Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.
On 5 December 2017 Steinhoff disclosed accounting irregularities requiring investigation and its chief executive resigned, as reported by ReutersS1. South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority found in September 2019 that the group made false or misleading statements and imposed a R1.5 billion penalty, remitted to R53 millionS2. A Regional Court in Oldenburg, Germany, convicted two former managing directors of a subsidiary in August 2023 in a verdict that was not final at the timeS4. The holding company was liquidated in October 2023S5. FSCA enforcement against individuals was still running in August 2026S3.
- Also known as
- Steinhoff, SIHNV, Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. in liquidatie
- Headquarters
- Netherlands
- Records from
- South Africa, Germany, Netherlands
- Current status
- Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. no longer exists. Its liquidators confirmed on 13 October 2023 that the liquidation was complete and that the company and its shares had ceased to exist, with JSE and Frankfurt delisting to followS5.
Scope. This record covers the Dutch holding company listed in Johannesburg and Frankfurt until 2023. It does not cover former subsidiaries that now trade or operate under other names.
Claims assessed
4 claims. Scores grade the evidence for each claim, not the organization.- Supported85Steinhoff said in December 2017 that new information had come to light relating to accounting irregularities requiring further investigation.Company statement, 6 December 20172 records citedAccounting
- Partly supported88South Africa's Financial Sector Conduct Authority penalised Steinhoff R1.5 billion for misleading the market.Regulator statement, 16 September 20192 records citedDisclosure
- Supported61A German court convicted two former managing directors of a Steinhoff subsidiary over false balance sheet presentation.Press report, 21 August 20231 record citedAccounting
- Outdated83Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. is a company whose shares trade in Johannesburg and Frankfurt.Press report, 6 December 20172 records citedCorporate status
Cases and proceedings
- FSCA v. Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.Financial Sector Conduct Authority (South Africa). Regulatory. Not published.Stage: Penalty imposed, remitted and paid
- R1.5 billion penalty imposed and remitted to R53 millionS2.
- Public prosecutor v. former managing directors of Steinhoff Europe Group ServicesLandgericht Oldenburg (Oldenburg Regional Court). Criminal. Not published.Stage: Convictions at first instance, not final when reported
- Two former managing directors convictedS4.
- Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. in liquidatieLiquidators of Steinhoff International Holdings N.V.. Insolvency. Not published.Stage: Liquidation completed
- Liquidation confirmed completeS5.
Revision history
- Profile and 4 assessments first published. Records checked to 25 October 2026.
Source records
- S2Tier A The FSCA fines Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. (Steinhoff/the Company) for contravention of the Financial Markets ActFinancial Sector Conduct Authority (republished by FAnews). Regulator press release. 16 September 2019.Regulator finding of false or misleading statements and the R1.5 billion penalty remitted to R53 million. Read as republished by FAnews. Searches of the FSCA site did not surface the original.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S4Tier C ROUNDUP: Zwei Ex-Manager nach Steinhoff-Bilanzskandal verurteiltdpa-AFX (published by boerse-online). Press report. 21 August 2023.Reports the Oldenburg convictions and that they were not final. It does not report any later appeal.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S5Tier B EQS-News: Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. in liquidatie: CONFIRMATION OF LIQUIDATIONSteinhoff International Holdings N.V. in liquidatie (EQS release published by boerse.de). Company statement. 13 October 2023.Liquidators confirm the company and its shares ceased to exist. It does not give exact delisting dates.
- S1Tier C Steinhoff accounting irregularities trigger share crash, CEO exitReuters, TJ Strydom (published by Business Standard). Press report. 6 December 2017.Quotes the company's December 2017 disclosure and reports the share fall. It does not establish what the irregularities were.Link working, checked 25 October 2026
- S3Tier C After the headlines: where major FSCA enforcement cases standMoonstone (author Mark Bechard). Press report. 11 August 2026.Reports the R53 million payment and continuing FSCA action against individuals. It does not cover criminal cases.Link working, checked 25 October 2026