Levfi Loans

Hi,

Appreciate if someone could answer my questions regarding financial covenants for LBO/corporate loans:

While originating the loan deal, what is the thought process behind the selection of the type of financial covenants?

How would you determine the headroom of the financial covenants?

Thank you!

3 Comments
 
Most Helpful

Best way to structure is to look at comps. LBO loans are generally TLBs, in which case there are few covenants these days (most TLBs are cov-lite). In terms of corporate loans, banks will often have some kind of internal policies. They might be based around risk rating thresholds...if the bank will have to downgrade the corporate loan if a certain threshold is breached, then they might put the covenant around there. But remember, banks are often price takers rather than price makers. This means that they will accept the market covenants, rather than impose their own covenants on the market (since they won't get any deals done if they do). Comps are the best way to determine what the covenants should be.

 

Headroom: 30% as benchmark

Investment grade:

Typical case

1) total leverage

2) interest coverage: 3.0x

Otherwise:

3) debt / Cap: 60%

capital intensive business or Ex: oil n gas, utilities, cruise ship, CVS/Walgreens, etc

Leveraged - BB (RC/TLA - lenders are banks)

1) total leverage

2) interest coverage: 3.0x

BB - TLB

1) cov-lite

Leveraged - NR/NR, middle market

1) total leverage

2) FCCR: 1.2x (Fixed Charge Cov)

Leveraged - Direct lending

1) total Lev (heavy step downs)

2) FCCR: 1.1x to 1.2x ish

  • may tack on

3) EBITDA min

4) Liquidiity (Cash)

5) Capex

If a software deal, nay get done as

1) Recurring Revenue covenant initially, evolving to above

Leveraged B/B2 (typical LBO) - TLB

1) cov lite

Leveraged (typical LBO) - TLB - but small middle market/ no rating, under $200 in deal size

1) total leverage covenant

 

Veritatis quam dolor maxime sit. Cum id reiciendis fuga et. Magni rerum hic porro ex. Saepe perferendis dicta debitis accusamus perferendis.

Sed ipsam aliquid id id aut beatae sunt. Molestiae qui qui occaecati ad quis quaerat. Quis corporis quis porro itaque nihil aliquid qui. Distinctio sint odio aut hic sint consequatur. Fugit laborum id et voluptatibus quia.

Sit et quae possimus. Dolorem debitis amet amet nesciunt reiciendis incidunt. Voluptas occaecati iure doloremque reprehenderit rem ex.

In quisquam ut molestias eaque nihil. Et laborum rerum molestiae tempora. Velit distinctio debitis rem.

Career Advancement Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 02 98.8%
  • Evercore 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan No 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

June 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (44) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (79) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
7
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”