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Colonial Launches €800M Bond Issue To Finance Axiare Takeover

21 November 2017 – Eje Prime

Colonial is pushing ahead with its plans for Axiare. The Socimi has launched a bond issue amounting to €800 million, funds it plans to use to partially finance the takeover that it has formulated for Axiare, with the aim of creating an office rental giant, as explained by the group in a statement.

The operation has been structured in two tranches, one amounting to €500 million over eight years and the second amounting to €300 million over twelve years. The real estate company led by Pere Viñolas (pictured above)  opened the placement books first thing on Tuesday and expected to close them by the end of the day.

Colonial is returning to the capital markets with an issue that forms part of the financial structure designed to finance the takeover of Axiare, launched on Monday 13 November, with the aim of acquiring the remaining 71% stake that it does not yet control in that Socimi.

The operation, worth €1,462 million, is currently being backed by a bridge loan facilitated by JP Morgan. The real estate company plans to replace that loan with this bond issue and, subsequently, reduce those securities with a program to sell non-strategic assets amounting to €300 million and other resources, including a capital increase, amounting to €450 million.

Original story: Eje Prime

Translation: Carmel Drake