Banijay Completes Refinancing Drive to Raise $2.5 Billion for Endemol Shine Acquisition
By Elsa Keslassy
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – France-based Banijay Group has completed its refinancing drive to raise €2.3 billion ($2.5 billion) for the acquisition of Endemol Shine Group. Banijay announced its $2.2 billion deal for back in October.
The pact, which is expected to receive anti-trust approval this summer, would make the merged entity the largest non-U.S. player in the market, with a bigger catalog than the main U.K. players, BBC Studios and ITV Studios.
“Following positive feedback from the investor community, the business was oversubscribed and raised the full investment across Euros and U.S. Dollars with a maturity of five years; the necessary funds to re-finance the group’s existing debt, as well as that of ESG,” said in a release.
The company listed the details of the financing, including €575 million senior secured notes due 2025; $403 million senior secured notes due 2025; €400 million senior notes due 2026; €453 million term loan B facility; $460 million term loan B facility; and €170 million (equivalent) multicurrency Revolving Credit Facility.
When announcing the deal, Banijay said it would be financed through a capital increase at Banijay Group and debt financing, including a full refinancing of Banijay and Endemol Shine’s existing debt, supported by Deutsche Bank, Natixis and Société Générale. As of December 2018, Banijay’s and Endemol Shine’s respective debt was approximately $486 million and $1.83 billion.
The combined group will be held by LDH (67.1%), which comprises Financière LOV, De Agostini and Fimalac, the investment company of Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, and French media giant Vivendi (32.9%).
Together, Banijay and Endemol Shine have interests in more than 100 production companies, including Kudos, Filmlance (“Caliphate,” pictured), Rubicon (Beforeigners), Diagonal (“Catherdral of the Sea”) on the Endemol Shine side. Flagship Banijay titles include “Versailles,” “The Inbetweeners” and “Wife Swap,” while Endemol has “Big Brother,” “MasterChef,” “Black Mirror” and “Peaky Blinders.”
