Leveraged Loans for Take-Overs and LBOs are Back
Banks have again started to provide large bridge financings for deals, and in some case keep all of the lending business for themselves rather than spread the risk over a syndicate, an indication of just how competitive the world of corporate and commercial lending is becoming. Take for example the JPMorganChase $20 billion unsecured bridge loan to fund AT&T’s $39 billion purchase of T-Mobile USA from Deutsche Telekom.
Companies Cling to Cash
From the Wall Street Journal – Rather than pouring their money into building plants or hiring workers, nonfinancial companies in the U.S. were sitting on $1.93 trillion in cash and other liquid assets at the end of September. Cash accounted for 7.4% of the companies’ total assets—the largest share since 1959.
Credit Standards, Loan Covenants, and Rate Spreads Eased in Q2
As banks saw increased competition for commercial & industrial lending, credit standards began to ease in the second quarter, according to the Federal Reserve. Of the senior loan officers surveyed in July, 12.5% indicated a relative easing of credit on large and middle-market borrowers (revenues in excess of $50 million), and 14.5% indicated a relative easing of credit for smaller firms, the first time credit standards have eased for small firms since 2006.
Financing Options for Small and Middle-Market Companies
This article gives a brief description of a dozen common solutions for middle-market financing, including revolving credit, factoring, sale-leaseback arrangements, and more. I recommend it as a good starting point to evaluate the options for a small or middle-market business that needs cash (and can’t wait). It also points out the potential drawbacks of each option.
PEGs bring new life (and capital) to Commercial Lenders
Two commercial finance companies focused on lending to small and middle-market companies received new capital investment from private equity firms in May.
Bernanke Sees `Reasons for Optimism’ on Bank Lending (Bloomberg)
Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, speaking this morning at an event in Chicago, said “Although bank credit remains tight, I see some reasons for optimism. The economy is recovering, and banks’ senior loan officers expect a “modest reduction in their troubled loans” over the next year, outside of commercial real estate.”
Recapitalization: When does it make sense for your business?
For a business to “recapitalize” there must be some transaction where new capital comes into the business. Businesses recapitalize for many different reasons, including liquidity for shareholders, expansion capital, or repayment of debt.
New Data: The Economic Recovery is Underway
The U.S. economic recovery is underway with a 3.2% increase to GDP in the first quarter, according to new data today from the Commerce Department
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