Leveraged Loan

Table of Contents

Leveraged Loan
What is a leveraged loan?
Understanding leveraged loans
Benefits of leveraged loans
Importance of leveraged loans
Example of a leveraged loan
Frequently Asked Questions

Leveraged Loan

The market for leveraged loans made by non-financial corporations in Europe and the US is around five times larger than the markets for high-yield bonds. Due to their comparatively lower interest rates compared with unsecured loans, leveraged loans can be an attractive option for borrowers. However, they also come with more risk, as the lender can seize the asset if the borrower defaults.

What is a leveraged loan?

In certain cases, a company’s books of accounts may already show short- or long-term debts and bad credit history. Under these circumstances, they take out extra, very high-interest loans, typically more expensive than other types of loans. These loans are termed “leverage loans.”

Leveraged loans are arranged, organised, and managed by at least one investment or commercial bank. These organisations are referred to as arrangers. They may later sell the loan — a procedure known as syndication — to other investors or banks to minimise the risks to lending institutions.

Understanding leveraged loans

Specified standards or guidelines do not define a leveraged loan. Some market players use a spread as their foundation. As an illustration, many loans have a variable interest rate based primarily on the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) with a specified basis or ARM margin.

Being an average of the rates that international banks charge one another for loans, LIBOR is regarded as a benchmark rate. A loan is regarded as leveraged if the ARM margin exceeds a specific threshold.

Benefits of leveraged loans

Financial leverage increases the impact of each dollar you invest. Leveraged finance may help you achieve considerably more than you could without adding leverage.
Leveraged financing is best suited for limited periods if your organisation has a specific development aim, such as a management buyout, carrying out an acquisition, share repurchase, or a one-time dividend because of the added expense and hazards of piling on debt.

Importance of leveraged loans

Leveraged loans are an important source of financing for companies that may not be able to obtain traditional loans. They are typically used to finance the purchase of assets or to fund other business activities. Leveraged loans can be a useful tool for companies to grow and expand their businesses.

Additionally, when repurchasing a part of a company’s shares, leveraged loans help alter the company’s balance sheet. They frequently advocate a certain kind of merger and acquisition agreement called a leveraged buyout (LBO). In an LBO, leveraged loans comprise a certain amount of the funding.

Example of a leveraged loan

If a loan has a rating of BB- or below, Leveraged Commentary & Data (LCD), a supplier of leverage loan news and analytics, includes the loan in its universe of leveraged loans.

In contrast, an unrated or rated BBB- or above loan backed by a first or second lien is frequently categorised as a leverage loan when the spread is LIBOR plus 125 base points or greater.

Let’s say a business wants to take a leveraged loan to finance the purchase of a new long-term investment. The corporation will issue bonds worth US$1,000,000 at an interest rate of LIBOR + 50. Does a loan qualify as leveraged if it has a non-investment grade rating?

In the circumstance mentioned above, the loan would be regarded as a leveraged loan according to S&P Global’s standards because it is not investment grade (non-investment grade rating is BB+ or lower).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the usage for leveraged loans?

Leveraged loans are used to finance the purchase of an asset, such as a property or a company. The loan is secured by the asset, which means that if the borrower defaults, the lender can seize the asset to recoup its losses.

They are often used by investors looking to buy an asset with a high value but who may not have the full cash needed to purchase it outright. By securing the loan with the asset, the borrower can get the financing they need while maintaining ownership of the asset.

How do businesses use leveraged loans?

Businesses use leveraged loans to make large investments or purchases. The loans are typically used to finance the purchase of assets such as real estate or equipment. Banks or other financial institutions typically make the loans. The loans are typically made to businesses with a high debt level. The loans are typically made to businesses with a high level of debt and are considered high risk.

How does a leveraged loan work?

Leveraged loans are often formed with a rolling credit facility and many term loan tranches with gradually increasing payback durations. The term tiers may be collateralised by readily available company assets and shares, while a conventional borrowing foundation of working assets may secure the revolving loan part.

What are the types of leveraged loans syndication?

There are two main types of leveraged loan syndication: the lead bank model and the agent bank model. In the lead bank model, one bank takes on the lead arranger and underwriter role, and the other provides funding. In the agent bank model, all of the banks involved share the responsibility of lead arranger and underwriter, and each bank provides a portion of the funding.

The lead bank model is more common in leveraged loan syndication, allowing the lead bank to control the deal and take on more risk. The agent bank model is more common in syndicated loans for smaller companies, allowing all banks involved to share the risk.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of leveraged loans?

Some of the advantages include the following:

If handled properly, the loan amount gained through leverage loans can help the firm expand its capital and help it reach its potential.
Leveraged loans are ideal when a company wants to make an acquisition, a management buyout, buy back shares, or pay a one-time dividend because doing so comes with added expenses and risks.

Some of the disadvantages include the following:

These loans have higher interest rates, therefore the cost of financing for the business is higher.
Leveraged loan management requires significantly more time from the management since it is a much more complicated procedure.

The business incurs leverage loans and other debts, including short- and long-term obligations. It raises the company’s debt level over the industry norm, increasing its long-term leverage risk.