Macquarie Infrastructure (MIC) engaged Wells Fargo Securities, JPMorgan Chase, Regions Capital Markets and BBVA Compass as joint lead arrangers for $750 million of senior secured credit facilities, for the refinancing of the term loan and revolving credit facility of its Atlantic Aviation subsidiary.
MIC currently expects the closing of the senior secured credit facilities and the refinancing to occur prior to the middle of October, subject to customary closing conditions.
The new five-year credit agreement is expected to consist of a $400 million term loan, all of which is to be drawn at closing, and an up to $350 million revolving credit facility, of which approximately $200 million, excluding usage for undrawn letters of credit, is to be drawn at closing.
Under the proposed terms, the facility would bear interest at LIBOR (with a 0.0% floor) plus a margin of between 1.5% and 2.25%, depending on Atlantic Aviation’s leverage ratio. The all-in cost could be higher if MIC elects to hedge all or a portion of the LIBOR component using either interest rate swap or cap agreements.
“While not an immediate need, by seeking to refinance Atlantic Aviation’s debt today we are attempting to take advantage of what we believe is an attractive credit market,” said James Hooke, CEO of MIC.
The implementation of the new credit facility could generate as much as 2.00%, or approximately $12 million per year, in interest expense savings versus the current facility.
The existing Atlantic Aviation senior secured credit agreement consists of a $595.9 million term loan maturing in 2020 and a $70 million revolving credit facility (currently undrawn) maturing in 2018. The facility bears interest at a rate of LIBOR plus a current margin of 2.5% and includes a LIBOR floor of 0.75%. Including the effect of interest rate swap agreements, the all-in cost of the current facility is 4.63%.
MIC subsidiary Atlantic Aviation FBO Holdings would serve as guarantor on behalf of the borrower, Atlantic Aviation FBO, together with substantially all of the borrower’s material domestic subsidiaries.
MIC owns, operates and invests in a diversified group of infrastructure businesses providing basic services to customers in the U.S. Its businesses consist of a bulk liquid terminals business, International-Matex Tank Terminals, an airport services business, Atlantic Aviation, entities comprising an energy services, production and distribution segment, MIC Hawaii, and entities comprising a Contracted Power and Energy segment.