The launch of a $5 billion chunk of First Data’s LBO financing on September 17 brought some sense of normality back to the loan market in mid-September – albeit a very different normality to that previously experienced.
The $26 billion buyout of First Data by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts had been stymied by the seizing up of the loan market in the summer, and was part of the massive deal overhang that has subsequently been such a headache for underwriting banks in this market. Arrangers Credit Suisse and Citi had to chop the planned $16 billion First Data loan into chunks that were digestible in new market conditions and launched a $5 billion seven-year term loan B paying 275 basis points. This is probably 50bp wider than where the loan would have priced before the disruption, and the issue is also being offered at a 4% discount and includes a leverage ratio covenant (it had originally been structured as covenant-lite). Observers suggest that the changed terms alone could costs the banks nearly $200 million.
The deal is just the latest example of underwriters having to offer sizeable original issuer discounts in order to get their blocked loan pipelines moving again.