Singapore Airlines raises $500 mn in dollar debt debut to buy new aircraft

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Singapore Airlines has raised $500 million in its first U.S. dollar bond issue, which the company will use to buy new aircraft as the global aviation industry prepares for a post-pandemic travel rebound.

The transaction was finalised early Thursday and the price was set at U.S. treasuries plus 260 basis points, according to a statement from the airline.

The size of the 5.5 year deal was finalised after bookrunners received bids above $2.85 billion and the bond carries a 3% coupon rate, the statement said.

"The issuance further strengthens the company's liquidity position and provides SIA with the financial flexibility to capture medium to long term growth beyond the Covid-19 pandemic," it said.

Airlines are growing increasingly optimistic travel will resume later this year as a number of countries roll out vaccination campaigns to combat COVID-19.

Singapore Airlines is the first major airline in Asia to tap the global debt markets in 2021, following a rush of deals in the second half of 2020.

There have been 19 deals in that time worth $17.62 billion, the largest of which was a $6 billion issue from Delta Air Lines in September, according to Refinitiv data.

Global airlines are expected to refinance at least $14.9 billion worth of bonds set to mature in 2021, Dealogic data showed, while $23.1 billion in syndicated loans will become due this year.

Singapore Airlines has raised S$13.3 billion ($10.04 billion) in new liquidity in the current financial year which ends in March, it said in the statement.

 

(Reporting by Scott Murdoch in Hong Kong and Anshuman Daga in Singapore; Editing by Kim Coghill & Shri Navaratnam)