Fidelity Bank Launches $500 Million Eurobond to Boost Operations
Goddy Egene and Nosa Alekhuogie
Fidelity Bank Plc yesterday announced plans to launch up to $500 million Senior Unsecured Medium Notes (Eurobond) as well as a tender offer to purchase the banks’ outstanding $300 million 6.875 per cent Notes due May 9, 2018. Fidelity Bank disclosed this in a notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). According to the bank, it intends to list the $500 million on the Irish Stock Exchange with the expectations that the notes will be traded on its regulated market.
The bank said it intended to issue the notes directly but will retain the flexibility to substitute issuer with an offshore special purpose vehicle (SPV), where market conditions require and allow for such prior to the maturity of the notes.
Fidelity Bank Plc said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), have given ‘no objection’ approvals to the transaction.
According to the bank, the net proceeds of the notes will be used to finance the tender offer of existing notes and for its general banking purposes.
“The bank will pay the net proceeds from the notes issuance after settling the existing notes in foreign currency or converted into Naira, depending on the bank’s requirement from time to time,” it said.
Market analysts said, if successfully raised, the new funds would help to boost the bank’s performance going forward.
Fidelity Bank had ended the half year to June 30, 2017 with an impressive financial results, posting growth in key performance indicators.
The bank posted gross earnings of N85.8 billion in H1 of 2017, up 22 per cent from N70.2 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016. Interest income grew by 27.8 per cent, while interest expenses grew faster by 48 per cent to hit N38.2 billion compared with 25.7 billion in 2016. As a result, net interest income stood at N34.7 billion in 2017 compared with N31.2 billion, indicating a rise of 11 per cent. Impairment charges remained flat at N4.8 billion in 2017 as against N4.79 billion in 2016.
Despite the high inflationary trend, the bank reduced operating expenses by 1.7 per cent to N30.9 billion, from N31.4 billion in the corresponding period of 2016.