1 Preliminary note
Squeeze-out merger
On 24 June 2020, the Annual General Meeting of Alpiq Holding Ltd. (VAT ID no. CHE‑100.032.288) approved the squeeze-out merger with Alpha 2020 Ltd. proposed by the Board of Directors. Following the approval resolution passed at the Extraordinary General Meeting of Alpha 2020 Ltd. on the same day, Alpiq Holding Ltd. was merged as the transferring company into Alpha 2020 Ltd. with retroactive effect from 1 January 2020, assuming all assets and liabilities at their previous carrying amount. On the same day, Alpha 2020 Ltd. was renamed Alpiq Holding Ltd. The merger became legally effective upon entry in the Swiss commercial register on 26 June 2020.
Basis of preparation
The financial statements of Alpiq Holding Ltd., Lausanne, have been prepared in accordance with the provisions of Swiss accounting legislation (Title 32 of the Swiss Code of Obligations). As in the previous year, the company employed no staff during the financial year.
The following section describes the main valuation principles applied that are not specified by law.
Securities
Securities held in current assets are measured at the market price on the reporting date. No fluctuation reserve is recognised.
Loans receivable / hedges
Loans receivable that are denominated in foreign currencies are measured at the closing rate on the reporting date, whereby unrealised losses are recognised, and unrealised gains are not reported. In the case of derivatives deployed in hedges, too, unrealised losses are recognised, but unrealised gains are not recognised.
Investments
The investments are generally measured individually. The only exceptions are the investments in Alpiq Ltd. and Alpiq Suisse Ltd., which have been tested for impairment by way of group measurement since 2017, as these companies form an economic unit. Since 2017, Alpiq Suisse Ltd. has operated as a meta partner power plant that sells its energy to Alpiq Ltd. at production cost.
Bonds
Bonds are recognised at face value. The discount and issue costs of bonds are recognised as finance costs in the issue year. Any premium (less issue costs) is recognised as a deferred credit and amortised on a straight-line basis over the bond’s maturity.