Adds context on B. Riley from paragraph 5 onwards
Aug 28 (Reuters) - B. Riley Financial's RILY.O lenders have granted the company more time to produce an overdue financial report as the investment bank looks for ways to ease its more than $2 billion debt load, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday.
Bankers put aside requirements for B. Riley to provide financial statements within 45 days after the recent quarter ended, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter.
The additional time is being used to discuss amendments to B. Riley's loan agreements that would give the investment bank more flexibility, according to the report.
B. Riley did immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
The company's stock plunged earlier in the month after it warned of a second-quarter loss in a preliminary report, adding to concerns over its investment in Vitamin Shoppe-owner Franchise Group.
B. Riley had participated in the management-led buyout of Franchise last year. The investment bank's dealings with Franchise's former CEO, Brian Kahn, came under review after Bloomberg News reported that he was a co-conspirator in a securities fraud involving Prophecy Asset Management.
Kahn had denied the allegation, claiming he was unaware of Prophecy's purported investment fraud.
An external investigation and an internal review earlier this year cleared B. Riley of any wrongdoing.
The stock took a further beating after B. Riley said it would be able to file its quarterly report with the Securities and Exchange Commission by the required date.
Soon after, co-founder and co-CEO Bryant Riley offered to buy the investment bank at a valuation of $212 million. The company had a market value of more than $1 billion at its peak in 2024.
Shares of the company were down 6.4%. The stock has lost 74% so far this year.
(Reporting by Pritam Biswas in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Shilpi Majumdar)