Razon-led gaming firm Bloomberry Resorts Corporation is seen to save about P900 million a year because of the refinancing of loans used to fund the construction of Solaire Resort North.
“The company in not in any sort of debt or cash flow crisis. In fact, the (P40 billion) restructurings (the first one was in October for P72 billion) will save Bloomberry around P900 million a year in interest payments because of the lower spreads,” said a stock analyst.
He added that, “the savings will be partly reflected this quarter with the full benefit expected in the second quarter.”
Bloomberry disclosed that subsidiaries Bloomberry Resorts and Hotels, Inc. (BRHI) and Sureste Properties Inc. (SPI), as borrowers, signed with a group of banks a P40.0 billion Syndicated Refinancing Facility.
This was documented as the Sixth Amendment to refinance the existing P40.0 billion Syndicated Term Loan Facility obtained by the borrowers in February 2019 to partially finance the construction of Solaire Resort North.
This is the second refinancing exercise successfully completed by Bloomberry in the last four months. The key features of the P40.0 billion Syndicated Refinancing Facility are similar to the P72 billion facility obtained in October last year.
The new facility carries a term of 10 years or until February 2035, while the principal payment schedule is structured such that heavier payments are made in the last three years of the facility.
The interest margin on the loan is 75 basis points lower than the original facility and gives the borrowers the opportunity to fix the interest rate in the next 12 months.
“These features will lighten debt service requirements over the coming years and allow Bloomberry to benefit from anticipated interest rate cuts in the next months,” Bloomberry said.
Bloomberry Chairman and CEO Enrique K. Razon Jr. said “Our recent refinancing activities optimize our cash flow by reducing annual interest and principal payments. The timely refinancing of our P40 billion facility demonstrates our proactive financial management stance and our commitment to provide a consistent return of capital to our shareholders.”
The syndicate of lenders includes BDO Unibank, Inc., Bank of Commerce, Bank of the Philippine Islands, China Banking Corporation, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co., Philippine National Bank, and Union Bank of the Philippines.
BDO Capital & Investment Corporation served as lead arranger and sole bookrunner while BDO Unibank, Inc. – Trust and Investments Group is the security trustee, facility agent, and paying agent.
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