For many, a cashbox might be something to raid to help meet financial demands brought on by the credit crisis. To UK companies, however, it is a means of raising equity capital efficiently, helping mitigate effects of the economic slowdown.

Cashboxes in this instance are offshore structures used by UK companies to bypass pre-emption rules and allow them to raise more money than they would otherwise be allowed for a quick transaction. These deals also generate distributable reserves needed to pay dividends to shareholders, an increasingly important factor in determining company valuations.