Irsa Propiedades Comerciales (IRCP) 20-F2020 FY Annual report (foreign)

This Annual Report includes forward-looking statements, principally under “Risk Factors,” “Information on the Company” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects.” We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current beliefs, expectations and projections about future events and financial trends affecting our business. Many important factors, in addition to those discussed elsewhere in this Annual Report, could cause our actual results to differ substantially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements, including, among other things:

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely include but are not limited to:

You can identify forward-looking statements because they contain words such as “believes,” “expects,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “seeks,” “intends,” “plans,” “estimates,” “anticipates,” “could,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “potential,” “continue” or similar expressions. Forward-looking statements include information concerning our possible or assumed future results of operations, business strategies, financing plans, competitive position, industry environment, potential growth opportunities, the effects of future regulation and the effects of competition. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made, and we undertake no obligation to update publicly or to revise any forward-looking statements after we distribute this Annual Report because of new information, future events or other factors. In light of the risks and uncertainties described above, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this Annual Report might not occur and are not guarantees of future performance.

You should not place undue reliance on such statements which speak only as of the date that they were made. These cautionary statements should be considered in connection with any written or oral forward-looking statements that we might issue in the future.

References to “ADSs” are to the American Depositary Shares, each representing 4 shares of our common stock, issued pursuant to the deposit agreement, dated as of July 5, 2017 (the “deposit agreement”), between us, The Bank of New York, as depositary (the “ADS Depositary”), and the owners and holders of the ADSs issued from time to time thereunder, and references to “ADRs” are to the American Depositary Receipts, which represent the ADSs.

We prepare and maintain our financial books and records in pesos and in conformity with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”), as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”), and the CNV Rules. Our fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of each year.

Our audited consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2020 and 2019 and for the years ended June 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018, and the notes thereto (our “Audited Consolidated Financial Statements”) are set forth on pages F-1 through F-84 of this Annual Report.

Our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements have been approved by resolution of the Board of Directors’ meeting held on September 22, 2020 and have been audited by Price Waterhouse & Co S.R.L., Argentina, member of PriceWaterhouseCoopers International Limited, an independent registered public accounting firm whose report is included herein.

Our functional and presentation currency is the peso, and our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Annual Report are presented in pesos.

Additionally, in accordance with the amendment to IAS 28, an entity shall implement the provisions of IFRS 9 to Long-term Investments that are essentially part of the entity's net investment in the associate or in the joint venture according to the definitions of said standard. The provisions of IFRS 9 shall apply to such investments with respect to the participation in the losses of an associate or a joint venture, as well as with respect to the recognition of the impairment of an investment in an associate or joint venture. In addition, when applying IFRS 9 to such long-term investments, the entity will make it prior to the adjustments made to the carrying amount of the investment in accordance with IAS 28. We opted for an accounting policy where the currency translation adjustments arising from these loans are recorded as part of other comprehensive income.

See Note 2.2 to our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for a more comprehensive discussion of the effects of the adoption of these new standards.

Our management uses the following non-IFRS financial measures; which are useful to evaluate the economic productivity of our operations and for purposes of making decisions about the allocation of resources and evaluation of management and business performance. In addition, we believe they are useful to investors or other interested parties to evaluate our operational and financial performance.

To supplement our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS as issued by the IASB, we use the following non-IFRS financial measures in this Annual Report:

In this section, we provide an explanation of each of our non-IFRS financial measures and their most directly comparable IFRS measures. The presentation of these financial measures is not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for, or superior to, financial information prepared and presented in accordance with IFRS.

We define Adjusted Segment EBITDA for each of our operating segments as our segment’s profit or loss before financing and taxation for the year excluding depreciation and amortization and share in profit / (loss) of associates and joint ventures and the unrealized results from the fair value adjustment of investment properties excluding the results due to barter transactions.

We define Segment NOI for each of our operating segments as our segment’s gross profit for the year less selling expenses, plus net realized gain on changes in fair value of investment properties, excluding the results due to barter transactions and plus depreciation and amortization.

We use non-IFRS measures to internally evaluate and analyze financial results. We believe these non-IFRS financial measures provide investors with useful supplemental information about the liquidity and financial performance of our business, enable comparison of financial results between periods where certain items may vary independent of business performance, and enable comparison of our financial results with other public companies, many of which present similar non-IFRS financial measures.

There are limitations associated with the use of non-IFRS financial measures as an analytical tool. In particular, many of the adjustments to our IFRS financial measures reflect the exclusion of items, such as depreciation and amortization, changes in fair value and the related income tax effects of the aforementioned exclusions, that are recurring and will be reflected in our financial results for the foreseeable future. In addition, these measures may be different from non-IFRS financial measures used by other companies, limiting their usefulness for comparison purposes.

Adjusted Segment EBITDA and Segment NOI are non-IFRS financial measures that do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. We present Adjusted Segment EBITDA and Segment NOI because we believe each of these measures provides investors with supplemental measures of our financial performance that may facilitate period-to-period comparisons on a consistent basis. Our management also uses Adjusted Segment EBITDA and Segment NOI, among other measures, for internal planning and performance measurement purposes.

Adjusted Segment EBITDA and Segment NOI should not be construed as an alternative to profit from operations, as an indicator of operating performance or as an alternative to cash flow provided by operating activities, in each case, as determined in accordance with IFRS. Adjusted Segment EBITDA and Segment NOI, as calculated by us, may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies.

For more information regarding Adjusted Segment EBITDA and Segment NOI, see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—A. Business Segment Reporting.”

We have translated some of the peso amounts contained in this Annual Report into U.S. dollars for convenience purposes only. Unless otherwise specified or the context otherwise requires, the rate used to convert peso amounts to U.S. dollars is the seller exchange rate quoted by Banco de la Nación Argentina of ARS 70.4600 per USD 1.00 for information provided as of June 30, 2020. The average seller exchange rate for fiscal year 2020, quoted by Banco de la Nación Argentina was ARS 59.6343. The U.S. dollar-equivalent information presented in this Annual Report is provided solely for the convenience of the reader and should not be construed as implying that the peso amounts represent, or could have been or could be converted into, U.S. dollars at such rates or at any other rate. The seller exchange rate quoted by Banco de la Nación Argentina was ARS 78.1300 per USD1.00 as of October 23, 2020. See “Local Exchange Market and Exchange Rates” and “Risk Factors—Risks relating to Argentina—Continuing high rates of inflation may have an adverse effect on the economy and our business, financial condition and results of operations.”

As used herein, GLA in the case of shopping malls refers to the total leasable area of the property, regardless of our ownership interest in such property (excluding common areas and parking and space occupied by supermarkets, hypermarkets, gas stations and co-owners, except where specifically stated).

Certain numbers and percentages included in this Annual Report have been subject to rounding adjustments. Accordingly, figures shown for the same category presented in various tables or other sections of this Annual Report may vary slightly, and figures shown as totals in certain tables may not be the arithmetic aggregation of the figures that precede them.

 

 

This item is not applicable.

This item is not applicable.

The summary financial data as of June 30, 2017 and 2016 and for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2016 has not been presented as these cannot be provided on a restated basis without unreasonable effort or expense. See “Presentation of Financial and Other Information—Functional and Presentation Currency,” “Risk Factors—Risk Related to Argentina,” “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—Results of Operations— Effects of Changes in Inflation” and Note 2 to our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements.

The following table shows the maximum, minimum, average and closing exchange rates for each applicable period to purchases of U.S. dollars.

This section is not applicable.

This section is not applicable.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and government measures to contain the virus are adversely affecting our business and results of operations, and, as conditions are evolving rapidly, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate impact on our results of operations.

As of the date of this Annual Report, most of the operations and property are located in Argentina. As a result, the quality of our assets, our financial condition and the results of our operations are dependent upon the macroeconomic, regulatory, social and political conditions prevailing in Argentina. These conditions include changes to growth rates, inflation rates, exchange rates, interest rates, taxes, foreign exchange controls, government policies, social instability, and other political, economic or international developments taking place in, or otherwise affecting, Argentina.

The Argentine government has adopted multiple measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including a nationwide mandatory lockdown that began on March 19, 2020 that has been extended several times, most recently through November 8, 2020. The government has also required the mandatory shutdown of businesses not considered essential.

In order to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and mandatory lockdown and shutdown of non-essential businesses, the Argentine government has adopted social aid, monetary and fiscal measures. We cannot assure you whether these measures will be sufficient to prevent a severe economic downturn in Argentina, particularly if current conditions are prolonged and if Argentina’s main trading partners are concurrently facing an economic recession. However, the Argentine government may have more limited resources at this time to support the country’s economy; the pandemic has struck at a time when Argentina is simultaneously struggling to emerge from a two-year recession. On August 31, 2020, the Argentine government announced the results of its bond restructuring offer, announcing that holders owning 93.5% in principal amount of bonds outstanding and that this participation percentage was subsequently increased to 99% by virtue of the application of collective action clauses of the restructured bonds. The Argentine government faces the challenge of restructuring its debt in foreign currency issued under Argentine law, as well as its debt with the IMF. We cannot predict the outcome of these negotiations.

Some of the measures adopted by the Argentine government may adversely affect the business and financial condition of companies operating in the real estate sector, such as our Company. These temporary measures include the issuance of stay-at-home orders, closures of non-essential businesses such as shopping malls, prohibition of layoffs without cause and suspension of workers, among others. These measures have necessitated, among other things that we shut down our shopping mall properties resulting in lower rental revenue from our shopping mall clients whose rent is based in part on sales revenue. For more information in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on our Company, see “Item 5.A. Operating Results – The Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.” Although these measures may help attenuate the economic impact on the Argentine economy overall, they may have a negative impact on our business and results of operations.

Also, the DirecTV Arena stadium has been closed since March 20, the date on which social, preventive and all the planned congresses are suspended, a large part of the fairs and conventions were postponed, while the shows scheduled at the DirecTV Arena were mostly canceled. The reopening date of these establishments is uncertain, as well as the future agenda of fairs, conventions and shows.

Additionally, we face various risks arising from the economic impact of the pandemic and government measures which are difficult to predict accurately at this time, such as:

We are continuously monitoring the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on our Company. The ultimate impact of the pandemic on our business, results of operations and financial condition remains highly uncertain and will depend on future developments outside of our control, including the intensity and duration of the pandemic and the government measures taken in order to contain the virus or mitigate the economic impact. To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section.

 

Historically, Argentina went through periods of severe political, economic and social crisis. Among other consequences, these crises resulted in Argentina defaulting on its foreign debt obligations, introducing emergency measures and numerous changes in economic policies that affected utilities, financial institutions, and many other sectors of the economy. Argentina also suffered a significant real depreciation of the Peso, which in turn caused numerous Argentine private sector debtors with foreign currency exposure to default on their outstanding debt. In the past three years, GDP grew 2.7% in 2017, but it contracted 2.5% in 2018 and 2.2% in 2019. On September 22, 2020, the Argentine Treasury announced that it expected GDP to shrink 19.1% in 2020 and fiscal deficit to reach 4.7%, both figures higher than previously forecast.

A decline in international demand for Argentine products, a lack of stability and competitiveness of the Peso against other currencies, a decline in confidence among consumers and foreign and domestic investors, a high rate of inflation and future political uncertainties, among other factors, may affect the development of the Argentine economy, which could lead to reduced aggregate demand and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The primary elections (Elecciones Primarias, Abiertas y Simultáneas y Obligatorias or “PASO”, per its acronym in Spanish), which define which political parties and which candidates of the different political parties may run in the general elections, took place in August 11, 2019. In these elections, the Frente de Todos coalition (which included former president Fernandez de Kirchner as a candidate to the vice-presidency) obtained 47.78% of the votes, while the Juntos por el Cambio coalition (then-president Mauricio Macri’s coalition), obtained 31.79% of the votes.

After the results of the primary elections, the Peso depreciated approximately 30% and the share price of Argentine listed companies dropped approximately 38% on average. In turn, the emerging market bond index (EMBI) peaked to one of the highest levels in Argentine history, above 2,000 points on August 28, 2019. As a consequence of the aforementioned effects, the Central Bank re-implemented exchange controls in order to reduce currency outflows and restrict exchange rate fluctuations, strengthen the normal functioning of the economy, foster prudent administration of the exchange market, reduce the volatility of financial variables and contain the impact of the variations of financial outflows on the real economy.

Presidential and Congressional elections in Argentina took place on October 27, 2019, which resulted in Alberto Fernández being elected President of Argentina, having earned 48.1% of the votes. The Fernández administration assumed office on December 10, 2019. As of such date, the Argentine Congress was composed as follows: Frente de Todos commanded a majority in the senate with 41 seats, followed by Juntos por el Cambio with 28 seats. In the house of representatives Juntos por el Cambio held a slight majority with 119 seats and Frente de Todos held 116 seats.

The political uncertainty in Argentina about the impact of the measures that the Fernández administration took and could take with respect to the economy, including with respect to the crisis resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, could generate volatility in the price of securities issued by Argentine companies’ or result in a decrease in their prices, in particular companies like ours with operations in the real estate sector.

We can offer no assurances as to the policies that may be implemented by the Fernández administration, or that political developments in Argentina will not adversely affect the Argentine economy and our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we cannot assure you that future economic, regulatory, social and political developments in Argentina will not impair our business, financial condition or results of operations, or cause the market value of our shares to decline.

 

The Macri administration took office in December 2015 and immediately implemented significant economic and policy measures, ranging from (i) lifting foreign exchange restrictions, (ii) eliminating certain energy subsidies and ordering a substantial increase in electricity tariffs, (iii) restoring the credibility of the Argentine National Institute of Statistics and Census (the “INDEC”), (iv) reducing foreign trade controls, (v) settling claims by bondholders, (vi) reforming the framework applicable to the transport and distribution of natural gas, among others described in more detail below.

On June 29, 2016, the Argentine Congress enacted the Historical Reparation Program for Retirees and Pensioners (Programa de Reparación Histórica para Jubilados y Pensionados). This Program included (i) payments to more than two million retirees and retroactive compensation for more than 300,000 retirees and (ii) creation of a universal pension for senior citizens, at a total cost of approximately ARS 122,000 million.

In December 2017, the Argentine Congress approved the tax reform law. The reform was intended to eliminate certain inefficiencies in the Argentine tax regime, curb tax evasion, expand the tax base and encourage investment, with the long-term goal of restoring fiscal balance by creating new taxes or increasing the then existing contribution rates.

In November 2017, the Argentine Congress approved Law No. 27,401, which establishes a system of criminal liability of corporate entities for criminal offenses against the public administration and national and cross-border bribery committed by, among others, its shareholders, attorneys-in-fact, directors, managers, employees, or representatives. Convicted legal entities are subject to various sanctions including a fine of between 1% and 20% of their annual gross revenue and the partial or total suspension of their activities for up to ten years. In addition, the law expands the national criminal jurisdiction to all cases of bribery including those committed outside the Argentine territory by citizens or companies domiciled or headquartered in Argentina.

At the beginning of September 2018, the Argentine government announced a series of measures in connection with the previously approved IMF loan agreement (“Stand-By Agreement”) and implemented changes in monetary policy, reducing the amount of Pesos to be issued, thus easing pressure on the foreign currency market and on inflation. In terms of fiscal policy, the government also reinstated wheat and corn export duties, and a duty for all other exports.

Following the results of the primary elections held in August 2019, the Argentine government adopted certain exceptional measures to relieve tension in the financial and foreign exchange markets, including:

 

The fiscal cost of all of the above measures was estimated to be in excess of ARS 40,000 million.

Historically, high rates of inflation have undermined the Argentine economy and the Argentine government’s ability to foster conditions for stable growth. High rates of inflation may also undermine Argentina’s competitiveness in international markets and adversely affect economic activity and employment, as well as our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The INDEC reported cumulative variation of the CPI of 24.8% for 2017, 47.6% for 2018, 53.8% for 2019 and 2.3%, 2.0%, 3.3%, 1.5%, 1.5%, 2.2%, 1.9%, 2.7% and 2.8%, for January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August and September 2020, respectively.

In recent years, the Argentine government has taken certain measures to curb inflation, such as implementing price controls and limiting wage increases. We cannot assure you that inflation rates will not continue to escalate in the future or that the measures adopted or that may be adopted by the Fernández administration to control inflation will be effective or successful. High rates of inflation remain a challenge for Argentina. Significant increases in the rates of inflation could have a material adverse effect on Argentina’s economy and in turn could increase our costs of operation, in particular labor costs, and may negatively affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

As of July 1, 2018, the Argentine Peso qualified as a currency of a hyperinflationary economy and we were required to restate our historical financial statements in terms of the measuring unit current at the end of the reporting year, which could adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

Pursuant to IAS 29 “Financial Reporting in Hyperinflationary Economies”, the financial statements of entities whose functional currency is that of a hyperinflationary economy must be restated for the effects of changes in a suitable general price index. IAS 29 does not prescribe when hyperinflation arises, but includes several characteristics of hyperinflation. The IASB does not identify specific hyperinflationary jurisdictions. However, in June 2018, the International Practices Task Force of the Centre for Quality, which monitors “highly inflationary countries”, categorized Argentina as a country with projected three-year cumulative inflation rate greater than 100%. Additionally, some of the other qualitative factors of IAS 29 were present, providing prima facie evidence that the Argentine economy is hyperinflationary for the purposes of IAS 29. Therefore, Argentine companies that prepare financial statements pursuant to IFRS and use the Peso as their functional currency were required to apply IAS 29 to their financial statements for periods ending on and after July 1, 2018.

Adjustments to reflect inflation, including tax indexation, such as those required by IAS 29, are in principle prohibited in Argentina. However, on December 4, 2018, the Argentine government enacted Law No. 27,468, which lifted the ban on indexation of financial statements. Some regulatory authorities, such as the CNV and the IGJ, have required that financial statements for periods ended on and after December 31, 2018 be restated for inflation in accordance IAS 29.

 

During the first three fiscal years starting after January 1, 2018, tax indexation will be applicable if the variation of the CPI exceeds 55% in 2019, 30% in 2020 and 15% in 2021. The tax indexation determined as of June 2019 was allocated as follows: One-third in that same year, and the remaining two-thirds in equal parts in the following two years. The tax indexation determined for fiscal years beginning on July 1, 2019 and July 1 2020 will be allocated as follows: One-sixth in that same year, and the remaining five-sixth in equal parts in the following five years.

We cannot predict the future impact that the eventual application of tax indexation and related inflation adjustments described above will have on our financial statements or their effects on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

During recent years, the Argentine government has substantially increased public spending. Argentina recorded a primary deficit of 3.9%, 2.4% and 0.4% of GDP in 2017, 2018 and 2019, respectively. However, the new Fernández administration has indicated that will seek to foster economic growth, which may require additional public spending. If government spending continues to outpace fiscal revenue, the fiscal deficit is likely to increase. Additionally, the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the nationwide lockdown may also require the Argentine government to increase public spending.

The Argentine government’s ability to access the long-term financial markets to finance such increased spending is limited given the high levels of public sector indebtedness. The inability to access the capital markets to fund its deficit or the use of other sources of financing may have a negative impact on the economy and, in addition, could limit the access to such capital markets for Argentine companies, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Argentina’s 2001 sovereign default and its failure to fully restructure its sovereign debt and negotiate with the holdout creditors has limited Argentina’s ability to access international capital markets to obtain financing. In 2005, Argentina completed the restructuring of a substantial portion of its defaulted sovereign indebtedness and settled all of its debt with the IMF. Additionally, in June 2010, Argentina completed the renegotiation of approximately 67% of the principal amount of the defaulted bonds outstanding that were not swapped in the 2005 restructuring. As a result of the 2005 and 2010 debt swaps, Argentina restructured approximately 92.1% of its defaulted debt that was eligible for restructuring. Holdout creditors that had declined to participate in the exchanges commenced numerous lawsuits against Argentina in several countries, including the United States, Italy, Germany, and Japan.

As a result of the litigation filed by holdout bondholders and their related efforts to attach Argentina’s sovereign property located in the United States and other jurisdictions, Argentina’s ability to access the international capital markets was severely limited. In April 2016, the Argentine government settled USD 4.2 billion outstanding principal amount of untendered debt.

In 2018, due to Argentina’s limited access to the international capital and lending markets, the Argentine government and the IMF entered into a “stand-by” arrangement for USD 57.1 billion principal amount with a 36-month maturity. As of the date of this Annual Report, Argentina has received disbursements under the agreement totaling USD 44.8 billion. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fernández administration has publicly announced that it will refrain from requesting additional disbursements under this agreement, and instead vowed to renegotiate its terms and conditions in good faith.

Shortly after taking office, the Fernández administration also initiated negotiations with creditors in order to restructure the country’s current Peso- and U.S. dollar-denominated public debt. In this context, on February 5, 2020, the Argentine Congress passed Law No. 27,544, pursuant to which the sustainability of the sovereign debt was declared a national priority, authorizing the Ministry of Economy to renegotiate new terms and conditions with Argentina’s creditors within certain parameters.

Additionally, in the midst of debt restructuring negotiations, on April 5, 2020 the Argentine government issued Decree No. 346/2020, through which the repayment of Argentine law-governed dollar-denominated notes was postponed.

In response to the emergency measures implemented by the Argentine government during the 2001-2002 economic crisis, a number of claims were filed before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”) against Argentina. Claimants allege that the emergency measures were inconsistent with the fair and equitable treatment standards set forth in various bilateral investment treaties by which Argentina was bound at the time.

Claimants have also filed claims before arbitral tribunals under the rules of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (“UNCITRAL”) and under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (“ICC”). As of the date of this Annual Report, it is not certain that Argentina will prevail in having any or all of these cases dismissed, or that if awards in favor of the plaintiffs are granted, that it will succeed in having those awards annulled. Ongoing claims before the ICSID tribunal and other arbitral tribunals could lead to new awards against Argentina, which could have an adverse effect on our capacity to access to financing or the international capital markets.

Fluctuations in the rates of exchange of the Peso against foreign currencies, particularly the U.S. dollar, may adversely affect the Argentine economy, our financial condition and results of operations. In 2017, 2018, 2019 and the first six months of the year 2020, the Peso depreciated by approximately 16%, 105%, 59% and 18% against the U.S. dollar, respectively. Depreciation of the Peso in real terms can have a negative impact on the ability of Argentine businesses to honor their foreign currency-denominated debt, and also lead to very high inflation and significant reduced real wages. The depreciation of the Peso can also negatively impact businesses whose success is dependent on domestic market demand, and adversely affect the Argentine government’s ability to honor its foreign debt obligations. A substantial increase in the exchange rate of the Peso against foregin currencies of the Peso against the U.S. dollar also represents risks for the Argentine economy since it may lead to a deterioration of the country’s current account balance and the balance of payments which may have a negative effect on GDP growth and employment, and reduce the revenue of the Argentine public sector by reducing tax revenue in real terms, due to its current heavy dependence on export taxes.

The success of any measures taken by the Argentine government to restore market confidence and stabilize the value of the Argentine Peso is uncertain and the continued depreciation of the Peso could have a significant adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. 

The Argentine government exercises substantial control over the economy and may increase its level of intervention in certain areas of the economy, including through the regulation of market conditions and prices.

Also, in April 2012, the Fernández de Kirchner administration decreed the removal of directors and senior officers of YPF S.A. (“YPF”), the country’s largest oil and gas company, that at the time was controlled by the Spanish group Repsol, and submitted a bill to the Argentine Congress to expropriate shares held by Repsol representing 51% of the total outstanding equity of YPF. The Argentine Congress approved the bill in May 2012 through the passage of Law No. 26,741, which declared the production, industrialization, transportation and marketing of hydrocarbons to be activities of public interest and fundamental policies of Argentina, and empowered the Argentine government to adopt any measures necessary to achieve self-sufficiency in hydrocarbon supply. In February 2014, the Argentine government and Repsol announced that they had reached an agreement on the terms of the compensation payable to Repsol for the expropriation of the YPF shares. Such compensation totaled USD 5 billion payable by delivery of Argentine sovereign bonds with various maturities. The agreement, which was ratified by Law No. 26,932, settled the claim filed by Repsol before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (“ICSID”).

Historically, actions of the Argentine government concerning the economy, including decisions regarding interest rates, taxes, price controls, wage increases, increased benefits for workers, exchange controls and potential changes in the market of foreign currency, have had a substantial adverse effect on Argentina’s economic growth.

It is widely reported by private economists that expropriations, price controls, exchange controls and other direct involvement by the Argentine government in the economy have had an adverse impact on the level of investment in Argentina, the access of Argentine companies to international capital markets and Argentina’s commercial and diplomatic relations with other countries. If the level of government intervention in the economy continues or increases, the Argentine economy and, in turn, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected. 

In the past, the Argentine government has passed laws, regulations and decrees requiring companies in the private sector to maintain minimum wage levels and provide specified benefits to employees. Argentine employers, both in the public and private sectors, have experienced significant pressure from their employees and labor organizations to increase wages and to provide additional employee benefits. Due to high levels of inflation, employees and labor organizations regularly demand significant wage increases.

Through Decree No. 610/2019, a staggered increase of the minimum salary was approved as follows: (i) ARS 14,125 as of August 1, 2019; (ii) ARS 15,625 as of September 1, 2019; and (iii) ARS 16,875 as of October 1, 2019. In addition, the Argentine government has arranged various measures to mitigate the impact of inflation and exchange rate fluctuation in wages. In December 2019, Decree No. 34/2019 doubled legally-mandated severance pay for termination of employment. The Government went a step further amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and issued Decree No. 329/2020, restricting the ability to terminate employment with or without cause for 60 business days, prorogued it for 60 additional business days by Decree No.624/2020. Also, in January 2020, the Argentine government issued Decree No. 14/2020 which established a general increase for all employees of ARS 3,000 in January 2020, and an additional amount of ARS 1,000 in February 2020 (total ARS 4,000 effective as of February 2020).

It is possible that the Argentine government could adopt measures mandating further salary increases or the provision of additional employee benefits in the future. Any such measures could have a material and adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Property values in U.S. dollars are influenced by multiple factors that are beyond our control, such as a decreased demand for real estate properties due to a deterioration of macroeconomic conditions or an increase in supply of real estate properties that could adversely affect the value in U.S. dollars of real estate properties. We cannot assure you that property values in U.S. dollars will increase or that they will not be reduced. Most of the properties we own are located in Argentina. As a result, a reduction in the value in U.S. dollars of properties in Argentina could materially affect our business and our financial statements due to the valuation of our investment properties at fair market value in U.S. dollars.

Restrictions on transfers of foreign currency and the repatriation of capital from Argentina may impair our ability to pay dividends and distributions and investors may face restrictions on their ability collect capital and interest payments in connection with corporate bonds issued by Argentine companies.

On September 1, 2019, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 6,770, which established various rules for exports of goods and services, imports of goods and services, foreign assets, non-resident operations, financial debt, debts between residents, profits and dividends, and information systems. The Communication was issued in response to the publication of Decree 609/2019, pursuant to which the Argentine government implemented foreign exchange regulations until December 31, 2019. Decree 609/2019 sets forth the obligation to convert the value of goods and services exported into Pesos in the local financial system, in accordance with terms and conditions established by the BCRA.

Among other restrictions, Communication “A” 6,844 requires prior authorization from the BCRA for the pre-cancelation of debts corresponding to imports of goods and services. For overdue or on-demand debts for the import of goods with related parties abroad outstanding as of August 31, 2019, the importer must request authorization from the BCRA if the debts exceed USD 2 million per month. BCRA authorization is also required for payments of services with related parties abroad. Prior authorization from the BCRA is required for the “constitution of foreign assets” (e.g., purchase of foreign currency, among others) by legal entities, local governments, mutual funds, trusts and other vehicles. Additionally, individuals must request authorization from the BCRA for the “formation of foreign assets,” family aid and the granting of guarantees in derivative transactions, when those items exceed USD 200 in the calendar month, among other circumstances.

With respect to financial debt, borrowers must enter and settle in the foreign exchange market new financial debts from abroad that are disbursed from September 1, 2019. Compliance with this requirement must be proved to access the foreign exchange market and cancel the principal and interest. Communication A 6,844 also requires companies to obtain prior authorization from the BCRA before transferring profits and dividends abroad, as a general rule.

Likewise, Communication “A” 6,854, issued on December 27, 2019 established that rules incorporated into the consolidated text of the regulations on foreign trade and exchange other than those applicable for export of goods and services, as set forth in Communication “A” 6,844, shall remain in full force and effect as from December 31, 2019.

Subsequently, the BCRA issued Communication “A” 7,030, through which it established that for the purpose of accessing the exchange market for the realization of certain transactions such as (i) payment of imports and other purchases of goods abroad, (ii) purchase of foreign currency by residents with specific application, (iii) payment of profits and dividends, (iv) payment of capital and interest on financial indebtedness , among others, the entity shall have the prior consent of the BCRA unless it has an affidavit from the client stating that at the time of access to the exchange market: (i) all of its foreign currency holdings in the country are deposited in accounts in financial institutions and that it does not have liquid external assets available; and (ii) undertakes to liquidate on the exchange market, within five working days of its making available, those funds that it receives abroad arising from the collection of loans granted to third parties, the collection of a term deposit or the sale of any type of asset, where those funds have been acquired after May 28 2020.

On the other hand, the Communication provides that until June 30, 2020 (a period subsequently extended until 31 July 2020 by Communication “A” 7,052), - when accessing the market for the payment of imports of goods or for the cancellation of debts arising from the import of goods, the BCRA must pre-approve the transaction unless the entity has: (i) a customer's affidavit stating that the total amount of payments associated with its imports of goods during 2020 does not exceed the amount by which the importer would have access to the exchange market that was officialized between January 1, 2020 and the day leading up to accessing the exchange market; and (ii) documentation that allows the company to verify compliance with the remaining requirements established for the operation by the exchange regulations.

At the same time, the Communication provides that until June 30, 2020 (a period subsequently extended until July 31, 2020 by Communication “A” 7,052), prior approval of the BCRA will be required for access to the foreign market for the cancellation of financial indebtedness principal services with the foreign sector where the creditor is a counterparty linked to the debtor.

As for transactions corresponding to foreign market outflows, the Communication amends from 30 to 90 days the period within which (i) no sales of securities with liquidation in foreign currency or transfers thereof to foreign entities shall have been concluded in the country, and (ii) sales of securities with liquidation in foreign currency or transfers thereof to entities abroad shall not be arranged in the country, in this case, counted from the moment the foreign market was accessed.

Finally, on September 15, 2020, Communication “A” 7,106 established that companies must refinance maturities of financial debt principal in the period from October 15, 2020 to March 31, 2021. In this sense, the Central Bank will give access to companies for less than 40% of maturities and companies must refinance the rest within at least two years or should be cancelled using currency already in possession of the Company. Furthermore, Resolution No. 856/2020 of the CNV established a 15-day “parking” requirement for both transfers of securities from local accounts abroad. As a result of all the exchange restrictions mentioned and all those that may be issued in the future by the BCRA in the context of the exercise of its powers, it is clarified that there may be potential “holdouts” in the context of the restructurings that Argentine companies are obliged to carry out with the consequent possible claims. The Central Bank measure, would, in many cases, result in non-compliance or a default on corporate debt  denominated in U.S. dollars. It will be a challenge for issuers of corporate debt denominated in U.S. dollars to fully quantify the implications of Communication “A” 7,106. In order to fulfill the requirements of this regulation, a refinancing plan for financial debt due for registration until December 31, 2020 must be submitted to the Argentine Central Bank before September 30, 2020. For maturities to be registered between January 1, 2021 and March 31, 2021, the plan must be submitted at least 30 calendar days prior to the maturity of the principal to be refinanced. Which implies in a risk to obtain financing for new productive projects. As a consequence, there could be an increase in the spreads of corporate bonds. In addition, since June 2020, through Communication “A” 7,030, companies could no longer access to the MULC to cancel financial debt between companies in advance. It is also noted that such possible proposals for restructurings will fully comply with the requirements established by the applicable and current regulations, as long as the non-compliance brings the application of the foreign exchange criminal law to the members of our board of directors.

Argentina’s economy is vulnerable to external shocks that could be caused by adverse developments affecting its principal trading partners. A significant decline in the economic growth of any of Argentina’s major trading partners (including Brazil, the European Union, China and the United States), including as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, could have a material adverse impact on Argentina’s balance of trade and adversely affect Argentina’s economic growth. In addition, Argentina may be affected by economic and market conditions in other markets worldwide, as was the case in 2008-2009, when the global financial crisis led to a significant economic contraction in Argentina in 2009.

Since 2015, the Brazilian economy, Argentina’s largest export market and the principal source of imports, has experienced heightened negative pressure due to the uncertainties stemming from the ongoing political crisis, including the impeachment of Brazil’s president, which resulted in the Senate of Brazil removing Dilma Rousseff from office for the rest of her term on August 31, 2016. Michel Temer, who previously held office as vice president of Brazil, subsequently took office until the end of the presidential period and in October 2018, Jair Bolsonaro was elected president. Mr. Bolsonaro has libertarian, conservative and nationalist tendencies and assumed office on January 1, 2019. Given that Brazil is the largest economy in Latin America, the economic measures it implements can have great impact in the region. A further deterioration in economic conditions in Brazil may reduce the demand for Argentine exports to the neighboring country and, if this occurs, it could have a negative effect on the Argentine economy and potentially on our operations.

In addition, financial and securities markets in Argentina have been influenced by economic and market conditions in other markets worldwide. Although economic conditions vary from country to country, investors’ perceptions of events occurring in other countries have in the past substantially affected, and may continue to substantially affect, capital flows into, and investments in securities from issuers in, other countries, including Argentina. International investors’ reactions to events occurring in one market sometimes demonstrate a “contagion” effect in which an entire region or class of investment is disfavored by international investors.

The Argentine financial system and securities markets could be also adversely affected by events in developed countries’ economies, such as the United States and Europe. On June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom voted in favor of the United Kingdom exiting the European Union (“Brexit”). The United Kingdom formally left the European Union on January 31, 2020. Even when the United Kingdom agreed its departure from the European Union, negotiations on the terms and conditions are expected to continue during the transition period, which is due to expire on December 31, 2020. The effects of the Brexit vote and the perceptions as to the impact of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union may adversely affect business activity and economic and market conditions in the United Kingdom, the Eurozone and globally, and could contribute to instability in global financial and foreign exchange markets. In addition, Brexit could lead to additional political, legal and economic instability in the European Union and have a negative impact on the commercial exchange of Argentina with that region.

On November 8, 2016, Donald Trump was elected president of the United States. His presidency has created significant uncertainty about the future relationships between the United States and other countries, including with respect to the trade policies, treaties, government regulations and tariffs that could apply to trade between the United States and other nations. We cannot predict how Mr. Trump’s protectionist measures will evolve or how they may affect Argentina, nor will the effect that the same or any other measure taken by the Trump administration could cause on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets. Moreover, the next presidential elections in the United States are expected to take place in November 2020, and we cannot predict the outcome of such elections.

Changes in social, political, regulatory and economic conditions in other countries or regions, or in the laws and policies governing foreign trade, could create uncertainty in the international markets and could have a negative impact on emerging market economies, including the Argentine economy. Also, if these countries fall into a recession, the Argentine economy would be impacted by a decline in its exports, particularly of its main agricultural commodities. All of these factors could have a negative impact on Argentina’s economy and, in turn, our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Furthermore, the financial markets have also been affected by the oil production crisis in March 2020 arising from the OPEC’s failure to reduce production. Any of these factors could depress economic activity and restrict our access to suppliers and could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. A decline in the international prices for Argentina’s main commodity exports could have an adverse effect on Argentina’s economic growth, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Argentina’s financial recovery from the 2001-2002 crisis occurred in a context of price increases for Argentina’s commodity exports. High commodity prices contributed to the increase in Argentine exports since the third quarter of 2002 and to high government tax revenue from export withholdings. Consequently, the Argentine economy has remained relatively dependent on the price of its main agricultural products, primarily soy. This dependence has rendered the Argentine economy more vulnerable to commodity prices fluctuations.

A continuous decline in international prices of Argentina’s main commodity exports could have a negative impact on the levels of government revenue and the government’s ability to service its sovereign debt, and could either generate recessionary or inflationary pressures, depending on the government’s reaction. Either of these results would adversely impact Argentina’s economy and, therefore, our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Failure to adequately address actual and perceived risks of institutional deterioration and corruption may adversely affect the Argentine economy and financial condition, which in turn could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The lack of a solid institutional framework and the notorious incidents of corruption that have been identified as a significant problem for Argentina present meaningful challenges to a robust economic recovery. The Argentine economy is sensitive to local political events. Such political events could generate uncertainty and be adverse for the development of a stable market for business in the country, which could affect the Argentine economy and, indirectly, the business, results of operations and financial situation of the Company.

Likewise, institutional deterioration and corruption may adversely affect Argentina’s economy and financial situation, which in turn could adversely affect the business, equity and financial situation and results of the Company’s operations.

The absence of a solid institutional framework and corruption have been pointed out as an important problem for Argentina and continue to be. Recognizing that the failure to address these issues could increase the risk of political instability, distort decision-making processes and adversely affect Argentina’s international reputation and ability to attract foreign investment, the former Macri administration adopted several measures aimed at strengthening Argentina’s institutions and curbing corruption. These measures include the reduction of criminal sentences in exchange for cooperation with the government in corruption investigations, increased access to public information, the seizing of assets from corrupt officials, increasing the powers of the Anticorruption Office (Oficina Anticorrupción) and the passing of a new public ethics law, among others. The Fernández administration’s ability and determination to implement these initiatives taken by the former administration is uncertain, as it would require, among other things, the involvement of the judicial branch, which is independent, as well as legislative support.

We cannot guarantee that the implementation of these measures will be successful or if implemented that such measures will have the intended outcomes.

Our operations are subject to various anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws and regulations, including the Corporate Criminal Liability Law and the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977 (the “FCPA”). Both the Corporate Criminal Liability Law and the FCPA impose liability against companies who engage in bribery of government officials, either directly or through intermediaries. The anti-corruption laws generally prohibit providing anything of value to government officials for the purposes of obtaining or retaining business or securing any improper business advantage. As part of our business, we may deal with entities in which the employees are considered government officials. We have a compliance program that is designed to manage the risks of doing business in light of these new and existing legal and regulatory requirements.

Although we have internal policies and procedures designed to ensure compliance with applicable anti-corruption and anti-bribery laws and regulations, there can be no assurance that such policies and procedures will be sufficient. Violations of anti-corruption laws and sanctions regulations could lead to financial penalties being imposed on us, limits being placed on our activities, our authorizations and licenses being revoked, damage to our reputation and other consequences that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Further, litigations or investigations relating to alleged or suspected violations of anti-corruption laws and sanctions regulations could be costly.

On July 30, 2020, the Executive Branch introduced a bill to the Senate relating to a proposed reform of the Judiciary. The project provides for, among other issues: (i) the merger of 12 federal criminal courts with 11 courts with jurisdiction over economic criminal matters, doubling to reach 46 courts in the Federal Criminal Justice, which will be located in the City of Buenos Aires, (ii) a system of surrogacy to fill in the new courts with the intervention of the National Chamber of Appeal in Criminal and Correctional matters, the Council of the Magistracy and the Senate, (iii) the unification of the appeals chambers and the expansion of the justice system with the creation of new oral courts, prosecutor's offices and defense offices, and (v) the merger of the Federal Civil and Commercial jurisdiction with the Administrative Litigation.

As a result of the outbreak of Swine Flu during the winter of 2009, consumers and tourists dramatically changed their spending and travel habits to avoid contact with crowds. Recently, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Argentine government enacted several regulations limiting the operation of schools, cinemas and shopping malls, which has significantly reduced traffic at our shopping malls. See “Risks Relating to Argentina – The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and government measures to contain the virus are adversely affecting our business and results of operations, and, as conditions are evolving rapidly, we cannot accurately predict the ultimate impact on our results of operation”. We cannot assure you that new disease outbreaks or health hazards (such as the Ebola outbreak in recent years) will not occur in the future, or that such an outbreak or health hazard would not significantly affect consumer and/or tourists’ activity. The recurrence of such a scenario could adversely affect our business and our results of operations.

Our shopping malls are subject to various factors that affect their development, administration and profitability, including:

An increase in our operating costs could also have a material adverse effect on us if our tenants were to become unable to pay higher rent we may be required to impose as a result of increased expenses. Moreover, the shopping mall business is closely related to consumer spending and affected by prevailing economic conditions. All of our shopping malls and commercial properties are located in Argentina, and consequently, these operations may be adversely affected by recession or economic uncertainty in Argentina. Persistently poor economic conditions could result in a decline in consumer spending which could have a material adverse effect on shopping mall revenue.

As of June 30, 2020, most of our revenue from leases and services provided by the Shopping Malls segment derived from properties located in the City of Buenos Aires and the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. In addition, all of our office buildings are located in Buenos Aires and a substantial portion of our revenue is derived from such properties. Although we own properties and may acquire or develop additional properties outside Buenos Aires and the Greater Buenos Aires metro area, we expect to continue to be largely affected by economic conditions affecting those areas. Consequently, an economic downturn in those areas could cause a reduction in our rental income and adversely affect our ability to comply with our debt service and fund operations.

Our operating performance and the value of our real estate assets, and as a result, the value of our securities, are subject to the risk that our properties may not be able to generate sufficient revenue to meet our operating expenses, including debt service and capital expenditures, our cash flow needs and our ability to service our debt service obligations. Events or conditions beyond our control that may adversely affect our operations or the value of our properties include:

The success of our business and profitability of our operations depend on continued investment in real estate and access to long-term financing. A prolonged crisis of confidence in real estate investments and lack of credit for acquisitions may constrain our growth and the maintenance of our current business and operations. As part of our strategy, we intend to increase our properties portfolio through strategic acquisitions at favorable prices, where we believe we can bring the necessary expertise to enhance property values. In order to pursue acquisitions, we may require capital or debt financing. Recent disruptions in the financial markets may adversely impact our ability to refinance existing debt and the availability and cost of credit in the future. Any consideration of sales of existing properties or portfolio interests may be offset by lower property values. Our ability to make scheduled payments or to refinance our existing debt obligations depends on our operating and financial performance, which in turn is subject to prevailing economic conditions. If disruptions in financial markets prevail or arise in the future, we cannot provide assurances that government responses to such disruptions will restore investor confidence, stabilize the markets or increase liquidity and the availability of credit.

Our business is mainly driven by consumer spending since a portion of the revenue from our Shopping Mall segment derives directly from the sales of our tenants, whose revenue relies on the sales to consumers. As a result, our revenue and net income are impacted to a significant extent by economic conditions in Argentina, including the development in the textile industry and domestic consumption, which has experienced significant declines during 2019 and 2020. Consumer spending is influenced by many factors beyond our control, including consumer perception of current and future economic conditions, inflation, political uncertainty, rates of employment, interest rates, taxation and currency exchange rates. Any continuing economic slowdown, whether actual or perceived, could significantly reduce domestic consumer spending in Argentina and therefore adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Although no single tenant represents more than 3.7% of our revenue in any fiscal year, if a significant number of tenants at our retail or office properties were to experience financial difficulties, including bankruptcy, insolvency or a general downturn of business, or if we failed to retain them, our business could be adversely affected. Further, our shopping malls typically have a significant “anchor” tenant, such as well-known department stores, that generate consumer traffic at each mall. A decision by such tenants to cease operating at any of our shopping mall properties could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and the results of our operations. In addition, the closing of one or more stores that attract consumer traffic may motivate other tenants to terminate or to not renew their leases, to seek rent concessions and/or close their stores. Moreover, tenants at one or more properties might terminate their leases as a result of mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, dispositions or bankruptcies. The bankruptcy and/or closure of multiple stores, if we are not able to successfully release the affected space, could have a material adverse effect on both the operating revenues and underlying value of the properties involved. See “Item 5.A. Operating Results – The Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.”

As part of our growth strategy, we have acquired, and intend to do so in the future, properties, including large properties (such as Edificio República, Abasto de Buenos Aires and Alto Palermo Shopping), that tend to increase the size of our operations and potentially alter our capital structure. Although we believe that the acquisitions we have completed in the past and that we expect to undertake enhance our financial performance, the success of such transactions is subject to a number of uncertainties, including the risk that:

We seek to acquire additional shopping malls to the extent we manage to acquire them on favorable terms and conditions and they meet our investment criteria. Acquisitions of commercial properties entail general investment risks associated with any real estate investment, including:

If we acquire a business, we will be required to merge and integrate the operations, personnel, accounting and information systems of such acquired business. In addition, acquisitions of or investments in companies may cause disruptions in our operations and divert management’s attention away from day-to-day operations, which could impair our relationships with our current tenants and employees.

The properties that we acquire may be subject to unknown liabilities, in respect to which we may have limited or no recourse to the former owners. If a liability were asserted against us based on our ownership of an acquired property, we may be required to incur significant expenditures to settle, which could adversely affect our financial results and cash flow. Unknown liabilities relating to acquired properties could include:

A substantial part of our revenue is derived from rental income. As a result, our performance depends on our ability to collect rent from our tenants. Our revenue and profits would be negatively affected if a significant number of our tenants or any significant tenant were to:

Any of these actions could result in the termination of leases and the loss of related rental income. In addition, we cannot assure you that any tenant whose lease expires will renew that lease or that we will be able to re-let the space on economically reasonable terms. The loss of rental revenue from a number of our tenants and our inability to replace such tenants may adversely affect our profitability and our ability to comply with our debt service obligations. These factors are particularly disruptive in the context of emergency situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused significant adverse impacts on our business as tenants have been required to shutdown or significantly reduce their operating activities.

Real estate investments are relatively illiquid and this tends to limit our ability to change the mix of our portfolio in response to economic circumstances or other conditions. In addition, significant expenditures associated with each investment, such as mortgage payments, real estate taxes and maintenance costs, are generally not reduced when an investment generates lower revenue. If revenue from a property declines while expenses remain the same, our results of operations would be adversely affected. Certain properties are mortgaged and if we were unable to meet our underlying payment obligations, we could suffer losses as a result of foreclosures on those mortgaged properties. Furthermore, if we are required to dispose of one or more of our mortgaged properties, we would not be able to obtain release of the mortgage interest without payment of the associated debt. The foreclosure of a mortgage on a property or inability to sell a property could adversely affect our business. In this kind of transactions, we may agree not to sell the acquired properties for a considerable time which could affect our results of operations.

We own several plots of land which are not zoned for our intended development plans. In addition, we have not yet applied for the required land-use, building, occupancy and other required governmental permits and authorizations for these properties. We cannot assure you that we will continue to be successful in our attempts to rezone land and to obtain all necessary permits and authorizations, or that rezoning efforts and permit requests will not be delayed or rejected. Moreover, we may be affected by building moratorium and anti-growth legislation. If we are unable to obtain the governmental permits and authorizations we need to develop our present and future projects as planned, we may be forced to make unwanted modifications to such projects or abandon them altogether.

We must maintain liquidity to fund our working capital, service our outstanding indebtedness and finance investment opportunities. Without sufficient liquidity, we could be forced to curtail our operations or we may not be able to pursue new business opportunities. Our growth strategy is focused on the development and redevelopment of properties we already own and the acquisition of additional properties for development. As a result, we are likely to have to depend to an important degree on the availability of capital financing, which may or maynot be available on favorable terms if at all. We cannot assure you that additional financing, refinancing or other capital will be available in the amounts we require or on favorable terms. Our access to debt or equity capital markets depends on a number of factors, including the market’s perception of our growth potential, our ability to pay dividends, our financial condition, our credit rating and our current and potential future earnings. Depending on these factors, we could experience delays or difficulties in implementing our growth strategy on satisfactory terms or at all.

Argentine laws governing leases impose certain restrictions, including the following:

As a result, we are exposed to the risk of higher rates of inflation under our leases, and any exercise of rescission rights by our tenants could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations. We cannot assure you that our tenants will not exercise such right, especially if rental rates stabilize or decline in the future or if economic conditions continue to deteriorate.

On October 1, 2014, the Argentine Congress adopted the amended Civil and Commercial Code which is in force since August 1, 2015 (the “Argentine Civil and Commercial Code”) which provides that leases must have a minimum term of two years and a maximum term of 20 years for residential properties and of 50 years for non-residential. The Argentine Civil and Commercial Code modifies the regime applicable to contractual provisions relating to foreign currency payment obligations by establishing that such obligations may be discharged in pesos. The prior legal framework required that debtors could only discharge their foreign currency payment obligations by paying in that currency. Although judicial decisions have held that this feature of the regulation can be set aside by the parties to anagreement, it is too early to determine if this is legally enforceable. Moreover, there are no judicial decisions on the scope of this amendment and, in particular, its impact on the ability of landlords and tenants to set aside the new provision and enforce such agreements before an Argentine court. In recent years certain rulings have been rendered affirming the obligation of a tenant to pay in foreign currency if the obligation was freely assumed.

The Argentine Civil and Commercial Code imposes liability for real estate developers, builders, technical project managers and architects in case of hidden defects in a property for a period of three years from the date title on the property is tendered to the purchaser, even when those defects did not cause significant property damage. If any defect affects the structural soundness or make the property unfit for use, the liability term is ten years.

In our real estate developments, we usually act as developers and sellers while construction generally is carried out by third party contractors. Absent a specific claim, we cannot quantify the potential cost of any obligation that may arise as a result of a future claim, and we have not recorded provisions associated with them in our financial statements. If we were required to remedy any defects on completed works, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.

Although Argentine law permits filing of an executive proceeding to collect unpaid rent and a special proceeding to evict tenants, eviction proceedings in Argentina are complex and time-consuming. Historically, the heavy workloads of the courts and the numerous procedural steps required have generally delayed landlords’ efforts to evict tenants. Eviction proceedings generally take between six months and two years from the date of filing of the suit to the time of actual eviction.

Historically, we have sought to negotiate the termination of leases with defaulting tenants after the first few months of non-payment in an effort to avoid legal proceedings. Delinquency may increase significantly in the future, and such negotiations with tenants may not be as successful as they have been in the past. Moreover, new Argentine laws and regulations may forbid or restrict eviction, and in each such case they would likely have a material and adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Office buildings are exposed to various factors that may affect their development, administration and profitability, including the following factors:

In addition, we may face claims for the enforcement of labor laws in Argentina. Many companies hire personnel from third-parties that provide outsourced services, and sign indemnity agreements if labor claims from employees of such third company arise. However, in recent years several courts have rejected the existence of independence in those labor relations and ruled that joint and several responsibility by both companies.

We are subject to risks associated with property development, such as cost overruns, design changes and timing delays arising from a lack of availability of materials and labor, weather conditions and other factors outside of our control, as well as financing costs that, may exceed original estimates, possibly making the associated investment unprofitable. Any delays or unanticipated expenses could adversely affect the investment returns from these development projects and harm our operating results.

Our businesses activities include real estate developments. One of the main risks related to this activity corresponds to potential increases in constructions costs, which may be driven by higher demand and new development projects in the shopping malls and buildings sectors. Increases higher than those included in the original budget may result in lower profitability than expected.

Our real estate activities are highly concentrated in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area where the market is highly competitive due to a scarcity of properties in sought-after locations and an increasing number of local and international competitors. The Argentine real estate industry is highly competitive and fragmented and does not have high barriers to entry for new competitors. The main competitive factors in the real estate development business include availability and location of land, price, funding, design, quality, reputation and partnershipswith developers. A number of residential and commercial developers and real estate service companies compete in identifying land acquisition opportunities, attracting financial resources, and appealing to prospective purchasers and tenants. Other companies, including joint ventures of foreign and local companies, have become increasingly active in the market, further increasing competition. If one or more of our competitors is able to acquire and develop desirable properties, because it has access to greater financial resources or otherwise, if we are unable to respond to such pressures as promptly as our competitors, or competition increases, our business and financial condition could be adversely affected.

Substantially all of our offices and other non-shopping mall rental properties are located in developed urban areas. There are many office buildings, shopping malls, retail and residential premises in the areas where our properties are located. This is a highly fragmented market, and the abundance of comparable properties in our vicinity may adversely affect our ability to rent or sell office space and other real estate and may affect the sale and lease price of our premises. In the future, both national and foreign companies may participate in Argentina’s real estate development market, competing with us for business opportunities.

We do not have life or disability insurance for our key employees. If any of our key employees were to die or become disabled, we could experience losses caused by a disruption in our operations which will not be covered by insurance, and this could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

The terms of our standard form property leases currently in effect, require tenants to indemnify and hold us harmless from liabilities resulting from injury to persons or property at or outside the premises, due to activities conducted on the properties, except for claims arising from negligence or intentional misconduct of our agents. Tenants are generally required, at the tenant’s expense, to obtain and keep in full force during the term of the lease, liability insurance policies. We cannot provide assurance that our tenants will be able to properly maintain their insurance policies or have the ability to pay deductibles. If an uninsured loss occurs or a loss arises that exceeds the combined aggregate limits for the policies, or if a loss arises that is subject to a substantial deductible under an insurance policy, we could lose all or part of our capital invested in, and anticipated revenue from, one or more of our properties, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We have focused on development projects that cater to affluent consumers and we have entered into property barter arrangements pursuant to which we contribute undeveloped land parcels to joint venture entities with developers who agree to deliver units at premium development locations in exchange for our land contribution. When the developers return these properties to us, demand for premium residential units could be significantly lower. In such case, we would be unable to sell these residential units at the estimated prices or time frame, which could have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

 

 

The success of our business and the feasibility of our transactions depend on the continuity of investments in the real estate markets and our ability to access capital and debt financing. In the long-term, lack of confidence in real estate investments and lack of access to credit for acquisitions could restrict growth. As part of our business strategy, we will strive to increase our real estate portfolio through strategic acquisitions of properties at favorable prices and properties with added value which we believe meet the requirements to increase the value of our properties.

We may not be able to generate sufficient cash flows from operations to satisfy our debt service requirements or to obtain future financing. If we cannot satisfy our debt service requirements or if we default on any financial or other covenants in our debt arrangements, the lenders and/or holders of our securities will be able to accelerate the maturity of such debt or default under other debt arrangements. Our ability to service debt obligations or to refinance them will depend upon our future financial and operatingperformance, which will, in part, be subject to factors beyond our control such as macroeconomic conditions and regulatory changes in Argentina. If we cannot obtain future financing, we may have to delay or abandon some or all of our planned capital expenditures, which could adversely affect our ability to generate cash flows and repay our obligations as they become due.

In recent years, internet retail sales have grown significantly in Argentina, even though the market share of such sales is still modest. The Internet enables manufacturers and retailers to sell directly to consumers, diminishing the importance of traditional distribution channels such as retail stores and shopping malls. We believe that our target consumers are increasingly using the Internet, from home, work or elsewhere, to shop electronically for retail goods, and this trend is likely to continue. Retailers at our properties face increasing competition from online sales and this could cause the termination or non-renewal of their leases or a reduction in their gross sales, affecting our percentage rent based revenue. If e commerce and retail sales through the Internet continue to grow, retailers’ and consumers’ reliance on our shopping malls could be materially diminished, having a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations and business prospects. For more information with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business, see “Item 5.A. Operating Results – The Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic.”

Our activities are subject to Argentine federal, state and municipal laws, and to regulations, authorizations and licenses required with respect to construction, zoning, use of the soil, environmental protection and historical landmark preservation, consumer protection, antitrust and other requirements, all of which affect our ability to acquire land, buildings and shopping malls, develop and build projects and negotiate with customers. In addition, companies in this industry are subject to increasing tax rates, the introduction of new taxes and changes in the taxation regime. We are required to obtain permits from different government agencies in order to carry out our projects. Maintaining our licenses and authorizations can be costly. If we fail to comply with such laws, regulations, licenses and authorizations, we may face fines, project shutdowns, and cancellation of licenses and revocation of authorizations.

In addition, public agencies may issue new and stricter standards, or enforce or construe existing laws and regulations in a more restrictive manner, which may force us to incur expenditures in order to comply. Development activities are also subject to risks of potential delays in or an inability to obtain all necessary zoning, environmental, land-use, development, building, occupancy and other permits and authorizations. Any such delays or failures to obtain such government approvals may have an adverse effect on our business.

Our success, to a significant extent, depends on the continued employment of Eduardo Sergio Elsztain and certain other members of our board of directors and senior management, who have significant expertise and knowledge of our business and industry. The loss or interruption of their services for any reason could have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations. Our future success also depends in part upon our ability to attract and retain other highly qualified personnel. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in hiring or retaining qualified personnel, or that any of our personnel will remain employed by us.

Further, we believe that our success also depends, to a significant extent, on the continued success of IRSA which owns approximately 80.65% of our outstanding shares as of June 30, 2020. IRSA is engaged in a range of real estate, investment and other business activities, many of which are different from our business, including IRSA’s significant investments in Banco Hipotecario, an Argentine bank, and IDB Development Corporation, a large conglomerate in Israel engaged in a range of businesses including real estate, telecommunications, supermarkets, agribusiness and insurance, which recently was forced into bankruptcy proceedings in Israel by its creditors. As this case is still ongoing, we cannot assure what impact this situation will have on IRSA or its controlling shareholder, CRESUD. As a result, IRSA is exposed to certain important risks, as described in its audited consolidated financial statements and its filings with the SEC, which under certain circumstances could have a material adverse effect on its financial condition, results of operations and business prospects. We cannot assure you that IRSA will not be adversely affected by the risks that it faces (including those relating to its investments in Banco Hipotecario or IDB Development Corporation), and we believe that if IRSA were to be so affected, the market perception of the group of companies controlled by Eduardo Sergio Elsztain, including us, could be adversely affected as well.

As of June 30, 2020, 46.6% of our workforce was represented by unions under collective bargaining agreements. Although we currently enjoy good relations with our employees and their unions, we cannot assure you that labor relations will continue to be positive or that deterioration in labor relations will not materially and adversely affect us.

During the year enden June 30, 2020, we had fair value gains on investment properties of ARS 25,126 million. Although the upward or downward revaluation adjustments reflect unrealized capital gains or losses on our investment properties during the relevant periods, the adjustments do not reflect the actual cash flow or profit generated from the sales or rental of our investment properties. Unless such investment properties are disposed of at similarly revalued amounts, we will not realize the actual cash flow. The amount of revaluation adjustments has been, and will continue to be, significantly affected by the prevailing property markets and will be subject to market fluctuations in those markets.

We cannot guarantee whether changes in market conditions will increase, maintain or decrease the historical average fair value gains on our investment properties or at all. In addition, the fair value of our investment properties may materially differ from the amount we receive from any actual sale of an investment property. If there is any material downward adjustment in the revaluation of our investment properties in the future or if our investment properties are disposed of at significantly lower prices than their valuation or appraised value, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected.

We develop and acquire properties in joint ventures with other persons or entities or make minority investments in entities when we believe circumstances warrant the use of such structures. For example, we currently own 50% of Quality Invest S.A. (“Quality Invest”), a joint venture that holds our investment in the Nobleza Piccardo plant. We could engage in a dispute with one or more of our joint venture partners or controlling shareholder in an investment that might affect our ability to operate a jointly-owned property. Moreover, our joint venture partners or controlling shareholder in an investment may, at any time, have business, economic or other objectives that are inconsistent with our objectives, including objectives that relate to the timing and terms of any sale or refinancing of a property. For example, the approval of certain of our investors is required with respect to operating budgets and refinancing, encumbering, expanding or selling any of these properties. In some instances, our joint venture partners or controlling shareholder in an investment may have competing interests in their markets that could create conflicts of interest. If the objectives of our joint venture partners or controlling shareholder in an investment are inconsistent with our own objectives, we will not be able to act exclusively in our interests.

If one or more of the investors in any of our jointly owned properties were to experience financial difficulties, including bankruptcy, insolvency or a general downturn of business, there could be an adverse effect on the relevant property or properties and in turn, on our financial performance. Should a joint venture partner or controlling shareholder in an investment declare bankruptcy, we could be liable for our partner’s common share of joint venture liabilities or liabilities of the investment vehicle.

The market prices of our common shares and the ADSs could decline as a result of sales by our existing shareholders of common shares or the ADSs in the market, or the perception that these sales could occur. These sales also might make it difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.

IRSA as of June 30, 2020, owned 80.65% of our common shares (or approximately 101,624,666 common shares, which may be exchanged for an aggregate of 25,406,166 ADSs). Sales of a large number of our common shares and/or ADSs would likely have an adverse effect on the market price of our common shares and the ADS.

We may issue additional common shares to finance future acquisitions or new projects or for other general corporate purposes, although there is no present intention to do so. Any such issuance could result in a dilution of your ownership stake and/or the perception of any such issuances could have an adverse impact on the market price of the ADSs.

There is less publicly available information about the issuers of securities listed on the Argentine stock exchanges than information publicly available about domestic issuers of listed securities in the United States and certain other countries. Although the ADSs are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market, as a foreign private issuer we are able to rely on home country governance requirements rather than relying on the NASDAQ corporate governance requirements. See “Item 16G. Corporate Governance—Compliance with NASDAQ listing Standards on Corporate Governance.” Additionally, as a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from certain rules under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the “Exchange Act” including (i) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a security registered under the Exchange Act; (ii) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and (iii) the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified information, or current reports on Form 8-K, upon the occurrence of specified significant events. In addition, foreign private issuers are not required to file their Annual Report on Form 20-F until four months after the end of each fiscal year, while U.S. domestic issuers that are accelerated filers are required to file their Annual Report on Form 10-K within 75 days after the end of each fiscal year. Foreign private issuers are also exempt from the Regulation Fair Disclosure, aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information. As a result of the above, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders companies that are not foreign private issuers.

Law No. 26,893, which amended Law No. 20,628 (the “Income Tax Law”), was enacted on September 12, 2013, and published in the Official Gazette on September 23, 2013. According to the amendments, the distribution of dividends by an Argentine corporation was subject to income tax at a rate of 10.0%, unless such dividends were distributed to Argentine corporate entities (the “Dividend Tax”).

The Dividend Tax was repealed by Law No. 27,260, published in the Official Gazette on July 22, 2016, and consequently no income tax withholding was applicable on the distribution of dividends in respect of both Argentine and non-Argentine resident shareholders, except when dividends distributed were greater than the income determined according to the application of the IncomeTax Law, accumulated at the fiscal year immediately preceding the year in which the distribution is made. In such case, the excess was subject to a rate of 35%, for both Argentine and non-Argentine resident shareholders. This treatment still applies to dividends to be distributed at any time out of retained earnings accumulated until the end of the last fiscal year starting before January 1, 2018.

However, pursuant to Law No. 27,430, dividends to be distributed out of earnings accrued in fiscal years starting on or after January 1, 2018, and other profits paid in cash or in kind —except for stock dividends or quota dividends—by companies and other entities incorporated in Argentina referred to in the Income Tax Law, to Argentine resident individuals, resident undivided estates and foreign beneficiaries will be subject to income tax at a 7% rate on profits accrued during fiscal years starting on January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019, and at a 13% rate on profits accrued in fiscal years starting on January 1, 2020 and onwards. If dividends are distributed to Argentine corporate taxpayers (in general, entities organized or incorporated under Argentine law, certain traders and intermediaries, local branches of foreign entities, sole proprietorships and individuals carrying on certain commercial activities in Argentina), no dividend tax would apply.

Nevertheless, the initial date for the application of the tax rates mentioned above was modified by Law No. 27,541, published in the Official Gazette on December 23, 2019. According to said law and recent interpretations made by the Federal Tax Department, the 7% tax rate is currently applicable for fiscal years starting on, or prior to December 31, 2020 and the 13% tax rate is applicable for fiscal years starting as from January 1, 2021.

In addition, capital gains originated from the disposal of shares and other securities, including securities representing shares and deposit certificates, are subject to capital gains tax. Law No. 27,430 effective as of January 1, 2018, provides that capital gains obtained by Argentine resident individuals from the disposal of shares and ADSs are exempt from capital gains tax in the following cases: (i) when the shares are placed through a public offering authorized by the CNV, (ii) when the shares are traded in stock markets authorized by the CNV, under segments that ensure priority of price-time and interference of offers, and/or (iii) when the sale, exchange or other disposition of shares is made through an initial public offering and/or exchange of shares authorized by the CNV.

Such law also provides that the capital gains tax applicable to non-residents for transactions entered into until December 30, 2017 is still due, although no taxes will be claimed to non-residents with respect to past sales of Argentine shares or other securities traded in the CNV’s authorized markets (such as ADSs) as long as the cause of the non-payment was the absence of regulations stating the mechanism of tax collection at the time the transaction was closed. General Resolution (AFIP) No. 4,227, which came into effect on April 26, 2018, stipulates the procedures through which the income tax should be paid to the AFIP. The payment of capital gains tax applicable for transactions entered into before December 30, 2017 was due on June 11, 2018.

In case the exemption is not applicable and, to the extent foreign beneficiaries neither reside in, nor the funds arise from, jurisdictions considered as not cooperating for purposes of fiscal transparency, the gain realized from the disposition of shares would be subject to Argentine income tax at a 13.5% effective rate on the gross price. In case such foreign beneficiaries reside in, or the funds arise from, jurisdictions considered as not cooperating for purposes of fiscal transparency, a 31.5% effective rate on the gross price should apply.

Therefore, holders of our common shares, including in the form of ADSs, are encouraged to consult their tax advisors as to the particular Argentine income tax consequences under their specific facts.

As a holder of ADS, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the common shares underlying your ADSs and holders may exercise voting rights with respect to the common shares represented by the ADSs only in accordance with the deposit agreement relating to the ADSs. There are no provisions under Argentine law or under our bylaws that limit the exercise by ADS holders of their voting rights through the depositary with respect to the underlying common shares. However, there are practical limitations on the ability of ADS holders to exercise their voting rights due to the additional procedural steps involved in communicating with these holders. For example, holders of our common shares will receive notice of shareholders’ meetings through publication of a notice in the CNV’s website, an Official Gazette in Argentina, an Argentine newspaper of general circulation and the bulletin of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, and will be able to exercise their voting rights by either attending the meeting in person or voting by proxy. ADS holders, by comparison, will not receive notice directly from us. Instead, in accordance with the deposit agreement, we will provide the notice to the ADS Depositary. If we ask the ADS Depositary to do so, the ADS Depositary will mail to holders of ADSs the notice of the meeting and a statement as to the manner in which instructions may be given by holders. To exercise their voting rights, ADS holders must then instruct the ADS Depositary as to voting the common shares represented by their ADSs. Under the deposit agreement, the ADS Depositary is not required to carry out any voting instructions unless it receives a legal opinion from us that the matters to be voted would not violate our bylaws or Argentine law. We are not required to instruct our legal counsel to give that opinion. Due to these procedural steps involving the ADS Depositary, the process for exercising voting rights may take longer for ADS holders than for holders of common shares and common shares represented by ADSs may not be voted as you desire.

Our corporate affairs are governed by our bylaws and by Argentine corporate law, which differ from the legal principles that would apply if we were incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States, such as the States of Delaware or New York, or in other jurisdictions outside Argentina. In addition, your rights or the rights of holders of our common shares to protect your or their interests in connection with actions by our board of directors may be fewer and less well defined under Argentine corporate law than under the laws of those other jurisdictions. Although insider trading and price manipulation are illegal under Argentine law, the Argentine securities markets are not as highly regulated or supervised as the U.S. securities markets or markets in some other jurisdictions. In addition, rules and policies against self dealing and regarding the preservation of shareholder interests may be less well defined and enforced in Argentina than in the United States, putting holders of our common shares and ADSs at a potential disadvantage.

The Argentine government imposed restrictions on the conversion of Argentine currency into foreign currencies and on the remittance to foreign investors of proceeds from their investments in Argentina. Argentine law currently permits the government to impose these kind of restrictions temporarily in circumstances where a serious imbalance develops in Argentina’s balance of payments or where there are reasons to foresee such an imbalance. We cannot assure you that ADS Depositary for the ADSs may hold the pesos it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. No assurance can be given that payments to non-resident investors will not suffered delays or be subject to any additional restrictions, under the current foreign exchange market regulations or future regulations that may be enacted. In this regard, we suggest consulting with the corresponding custodian banks about the exchange regulations applicable. See “Item 10. Additional Information—D. Exchange Controls.”

Under Argentine law, the protections afforded to minority shareholders are different from, and much more limited than, those in the United States and some other Latin American countries. For example, the legal framework with respect to shareholder disputes, such as derivative lawsuits and class actions, is less developed under Argentine law than under U.S. law as a result of Argentina’s short history with these types of claims and few successful cases. In addition, there are different procedural requirements for bringing these types of shareholder lawsuits. As a result, it may be more difficult for our minority shareholders to enforce their rights against us or our directors or controlling shareholder than it would be for shareholders of a U.S. company.

In accordance with Argentine corporate law we may pay dividends to shareholders out of net and realized profits, if any, as set forth in our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. The approval, amount and payment of dividends are subject to the approval by our shareholders at our annual ordinary shareholders meeting. The approval of dividends requires the affirmative vote of a majority of the shareholders entitled to vote present at the meeting. As a result, we cannot assure you that we will be able to generate enough net and realized profits so as to pay dividends or that our shareholders will decide that dividends will be paid.

In accordance with Argentine corporate law, we may pay dividends in pesos out of retained earnings, if any, to the extent set forth in our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements prepared in accordance with IFRS. Our shareholders’ ability to receive cash dividends may be limited by the ability of the ADS Depositary to convert cash dividends paid in pesos into U.S. dollars. Under the terms of our deposit agreement with the depositary for the ADSs, to the extent that the depositary can in its judgment convert pesos (or any other foreign currency) into U.S. dollars on a reasonable basis and transfer the resulting U.S. dollars to the United States, the depositary will promptly as practicable convert or cause to be converted all cash dividends received by it on the deposited securities into U.S. dollars. If in thejudgment of the depositary this conversion is not possible on a reasonable basis (including as a result of applicable Argentine laws, regulations and approval requirements), the depositary may distribute the foreign currency received by it or in its discretion hold such currency uninvested for the respective accounts of the owners entitled to receive the same. As a result, if the exchange rate fluctuates significantly during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some or all of the value of the dividend distribution.

 

Our shareholders are not liable for our obligations. Instead, shareholders are generally liable only for the payment of the shares they subscribe. However, shareholders who have a conflict of interest with us and do not abstain from voting may be held liable for damages to us, but only if the transaction would not have been approved without such shareholders’ votes. Furthermore, shareholders who willfully or negligently vote in favor of a resolution that is subsequently declared void by a court as contrary to Argentine Companies Law or our bylaws may be held jointly and severally liable for damages to us or to other third parties, including other shareholders.

In 2007, through Panamerican Mall S.A. (“PAMSA”), we started the construction of one of our most important projects called “Polo Dot”, a Shopping Mall, an Office Building and different plots of land to develop three additional office buildings (one of them may include a hotel). This project is located in Saavedra neighborhood, at the intersection of Avenida General Paz and the Panamerican Highway. First, the Shopping Mall Dot Baires was developed and opened on May, 2009 and then the Office Building was opened in July 2010, which meant our landing on the growing corridor of rental offices located in the North Zone of Buenos Aires. In addition, on June 5, 2017, we reported the acquisition of the historic Philips Building, adjacent to the Dot Baires Shopping Mall. Likewise, through PAMSA, we developed the Zetta building, A+ and potentially LEED building, which was inaugurated on May, 2019, it has 11 office floors with a profitable area of 32,173 square meters, fully leased at the opening date.