SID Bank Issues EUR 200M Three-Year Bond
The semi-annual floating coupon rate has been set at 6-month EURIBOR +3.20%. The bonds mature on 28 March 2016 and will be traded on the Vienna Stock Exchange.
The money raised will be used to provide loans to businesses for development projects aimed at bolstering competitiveness, value added and creating jobs, but will not be available for refinancing purposes.
This is the third SID issue this month, the bank having already issued a EUR 150m bond on 18 March and EUR 50m on 20 March.
SID bonds are guaranteed by the state.
SID chairman Sibil Svilan said the sale was proof that SID and Slovenia were still trusted on international markets.
"The conditions on financial markets have been very challenging in recent days, which is why we believe that this EUR 200m is proof that financing can still be obtained," said Svilan.
"All this is the result of years of hard work and cooperation with investors and banks, which have helped SID in this venture," Svilan told the STA.
The issue, organised by the banks Berenberg and Erste Group, attracted a total of 50 investors, of which 83% were from abroad.
Banks made up for over a third of the investors, investment funds for 30%, insurers for 23% and pension funds for 12%.
The SID boss said he hoped that access to financing would remain unhindered in the future, as SID was planning to carry out another bond issue of around EUR 300m to EUR 350m in the second half of the year.