Transactions Blog

UK corporate lending was therefore relatively quiet in Q2 with borrowers and lenders alike waiting for the outcome of the UK’s general election and emergency budget. There has been a steady flow of new Leveraged Buyout (LBO) deals over the last six months, but we should not forget activity levels are the lowest since the late 1990’s.

On the debt restructuring front, payment defaults and new formal restructuring discussions are substantially lower than a year ago, covenant resets less so. This perhaps indicates we are through the worst of the restructuring cycle. However, whilst the maturity wall continues to be chipped away by new bond and leveraged loan issuance, we still expect that a significant pool of the more highly leveraged borrowers will require formal restructuring to address their gearing issues.

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The final quarter of 2009 saw encouraging signs of confidence returning across a broad spectrum of bank lending. The mild softening in pricing and the lengthening of tenors in the corporate market, a cluster of new leveraged buyouts at the end of 2009 and the re-entry of banks into the commercial property market (on a selective basis) all presage a more active banking market in 2010.

Corporate lending – There are signs of increasing confidence in the corporate lending market reflecting a slight softening of pricing, particularly on larger deals and the extension of tenors to four years in some instances. Lenders are also more willing to consider financing a new borrower where there has been a resilient track record through the recession and prospects are attractive. There are initial signs that banks are beginning to consider taking material underwriting positions; a key milestone in the return to a more normalised market.

Leveraged finance – 2009 was the quietest year for over a decade in the syndicated leveraged finance market. However, there was an uptick in activity in the fourth quarter and the pipeline for new deals is encouraging. Whilst the market is not about to accept a surge in highly leveraged, thinly priced deals, a gradual improvement in lending conditions is realistic.

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Identifying the most important value drivers and estimating values in distressed companies is key for a successful restructuring process, especially in the case of debt for equity swaps. That’s what Michael De Roover, Partner at PwC and Philippe Rasquin, Director at PwC talked about on the fourth session of our M&A Academy.

They shared with our audience their experience in valuing distressed companies and business restructuring, highlighting the key issues and discussing some of the key steps to consider when faced with a restructuring.

Download “Safeguarding value through business restructuring“.

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On 24 September, we hosted the first session of our M&A Academy season, which mainly dealt with access to the current debt market and alternative financing methods. Josy Steenwinckel , Financial Services Leader at PwC Belgium, introduced the subject before handing over to our guest speaker, Freddy Van den Spiegel, Chief Economist at BNP Paribas Fortis, who presented his view of the current economic situation and the possible challenges for companies and the banking sector in the coming years.

Download “Access to the current debt market and alternative financing methods“.

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After one of the toughest periods for M&A in decades, some high profile announcements have got everyone talking. We are entering a test period for M&A, where more quality assets are coming to market than we have seen in 18 months. Successful completions will depend on vendor price expectations coming into line with acquirers’ views. If the majority of these deals close, it may well signal a more buoyant 2010.

Ongoing challenges in the debt markets will create an hourglass shaped M&A market where there are a number of mid-market transactions and mega deals beyond , but where there is a dearth of deals in the upper mid-market due to equity and debt constraints.

However, marketing businesses to corporate acquirers will require a different approach, and realising value will depend on getting this right.

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On 28 May, we hosted the last M&A Academy session of the season, which dealt with tax aspects of debt restructuring. Jan Muyldermans talked about what it is that is driving debt structuring transactions, the tax basics, the tax aspects of overall debt restructuring and the continuity law. Finally, he put all this into practice using a case study.

Download the “tax aspects of debt restructuring” presentation.

The new season of the M&A Academy will be launched soon.