Centro wraps up financial arrangements for US operations
Property specialist Centro Properties Group (CNP) (ASX: CNP) said on Thursday that its financial arrangements covering a total of $US2.7 billion or $A3.03 billion of debt in the company's US operations have been completed amidst the business' continued restructuring.
The company said that the amount was part of the $US3.2 billion or $A3.59 billion debt within Super LLC which was set to lapse on December 31 this year as it added that the financing arrangements were inclusive of up to $US2.3 billion extension and more than $400 million refinancing.
Centro said that it has already secured a year of extension for its $US2.3 billion debt within Super LLC, which is part of a joint venture of CNP, Centro Retail Trust and Centro MCS 40, adding that "a number of options to address the remaining balance of approximately $US440 million or $A493.83 million are being considered and we remain confident these will be resolved in due course."
Group chief executive Robert Tsenin said that part of the extensions were the $US1.7 billion bridge term loan and another $US580 million of debt secured by Super LLC, with its subsidiary, Centro NP, entering too into new term loans of $US659 million, maturing in ten years and carrying a fixed rate of 6.75 percent.
Mr Tsenin said that such financial arrangements are crucial steps in the group's restructuring and assessment considerations already underway, adding that "we have made good progress and have commenced discussions with our lenders on potential restructuring options we have under consideration."
He said that the group's evaluation has so far shown that restructuring would require various structural, financing and stakeholder factors to carefully consider which also call for multi-level approvals and consents prior to effecting a complete restructuring and recapitalising of CNP, which should be implemented by the latter part of 2011 depending on market conditions.