, expropriation or otherwise under power of eminent domain becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13d-3 and 13d-5 under the Exchange Act) of at least 51% of our outstanding shares with voting power, holders of the 2018 Notes are entitled to require us to purchase all or a portion of the 2018 Notes at a price in cash equal to 101% of the principal amount of the 2018 Notes so purchased. The 2018 Notes are general, direct, unsecured and unsubordinated obligations and rank at all times pari passu in all respects, without any preference among themselves, with all of our other present and future unsecured and unsubordinated obligations, other than obligations preferred by statute or by operation of law.
Covenants
We are subject to several restrictive covenants under the terms of the 2018 Notes, which include, among others, the following:
| • | limitations on our ability to terminate our License or take any action that, in our reasonable opinion, would result in the termination of the License. We may not agree to amend or waive any terms of the License unless such amendment or waiver would not, in our reasonable opinion, adversely affect (i) our ability to meet our obligations under the 2018 Notes on a timely basis or (ii) any material rights or interest of the trustee or the holders under the indenture or the 2018 Notes; |
| • | a requirement that we not enter into or consent to any amendment, restatement or modification of the SATFO or any successor agreement thereto, other than an amendment, restatement or modification that is not materially adverse to us and our subsidiaries, taken as a whole; |
| • | a limitation on our and our subsidiaries’ ability to create liens on our property, assets or revenues, other than certain permitted liens; |
| • | a limitation on our and our subsidiaries’ ability to incur additional indebtedness unless we meet certain financial ratios and no event of default exists, other than certain permitted indebtedness; |
| • | a limitation on our and our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends and making certain other restricted payments and investments with respect to any fiscal year or fiscal semester unless: (i) no event of default or potential event of default shall have occurred and be continuing and (ii) immediately after giving effect to such restricted payment, we would be able to incur at least U.S.$1.00 of additional indebtedness pursuant to the limitation on indebtedness covenant; |
| • | limitations on our and our subsidiaries’ ability to enter into sale-leaseback transactions; |
| • | limitations on our and our subsidiaries’ ability to enter into a transaction with an affiliate, unless such transaction is on terms that are not materially less favorable to us or our subsidiary than we or such subsidiary would obtain in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a non-affiliate; |
| • | a limitation on our and our subsidiaries’ ability to sell our assets; and |
| • | a limitation on our and our subsidiaries’ ability to enter into a merger, consolidation or similar transaction. |
Events of Default
The 2018 Notes include the following events of default, among others:
| • | default in the payment of principal, interest or any other amount due under the terms of the 2018 Notes after a specified grace period with respect to payments other than principal; |
| • | breach of obligations contained in the 2018 Notes after a specified cure period; |
| • | cross-default and cross-acceleration with respect to other debt obligations with an aggregate principal amount equal to or exceeding U.S.$50 million; |
| • | the occurrence of certain bankruptcy events or enforcement proceedings; |
| • | enforcement of monetary judgments exceeding U.S.$50 million; and |
| • | the occurrence of certain material adverse events with respect to our License, such as the revocation, suspension for a period of greater than 180 days or termination of the License. |
Lease with Pampa Energía
On August 11, 2016, we entered into a financial lease agreement with Pampa Energía. Starting on such date and for a term of nine years and 11 months (the “Leasing Payment Term”), Pampa Energía is leasing to us certain assets for a book value as of December 31, 2023 of Ps. 8,416 million, which we utilize in our Midstream business segment. Monthly lease payments to Pampa Energía amount to U.S.$0.6 million, before taxes.
Within 30 days of the expiration date of the Leasing Payment Term, we may exercise the option to purchase the assets leased to us under the agreement. The purchase option price will be equivalent to U.S.$0.6 million before taxes.
For additional information, see Note 13 to our Financial Statements included under “Item 18. Financial Statements.”
D. Exchange Controls
The following is a description of the main BCRA regulations concerning inflows and outflows of funds in Argentina. For further information regarding the full scope of current foreign exchange restrictions and control regulations, investors should seek advice from their legal advisors and refer to the applicable rules mentioned in the Annual Report, which are available at the website of the Argentine Ministry of Economy: https://www.argentina.gob.ar/hacienda and https://www.minfinanzas.gob.ar/, or the website of the BCRA: www.bcra.gov.ar. None of the information contained on either website is deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Annual Report.
On September 1, 2019, the Argentine government issued Decree No. 609/2019, imposing temporary exchange controls until December 31, 2019. On December 27, 2019, the Argentine government enacted Decree No. 91/2019, which permanently extended the exchange controls initially set to expire on December 31, 2019. The Consolidated Text of the Rules on Foreign Exchange and Changes is currently outlined in Communication “A” 7953 (current text; hereinafter referred to as the “Consolidated Text”), issued by the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic (hereinafter, the “BCRA” or the “Central Bank”). Below is a brief summary of the exchange control rules currently in effect.
Exports of goods
Generally, goods exporters must enter and settle in pesos, through the Foreign Exchange Market (hereinafter, “MLC”), the proceeds from exports formalized as of September 2, 2019, with different deadlines depending on certain factors (type of exported products, relationship between exporter and importer, etc.). Regardless of the maximum deadlines established in each case, export collections must be entered and settled in the MLC within 5 (five) business days from the collection date.
In certain cases (for example, those holding a certificate of increased exports or those with projects falling under the Export Promotion Regime established by Decree No. 234/21), exchange regulations allow exporters greater access to the MLC to remit funds abroad (for example, to remit dividends or pay services related to foreign financial indebtedness).
Sale of non-financial non-produced assets
The counterpart received by residents for the sale of non-financial non-produced assets to non-residents must be entered in foreign currency and settled in the MLC within 5 (five) business days from the date of fund receipt in Argentina or abroad, or its accreditation in foreign accounts.
Through Communication “A” 7894 from the BCRA, it was established that, in the case of counterpart values entered between November 24, 2023 and December 10, 2023 inclusive, the obligation to enter and settle foreign currency may be considered fully fulfilled when, before the second date, at least 50% of the received amount has been settled through the MLC, and for the remaining percentage, the client has carried out buying and selling transactions with securities acquired with settlement in foreign currency and sold with settlement in local currency.
Additionally, through this Communication, the option for the client to credit the funds in pesos generated from the aforementioned operations to a special account with remuneration determined based on the evolution of the reference exchange rate established in Communication “A” 3500 or to be applied to the direct subscription of BCRA Internal Bills in US dollars liquidable in pesos at the reference exchange rate of Communication “A” 3500 from the BCRA was eliminated.
Exports of Services
Payments for the provision of services by residents to non-residents must be entered and settled in the MLC within a maximum period of 5 (five) business days from the date of their perception abroad or in the country, or their accreditation in foreign accounts. There are exceptions to the obligation to settle in the MLC the foreign currency entered as a counterpart for certain exports of certain services expressly contemplated in point 2.2.2. of the Consolidated Text, subject to compliance with various requirements provided therein by both individuals and legal entities.
The application of service export payments to the repayment of capital and interest on foreign financial indebtedness or public debt securities in the country denominated in foreign currency and whose services are payable in foreign currency in the country is allowed, provided that the requirements set forth in point 7.9 of the Consolidated Text are met.
Likewise, to the extent that certain requirements set forth in points 3.11.3. and 7.9.5 of the Consolidated Text are met, it is allowed for service export payments to be accumulated in accounts opened in local or foreign financial entities, for the amounts due in debt contracts, in order to guarantee the cancellation of the capital and interest services of foreign financial indebtedness and/or issuances of public debt securities in the country denominated in foreign currency and whose services are payable in foreign currency in the country.
With the assumption of the new President of the Republic of Argentina, on December 13, 2023, Decree of Necessity and Urgency No. 28/2023 was published in the Official Gazette, establishing that the counterpart of the export of services performed in the country, whose effective use or exploitation takes place abroad, must be entered into the country in foreign currency and/or traded, 80% through the MLC, with the exporter having to carry out buying and selling transactions for the remaining 20%, acquiring negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency and selling with settlement in local currency. It should be noted that, prior to the publication of Decree 28/2023, 50% had to be entered into the country in foreign currency and/or traded through the MLC, and for the remaining 50%, the aforementioned operations had to be carried out.
Increment Export Program
Through Decree No. 576/2022 dated 04.09.2022, the Extraordinary and Transitory Increment Export Program (hereinafter, the “Program”) was created, which included measures related to the exports of soybean manufactures and the settlement of foreign currency in the MLC. Notwithstanding the above, on September 18, 2022, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7609, establishing that legal entities that have sold goods under Decree 576/2022 to those who export them directly or as a result of a production process carried out in the country cannot: (i) access the MLC to make foreign currency purchases for the formation of external assets of residents, remittance of family assistance, and derivatives operations; (ii) enter into various operations with securities contemplated in point 4.3.2 of the Consolidated Text.
The Program was reinstated by Decree No. 787/2022 and later by Decree No. 194/2023, which expanded the Program to include Regional Economies.
On July 23, 2023, Decree No. 378/2023 was issued, establishing that those who, within the framework of joining the Program, settle until 08.31.2023, inclusive, the foreign currency corresponding to the goods whose tariff positions are included in Decree 194/2023, including cases of pre-financing and/or post-financing of exports from abroad or an advance settlement, do so at a transitory exceptional counterpart of ARS 340 per US dollar, including corn and exports of regional economies.
On September 30, 2023, Decree No. 492/2023 was issued, extending the application of the Program until October 25, 2023, as well as the extraordinary and transitory expansion of the Program for those subjects who have exported, at any time during the 18 immediate months prior to October 2, 2023, the goods included in the Common Nomenclature of MERCOSUR as determined by the Ministry of Economy. It also established that the date for settling foreign currency and paying the sums in advance of export duties should be made until October 20, 2023 inclusive.
On the other hand, Decree No. 492/2023 established that 75% of the counterpart of the goods’ export should be entered into the country in foreign currency and traded through the MLC, with the exporter, for the remaining 25%, conducting buying and selling operations with negotiable securities acquired with settlement in foreign currency and sold with settlement in local currency.
On October 23, 2023, Decree No. 549/2023, a modification of Decree 492/2023, was issued, establishing until 11.17.2023, that the counterpart of the export of services, whose effective use or exploitation takes place abroad, and the export of goods included in the Common Nomenclature of MERCOSUR, including cases of pre-financing and/or post-financing of exports from abroad or an advance settlement, must be entered into the country in foreign currency and/or traded, 70% through the MLC with the exporter having to conduct buying and selling operations for the remaining 30% with negotiable securities acquired with settlement in foreign currency and sold with settlement in local currency.
On November 21, 2023, Decree No. 597/2023 was issued, which:
(i) extended until December 10, 2023 the differential dollar for exports;
(ii) established that the counterpart of the export of services performed in the country, whose effective use or exploitation takes place abroad, and the export of goods included in the Common Nomenclature of MERCOSUR, including cases of pre-financing and/or post-financing of exports from abroad or an advance settlement, must be entered into the country in foreign currency and/or traded, 50% through the MLC, with the exporter having to conduct buying and selling operations for the remaining 50% with negotiable securities acquired with settlement in foreign currency and sold with settlement in local currency.
With the assumption of the new President of the Republic of Argentina, on December 13, 2023, Decree of Necessity and Urgency No. 28/2023 was published in the Official Gazette, establishing that the counterpart of the export of services performed in the country, whose effective use or exploitation takes place abroad, as well as the export of goods included in the Common Nomenclature of MERCOSUR, including cases of pre-financing and/or post-financing of exports from abroad or an advance settlement, must be entered into the country in foreign currency and/or traded, 80% through the MLC, with the exporter for the remaining 20%, conducting buying and selling operations for negotiable securities acquired with settlement in foreign currency and sold with settlement in local currency. It should be noted that, before the publication of Decree 28/2023, 50% had to be entered into the country in foreign currency and/or traded through the MLC, and for the remaining 50%, the aforementioned operations had to be carried out.
Import of Goods and Services
According to Communication “A” 7490, payments for services to related foreign counterparts cannot be made without the prior approval of the BCRA, except for the following cases: (i) credit card issuers for tourism and travel expenses not requiring prior BCRA approval under point 4.1.4 of the Consolidated Text; (ii) local agents collecting funds in the country for services provided by non-residents to residents; (iii) entities for expenses paid to foreign entities for their usual operations; (iv) reinsurance premiums abroad; (v) transfers made by travel assistance companies for health coverage payments originated from services provided abroad by third parties to their resident clients; (vi) payments for operating leases of ships authorized by the Ministry of Transportation of the Nation for exclusive use by another non-related resident; (vii) payment of debt capital from maturity, when the client has a “Certificate of Increased Export of Goods”; (viii) payment from maturity of an obligation for a service provided at least 180 consecutive days before accessing the MLC or derived from a contract signed similarly when a certificate issued in the 5 (five) business days prior by an entity is held; (ix) payment of debt capital from maturity, when the client has a “Certification for access to foreign exchange regimes for incremental production of oil and/or natural gas”; and (x) payment of debt capital from maturity through a swap and/or arbitrage operation with funds deposited in a “Special Account for the promotion of the knowledge economy” of the client, and the client has a “Certification for direct investment contributions under the knowledge economy promotion regime.”
On December 13, 2023, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7917, establishing a release of imports and a new access system to the MLC, stating that, starting from December 13, 2023:
For the payment of imports of goods: (i) it will not be necessary to have a declaration made through the Argentine Republic Import System (SIRA) in “exit” status as an MLC access requirement, nor to validate operations in the “Single Foreign Trade Current Account” system; and (ii) entities may grant MLC access without prior BCRA approval for deferred payments of new imports of goods with customs entry registration when, in addition to other requirements, it is verified that the payment respects the schedule according to the type of goods. It also establishes that: (i) entities may grant MLC access without prior BCRA approval for deferred payments of new imports of goods with customs entry registration starting from December 13, 2023 before the deadlines set out in point 1.2 of Communication “A” 7917 when, in addition to other requirements, the payment falls within the situations outlined in said Communication; (ii) MLC access for pending customs entry payment requires prior BCRA approval, except if the payment falls within the situations provided in point 3 of the Communication; (iii) MLC access for payments of imports for goods whose customs entry registration occurred until December 12, 2023 will require prior BCRA approval, except for exceptions.
For the payment of services provided by non-residents: (i) it will not be necessary to have a sworn statement made through the Argentine Republic Import and Payment of Services System (SIRASE) in “approved” status, nor to validate the operation in the “Single Foreign Trade Current Account” system; and (ii) entities may grant MLC access without prior BCRA approval to make payments for services provided by non-residents, payments for new imports of services provided or accrued from December 13, 2023 when, in addition to other applicable regulatory requirements, the payment falls within certain situations. Regarding services provided by non-residents performed and/or accrued until December 12, 2023, prior BCRA approval will be required, except for exceptions.
On January 11, 2024, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7945, through which it decided to incorporate, as point 3.x of Communication “A” 7917, among the exceptions to what is provided in points 1.3. and 1.4. of said Communication, those payments for imports of goods made by a natural or legal person for the supply of a critical medicine whose customs entry registration is made through a particular request.
On January 25, 2024, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7952, allowing entities to grant access to the MLC to customers from February 10, 2024, for the payment of debts for imports of goods and services before December 13, 2023, covered by points 1.5. and 2.4. of Communication “A” 7917 and related points, provided that other regulatory requirements are met and it is verified that:
| i. | The customer is a natural or legal person classified as a MiPyMe according to the rules for determining the micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise condition. |
| ii. | The total amount of debt for imports of goods and services before December 13, 2023, pending payment is less than or equal to U.S.$ 500,000. |
| iii. | The customer has registered all of its debts for imports of goods and services in the “Commercial Debt Register for Imports with Foreign Suppliers.” |
| iv. | Payments made do not exceed the equivalent amount declared in the aforementioned register. |
| v. | The transaction is declared, if applicable, in the last overdue submission of the External Assets and Liabilities Survey. |
| vi. | The entity has a sworn statement from the customer confirming that all debts for imports of goods and services before December 13, 2023, have been declared in the aforementioned register, the amount owed does not exceed the equivalent of U.S.$ 500,000, and the amounts paid do not exceed the limits set out in point 1.4 of Communication “A” 7952. |
Additionally, Communication “A” 7952 states that importers of goods and services who have acquired Bonds for the Reconstruction of a Free Argentina in a primary subscription may sell securities with settlement against cable to a third-party account abroad, starting from April 1, 2024, under the following conditions:
| i. | The market value of the transactions does not exceed the difference between the value obtained by selling with settlement in foreign currency abroad of the Bonds for the Reconstruction of a Free Argentina acquired in the primary subscription and their nominal value, if the former is lower. |
| ii. | The accounts to be credited are not located in countries or territories where the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force are not applied or not sufficiently applied. |
External Assets
Generally, prior approval from the Central Bank is required for the formation of foreign assets (e.g., foreign currency purchase, among others) and for derivative transactions by legal entities, local governments, mutual funds, trusts, and other Argentine entities. Individuals must request prior approval when the value of such assets exceeds U.S.$200 or U.S.$100 (in the case of cash purchases) in any calendar month.
External Financial Indebtedness
Borrowers must enter and settle in MLC (Moneda Libremente Convertible) the financially disbursed debts from September 1, 2019, as a condition, among others, to access MLC to meet their capital and interest service requirements.
Subject to compliance with the established regulations, access to MLC will be granted for the prepayment of capital and interest up to 3 (three) business days before the due date of the capital or interest service payment.
Moreover, and subject to compliance with the stipulated requirements, access to MLC will be granted for the prepayment, up to 45 consecutive days in advance, of the capital and interest of financial debts with foreign entities or debt securities publicly registered in the country denominated in foreign currency when the prepayment is executed within the context of a debt refinancing process. Communication “A” 7030, and its subsequent modifications, establishes the prior approval of the Central Bank until December 31, 2023, for the cancellation of capital services of financial debts with foreign entities, provided that the creditor is a related party, with certain exceptions. In this context, the BCRA will provide access to companies, given that the refinancing plan adheres to the following criteria: (i) the net amount for which access to MLC will be granted under the original terms will not exceed 40% of the capital amount due, except for specific exceptions outlined in the Ordered Text that permit access for a higher percentage; and (ii) the remaining capital has been, at a minimum, refinanced with new external indebtedness having an average life of 2 (two) years. This refinancing plan must be submitted to the BCRA at least 30 consecutive days before the capital is due to be refinanced.
Clients recording settlements of new financial debts with foreign entities and holding an income certification issued by an entity may access MLC for the following purposes: (i) Payments for the importation of goods without the prior approval required by the complementary provisions established in the Ordered Text; (ii) Payments for services to related counterparts without the prior approval of the BCRA, to the extent that it is a payment from the maturity of an obligation for a service provided at least 180 consecutive days before access or derived from a contract signed with a similar lead time; or (iii) Payments of capital in advance of the maturity of commercial debts for the importation of goods and services, provided that the average life of the new indebtedness is at least 2 (two) years longer than the remaining average life of the pre-canceled debt.
Access to MLC before maturity will typically require prior approval from the BCRA unless: (i) there are foreign currency financings by local entities for foreign currency expenses through credit or purchase cards and/or (ii) there are foreign currency financings by local financial entities canceled with the entry of indebtedness from abroad, in accordance with the provisions of Communication “A” 7532.
Debt among residents
Accessing MLC for the settlement of debts and other financial obligations in foreign currency, entered into from September 1, 2019, is generally prohibited, except for specific cases (such as payments related to credit cards).
Profits and Dividends
For remitting foreign currency abroad as profits and/or dividends to non-resident shareholders, obtaining prior approval from the Central Bank is mandatory, subject to certain exceptions.
Non-residents
Non-residents are required to secure prior approval from the Central Bank to access MLC for acquiring foreign currency, with only a few exceptions allowed.
Information System
In all cases, and upon meeting the remaining requirements applicable to each case, access to MLC will be granted for the payment of financial or commercial debts and for paying profits or dividends, provided that such debts are reported through the information system of the Central Bank established by Communication “A” 6401, and its amendments.
Outflows
The Consolidated Text requires prior approval from the Central Bank to transfer funds abroad, unless the interested party submits various sworn statements, notably those related to the absence of (i) holdings in foreign currency not deposited in financial institutions, Argentine deposit certificates representing foreign shares (CEDEARS), and/or available liquid external assets exceeding the equivalent of U.S.$ 100,000; (ii) own operations and, in certain cases, those of its direct controllers and/or other companies that make up its economic group, conducted with securities (MEP dollar, settlement with liquidation, etc.) within a specified period; (iii) economic benefits granted by the State (soft credits pending cancellation, etc.); and (iv) the delivery of funds in local currency or other local assets (except funds in foreign currency deposited in local financial institutions) to any individual or legal entity, resident or non-resident, linked or not, receiving, as a prior or subsequent consideration, directly or indirectly, by itself or through a linked, controlled, or controlling entity, external assets, crypto assets, or securities deposited abroad.
Indeed, for access to MLC, a sworn statement is required, among other things, in which:
(i) it is declared that no sales of securities have been made through the settlement of foreign currency;
(ii) there have been no exchanges of securities issued by residents for external assets;
(iii) there have been no transfers of securities to deposit institutions abroad;
(iv) no securities issued by non-residents with settlement in pesos have been acquired in the country;
(v) no Argentine deposit certificates representing foreign shares have been acquired;
(vi) no securities representing private debt issued in foreign jurisdictions have been acquired;
(vii) no funds in local currency or other local assets (except funds in foreign currency deposited in local financial institutions) have been delivered to any individual or legal entity, resident or non-resident, linked or not, receiving as a prior or subsequent consideration, directly or indirectly, by itself or through a linked, controlled, or controlling entity, external assets, crypto assets, or securities deposited abroad during the 180 (one hundred and eighty) consecutive days prior to accessing MLC;
(viii) no funds in local currency or other local assets (except funds in foreign currency deposited in local financial institutions) have been delivered to any individual or legal entity, exercising a direct control relationship over it, or to other companies within the same economic group, except those directly associated with routine transactions between residents for the acquisition of goods and/or services, during the following 180 (one hundred and eighty) consecutive days; and
(ix) the applicants also commit not to carry out such operations during the following 180 (one hundred and eighty) consecutive days.
Regarding the aforementioned deadlines, the period to be considered will be 90 (ninety) consecutive days for operations carried out before April 21, 2023, if they involve securities issued under Argentine law, and 180 (one hundred and eighty) consecutive days for operations carried out from April 21, 2023, and always concerning securities issued under foreign law.
For those exercising a direct control relationship, the 180 (one hundred and eighty) consecutive days period will only apply to deliveries made from April 21, 2023, with the 90 (ninety) days rule applying to deliveries made before. In the case of legal entities that are part of the same economic group but did not exercise control over the client until May 11, 2023, the provisions will only apply to deliveries made from May 12, 2023. It is also noteworthy that there is another sworn statement in which those seeking access to MLC commit to liquidate, within 5 (five) business days of their availability, any funds received abroad from the collection of loans granted to third parties, the collection of a time deposit, or the sale of any type of asset when the asset has been acquired, the deposit established, or the loan granted after May 28, 2020.
Moreover, as a result of Communication “A” 7766 from the BCRA dated May 11, 2023, for cases where the client is a legal entity, for the operation not to be subject to the prior approval requirement, the entity must have a sworn statement detailing: (i) individuals or legal entities exercising a direct control relationship over the client; and (ii) other legal entities with which it forms the same economic group.
Companies that share a control relationship as defined in points 1.2.1.1 and 1.2.2.1 of the Consolidated Text, within the “Large Exposures to Credit Risk” regulations, should be considered members of the same economic group. Similarly, to determine the existence of a direct control relationship, the types of relationships specified in point 1.2.2.1 of the aforementioned “Large Exposures to Credit Risk” regulations must be considered.
Additionally, in accordance with the provisions of Communication “A” 7772 from the BCRA dated May 19, 2023, the aforementioned conditions can be considered fulfilled by the entity if the client submits a sworn statement stating that, within the detailed periods, they did not deliver funds in local currency or other liquid local assets to any individual or legal entity in the country, except those directly associated with routine operations in the course of their business activities. For cases where the client does not submit the mentioned sworn statement, they can present a sworn statement declaring that they have not delivered funds in local currency or other liquid local assets to any individual or legal entity in the country (including direct controllers and members of the economic group), stating (i) that within the specified period in the Consolidated Text, they have not concluded or will conclude the envisaged transactions; and (ii) that in the preceding 180 (one hundred and eighty) consecutive days, they have not received funds in local currency or other liquid assets in the country, except for those associated with routine operations originating from the client or from any of the individuals or legal entities, direct controllers, and members of the economic group informed, to whom funds have been received; or alternatively, they can submit the sworn statements of individuals, whether human or legal, direct controllers, or members of the economic group, who received funds.
On September 7, 2023, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7838, in which it specified that the sworn statements established in points 3.8.4., 3.16.3.1, and 3.16.3.2 of the Consolidated Text refer to the direct or indirect arrangement or on behalf of third parties of transactions with securities included in these points. Despite the brief and vague text of Communication “A” 7838, on the same date, the BCRA issued a Statement that goes beyond what is stipulated in Communication “A” 7838. The Statement urges entities to sign a sworn statement that contains content not derived from Communication “A” 7838, and it clarifies that, to access the MLC, the sworn statement must include a declaration that shareholders and directors have not carried out transactions with securities.
On September 28, 2023, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7852, in which it established that, in the preparation of sworn statements provided for in points 3.16.3.1 and 3.16.3.2, sales of securities settled in foreign currency in the country or abroad should not be taken into account when the total funds obtained from such settlements have been or will be used within 10 (ten) consecutive days for the following operations:
(i) payments from the maturity of principal or interest on new financial borrowings from abroad disbursed from October 2, 2023, and which include, at a minimum, a 1 (one) year grace period for the payment of principal;
(ii) repatriations of capital and income associated with direct investments by non-residents, received from October 2, 2023, provided that repatriation occurs, at a minimum, 1 (one) year after the capital contribution is made and compliance with the legal mechanisms provided for in such cases;
(iii) payments from the maturity of principal and interest on debt securities issued from October 2, 2023, with public registration in the country, denominated and subscribed in foreign currency, whose services are payable in the country and include a minimum of 2 (two) years of grace period for the payment of principal;
(iv) payments from the maturity of principal or interest on financial borrowings from abroad that do not generate disbursements as they are refinancing of capital and/or interest of operations covered in points (i) and (iii), provided that refinancing does not anticipate the maturity of the original debt; and
(v) payments from the maturity of principal or interest on debt securities issued with public registration in the country, denominated in foreign currency, and whose services are payable in the country, which do not generate disbursements as they are refinancing of capital and/or interest of operations covered in the preceding point (iii), to the extent that refinancing does not anticipate the maturity of the original debt.
In all the aforementioned cases, the client must submit a sworn statement stating that the funds received from operations in points (i) to (iii) were used to make payments in the country related to the realization of investments in Argentina.
Furthermore, Communication “A” 7852 from the BCRA establishes that situations allowing the entity to accept the sworn statement of a client with liquid external assets and/or CEDEARs exceeding the limit set in point 3.16.2.1 of the Consolidated Text (U.S.$ 100,000) may also include funds deposited in foreign bank accounts resulting from the sale of securities settled in foreign currency.
It should be noted that, as a rule, prior approval from the BCRA is required if the client is a natural or legal person included by the Federal Administration of Public Revenue (AFIP) in the list of invoices or equivalent documents classified as apocryphal. The list of individuals or legal entities included in this registry by the AFIP is available at the following website: https://servicioscf.afip.gob.ar/Facturacion/facturasApocrifas/default.aspx.
Securities Transactions
El Consolidated Text establishes that transactions of securities entered into abroad cannot be settled in pesos in the country. Operations settled in foreign currency can only be settled in pesos in the country if they are conducted within the country. It also specifies that purchase and sale transactions of securities settled in foreign currency must be paid through one of the following mechanisms:
(i) By transferring funds to and from accounts in the client’s name in local financial institutions.
(ii) Against a cable on bank accounts in the client’s name in a foreign entity not incorporated in countries or territories where the Recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force are not applied or not sufficiently applied.
Under no circumstances is the settlement of these operations allowed through payment in foreign currency banknotes or through their deposit in custody accounts or third-party accounts.
In this regard, the CNV, through General Resolution No. 959/2023 dated April 28, 2023, modified the minimum holding periods for negotiable securities settled in foreign currency and in a foreign jurisdiction, establishing: (i) 1 (one) business day for negotiable securities issued under Argentine law and (ii) 3 (three) business days for negotiable securities issued under foreign law. These periods will not apply to purchases of negotiable securities settled in foreign currency and in a foreign jurisdiction.
For sales of negotiable securities settled in foreign currency and in the local jurisdiction, the minimum holding period will be 1 (one) business day, which will not apply to purchases of negotiable securities settled in foreign currency.
Despite this, it is understood that the acquisition of securities settled in pesos in the country with funds from abroad would not be prevented, as long as the transaction is not documented abroad. Similarly, the transfer of securities from abroad to commissary accounts in Argentina for subsequent sale settled in pesos in the country is not restricted, provided that the operation is arranged within the country.
Furthermore, on May 23, 2023, the CNV issued Resolution No. 962/2023, which modifies the provisions applicable to proprietary trading operations of Agents and incorporates provisions related to the arrangement of operations settled in foreign currency.
Regarding proprietary portfolio operations, it modifies the conditions for accounting the limits of agents’ own portfolios for buying and selling operations of fixed-income securities denominated and payable in dollars issued by the Republic of Argentina. Regarding transactions with settlement in foreign currency, it establishes that agents can only place orders to enter into transactions with settlement in foreign currency that are not fixed-income securities or in US dollars or to transfer securities to or from depository agents abroad, if: (i) during the previous 15 (fifteen) calendar days, the client has not carried out sales transactions of fixed-income securities denominated and payable in US dollars issued by the Republic of Argentina under local and/or foreign law, with settlement in foreign currency, and (ii) there is a clear manifestation of not doing so in the subsequent 15 (fifteen) calendar days.
On August 2, 2023, the CNV approved General Resolution 969/2023, maintaining the provisions of General Resolution 962/2023 and stipulating that these requirements would come into effect from the date of entry into force of (i) General Resolution 962/2023 for the operations provided for in sections a), b), and c) of Article 6° Bis of Chapter V of Title XVIII of the CNV Regulations, and (ii) General Resolution 969/2023 for the operations provided for in section c) of said regulation.
Also, on August 14, 2023, the CNV approved General Resolution 971/2023, which added to the aforementioned modifications that, additionally, in buying and selling operations of fixed-income securities denominated and payable in US dollars issued by the Republic of Argentina under local and foreign law in the competitive bidding segment with price-time priority, at the end of each calendar week, it must be ensured that the total sales with settlement in foreign currency does not exceed 100,000 nominal units.
With Resolution General 979/2023 approved on October 5, 2023, the CNV adjusted the minimum holding periods for negotiable securities within a portfolio. It established a one (1) business day requirement for negotiable securities issued under Argentine law and a five (5) business day requirement for those issued under foreign law. These holding periods are applicable to both the sale of negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency and foreign jurisdiction, as well as those with settlement in foreign currency and local jurisdiction. However, these minimum holding periods do not apply to the purchase of negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency and foreign jurisdiction.
On December 13, 2023, through Resolution No. 988, the CNV standardized the minimum holding periods for negotiable securities within a portfolio. It stipulated that, to execute the sale of negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency, regardless of the law of issuance and jurisdiction, a minimum holding period of one (1) business day from accreditation in the Central Depository Agent for Negotiable Securities must be observed. This rule does not extend to the purchase of negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency and any jurisdiction.
Additionally, Resolution No. 988 established that Clearing Agents and Trading Agents cannot process or settle sales of negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency, both locally and internationally, for client orders maintaining long positions in repos and/or overnight operations, irrespective of the settlement currency.
On January 11, 2024, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7940, allowing the sale of Bonds for the Reconstruction of a Free Argentina with settlement against a foreign account under specific conditions. This includes the requirement that the seller acquired the securities in a primary subscription, and the receiving accounts are not in countries or territories lacking or inadequately applying the recommendations of the International Financial Action Task Force.
Finally, on February 5, 2024, the CNV released General Resolution No. 990/2024, stating that, for the sale of negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency, regardless of the law of issuance and jurisdiction, a minimum holding period of one (1) business day from accreditation in the Central Depository Agent for Negotiable Securities must be observed. This does not apply to the purchase of negotiable securities with settlement in foreign currency and any jurisdiction.
As part of this, it is established that, to proceed with transfers to foreign depositary entities of negotiable securities acquired with settlement in national currency, regardless of the law of issuance, a minimum holding period in the portfolio of one (1) business day must be observed, counted from its accreditation in the Central Depository Agent for Negotiable Securities. This rule has exceptions in cases where accreditation in the mentioned agent: (i) results from the primary placement of negotiable securities issued by the National Treasury or the BCRA, in accordance with the provisions of Communication “A” 7918, its amendments, and/or related regulations; or (ii) involves CEDEARs traded on markets regulated by the CNV.
Moreover, through General Resolution No. 990/2024, the CNV unified the conditions and daily maximum amounts for operations, raising the limit to 200 million daily for operations and transfers of negotiable securities abroad. Bonds for the Reconstruction of a Free Argentina are exempt from the limits and prior information requirements for issuing transfers to foreign depositary entities, as well as for arranging their sale in the country with transfers to foreign depositary entities, with settlement in foreign currency. This exemption applies as long as such negotiable securities have been acquired through a primary placement or bidding process, and up to the total nominal value subscribed for that security.
Bonds for the Reconstruction of a Free Argentina
The “Bonds for the Reconstruction of a Free Argentina” (hereinafter, “BOPREAL”) are securities issued by the BCRA in US dollars for importers of goods and services with outstanding payment obligations for imports of goods with customs registration and/or services effectively rendered until December 12, 2023.
On December 22, 2023, Decree 72/2023 was published in the Official Gazette, establishing the possibility that bonds or securities issued by the BCRA, for those who have debts for imports of goods with customs entry registration and/or importation of services effectively provided until December 12, 2023, can be used as a form of payment for the cancellation of tax and customs obligations, plus their interests, fines, and accessories, except for certain exceptions.
These bonds or securities will be those issued from the effective date of the Decree December 12, 2023 until March 31, 2024, can be freely transferred by their holders, and their use will be limited to a total value of U.S.$ 3,500,000, to be used according to a specific schedule.
Reporting Regime of the Central Bank.
In accordance with the provisions of the new exchange regulations, in certain cases, compliance with the “Survey of External Assets and Liabilities” regime established by the Central Bank through Communication “A” 6401, later amended by Communication “A” 6795, is required for access to the Foreign Exchange Market (MLC).
This regime specifies that information on External Assets and Liabilities will be provided based on the following classification: “Shares and other equity interests,” “Non-negotiable debt instruments,” “Negotiable debt instruments,” “Financial derivatives,” and “Land, structures, and real estate.”
The regulations stipulate that, starting from data for the first quarter of 2020, the declaration of the Survey of External Assets and Liabilities is governed by the following guidelines:
a. All legal entities or individuals with external liabilities at the end of any calendar quarter, or who have settled them during that quarter, must declare the Survey of External Assets and Liabilities.
b. Those declarants for whom the balance of external assets and liabilities at the end of each year reaches or exceeds the equivalent of U.S.$50 million must make an annual submission (which will allow supplementing, confirming, and/or correcting quarterly submissions), and this can be optionally submitted by any legal entity or individual.
Regarding the deadlines for submitting declarations, it is regulated that the maximum deadlines for submitting and validating the declarations will be as follows: (i) 45 (forty-five) calendar days from the close of the reference calendar quarter for quarterly declarations, and (ii) 180 (one hundred and eighty) calendar days from the close of the reference calendar year for annual submissions.
The data loading and validation for this regime must be carried out through an electronic form available for download from the AFIP website.
Money Laundering
The concept of money laundering is commonly used to refer to operations that aim to enter funds from criminal activities into the institutional system and thus convert profits from illegal activities into assets of apparently lawful origin.
On April 13, 2000, the Argentine Congress passed the Anti-Money Laundering Law which classifies money laundering as a crime. Additionally, such law, which amended several sections of the Argentine Criminal Code, has established sanctions for those incurring in such illicit activity and has created the UIF, a unit of the Ministry of Economy created to prevent money laundering and financing of terrorist activities.
The Argentine Criminal Code defines money laundering as the exchange, transfer, management, sale or any other use of money or other assets obtained through a crime, by a person who did not take part in such original crime, with the potential result that such original assets (or new assets resulting from such original assets) appear as if obtained through legitimate means, provided that the aggregate value of the assets involved exceed in the aggregate (through one or more related transactions) Ps.300,000. As previously mentioned, the Anti-Money Laundering Law created the UIF, which is in charge of the analysis, supervision and conveyance of information in order to prevent (A) the laundering of assets obtained from: (i) Crimes related to illegal traffic and commercialization of narcotics (Law No. 23,737); (ii) Crimes related to arms trafficking (Law No. 22,415); (iii) Crimes related to the activities of an illegal association as defined in Article 210 bis of the Argentine Criminal Code; (iv) Illegal acts committed by illegal associations (Article 210 of the Argentine Criminal Code) organized to commit crimes with political or racial motivation; (v) Crimes of fraud against the Public Administration (Article 174, Section 5 of the Argentine Criminal Code); (vi) Crime against the Public Administration under Chapters VI, VII, IX and IX bis of Title XI of Book Two of the Argentine Criminal Code; (vii) Crimes of underage prostitution and child pornography under Articles 125, 125 bis, 127 bis and 128 of the Argentine Criminal Code; (viii) Crimes related to financing terrorism (Articles 41quinquies and 306 of the Argentine Criminal Code); (ix) Crimes of extortion (Article 168 of the Argentine Criminal Code); (x) Tax crimes, related to social security and fiscal resources (pursuant to law 24,769) and (xi) Crimes related to human trafficking; and (B) Crimes related to financing terrorism.
The Anti-Money Laundering Law assigns information and control duties to certain private sector entities, such as banks, agents, stock exchanges and insurance companies, according to the regulations of the UIF, and for financial entities, the Central Bank.
Financial entities must inform the UIF about any suspicious or unusual transaction, or transactions lacking economic or legal justification, or that are unnecessarily complex. In addition, guidelines and internal procedures were created to detect unusual or suspicious transactions, which must be implemented by financial institutions and other entities.
Pursuant to the same criteria that underlies the aforementioned law, in 2012, the office of the Attorney General issued Resolution No. 914/12, which created the PROCELAC. As PROCELAC has no competence to apply sanctions, its main role is to collaborate with the Federal Prosecutors in the investigation of crimes and in receiving complaints in order to initiate preliminary investigations.
The UIF issued Resolution No. 229/2011, which was replaced by Resolution UIF No. 21/2018 and, subsequently amended by Resolutions No. 156/2018, No. 18/2019, No. 117/2019, No. 112/2021, No. 6/2022 and 50/2022 (“AML in the Capital Market Sector”). The AML in the Capital Market Sector establishes certain procedures that must be followed by the authorized agents of the CNV involved in the placement, intermediation and public offering of securities (the “Obliged Subjects in the Capital Market Sector”) in order to prevent, detect and report (within the deadlines established) the acts, transactions or omissions that may arise from committing money laundering and terrorist financing crimes in the capital market sector. Additionally, the AML in the Capital Market Sector introduced general guidelines to identify different types of customers (including a distinction between frequent, casual and inactive customers), the requested information, the documentation to be kept and the procedure to detect and report all suspicious transactions within the established deadlines.
The main obligations pursuant to the AML in the Capital Market Sector are the following: (i) to prepare manuals providing the mechanisms and procedures for the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism; (ii) to appoint a compliance officer; (iii) to audit regularly; (iv) to provide training programs to the employees; (v) to enforce measures that would allow the Obliged Subjects in the Capital Market Sector to compile the transactions performed by the customers using a computerized method, as well as technological tools which would enable the analysis and supervision of different transactions to identify behaviors and detect potential suspicious operations; (vi) the implementation of technological tools that would result in effective control and prevention procedures against money laundering and financing of terrorism; and (vii) to record the analysis and risk management of the suspicious transactions that were detected and those that, for having been considered suspicious, have been reported.
The Central Bank and the CNV should also comply with provisions of the Anti-Money Laundering Law. In this respect, the CNV regulations provide that entities involved in the public offering of securities (other than issuers), including, among others, underwriters of any primary issuance of securities, must comply with the standards set forth by the UIF. In particular, they must comply with the obligation regarding customer identification and required information, record-keeping, precautions to be taken to report suspicious transactions, policies and procedures to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. Whilst, the acquirers of notes will provide the information and documentation required regarding the origin and legality of the funds used for the subscription.
On the other hand, pursuant to Resolution No. 21/2018, as amended subsequently, the Obliged Subjects in the Capital Market Sector shall identify and evaluate the risks that they are exposed to and, as a result, to adopt administrative measures for mitigating them, in order to more effectively prevent money laundering. In accordance with this standard, the Obliged Subjects in the Capital Market Sector must have policies and procedures to know their client (“KYC”), which must be applied according to the risk rating resulting from the implemented risk model. Within this framework, individuals are enabled to implement reputable technological platforms, which allow long-distance procedures without the need to present documentation in person, without prejudice to the fulfillment of due diligence duties.
In accordance with Annex I of the UIF Resolution No. 154/2018 (which established the supervision and inspection mechanism of the UIF), both the Central Bank and the CNV are considered “Specific Controllers”. Therefore, they must collaborate with the UIF in complying with the procedures for the prevention of money laundering and finance of terrorism implemented by the obligated subjects subject to its control. For these purposes, they are empowered to supervise, monitor and inspect such entities. The refusal to cooperate or obstruction of inspections by the obliged subjects may result in penalties by the UIF, CNV or the Central Bank. Both UIF Resolution No. 30/2017, as amended, as well as the Central Bank regulations require banks to take certain minimum precautions to prevent money laundering.
With respect to issuers (such as the company), CNV regulations provide that any person (either individuals or legal entities) performing significant capital contributions or loans must be identified, whether a shareholder or not at the time of the contributions, and must meet the requirements for general participants in the public offering of securities, set forth in the CNV regulations and the UIF regulations, especially with respect to the identification of such persons and to the origin and legality of the funds and loans provided.
On October 14, 2016, the UIF issued Resolution No. 135/2016, which strengthened the regulations regarding the international exchange of information between similar authorities which may enter into agreements or memoranda of understanding as well as to the foreign public bodies that are members of the Egmont Group of Financial Information Unit or the Asset Recovery Network of the Financial Action Task Force of Latin American.
On January 11, 2017, the UIF published Resolution No. 4/2017, which established that special due diligence measures must be applied for identifying foreign and domestic investors (who shall comply with the requirements therein set forth to qualify as such) in the Republic of Argentina upon requesting the opening of special investment accounts.
In addition, the Argentine tax amnesty law (Law 27,260 and its regulatory decree No. 895/16, as amended) (the “Tax Amnesty Law”) provided that the information that has been voluntarily disclosed may be used for investigating and sanctioning crimes of money laundering and finance of terrorism. To this end, the UIF is authorized to inform other public intelligence agencies about investigations, based on a previous resolution of the president of the UIF and provide those agencies with information that evidences crimes of money laundering and/or financing of terrorism. In the same way, the AFIP is obliged to report to the UIF any suspicious transactions detected in the context of the Tax Amnesty Law and to provide all the information that the UIF requires, not being able to invoke fiscal confidentiality.
In November 2018, the UIF passed Resolution No. 134/2018, which updates the list of persons considered to be “politically exposed persons” (“PEP”) in Argentina, taking into account any positions occupied by them in the present or in the past, and their relationship by closeness or affinity with third parties who occupy or have occupied such positions. Also, during 2019, the UIF issued Resolution No. 15/2019, which modified the PEP list and Resolution 128/19 established that foreign PEPs will be considered high risk and therefore subject to reinforced due diligence measures, with some exceptions.
On December 26, 2018, the UIF published UIF Resolution No. 154/2018, which amended the supervision procedures then in effect providing for new procedures consistent with and conforming to the international standards promoted by the Financial Action Task Force (“FATF”), which shall be applied in accordance with a risk-based approach.
In July 2019, by Decree No. 489/2019, the Executive Branch created the Public Registry of Persons and Entities Linked to Acts of Terrorism and its Financing (Registro Público de Personas y Entidades Vinculadas a Actos de Terrorismo y su Financiamiento) (the “RePET”), to centralize and manage all information related to the administrative freezing of assets linked to acts of terrorism and its financing. RePET is empowered to provide public access and guarantee the exchange of information with the agencies with competence in the field and with third countries, and the reporting parties must provide all information related to transactions carried out or attempted by individuals or legal entities included in RePET.
In turn, on November 14, 2019, by means of General Resolution No. 816, the CNV adapted the regulations related to the prevention of money laundering and financing of terrorism, in order to include the new obliged subjects contemplated in the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and in the Regulations on Money Laundering in the Capital Market Scope. Among the new obligated subjects were included crowdfunding platforms, global investment advisory agents and human or legal persons acting in the placement of mutual funds or other collective investment products.
On November 17, 2019, through Resolution No. 117/2019, the UIF updated the minimum thresholds above which reporting entities must carry out the enhanced control and due diligence requirements established by the applicable anti-money laundering and anti-terrorist financing regulations. This measure aims to “contribute to an efficient prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing” from a risk-based approach, in accordance with international standards promoted by the FATF.
On October 21, 2021, the UIF issued Resolution 112/2021, whereby it establishes the measures and procedures that the regulated entities listed in Article 20 of the Money Laundering Prevention Law must observe to identify the beneficial owner of the customer in question. In this sense, such Resolution 112/2021 established that the beneficial owner shall be considered the human person who owns at least 10% of the capital or voting rights of a legal person, a trust, an investment fund, an affectation patrimony and/or any other legal structure; and/or the human person who by other means exercises the final control of the same.
On January 13, 2022, the UIF issued Resolution 6/2022. Pursuant to such resolution, the profile to be prepared by each obliged subject shall be based on the understanding of the purpose and expected nature of the commercial relationship, the transactional information and the documentation related to the economic, equity, financial and tax situation provided by the client or obtained by the obliged subject itself.
On April 11, 2022, pursuant to Resolution 50/2022, the UIF updated the thresholds for obliged subjects to perform due diligence measures on their clients and systematic transaction reports.
On February 2, 2023, the reform of UIF Resolution No. 14/2023 applicable to financial and exchange entities was published in the Official Gazette. The reform specifies the main guidelines for AML and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (CFT) risk management and the minimum compliance that each financial entity must adopt and apply to manage the risk of being used by third parties for the commission of these crimes. This is done through a Risk-Based Approach (RBA), considering the results of National Risk Assessments for AML/CFT and CFT/FP approved in 2022. In this way, and in accordance with Recommendation 1 of the FATF, it aims to ensure that competent authorities, financial institutions, and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) can ensure that measures to prevent or mitigate AML/CFT risks correspond to the identified risks, enabling more effective decision-making regarding the allocation of resources.
Additionally, based on international recommendations, the reform establishes the prohibition of maintaining anonymous or under fictitious names, specifies required measures concerning foreign Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs), emphasizes the need to apply proportionate Enhanced Due Diligence measures to identified risks, and incorporates the possibility for financial institutions to rely on third parties for the execution of certain due diligence measures.
On May 2, 2023, UIF issued Resolution No. 72/2023, which consolidates the collaboration duty of regulatory bodies (BCRA, CNV, Superintendencia de Seguros de la Nación, and Instituto Nacional de Asociativismo y Economía Social) in supervision procedures. This regulation facilitates coordination among the bodies and adopts a risk-based approach for obligated entities. Additionally, the “Working Group Regulations” and the “Model of Final Technical Report” are approved as references for the preparation of reports by the regulatory bodies.
On May 9, 2023, Resolution No. 78/2023 was published in the Official Gazette, coming into effect on July 1, 2023. The purpose of this resolution is to establish minimum requirements for the identification, assessment, monitoring, management, and mitigation of AML/CFT risks. It is directed towards obligated entities included in Article 20, subsections 4, 5, and those of subsection 22 of the Anti-Money Laundering Prevention Law, particularly those entities acting as Financial Trustees. The resolution mandates the implementation of an Anti-Money Laundering/Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Prevention System, adopting a risk-based approach. This system is required to encompass comprehensive policies, procedures, and controls aimed at effectively identifying, assessing, managing, and mitigating the AML/CFT risks to which the obligated entity is exposed. Furthermore, it delineates, among other aspects, specific risk factors that obligated entities must consider. It imposes the obligation to conduct technical self-assessment risk reports and emphasizes the need for duly justified and approved risk tolerance declarations by the management and highest authority. Additionally, the resolution underscores the establishment of suitable policies, procedures, and controls to mitigate risks.
Moreover, the resolution mandates that obligated entities adopt policies, procedures, and minimum compliance controls to ensure adherence to regulations and detect irregularities. It establishes essential requirements that prevention manuals should incorporate, alongside other control measures such as appointing compliance officers and a Prevention Committee, implementing training plans, conducting Prevention System evaluations, and formulating a Code of Conduct, among other measures. Finally, the resolution compels the implementation of measures for customer identification, verification, and knowledge, as well as for monitoring, analysis, and reporting.
On June 16, 2023, Resolution No. 99/2023 was published, outlining the obligations that Obligated Entities of Cooperatives and Mutuals must fulfill to manage AML/CFT risks in accordance with prevailing international standards, best practices, guidelines, and recommendations from the FATF. The primary objective of the reform is to adopt a risk-based approach for more effective prevention, introducing key definitions such as risk self-assessment, the effectiveness of the preventive system, and advisory alerts. Additionally, systematic compliance reports are established, allowing differentiated reporting periods for certain Obligated Entities. The resolution will become effective on August 1, 2023, replacing UIF Resolution No. 11/2012.
Furthermore, on June 14, 2023, Resolution No. 126/2023 was published, rendering Resolution No. 28/2018 null and void as of September 1 of the same year. It amends the minimum requirements for the identification, assessment, monitoring, management, and mitigation of AML/CFT risks that obligated entities, as outlined in Article 20, subsections 8 and 16 of the Anti-Money Laundering Prevention Law, must adopt and apply in accordance with their policies, procedures, and controls to prevent the risk of being used by third parties for criminal AML/CFT purposes.
Subsequently, on September 1, 2023, Resolution 169/2023, as adjusted by Resolution 177/2023, established new minimum requirements for the identification, assessment, monitoring, management, and mitigation of AML/CFT risks that capitalization, savings, savings and loan, economic, capital formation, or other similar or equivalent societies, requiring money or securities from the public under any form with the promise of awarding or delivering goods, providing services, or future benefits, as outlined in Article 9 of Law No. 22,315, must adopt and apply according to their policies, procedures, and controls to prevent the risk of being used by third parties for criminal AML/CFT purposes. On September 18, 2023, through UIF Resolution 177/2023, certain articles of Resolution UIF No. 169/23 were rectified, including the consecutive order of subsections in Article 12 and normative references included in Articles 26, 28, 29, 30, and 40.
E. Taxation
General
The following general summary of the main tax consequences in Argentina and the United States relating to the, ownership and disposition of securities issued by us is based on the tax laws of Argentina, the United States and regulations thereunder (as applicable) as in effect on the date hereof, each subject to any changes that may come into effect after such date under the Argentine and United States laws and regulations (as applicable) as may become effective subsequently to such date, possibly with retroactive effect.
Even though this summary is considered to constitute an appropriate interpretation of the effective Argentine tax laws and United States federal income tax laws as of the date hereof, no assurance may be given that the courts or tax authorities in charge of application of such laws will agree to this interpretation. Furthermore, it should be noted that there have been many changes in Argentine tax laws and United States tax laws in the past and in particular in recent years, and that such laws may be subject to restatements, revocation of exemptions, reestablishment of taxes and other changes.
Prospective investors should consult their own tax advisors as to the Argentine tax consequences and United States federal income tax consequences of the purchase, ownership and disposition of our securities, including, the effect of any foreign, state or local tax laws.
Argentine Taxes
Income Tax
Law No. 27,430, enacted on December 27, 2017 and published in the Official Gazette on December 29, 2017, had introduced several amendments to Income Tax Law No. 20,628, among others, a corporate tax rate reduction in two phases. For fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2018 until December 31, 2019, there had been a reduction of the tax rate from 35% to 30%. Beginning on or after January 1, 2020 the tax rate would have been further reduced to 25%. Additionally, a withholding of 7% or 13% had been established for the fiscal years mentioned above, on the dividends distributed by local entities in favor of their shareholders provided they are resident individuals or undivided estates, or are foreign beneficiaries.
On June 16, 2021, Law 27,630 was enacted and published in the Official Gazette. This law increases corporate income tax rates for tax years beginning January 1, 2021, and onwards. The new law increases tax rates by replacing the fixed tax rate with a progressive tax scale. It also extends the 7% withholding tax rate currently in force to dividends from profits accrued in tax years beginning January 1, 2021, and thereafter.
Taxation on Dividends
In view of the last amendments introduced to the Income Tax Law by virtue of the Tax Reform, as of fiscal years beginning on January 1, 2018, the taxation applicable to dividends distributed from Argentine companies would be as follows, as amended by the Solidarity Law:
Dividends originated from profits obtained during fiscal years 2019, 2020 and 2021: dividends on Argentine shares paid to Argentine individuals and/or non-residents (“Foreign Beneficiaries”) are subject to a 7% income tax withholding on the amount of such dividends (“Dividend Tax”).
Dividends originated from profits obtained during fiscal year 2021 onward: the tax rate is raised to 7%.
For Argentine individuals not registered before the AFIP as payers of income tax and foreign beneficiaries, the Dividend Tax withholding will be considered as a unique and final payment. In addition, under the Tax Reform, rules are created that regulate and limit the possibility to offset gains derived from the distribution of dividends with losses generated in other operations.
If dividends are distributed to Argentine Entities as defined below, no Dividend Tax should apply.
However, Law No. 27,451, published in the Official Gazette on December 23, 2019, suspended, until fiscal years starting on January 1st, 2021, the application of the withholding tax at a 13% rate on payment of dividends and profit distribution, and reestablished the 7% rate for this withholding tax.
Capital Gains Tax
Resident individuals
Capital gains obtained by resident individuals or undivided estates situated in Argentina from the sale or disposition of common shares and other securities are subject to income tax at a 15% rate on net income, unless such securities were traded in stock exchange under the supervision of the CNV, in which case an exemption applies.
Losses arising from the sale, exchange or other disposition of common shares or ADSs can be applied only to offset such capital gains arising from the sale, exchange or other disposition of these securities, for a five‑year carryover period.
Foreign beneficiaries
Capital gains of Argentine source (as it is the case of both our ADSs and shares) obtained by non-Argentine individuals or non-Argentine entities from the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares are subject to income tax at a 15% rate on the net capital gain or at a 13.5% rate on the gross price at the seller’s election. Notwithstanding, Law No. 27,430 established an exemption for foreign beneficiaries participating in the sale of publicly traded shares traded in stock exchanges under the supervision of the CNV. Said Law also established an exemption for capital gains derived from the sale, exchange or other disposition of share certificates issued abroad that represent shares issued by Argentine companies (i.e. ADRs). The exemptions will apply only if the foreign beneficiaries do not reside in, and the funds do not arise from, “non-cooperating” jurisdictions for tax transparency purposes.
The sale of an equity interest in a foreign entity could represent a taxable indirect transfer of Argentine assets (including shares), if (i) the value of the Argentine assets exceed 30% of the transaction’s overall value, and (ii) the equity interest sold (in the foreign entity) exceeds 10%. The tax will also be due if any of these thresholds were met during the twelve month period prior to the sale.
The applicable rate is generally 15% on the net capital gain or at a 13.5% rate on the gross price at the seller’s election, of the proportional value that corresponds to the Argentine assets.
The indirect transfer of Argentine assets within the same economic group would also not trigger taxation, provided the requirements set by regulations have been met.
Argentine entities
Capital gains obtained in tax years beginning from January 1, 2023 by Argentine entities (in general entities organized or incorporated under Argentine law, certain traders and intermediaries, local branches of non-Argentine entities, sole proprietorships and individuals carrying on certain commercial activities in Argentina) derived from the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares or ADSs are subject to the following tiered structure of corporate income tax rates for different brackets of earnings:
Annual taxable income (ARS) | | Tax due on lower limit (ARS) | | Marginal rate on the excess of the lower limit |
0 to 14.3 million | | ARS 0 | | 25% |
Over 14.3 million to 143.01 million | | ARS 3.57 million | | 30% |
Over 143.01 million | | ARS 42.19 million | | 35% |
Losses arising from the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares or ADSs can be applied only to offset such capital gains arising from the sale, exchange or other disposition of these securities, for a five-year carryover period.
WE RECOMMEND PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS TO CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES CONCERNING THE SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITIONS OF SHARES AND ADSs.
Value Added Tax (“VAT”)
The sale, exchange or other disposition of our ADSs or common shares and the distribution of dividends are exempted from VAT.
Personal Assets Tax
Argentine entities, like us, are subject to the personal assets tax corresponding to Argentine individuals and Foreign Beneficiaries (be they legal entities or individuals) for the holding of company shares at December 31 of each year.
Pursuant to Law No. 27,541, as of December 31, 2019, the rate is 0.50% and is levied on the proportional net worth value (“valor patrimonial proporcional”), of the shares as per the Argentine entity’s last financial statements prepared under Argentine GAAP.
Pursuant to the Personal Assets Tax Law, the Argentine company is entitled to seek reimbursement of such paid tax from the applicable Argentine domiciled individuals and/or foreign domiciled shareholders.
Tax on Credits and Debits on Bank Accounts
Law No. 25,413, as amended and regulated by Law No. 25,453, established a tax, with certain exceptions, levied on debits and credits of any nature on bank accounts held at Argentine financial institutions, except for those specifically exempted pursuant to legal provisions and regulations thereof. The general tax rate is 0.6% for each debit and credit (although in certain cases an increased rate of 1.2% and a reduced rate of 0.075% may apply).
Certain transfers of money or cash movements through other mechanisms may also trigger application of this tax. In general, the financial institutions involved act as tax collection and tax calculation agents.
Decree No. 409/2018 established that as of January 1st, 2018, 33% of the tax paid on credits and debits levied at the 0.6% general tax rate and 1.2% tax rate, and 20% of the tax paid on transactions levied at the lesser tax rate, will be considered as a payment on account of income tax, taxes on presumed minimum income or the special contribution on cooperatives capital by the bank account holders. The exceeding amount will not be subject to compensation with other taxes or transfer in favor of third parties; however, it can be carried forward to other fiscal periods of the above-mentioned taxes.
This tax has certain exemptions; as an example, debits and credits in banking accounts opened by foreign legal entities in accordance with BCRA Communication “A” 3250 and used exclusively for the purpose of making financial investments in Argentina are exempted from this tax is accordance with section 10, paragraph s) of Decree No. 380/2001. Likewise, Law No.27,264 established that the Tax on Credits and Debits on Bank Accounts that had actually been deposited may be computed in a 100% as payment on account of the income tax by companies that are considered “micro” and “small” and in 50% by manufacturing industries considered “medium -trench 1-” under the terms of article 1 of Law No. 25,300 and its complementary regulations. In case securities’ holders receive payments in local bank checking accounts, such tax may apply.
Turnover Tax
Turnover tax is a local tax levied on gross income earned from an activity during the year and it is applied by each provincial jurisdiction or the City of Buenos Aires. Any investors regularly engaged in activities, or presumed to be engaged in activities, in any provincial jurisdiction or in the City of Buenos Aires where they receive revenues from interest arising from holding notes, or from their sale or conveyance, could be subject to the turnover tax at rates that vary according to the specific laws of each Argentine province and of the City of Buenos Aires, unless an exemption applies.
There is a system of Collection and Control over Credits on Bank Accounts (“SIRCREB”) that enables the compliance of the turnover tax collection’s regimes, applicable over the amounts credited in Argentine bank accounts. The regimes vary according to the specific laws of each Argentine province. The aliquots to apply depend on each one of the treasuries with a range that can currently reach 5%.
Buenos Aires Tax Code, Section 180(1), third paragraph, sets forth that revenues from any transaction on notes issued in accordance with Law No. 23,576, the interest collected and updates accrued and the selling price in case of a transfer, shall be exempt provided the income tax exemption is applicable.
The Province of Buenos Aires Tax Code sets forth a similar exemption in Section 207 (c), second paragraph.
Considering the autonomous authority vested in each provincial jurisdiction in connection with tax matters, any potential effects derived from these transactions must be analyzed, in addition to the tax treatment established by other provincial jurisdictions. Potential investors must consider the effects of the turnover tax and the SIRCREB regime depending on the local jurisdictions involved. Also, as certain jurisdictions have excluded the application of these regimes on certain financial transactions, holders shall verify the existence of any exclusion to these regimes in accordance with the jurisdiction involved.
Stamp Tax
The stamp tax is a local tax that is generally levied on the consummation of onerous transactions executed within a certain provincial jurisdiction or outside a certain provincial jurisdiction but with effects in such jurisdiction.
Notwithstanding the fact that the stamp tax is a local tax, for Buenos Aires City, the acts, contracts and transactions, including money delivery or receipt transactions, related to the issuance, subscription, placement and transfer of notes, issued pursuant to the Negotiable Obligations Law regime are exempted from application of this tax. This exemption shall include the creation of any real or personal guarantees in favor of investors or third-parties guaranteeing the issuance, either prior to, simultaneous with or subsequently to such issuance.
This exemption also covers security rights related to issuances. However, this exemption is forfeited if, within a 90-calendar days term, the relevant authorization is not requested for the public offering of such securities before the CNV.
The acts and/or instruments related to the trading of shares and other securities duly authorized for public offering by the CNV are exempted from application of stamp tax in the City of Buenos Aires. This exemption is also ineffective if the circumstances mentioned in the last sentence of the previous paragraph occur.
In turn, in the Province of Buenos Aires, any acts, contracts, transactions, including money delivery or receipt transactions, related to the issuance, subscription, placement and transfer of notes issued pursuant to the Negotiable Obligations Law regime and Law No. 23,962 are exempted from application of this tax. This exemption shall include the creation of any real or personal guarantees in favor of investors or third-parties guaranteeing the issuance, either prior to, simultaneous with or subsequently to such issuance.
Considering the autonomous authority vested in each provincial jurisdiction in connection with tax matters, any potential effects derived from these transactions must be analyzed, in addition to the tax treatment established by the other provincial jurisdictions. Potential investors must consider the stamp tax impact depending on the local jurisdictions involved.
Transfer Taxes
The Province of Buenos Aires passed Law No. 14,044, approved on September 23, 2009 and published in the Argentine Official Gazette on October 16, 2009, whereby it imposed a Tax on Gratuitous Transfer of Assets (“TGTA”), effective as of January 1, 2011.
The basic aspects of the TGTA are:
TGTA is applicable to any enrichment resulting from gratuitous transfers, including: inheritances, legacies, donations anticipated, or any other event that implies a gratuitous monetary enrichment.
The tax is payable by individuals and legal entities that are beneficiaries of a gratuitous transfer of assets.
For taxpayers domiciled in the Province of Buenos Aires, the tax is levied on the total amount of the gratuitous enrichment, in respect of property situated both in and outside of the Province of Buenos Aires. Instead, for taxpayers domiciled outside of the Province of Buenos Aires, the tax is levied only on the gratuitous enrichment resulting from the transmission of assets located within the Province of Buenos Aires.
The following types of property, which may be freely transferred, are deemed situated in the Province of Buenos Aires (i) securities and shares of stock, notes, membership or equity interests and other negotiable instruments representing capital stock, issued by governmental or private entities and companies domiciled in the Province of Buenos Aires; (ii) securities, shares of stock and other negotiable instruments issued by private entities or companies domiciled in a different jurisdiction that were physically situated in the Province of Buenos Aires at the time of their transmission; and (iii) securities, shares of stock and other negotiable instruments representing capital stock or its equivalent issued by entities or companies domiciled in another jurisdiction which are also physically situated in another jurisdiction, in proportion to the issuer’s assets situated in the Province of Buenos Aires.
The gratuitous transfer of assets is exempt from tax when their aggregate value, excluding deductions, exemptions and exclusions, is equal to or lower than Ps.819,105 and it rises to Ps.3,410,400 when the transfer is done between parents, children and spouses.
Step‑up rates from 1.603% to 8.519% have been established, based on the degree of kinship and taxable base involved.
As for the existence of the TGTA in other provinces, potential investors must analyze the tax consequences according to the jurisdictions involved in the specific case.
Court Taxes
In the event that it becomes necessary to institute legal actions in relation to our securities before a federal court in Argentina or the courts sitting in the City of Buenos Aires, a court tax will be imposed on the amount of any claim (currently at a rate of 3.0%). Certain court and other taxes could be imposed on the amount of any claim brought before the courts of the relevant province.
Treaties to Avoid Double Taxation
Argentina has signed tax treaties for the avoidance of double taxation with Australia, Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Norway, Qatar, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, and Uruguay (through an information exchange treaty that contains clauses for avoidance of double taxation). In addition, Argentina has signed tax treaties with Turkey, Luxembourg, Japan, Austria and China, but they are still pending approval by the Argentine Congress. In turn, tax treaties are being negotiated with Colombia and Israel, and amendments to the current tax treaty with France. There is currently an agreement between Argentina and the United States on the exchange of Country-by-Country Reports, but there is no tax treaty or convention in effect between both countries. It is not clear when, if ever, a treaty will be ratified or entered into effect. As a result, the Argentine tax consequences described in this section will apply, without modification, to a holder of our common shares or ADSs that is a U.S. resident. Foreign shareholders located in certain jurisdictions with a tax treaty in force with Argentina may be exempted from the payment of the personal asset tax.
Inflow of Funds from Non‑Cooperative Jurisdictions
Non-cooperative jurisdictions are those countries or jurisdictions that do not have in force with the Government an agreement for the exchange of information on tax matters or a treaty to avoid international double taxation with a broad clause for the exchange of information. Likewise, those countries that, having an agreement of this type in force, do not effectively comply with the exchange of information will be considered non-cooperative. The aforementioned treaties and agreements must comply with international standards of transparency and exchange of information on fiscal matters to which the Argentine Republic has committed itself. After the tax reform the white list system in force was replaced by a black list system. In this system, the Executive Branch would have to prepare and update a list of the countries considered as non-cooperative based on the aforementioned criteria. As of today, the United States is considered a cooperating country.
According to the legal assumption established by Law No. 11,683 Section 18.1 as amended, incoming funds from non-cooperative jurisdictions are considered unjustified net worth increases for the local receiver.
Unjustified net worth increases are subject to the following taxes:
| • | Income tax would be assessed on 110% of the amount of funds transferred; |
| • | VAT would be assessed on 110% of the amount of funds transferred. Even though the concept “income arising from” is not clear, it could be construed as any fund transfer; |
| • | from an account in a non-cooperative jurisdiction, or from a bank account opened outside of a non-cooperative jurisdiction but owned by an entity located in a non-cooperative jurisdiction; or |
| • | to a bank account located in Argentina or to a bank account opened outside of Argentina but owned by an Argentina tax resident. |
Notwithstanding the above, the Law provides that the Federal Administration of Public Revenues can accept those funds that derived from activities genuinely performed by an Argentine taxpayer, or by a third party in said jurisdiction.
With respect to the application of the above-mentioned legal presumption on incoming funds from jurisdictions considered as low or null tax jurisdictions (defined under section 15.3 of the Argentine Income Tax Law) further clarifications are expected to be issued by the implementing decree of the Tax Reform.
THE ABOVE SUMMARY DOES NOT REPRESENT A FULL ANALYSIS OF ALL THE TAX CONSEQUENCES AND DOES NOT ADDRESS ALL OF THE ARGENTINE TAX CONSEQUENCES THAT MAY BE APPLICABLE DERIVED FROM THE OWNERSHIP OF NEGOTIABLE OBLIGATIONS. POTENTIAL HOLDERS AND BUYERS SHOULD CONSULT THEIR OWN TAX ADVISERS REGARDING THEIR PARTICULAR TAX CONSEQUENCES. IT DOES NOT PURPORT TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE DESCRIPTION OF ALL THE ARGENTINE TAX CONSIDERATIONS THAT MAY BE RELEVANT TO A DECISION TO PURCHASE, OWN OR DISPOSE OUR SHARES. IN PARTICULAR, THIS SUMMARY DOES NOT DESCRIBE ANY TAX CONSEQUENCES ARISING UNDER THE LAWS OF ANY STATE, LOCALITY, MUNICIPALITY OR TAXING JURISDICTION OTHER THAN CERTAIN FEDERAL LAWS OF ARGENTINA.
United States Taxes
General. This following discussion is a summary of U.S. federal income tax consequences generally applicable to a U.S. holder (as defined below) who holds our Class B Shares or ADSs. It applies to a U.S. holder only if such holder holds our Class B Shares or ADSs as “capital assets” within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”) and is not a member of a special class of holders subject to special rules, including: a dealer in securities; a trader in securities that elects to use a mark-to-market method of accounting for his or her securities holdings; a tax-exempt organization; a life insurance company; a person liable for alternative minimum tax; a person that actually or constructively owns 10% or more of the voting power or value of our aggregate shares outstanding; a person that holds Class B Shares or ADSs as part of a hedging or straddle or conversion transaction; a person that purchases or sells Class B Shares or ADSs as part of a wash sale for tax purposes; a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and partners or members therein; or a person whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar.
This discussion is based on the Code, its legislative history, existing and proposed regulations, published rulings and court decisions, and the laws of Argentina all as currently in effect. These laws are subject to change, possibly on a retroactive basis. In addition, this section is based in part upon the assumption that each obligation in the Deposit Agreement and any related agreement will be performed in accordance with its terms.
If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) holds Class B Shares or ADSs, the U.S. federal income tax treatment of a partner will generally depend on the status of the partner and the tax treatment of the partnership. A partner in a partnership holding Class B Shares or ADSs should consult its tax advisor with regard to the U.S. federal income tax treatment of an investment in Class B Shares or ADSs.
A holder is a U.S. holder if such holder is a beneficial owner of Class B Shares or ADSs and such holder is: a citizen or resident of the United States; a domestic corporation or other entity taxable as such; an estate whose income is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source; or a trust, if a United States court can exercise primary supervision over the trust’s administration and one or more United States persons are authorized to control all substantial decisions of the trust.
In general, and taking into account the earlier assumptions, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, a holder of ADRs evidencing ADSs will be treated as the owner of the underlying Class B Shares represented by those ADSs, and exchanges of Class B Shares for ADRs, and ADRs for Class B Shares, will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax.
This discussion does not generally address any aspects of U.S. taxation other than federal income taxation. Holders of Class B Shares or ADSs are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the U.S. federal, state and local tax consequences of owning and disposing of the Class B Shares or ADSs in their particular circumstances.
Taxation of Dividends. Under the United States federal income tax laws, and subject to the passive foreign investment company (“PFIC”) rules discussed below, a U.S. holder must include in his or her gross income the gross amount of any dividend that we pay out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits (as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes). If the holder is a non-corporate U.S. holder, dividends that constitute qualified dividend income will be taxable at the preferential rates applicable to long-term capital gains; provided that the Class B Shares or ADSs are held for more than 60 days during the 121-day period beginning 60 days before the ex-dividend date and certain other holding period requirements are met. Provided that we are not a PFIC, for the year in which a dividend is paid or the preceding taxable year, dividends that are paid with respect to the ADSs that are readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States are qualified dividend income. Under this rule, we expect that the dividends we pay with respect to the ADSs will be qualified dividend income. Because the Class B Shares are not readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, it is unclear whether dividends paid with respect to the Class B Shares will also be qualified dividend income.
The holder must include any Argentine tax withheld from the dividend payment in this gross amount even though the holder does not in fact receive it. The holder must include the gross amount of dividends in income when the holder, in the case of Class B Shares, or the depositary, in the case of ADSs, receives the dividend, actually or constructively. The dividend will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction generally allowed to U.S. corporations in respect of dividends received from other U.S. corporations. Distributions in excess of current and accumulated earnings and profits, as determined for U.S. federal income tax purposes, will be treated as a non-taxable return of capital to the extent of a holder’s basis in the Class B Shares or ADSs and thereafter as capital gain.
The amount of the dividend distribution that a holder must include in his or her income will be the U.S. dollar value of the peso payments made, determined at the spot peso/U.S. dollar rate on the date such dividend distribution is includible in such holder’s income, regardless of whether the payment is in fact converted into U.S. dollars. Generally, any gain or loss resulting from currency exchange fluctuations during the period from the date a holder includes the dividend payment in income to the date such payment is converted into U.S. dollars will be treated as ordinary income or loss and will not be eligible for the special tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income. Such gain or loss will generally be income or loss from sources within the United States for foreign tax credit limitation purposes.
For foreign tax credit purposes, the dividend will generally be income from sources outside the United States. Dividends will, depending on the holder’s circumstances, generally be either “passive” or “general” income, for purposes of computing the foreign tax credit allowable to the holder. Subject to certain limitations, the Argentine tax withheld and paid over to Argentina will generally be creditable or deductible against your U.S. federal income tax liability. Special rules apply in determining the foreign tax credit limitation with respect to dividends that are subject to the preferential tax rates.
However, it is likely that no U.S. foreign tax credit will be allowed to U.S. holders of Class B Shares or ADSs in respect of any personal property or similar tax imposed by Argentina (or any taxing authority thereof or therein) (for example, if such tax is not treated as an income tax for U.S. federal income tax purposes). The calculation of foreign tax credits and, in the case of a U.S. holder that elects to deduct foreign taxes, the availability of deductions, involve the application of complex rules that depend on a U.S. holder’s particular circumstances. All U.S. holders should consult their own tax advisors regarding the creditability or deductibility of such taxes.
Taxation of Capital Gains. Subject to the PFIC rules discussed below, a U.S. holder that sells or otherwise disposes of Class B Shares or ADSs will recognize gain or loss for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the difference between the U.S. dollar value of the amount realized and his or her tax basis (determined in U.S. dollars) in such Class B Shares or ADSs. Capital gain of a non-corporate U.S. holder is generally taxed at preferential rates where the holder has a holding period greater than one year. The gain or loss generally will be income or loss from sources within the U.S. for foreign tax credit limitation purposes.
As discussed in the previous paragraph, it is possible that a U.S. holder who sells or purchases the Class B Shares or ADSs may be subject to Argentine tax upon such sale or acquisition. If the seller is legally liable for the tax and the seller pays this tax, then the seller should be able to claim a foreign tax credit for U.S. federal income tax purposes in an amount equal to the amount of the tax, subject to generally applicable limitations. However, because the gain from a sale or other disposition of Class B Shares or ADSs will be U.S. source income, such seller would need a sufficient amount of other foreign source income that is untaxed, or that is taxed at a tax rate that is sufficiently lower than the U.S. tax rate applicable to such seller, in order to be able to claim this foreign tax credit. Additionally, if an Argentine tax is withheld on the sale or other disposition of Class B Shares or ADSs, then the seller must include the amount of such tax withheld in the amount realized upon the sale or disposition, even though the seller does not in fact receive it. If the purchaser is legally liable for the tax, then the purchaser will likely not be entitled to receive any tax credit in the United States in respect of the payment of any such taxes.
PFIC Rules. In general, a non-U.S. corporation will be classified as a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, if either (i) 75% or more of its gross income consists of certain types of “passive” income or (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of its assets (determined on the basis of a quarterly average) produce or are held for the production of passive income. For this purpose, cash is categorized as a passive asset. We will be treated as owning our proportionate share of the assets and earning our proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly, 25% or more (by value) of the shares. We do not believe that we were a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2017. We do not anticipate being a PFIC for our current taxable year, although we can make no assurances in this regard. Our status as a PFIC in any year depends on our assets and activities in that year. We have no reason to believe that our assets or activities will change in a manner that would cause us to be classified as a PFIC for the current taxable year or for any future year, however this is a factual determination that is made annually and thus may be subject to change.
If we were to be treated as a PFIC, unless a U.S. holder makes a valid election to be taxed annually on a mark-to-market basis with respect to the Class B Shares or ADSs, gain realized on the sale or other disposition of the shares or ADSs would in general not be treated as capital gain. Instead, the U.S. holder would be treated as if he had realized such gain and certain “excess distributions” ratably over the holding period for the shares or ADSs and would be taxed at the highest tax rate in effect for each such year to which the gain was allocated, together with an interest charge in respect of the tax attributable to each such year. With certain exceptions, Class B Shares or ADSs will be treated as stock in a PFIC if we were a PFIC at any time during the holding period of a U.S. holder. In addition, dividends received from us will not be eligible for the special tax rates applicable to qualified dividend income if we are treated as a PFIC (or are treated as a PFIC with respect to a U.S. holder) either in the taxable year of the distribution or the preceding taxable year, but instead will be taxable at rates applicable to ordinary income. Additionally, U.S. holders owning our ADSs or Class B Shares may be subject to certain reporting obligations with respect to our ADSs or Class B Shares for years in which we were a PFIC.
If we were to be treated as a PFIC, we do not intend to provide the information necessary for U.S. holders of our ADSs or Class B Shares to make “qualified electing fund,” or QEF, elections, which, if available, would result in tax treatment different from the general tax treatment for PFICs described above.
Each U.S. holder should consult its own tax advisors concerning the U.S. federal income tax consequences of holding and disposing of our ADSs or Class B Shares if we were, are or become classified as a PFIC, including the possibility of making a mark-to-market election.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding. Dividend payments with respect to ADSs or Class B Shares and proceeds from the sale, exchange or redemption of ADSs or Class B Shares may be subject to information reporting to the IRS and possible U.S. backup withholding. Backup withholding will not apply to you, however, if you furnish a correct taxpayer identification number and make any other required certification or that are otherwise exempt from backup withholding. U.S. holders that are required to establish their exempt status generally must provide such certification on IRS Form W-9. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the application of the U.S. information reporting and backup withholding rules.
Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Amounts withheld as backup withholding can be credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, and you may obtain a refund of any excess amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules by timely filing the appropriate claim for refund with the IRS and furnishing any required information in a timely manner.
Individual U.S. holders and certain entities may be required to submit to the IRS certain information with respect to his or her beneficial ownership of the ADSs or Class B Shares, if such ADSs or Class B Shares are not held on his or her behalf by a financial institution. This law also imposes penalties if an individual U.S. holder is required to submit such information to the IRS and fails to do so. All U.S. holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the application of information reporting rules to them.
THE DISCUSSION OF U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX CONSEQUENCES ABOVE IS NOT TAX ADVICE AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONSTITUTE A COMPLETE ANALYSIS OF ALL TAX CONSEQUENCES RELATING TO THE OWNERSHIP OR DISPOSITION OF ADSS OR CLASS B SHARES. ALL U.S. HOLDERS ARE URGED TO CONSULT THEIR TAX ADVISORS ABOUT THE APPLICATION OF THE U.S. FEDERAL TAX RULES TO THEIR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES AS WELL AS THE STATE, LOCAL AND FOREIGN TAX CONSEQUENCES TO THEM OF OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF ADSS OR CLASS B SHARES.
F. Dividends and Paying Agents
Not applicable.
G. Statement by Experts
Not applicable.
H. Documents on Display
We are subject to the informational requirements of the CNV and BYMA and file reports and other information relating to our business, financial condition and other matters with the CNV and BYMA. You may read such reports, statements and other information, including our publicly filed Financial Statements, at the public reference facilities of the CNV and BYMA maintained in Buenos Aires. We are also required to file annual and special reports and other information with the SEC. You may read and copy any documents filed by us at the SEC’s public reference room at 100 F Street, N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330 for further information on the public reference room. Our filings with the SEC will also be available to the public at the offices of the NYSE, 11 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005.
We have appointed Citibank NA to act as depositary for our ADRs. For so long as our ADRs are deposited with the depositary, we will furnish the depositary with our annual reports and summaries of all notices of general meetings of shareholders and other reports and communications that are made generally available to our shareholders.
The depositary will, as provided in the Deposit Agreement, arrange for the mailing of summaries in English of such reports and communications to all record holders of our ADRs. Any record holder of ADRs may read such reports, notices, or summaries thereof, and communications at the depositary’s office. The depositary’s office is located at 388 Greenwich Street – 6th Floor New York, NY 10013.
Whenever a reference is made in this Annual Report to a contract or other document of ours, please be aware that such reference is not necessarily complete and that you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the Annual Report for a copy of the contract or other document. You may review a copy of the Annual Report at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C.
I. Subsidiary Information
Not applicable.
J. Annual Report to Security Holders
Not applicable.
Item 11. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk |
Our activities are exposed to market risk, including the foreign exchange rate risk, the interest rate risk and the commodity price risk. Financial risks are those derived from financial instruments we are exposed to during or at the closing of each fiscal year. Our risk management policy is defined with the objective of reducing the impact of the loss of purchasing power. Based on this, the Management Committee is in charge of defining policies, procedures, limits and measures to mitigate the impact of such risks.
For further information on our market risks, please see Note 16 to our Audited Financial Statements.
Item 12. | Description of Securities Other than Equity Securities |
American Depositary Shares
Fees and Charges Payable by a Holder of ADRs
Our ADSs are listed on the NYSE under the symbol “TGS.” Citibank NA is the Depositary of our ADSs pursuant to the Deposit Agreement. Each ADS represents the right to receive five shares.
Under the terms of the Deposit Agreement, as of the date of this Annual Report, an ADS holder may have to pay to the Depositary the fees specified in the table below.
The charges of the Depositary payable by investors are as follows:
| Service | | Rate | | By Whom Paid |
| Issuance of ADSs (e.g., an issuance upon a deposit of Shares, upon a change in the ADS(s)-to-Share(s) ratio, or for any other reason), excluding issuances as a result of distributions described in the Deposit Agreement. | | Up to U.S.$5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) issued. | | Person receiving ADSs. |
| Cancellation of ADSs (e.g., a cancellation of ADSs for delivery of deposited Shares, upon a change in the ADS(s)-to-Share(s) ratio, or for any other reason). | | Up to U.S.$5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) canceled. | | Person whose ADSs are being canceled. |
| Distribution of cash dividends or other cash distributions (e.g., upon a sale of rights and other entitlements). | | Up to U.S.$5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held. | | Person to whom the distribution is made. |
| Service | | Rate | | By Whom Paid |
| Distribution of ADSs pursuant to (i) stock dividends or other free stock distributions, or (ii) an exercise of rights to purchase additional ADSs. | | Up to U.S.$5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held. | | Person to whom the distribution is made. |
| Distribution of securities other than ADSs or rights to purchase additional ADSs (e.g., spin-off shares). | | Up to U.S.$5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held. | | Person to whom the distribution is made. |
| ADS Services. | | Up to U.S.$5.00 per 100 ADSs (or fraction thereof) held on the applicable record date(s) established by the Depositary. | | Person holding ADSs on the applicable record date(s) established by the Depositary. |
Disclosure for Fees Incurred in Past Annual Period. From January 1, 2023, to April 24, 2024, we received from the Depositary U.S.$ 321,640 for the expenses incurred by us related to the administration and maintenance of the ADR program and investor relation activities.
PART II
Item 13. | Defaults, Dividend Arrearages and Delinquencies |
No events required to be reported have occurred that materially affect tgs.
Item 14. | Material Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders and Use of Proceeds |
None.
Item 15. | Controls and Procedures. |
A. Disclosure Controls and Procedures
We carried out an assessment under the supervision and with the participation of our management, including our CEO and CFO, of the effectiveness of the design and operation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined under Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, as of December 31, 2023. There are inherent limitations to the effectiveness of any system of disclosure controls and procedures, including the possibility of human error and the circumvention or overriding of the controls and procedures. Accordingly, even effective disclosure controls and procedures can only provide reasonable assurance of achieving their control objectives. Based upon this assessment, our CEO and CFO concluded that our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in providing reasonable assurance that information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or submit under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported within the time periods specified in the applicable rules and forms, and that it is accumulated and communicated to our management, including our CEO and CFO, as appropriate, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
B. Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Our management, including our CEO and CFO, is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting as defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Exchange Act. Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of Financial Statements for external purposes in accordance with applicable IFRS Accounting Standards.
Management assessed the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023. In making this assessment, management used the criteria set forth by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013). Based on this assessment, management concluded that, as of the end of fiscal year 2023, our internal control over the financial reporting was effective.
C. Attestation Report of the Registered Public Accounting Firm
PwC and EY have jointly audited and reported on the effectiveness of our internal controls over financial reporting as of December 31, 2023, as stated in their reports appearing herein.
D. Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
There have not been any changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the year ended December 31, 2023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
Item 16A. | Audit Committee Financial Expert |
We have one audit committee financial expert serving on our Audit Committee. Our Board of Directors has identified Mr. Carlos Olivieri as an audit committee financial expert. Mr. Olivieri is an independent director within the meaning of Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act.
We have adopted a code of ethics (the “Code of Ethics”), applicable to all employees, including our principal executive, accounting and financial officers, and all directors. We will provide our Code of Ethics to any person without charge. Our Code of Ethics is available both on our website at https://www.tgs.com.ar/investors/Corporate-governance and is part of our integrity program. The information on our website is not incorporated into this Annual Report.
Any waivers to the Code of Ethics for directors or executive officers requiring disclosure under the NYSE Standards will be disclosed on our website. For more information, see, “Item 16G. Corporate Governance.”
Item 16C. | Principal Accountant Fees and Services |
Audit and Non-Audit Fees
Fees billed for professional services provided to us by PwC and EY, during the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 in each of the following categories are:
| | | |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | (In thousands of pesos) | |
Audit fees | | | 269,510 | | | | 245,620 | | | | 275,772 | | | | 245,399 | |
Tax fees | | | - | | | | - | | | | 11,816 | | | | - | |
Total fees | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Audit fees. Audit fees in the above table represent services rendered for the audit of our annual Financial Statements for Form 20-F, the review of our quarterly reports, and services provided by PwC and EY in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements.
Tax fees in the above table represent tax advisory services rendered by EY.
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures
Consistent with SEC requirements regarding auditor independence, the Audit Committee pre-approves services prior to commencement of the specified service. Before the accountant is engaged to render audit or non-audit services, the Audit Committee must pre-approve the provision of services by our independent auditors prior to commencement of the specified service. The Audit Committee has delegated to its financial expert the authority to grant pre-approvals to auditors’ services. The decision of the financial expert to pre-approve a service is presented to the full Audit Committee at the next scheduled meetings.
All audit fees, audit-related fees, tax fees and other fees, if any, are submitted to our Audit Committee for prior approval. The Audit Committee evaluates the scope of the work to be performed by our accountants and the fees for such work prior to their engagement.
Consequently, all services and fees rendered by our independent auditors during the year ended December 31, 2023 were approved by the Audit Committee prior to their engagement to perform such work.
The general annual shareholders´ meeting designates the external auditor.
Item 16D. | Exemptions from the Listing Standards for Audit Committees |
None.
Item 16E. | Purchases of Registered Equity Securities of the Issuer by the Issuer and Affiliated Purchasers |
Not applicable.
Item 16F. | Change in Registrant’s Certifying Accountant |
None.
Item 16G. | Corporate Governance |
Our corporate governance practices are governed by:
| • | applicable Argentine law (particularly, the General Companies Act), |
| • | Capital Markets Law and Decree No. 1,023/2013, |
| • | the standards of the CNV, |
| • | our integrity program and other internal control policies and procedures, and |
| • | certain rules of the NYSE applicable to listed foreign private issuers. |
We have securities that are registered with the SEC and listed on the NYSE and, consequently, we are subject to the rules and regulations of the NYSE.
Under the Corporate Governance Standards issued by the NYSE Standards, non-U.S. companies are permitted, in general, to follow their home country corporate governance practices in lieu of the provisions included in such standards. However, non-U.S. companies must comply with sections 303A.06, 303A.11 and 303A.12(b) and (c).
Our Corporate Governance Guidelines are available on our website www.tgs.com.ar.
According to Section 303A.11 of the NYSE Standards, foreign private issuers must disclose any significant ways in which their corporate governance practices differ from those followed by U.S. issuers. Accordingly, the following list reflects such differences:
Directors
According to NYSE Standards, listed companies must have a majority of independent directors. Argentine law does not require a majority of independent directors, but does require at least two independent directors on the Audit Committee. At our Board of Directors meeting held on April 17, 2024, three independent directors, meeting the independence criteria set forth under SEC regulations and NYSE Standards (but under CNV regulations, two qualify as independents) were appointed to the Audit Committee. We also have three alternate directors who qualify as independent.
Meeting of Non-Management Directors
According to NYSE requirements, non-management directors must meet at regularly scheduled executive sessions without management. None of Argentine law, the CNV Rules or our Bylaws requires that any such meetings be held. Under Argentine law, a board of directors must meet at least once every three months.
Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee
U.S. listed companies must have a nominating/corporate governance committee composed entirely of independent directors. Argentine law and regulations do not require us to have a nominating or corporate governance committee.
Compensation Committee
U.S. listed companies must have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. Argentine law and regulations do not require this committee. However, our Audit Committee is required to give an opinion about the reasonableness of directors’ fees and stock option plans (if applicable), as proposed by our Board of Directors, and the compensation paid to members of our Board of Directors is approved by our shareholders at their ordinary annual meeting.
Audit Committee
According to SEC regulations and NYSE Standards, listed companies must have an audit committee consisting of a minimum of three independent members. The members of the Audit Committee must be financially literate or must acquire such financial knowledge within a reasonable period and at least one of its members shall have expertise in accounting or financial management. Also, if a member of the Audit Committee is simultaneously a member of the Audit Committee of more than three public companies, and the listed company does not limit the number of Audit Committees on which its members may serve, then, in each case the Board of Directors shall determine whether the simultaneous service would prevent such member from effectively serving on the listed company’s Audit Committee, and shall disclose its decision in the annual proxy statement of the company or in the company’s annual report filed with the SEC.
Argentine law requires an Audit Committee to be comprised of at least three members with a majority of independent members. Pursuant to CNV standards, Audit Committee members are required to have knowledge in business, financial or accounting matters and issues. In addition, CNV standards require the training of Audit Committee members in the practice areas that would permit them to carry out their duties on the Audit Committee. Messrs. Carlos Olivieri, Carlos Alberto Di Brico and Luis Rodolfo Secco are independent directors under SEC regulations and NYSE Standards. Mr. Carlos Alberto Di Brico and Luis Rodolfo Secco are independent directors under CNV regulations.
Mr. Carlos Olivieri qualifies as a “financial expert” within the meaning of Item 16A of Form 20-F. See “Item 16A. Audit Committee Financial Expert.” The Audit Committee’s functions and duties are similar to those required by the NYSE. Furthermore, Argentine law does not limit the number of audit committees on which a member of its Audit Committee may serve.
Code of Conduct
According to Section 303A.10 of the NYSE Standards, listed companies must adopt and disclose a code of business conduct and ethics for directors, officers and employees, and promptly disclose any waivers of the code for directors or executive officers. In October 2005, our Board of Directors approved a “Code of Conduct” with the purpose of introducing SEC rules applicable to foreign registrants. Such code applies to all Board of Directors’ members, senior management, and employees, with no exceptions. Our Code of Conduct is available to the public on our website and as an Exhibit to this Annual Report. Our Code of Conduct is currently an annex of the integrity program.
CEO’s Certification
Each listed company’s CEO must annually certify to the NYSE that he or she is not aware of any violation by the company of the NYSE’s corporate governance listing standards. There is no such requirement under Argentine law.
Item 16H. | Mine Safety Disclosure |
Not applicable.
Item 16I. | Disclosure Regarding Foreign Jurisdictions that Prevent Inspection |
Not applicable.
Item 16J. | Insider Trading Policies |
Not applicable.
We regularly assess risks from cybersecurity threats, monitor our information systems for potential vulnerabilities and tests those systems pursuant to our cybersecurity, policies, standards, processes and practices. To protect our information systems from cybersecurity threats, we use various security tools that help us to identify, escalate, investigate, resolve and recover from security incidents in a timely manner. These efforts include, among other things: mandatory trainings and drills on phishing attacks for all our employees and penetration testing, to help us evaluate the effectiveness of our information security processes and improve our security measures and planning.
Our cybersecurity program includes an incident response plan to engage cross-functionally across our company and report cybersecurity incidents to appropriate levels of management, including senior management, and the Audit Committee or Board of Directors, based on potential impact. We conduct annual cybersecurity awareness training and routinely tests cybersecurity awareness In addition, we engage third-party cybersecurity experts to test, evaluate and recommend improvements on the effectiveness of our cybersecurity program through penetration testing, breach assessments, regular cybersecurity incident drill testing.
We base our cybersecurity on the Cybersecurity Framework developed by U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute Standards and Technology (“NIST”). We assess the maturity level tested against the latest cybersecurity trends and disclosure research. Our framework is based on NIST’s core functions to help us identify cybersecurity compliance gaps and requirements.
Governance
Our Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), in coordination with “Planning and risk management”, is responsible for leading the assessment and management of cybersecurity risks. The current CISO has over 20 years of experience in information security. The CISO provides regular reports to our senior management throughout the year, and to the Audit Committee or the Board of Directors, as appropriate. Such reports typically address, among other things, the our cybersecurity strategy, initiatives, key security metrics, penetration testing and benchmarking learnings, and business response plans as well as the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape. As of the date of this Annual Report, we have not identified any risks from known cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any prior cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. While we believe our cybersecurity program to be appropriate for managing constantly evolving cybersecurity risks, no program can fully protect against all possible adverse events.
Our audit department, through an independent consultant, conducts a cybersecurity assessment and preparedness.
Annually and on an as-necessary basis, members of management and/or of the risk committee provide presentations to the Audit Committee regarding cybersecurity matters, including any material risks. These presentations include information regarding cybersecurity risks, the evolution of those risks and initiatives to optimize and improve the processes of cybersecurity.
We take a risk-based approach to cybersecurity and have implemented cybersecurity policies throughout our operations that are designed to address cybersecurity threats and incidents. In particular, in the event of a specific cybersecurity incident, a damage assessment report is prepared including information about the relevant security incident, such as incident status, informed stakeholders and remediation plans.
For additional information on these risks and potential consequences if the measures we are taking prove to be insufficient or if our proprietary data is otherwise not protected, see “Item 3. Key Information. D. Risk Factors: Our business has become dependent on digital technologies to conduct day-to-day operations and we may be subject to cyberattacks or other risks related to new technologies.”
Annually and on an as-necessary basis, members of management and/or of the risk committee provide presentations to the Audit Committee regarding cybersecurity matters, including any material risks. These presentations include information regarding cybersecurity risks, the evolution of those risks and initiatives to optimize and improve the processes of cybersecurity.
We take a risk-based approach to cybersecurity and have implemented cybersecurity policies throughout our operations that are designed to address cybersecurity threats and incidents. In particular, in the event of a specific cybersecurity incident, these presentations include information about the relevant security incident, such as incident status, informed stakeholders and remediation plans.
Our Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”), in coordination with “Planning and risk management”, is responsible for leading the assessment and management of cybersecurity risks. The current CISO has over 20 years of experience in information security. The CISO provides regular reports to the Corporation’s senior management throughout the year, and to the Audit Committee or the Board of Directors, as appropriate, in its annual cybersecurity review. Such reports typically address, among other things, the Corporation’s cybersecurity strategy, initiatives, key security metrics, penetration testing and benchmarking learnings, and business response plans as well as the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape. As of the date of this Annual Report, we have not identified any risks from known cybersecurity threats, including as a result of any prior cybersecurity incidents, that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect us, including our business strategy, results of operations, or financial condition. While we believe our cybersecurity program to be appropriate for managing constantly evolving cybersecurity risks, no program can fully protect against all possible adverse events. For additional information on these risks and potential consequences if the measures we are taking prove to be insufficient or if our proprietary data is otherwise not protected, see “Item 3. Key Information. D. Risk Factors: Our business has become dependent on digital technologies to conduct day-to-day operations and we may be subject to cyberattacks or other risks related to new technologies.”
PART III
Item 17. | Financial Statements |
The registrant has responded to Item 18 in lieu of responding to this Item.