Acrisure is stepping into the high-yield bond market again this week with a US$1.875bn dual-tranche offering as the insurance broker slows the pace of acquisitions and focuses on debt refinancings.
The company is approaching investors with a US$1.375bn 6.5-year senior secured non-call two and a US$500m five-year non-call two tranche. The bonds, respectively rated B2/B and Caa2/CCC+, are expected to price on Thursday.
The issuer has also launched a US$1.375bn term loan that is being talked at 375bp over SOFR with an original issue discount of 99.75 to par.
Proceeds are expected to be used to repay US$825m of borrowings from a revolver, refinance US$2bn of existing term loans and fund a tender for US$400m of outstanding 10.125% 2026 notes, according to S&P.
While S&P says the transaction results in modest interest savings, it expects little change in leverage, which stands at 7.8x, or 12x if preferred payment-in-kind shares are treated as debt.
The Michigan-based company, now one of the world’s largest insurance brokers, has recently been expanding into Europe and the UK. But, says Moody’s, Acrisure has slowed the pace of acquisitions as it contends with rising borrowing costs and the high multiples for any new purchases.
Recent acquisitions also create potential earnout liabilities – extra payments to the seller based on future performance metrics – and refinancing risks through the 2022 purchase of mortgage originator FBC, the rating agency said.
Covenant Review, meanwhile, noted today that language in the bond document is particularly borrower-friendly, providing the company with considerable leeway in how it accounts for Ebitda and the amount of secured debt it can incur in the future.
“The company may be allowed to incur more debt with some structural seniority than is initially apparent,” the research firm said.
Acrisure’s latest financing foray comes just months after it raised US$925m through an unsecured five-year non-call two issue that funded the redemption of its 7% 2025 notes.
That bond was priced at par to yield 8.25% and on Monday was changing hands as high as 100.75 for a yield of 8.004%, according to MarketAxess data.
Morgan Stanley is left lead on the latest bond, while BMO is left-lead arranger on the loan.