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Sabadell Places €750M 5-Yr Debt Issue At 0.475%

1 June 2015 – Expansión

€750 million debt issue / The bank has placed an issue of 5-year mortgage bonds with a record low yield of 0.475%.

For many financial institutions, the excess liquidity in the market is offsetting the recent increase in volatility that has resulted from the lack of agreement between Brussels and Greece. As a result, debt issues are proving successful.

Friday’s operation by Sabadell is a good example. Just 24 hours after the bank held its AGM, it went to the market in search of financing through the issue of 5-year mortgage bonds, arranged by Barclays, Deutsche Bank, HSBC and Lloyds. It paid a yield of 0.475%, which represents the lowest ever interest rate on a bond issue. Moreover, spreads, or differentials, are returning to pre-crisis levels, given that this yield sits just 12 basis points above the mid-swap rate (the reference rate for fixed rate issues).

“The primary international investors have all taken part in this operation and the participation rate in Germany has been particularly noteworthy. The main investors participating in the issue have been financial institutions, central banks, investment fund managers, insurance companies and pension funds”, said the entity in a statement on Friday.

Balance sheet

Sabadell has been particularly active in the market for this type of issue. Since November last year, it has completed four such transactions, raising €3,100 million in total. “The solvency of Banco Sabadell and its reputation on the international financial markets have undoubtedly been the factors that have contributed to the success of this placement”, it added. The bank wants to take advantage of the decreasing financing costs caused by the recent stimulus measures put in place by the European Central Bank (ECB). “The release of this issue will take place on 10 June and its launch forms part of Banco Sabadell’s non-equity security program, filed with the CNMV”, explain sources at the bank.

In September last year, the financial institution launched a covered bond (the term used for bonds in Europe) purchase program. In total, it has acquired €82,805 million. Moreover, it put in place a securitisation purchase program at the end of last year, and as a result it will close the first transaction involving Spanish mortgages since 2007, with UCI, which is owned by Santander and BNP Paribas. And in March this year, it started to purchase government debt, which has significantly reduced its financing costs.

Improved credit

As a result, credit is being revived once more, which is the main objective of the ECB. In this regard, Josep Oliu, Chairman of Sabadell (pictured above), said at the entity’s AGM last Thursday, that the strong level of competition in the financial markets to secure credit in the context of excess liquidity, represents a threat to the recovery of the banks’ financial results.

Original story: Expansión (by D. Badía)

Translation: Carmel Drake