Finance
Yacht Maker the Italian Sea Group Says Extra‑budget Costs Tied to Internal Bypass Scheme
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 2, 2026
3 min readLast updated: April 2, 2026
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Quick Summary
The Italian Sea Group (TISG) incurred extra-budget costs due to an internal bypass scheme orchestrated by some staff, triggering a cash crunch that delayed wages and forced a €25 million emergency shareholder loan.
Yacht maker The Italian Sea Group says extra‑budget costs due to internal bypass scheme
Financial Impact and Internal Investigation at The Italian Sea Group
By Elisa Anzolin
Background and Recent Events
MILAN, March 2 (Reuters) - Luxury yacht maker The Italian Sea Group (TISG) said on Monday its recent cash needs reflected extra‑budget costs it bore after some of its staff set up a system to bypass spending controls on contracts.
TISG's brands include the fully-custom Admiral models and Perini Navi, which built the 56‑metre yacht Bayesian that sank off Sicily in August 2024.
Internal Audit and Disciplinary Actions
The number and identity of those involved in the schemes, along with the size of the budget overruns, will be established through an internal audit TISG is conducting with adviser KPMG, which will deliver a first report within six weeks.
The initial analysis showed senior figures were involved, TISG said, adding that the board had issued disciplinary warnings to a number of employees, in some cases suspending them.
Financial Consequences and Emergency Measures
TISG said the out-of-budget costs sustained so far had drained its cash, forcing it to delay wage payments by eight days until it secured a 25-million-euro ($29 million) emergency loan from its majority shareholder and CEO Giovanni Costantino.
TISG workers staged a two-hour strike last week, prompting local authorities in Marina di Massa, the town in Tuscany's Versilia coastal region where TISG is based, to table talks with the CEO.
Leadership Changes and Board Disputes
TISG's chairman and deputy chairman stepped down from the board on Thursday, with the company saying they had challenged the CEO with accusations that appeared at present to be unwarranted.
A third board member quit their seat on Friday over disagreements with the rest of the board about remedial steps.
Ongoing Recovery Efforts and Market Reaction
Bank Negotiations and Client Engagement
TISG said it was talking to banks to address its cash issues, with a meeting scheduled over the coming days.
The CEO has also engaged with the owners of yachts currently under construction in an attempt to recover the extra contract costs, it said in a statement.
Stock Performance and Financial Results
Shares in TISG fell 3.6% by 1508 GMT.
The shares have halved in value since February 18, when it first unveiled the emergency loan.
TISG reported a 10% drop in revenue in the first nine months of 2025, with a 15% decline in core profit.($1 = 0.8533 euros)
(Reporting by Elisa Anzolin; Editing by Valentina Za and Gavin Jones)
Key Takeaways
- •TISG is investigating budget overruns tied to staff who bypassed spending controls; an internal audit with KPMG is underway, with a report due in six weeks.
- •The company’s cash was drained by these overruns, delaying wage payments and prompting a €25 million emergency loan from its CEO-majority shareholder.
- •TISG’s shares dropped ~5%, and its 9M 2025 revenue and core profit have declined, adding pressure amid legal fallout from the ‘Bayesian’ yacht sinking and recent executive departures.
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Yacht maker The Italian Sea Group says extra‑budget costs tied to internal bypass scheme
1Why did The Italian Sea Group face extra-budget costs?
Extra-budget costs arose due to a scheme where some staff bypassed spending controls on contracts, leading to budget overruns.
2What actions has TISG taken in response to the budget overruns?
TISG launched an internal audit with KPMG, issued disciplinary warnings and suspensions to involved employees, and sought an emergency loan.
3How has the cash issue affected The Italian Sea Group's operations?
TISG had to delay wage payments by eight days and is actively seeking a solution with banks to address ongoing cash problems.
4How much was the emergency loan secured by TISG?
TISG secured a 25 million euro (about $29 million) emergency loan from its majority shareholder and CEO.
5What has been the impact on TISG's stock and revenue?
Shares in TISG fell 5%, halving in value since mid-February, and the company reported a 10% revenue drop in the first nine months of 2025.
