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What Is A Senior Loan

What is considered a senior loan?

Senior loans are debt securities typically used by companies to finance their operations, support business expansion, and refinance existing debt. They are known as “senior” loans due to their position atop of a borrowing company’s capital structure.

Are senior loans safe?

Because senior bank loans take precedence in the repayment structure they are relatively safe, though they are still considered non-investment grade assets, as most of the time the corporate loans in the bundle are made to non-investment grade companies.

What are US senior loans?

A refresher on US senior loans Simply put, senior loans are floating-rate notes issued by companies with high financial leverage. They are also referred to as leveraged or syndicated loans. Loan coupons adjust periodically based on changes in short-term interest rates.

What is a Senior Credit Fund?

A senior credit facility is secured (i.e. there is company collateral insuring the loan in the eyes of the lender). Legally speaking in the event of company collapse, a senior secured loan will be paid off through the sale of the collateral asset(s) before other more junior loans can claim assets.

Why do banks issue senior debt?

Senior debt is debt and obligations which are prioritized for repayment in the case of bankruptcy. Senior debt has the highest priority and therefore the lowest risk. Thus, this type of debt typically carries or offers lower interest rates.

What is senior debt and junior debt?

Senior debt is repaid first if the borrower encounters a default or liquidation. It is usually secured debt with collateral; however, it can also be unsecured with specific provisions for repayment seniority. Generally, junior debt and subordinated debt is unsecured debt that is not backed by collateral.

Are senior loans bank loans?

Senior loans are issued by banks to speculative-grade companies and then sold to investors. These floating-rate loans generally offer higher yields than investment-grade bonds but lower yields than junk-rated bonds because bank loans are more “senior” in the capital structure.

What is senior leverage?

“Senior Leverage Ratio” shall mean the ratio of Senior Debt of the Parent and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis to EBITDA for the twelve (12) month period most recently ended.

What is a senior unsecured loan?

Senior Unsecured Loan . Any Assignment of or Participation in or other interest in a loan that is not subordinated in right of payment and is not a Senior Secured Loan. Senior Unsecured Loan means a Loan (which is not a Senior Secured Loan) that is senior to any unsecured, subordinated obligation of an Obligor.

What is a senior mortgage loan?

A mortgage that is secured by a lien on a property and that has preference to another mortgage on the same property. In general, the senior mortgage is the original mortgage; one takes out a junior mortgage to pay for home repairs or for other reasons.

What is a junior loan?

A second mortgage or junior-lien is a loan you take out using your house as collateral while you still have another loan secured by your house. The term “second” means that if you can no longer pay your mortgages and your home is sold to pay off the debts, this loan is paid off second.

Are loans riskier than bonds?

Interest Rates read more are likely to be low and are a safer investment. Comparatively to Bond, the loan interest rates in most of the cases are higher, and in case it’s an unsecured loan, then its interest rate would be much higher.

What is senior and mezzanine debt?

Mezzanine debt is a hybrid form of capital that is part loan and part investment. Senior debt is a loan from a bank. Banks lend off of asset values so most senior loans are collateralized with assets. The bank loan is always secured and in the first position.

What is a leverage loan?

Leveraged loans are a type of syndicated loan for below investment grade companies (credit rating below BBB- or Baa3). A leveraged loan may be originated for a variety of reasons – general corporate purposes, refinance an existing loan, part of a recapitalization, finance a leveraged buyout, etc.

What is an RCF facility?

A revolving credit facility is a type of credit that enables you to withdraw money, use it to fund your business, repay it and then withdraw it again when you need it. It’s one of many flexible funding solutions on the alternative finance market today.

Is senior debt bad?

Senior debt is a low-risk sort of loan. They won’t let you have money without having collateral to back up that loan. This typically involves assets of the business itself. With that in mind, you’re taking a risk to borrow that money, and should only do so if you’re reasonably sure you’ll be able to pay it back.

What is the interest rate on senior debt?

Many senior loans pay 6 to 9 percent interest and the PowerShares Senior Loan exchange-traded fund (ticker: BKLN), which tracks a senior loan index, yields about 3.5 percent. The 10-year U.S. Treasury bond pays about 2.8 percent.

Is revolving credit facility senior debt?

Revolving credit facility (revolver), which can be paid down and reborrowed as needed. – Term debt (senior and subordinated) with floating rates. Payments-in-kind (PIK) toggle allows no interest payment and increase in principal.

Why do companies issue senior notes?

Why Do Companies Offer Convertible Senior Notes? Convertible notes and convertible senior notes are a popular way for companies to borrow money with lower interest obligations than other kinds of debt. When note-holders redeem their notes for company shares, they reduce the company’s debt obligations.