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Wells Fargo Agents $2.75B Credit Facility for Boston Scientific

December 26, 2018, 08:07 AM
Filed Under: Life Sciences

Boston Scientific Corporation entered into a $2.750 billion revolving credit agreement  by and among the Company, as borrower, the several lenders party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., as syndication agent and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent. The Company may borrow from time to time up to $2,750,000,000 in revolving credit loans under the Revolving Credit Agreement. The Revolving Credit Agreement matures on December 19, 2023, with one-year extension options subject to certain conditions, including certain lender approvals.

Loans under the Revolving Credit Agreement will bear interest at (a) the Eurocurrency Rate determined for the interest period plus the applicable margin based on the credit rating of the Company for its long term senior unsecured debt (its “Credit Rating”) for Eurodollar Loans, (b) ABR plus the applicable margin based on the Credit Rating for ABR Loans, (c) the Eurocurrency Rate plus the applicable margin based on the Credit Rating for Multicurrency Loans, and (d) as determined by the lender for CAF Advances, as such capitalized terms are defined in the Revolving Credit Agreement. In addition, the Company will pay a facility fee based on the Company’s Credit Rating and the total amount of revolving credit commitments (generally irrespective of usage) under the Revolving Credit Agreement.

The Revolving Credit Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and covenants. The Revolving Credit Agreement also contains customary events of default, which may result in the acceleration of any outstanding commitments.

The Revolving Credit Agreement requires that the Company maintain a maximum leverage ratio of 3.75x; provided that for the two consecutive fiscal quarters ended immediately following the consummation of a Qualified Acquisition (the acquisition by the Company directly or indirectly of all of the issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of BTG plc, a public limited company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales (the “BTG Acquisition”) and any other transaction for which the consideration exceeds $1,000,000,000 and for which the Company notifies the administrative agent that such transaction is a Qualified Acquisition under the Revolving Credit Agreement), the maximum leverage ratio shall be 4.75x, and shall be decreased to 4.50x, 4.25x, 4.00x, for the next three fiscal quarter-ends after such two fiscal quarter-ends, respectively, and then to 3.75x for each fiscal quarter-end thereafter. The ratios are calculated based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as adjusted pursuant to the Revolving Credit Agreement.

On December 19, 2018, the Company entered into the First Amendment (the “Amendment”) to its $1.000 billion credit agreement (the “Existing Credit Agreement”), dated as of August 20, 2018, by and among the Company, the several lenders party thereto, Bank of America, N.A., MUFG Bank, LTD., and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, as syndication agents, and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent.

To partially finance the BTG Acquisition, on December 19, 2018, the Company, as borrower, entered into a Term Loan Credit Agreement (the “New Term Loan Agreement”) with the lenders from time to time party thereto, and Barclays Bank PLC as administrative agent, pursuant to which such lenders made available to the Company a senior unsecured delayed-draw term loan facility (the “New Facility”) in an aggregate principal amount of $2.000 billion consisting of  a two-year delayed-draw term loan credit facility in a principal amount of $1.000 billion (“Tranche 1”) and a three-year delayed draw term loan credit facility in a principal amount of $1.000 billion (“Tranche 2”), in each case, available in U.S. Dollars. Loans made under Tranche 1 will mature on the date that is two years from the closing date of the New Term Loan Agreement. Loans made under Tranche 2 will mature on the date that is three years from the BTG Acquisition closing date.

Any commitments from the New Facility will be available for the Company to refinance in part any commitments outstanding under Company’s bridge credit agreement, dated as of November 20, 2018, among the Company, the several lenders party thereto and Barclays, which was entered into to finance the BTG Acquisition.

Borrowing under the New Facility bears interest at (a) the London Interbank Offered Rate, or (b) the base rate, in each case, plus an applicable margin based on the Company’s Credit Rating. The New Facility also provides for customary ticking fees on the average daily unused commitments under the New Facility based on the Company’s public debt ratings.

The New Term Loan Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and covenants. The New Term Loan Agreement also contains customary events of default, which may result in the acceleration of any outstanding commitments.

The New Term Loan Agreement requires that the Company maintain a maximum leverage ratio of 3.75x (subject to a step-up for two consecutive fiscal quarters ended immediately following the consummation of the BTG Acquisition to 4.75x, and a step-down for each succeeding fiscal quarter to 4.50x, 4.25x, 4.00x and then back to 3.75x respectively). The ratio is calculated based on earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as adjusted pursuant to the New Term Loan Agreement.





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