The problems of the last leveraged buyout bubble are still with us. From 2004 through 2007, the U.S. experienced an unprecedented level of LBO activity. That all ended with the collapse of the debt markets in the summer of 2007 (and the disappearance of the debt markets after the Lehman bankruptcy).
LBOs are funded primarily with debt – somewhere between 60% and 80% of the capital structure. These are the debt products used:
- Institutional Term Loans (also know as “Term Loan B” or “TLB”) – often the single biggest tranche of debt, these loans are sold to institutional investors, such as collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) and prime rate funds. They have very little principal amortization and a final maturity of 6-7 years.
- Pro-rata Loans (comprised of a revolving credit facility and a Term Loan A) – these loans are sold to banks and typically make up a smaller part of the capital structure than the TLB. Standard terms for a Term Loan A include significant principal amortization and a final maturity of 5 years.
- High Yield Bonds – are sold to institutional investors. They have a bullet maturity (i.e. no principal amortization) and a final maturity longer than the Institutional Term Loans, typically 7-10 years.
The Debt is Coming Due!
Starting in 2012, we will see significant amounts of LBO debt coming due. Knowing the typical maturities of the debt products and counting forward from the boom years of 2006 and 2007, first we’ll see large amounts of pro-rata loans come due, then institutional term loans, then high yield bonds, as this chart shows:
What is the solution?
Highly leveraged companies have been working on this problem for some time. Given their earlier maturities, much attention has been focussed on refinancing the loans. Companies have issued new loans (with longer maturities) and high yield bonds in order to repay existing loans and extend their debt maturity profiles. There have also been many “amend and extend” agreements whereby existing lenders extend the maturity of their loans (in exchange for fees, increased interest spreads and other consideration).
Looking out into 2012 and beyond, the question is whether or not there will be capacity in the loan and bond markets to refinance all of the maturing debt. The jury is still out on this question.