How do LBO Capital Raises work?
When a sponsor wants to acquire a company and raise capital, what's the process like? Is it like a sellside but you're just raising debt instead (with IOIs and LOIs and etc), or is it much more straighforward? What about refinancings and recaps? Speaking from a private company perpective.
It is like a sellside process in certain ways. I'd split it into two:
1. Large Cap Sponsor (BX, KKR, even MMs like HIG):
These sponsors have internal dedicated Capital Markets teams whose sole purpose is arranging the debt financing. They work with origination teams and create marketing material and focus on Debt modelling. Responsible for getting in touch with lenders (pc/lev fin) and negotiating covenants etc (the grid) to finalise the debt package. They run all communications between lenders, the sponsors and the DD process.
2. Mid Market sponsors:
These sponsors will hire a dedicated debt advisor, often times the sellside advisor itself (e.g: Evercore). If the sellside has a dedicated team (Debt advisory/cap markets) they are often hired to run the process and do the same as mentioned above (getting in touch w lenders, dd, etc). Otherwise specialist debt advisors can also be hired, big 4 run loads in the UK but other debt advisors include boutiques like Axis arbor.
In summary both teams at cap markets and debt advisory do the same job which consists of debt modelling, debt marketing materials, communications, etc. Non M&A processes like refis & recaps will solely be ran by a debt advisor or the internal cap markets team with little to no input from sellside or origination teams.
Hope this answers your question!
Would add for the LMM the process is generally run by the deal team. Firms typically have relationships with 5-10 private credit firms that the VP/Sr. Associate will reach out to and float the opportunity by them to gauge interest. Usually will have 2-3 of the interested PC firms dial into the MP, get access to the data room to start doing their own DD. Ultimately deal team will provide a short deck (pretty much just ripping pages from their own internal IC memo) and a lender model (conservatized version of internal model) to the final couple groups who will go to their own committees to approve/provide final term sheets.
Process is usually pretty straightforward given these lenders are all in the relationship game and are looking to put money to work.
Or they just abuse the same 2-3 banks
A fugiat molestias rerum eaque culpa fugiat molestiae. Impedit temporibus placeat quo molestiae ut. Quo distinctio alias dolorem sed voluptatem pariatur.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...