Balder successfully completes placement of EUR 480m Senior Unsecured Convertible Bonds

Fastighets AB Balder (publ) (“Balder”, or the “Issuer”) has today successfully completed a placement of convertible bonds due 2028 (the “Bonds” and the “Offering”) for an amount of EUR 480m, convertible into new Ordinary Class B-shares of Balder (“Shares”).

The Offering provides proactive balance sheet management of upcoming debt maturities and diversification of funding sources with a new debt instrument carrying a significantly lower cash coupon than other debt instruments which improves credit metrics.

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used to manage Balder’s liabilities in order to further prolong Balder’s debt maturity structure.

The Bonds will bear a coupon of 3.50% per annum, payable quarterly in arrear in equal instalments and will have an initial conversion price of EUR 6.4292 corresponding to a premium of 32.5% above the reference share price, being the volume weighted average price of a Share on Nasdaq Stockholm between opening and closing of trading today (SEK 54.0528), converted at the prevailing SEK:EUR foreign exchange rate at closing of trading today (11.1398).

The Bonds will be initially convertible into approximately 74,659,366 Shares, subject to a cash settlement election.

The Bonds were offered by way of an accelerated bookbuilding process to institutional investors in accordance with Regulation S ("Regulation S") under the US Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") outside the United States of America and any other jurisdiction in which offers or sales of the Bonds would be prohibited by applicable law. In Canada, the offering was only made to institutional investors who were both an accredited investor and a Canadian permitted client in Ontario, Québec, British Columbia or Alberta.

The settlement of the Bonds is expected to take place on or around 23 February 2023 (the “Settlement Date”). It is intended that an application will be made for the Bonds to be admitted to trading on the Open Market (Freiverkehr) segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.

The Offering was conducted without preferential subscription rights for existing shareholders in accordance with the authorization for the Board of Directors of Balder, which was resolved upon at the Annual General Meeting on 12 May 2022. The reason for the deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights was to in a time- and cost-effective manner diversify Balder’s funding sources with a new debt instrument, to the benefit of both Balder’s shareholders and bond investors.

The size of the Offering, coupon and conversion premium were determined on the basis of an accelerated book-building, which was carried out to establish market terms for the Bonds. The Offering was placed with institutional investors only through a private placement, and in line with market practice for convertible bond transactions in Europe, the Bonds were marketed principally to European institutional investors who have specialized knowledge of such instruments.

In connection with the Offering, the Issuer has agreed to customary lock-up undertaking on future issuances of shares or share-related instruments vis-à-vis the Global Coordinators for a period of 90 calendar days from the Settlement Date, subject to customary exceptions.

Barclays Bank Ireland PLC, DNB Markets, Part of DNB Bank ASA, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (publ), and UBS Europe SE are acting as Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners on the Offering.

For further information, please contact:
Erik Selin, CEO, tel. +46 (0)31-10 95 92
Ewa Wassberg, CFO, tel. +46 (0)31-351 83 99
Annacarin Björne, Head of Communications, tel. +46 (0)31-10 99 88

This press release relates to the disclosure of information that qualified, or may have qualified, as inside information within the meaning of Article 7(1) of Regulation (EU) 596/2014 (the "EU Market Abuse Regulation"). The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact persons set out above, at 21:00 CET on 16 February 2023 
 

Forward-looking statements
THIS PRESS RELEASE INCLUDES FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE STATEMENTS INVOLVE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, WHETHER THE ISSUER WILL OFFER THE BONDS, THE ANTICIPATED CONDITIONS OF THE OFFERING, WHETHER THE ISSUER WILL BE ABLE TO CONSUMMATE THE OFFERING, THE FINAL TERMS OF THE OFFERING, THE SATISFACTION OF CUSTOMARY CLOSING CONDITIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE OFFERING OF THE BONDS, PREVAILING MARKET CONDITIONS, THE ANTICIPATED USE OF THE NET PROCEEDS OF THE OFFERING OF THE BONDS AND THE IMPACT OF GENERAL ECONOMIC, INDUSTRY OR POLITICAL CONDITIONS. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MAY BE IDENTIFIED BY THE USE OF THE WORDS “MAY,” “WILL,” “EXPECT,” “INTEND,” AND OTHER SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS. THESE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED ON ESTIMATES AND ASSUMPTIONS BY THE ISSUER’S MANAGEMENT THAT, ALTHOUGH BELIEVED TO BE REASONABLE, ARE INHERENTLY UNCERTAIN AND SUBJECT TO A NUMBER OF RISKS. ACTUAL RESULTS MAY DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE ANTICIPATED OR PREDICTED BY THE ISSUER’S FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. PROSPECTIVE INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE ON THESE FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS, WHICH SPEAK ONLY AS OF THE DATE HEREOF. ALL FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE QUALIFIED IN THEIR ENTIRETY BY THIS CAUTIONARY STATEMENT, AND THE ISSUER UNDERTAKES NO OBLIGATION TO REVISE OR UPDATE THIS PRESS RELEASE TO REFLECT EVENTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES AFTER THE DATE HEREOF, EXCEPT AS REQUIRED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
 

Disclaimers

NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE ISSUER, THE GLOBAL COORDINATORS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFERING OF THE BONDS OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE OR ANY OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO THE BONDS IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS PRESS RELEASE COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE ISSUER AND THE GLOBAL COORDINATORS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT, AND TO OBSERVE, ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, ITS TERRITORIES OR ITS POSSESSIONS (COLLECTIVELY, THE “UNITED STATES”), AUSTRALIA, JAPAN OR SOUTH AFRICA OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER TO SELL SECURITIES OR THE SOLICITATION OF ANY OFFER TO BUY SECURITIES, NOR SHALL THERE BE ANY OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH OFFER OR SALE WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the Securities Act or with any securities regulatory authority of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States and may not be offered, sold, pledged, taken up, exercised, resold, renounced, transferred or delivered, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States, except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with any applicable securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been approved, disapproved or recommended by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities commission in the United States or any other U.S. regulatory authority, nor have any of the foregoing authorities passed upon or endorsed the merits of the offering of the securities referred to herein. No public offering of securities is being made in the United States.

THIS PRESS RELEASE AND THE OFFERING WHEN MADE ARE ONLY ADDRESSED TO, AND DIRECTED IN, THE UNITED KINGDOM AND MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (THE “EEA”) AT PERSONS WHO ARE “QUALIFIED INVESTORS” WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION (“QUALIFIED INVESTORS”). FOR THESE PURPOSES, THE EXPRESSION "PROSPECTUS REGULATION" MEANS REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 AND REGULATION (EU) 2017/1129 AS IT FORMS PART OF UNITED KINGDOM DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUROPEAN UNION (WITHDRAWAL) ACT 2018 (THE “EUWA”).

SOLELY FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS CONTAINED WITHIN: (A) EU DIRECTIVE 2014/65/EU ON MARKETS IN FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS, AS AMENDED (“MIFID II”); (B) ARTICLES 9 AND 10 OF COMMISSION DELEGATED DIRECTIVE (EU) 2017/593 SUPPLEMENTING MIFID II; (C) LOCAL IMPLEMENTING MEASURES IN THE EEA; (D) REGULATION (EU) NO 600/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF UNITED KINGDOM DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUWA (“UK MIFIR”); AND (E) THE FCA HANDBOOK PRODUCT INTERVENTION AND PRODUCT GOVERNANCE SOURCEBOOK (TOGETHER, THE “PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS”), AND DISCLAIMING ALL AND ANY LIABILITY, WHETHER ARISING IN TORT, CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE, WHICH ANY “MANUFACTURER” (FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PRODUCT GOVERNANCE REQUIREMENTS) MAY OTHERWISE HAVE WITH RESPECT THERETO, THE BONDS HAVE BEEN SUBJECT TO A PRODUCT APPROVAL PROCESS, WHICH HAS DETERMINED THAT: (I) THE TARGET MARKET FOR THE BONDS IS (A) IN THE EEA, ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES AND PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS ONLY, EACH AS DEFINED IN MIFID II AND (B) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES (AS DEFINED IN THE FCA HANDBOOK CONDUCT OF BUSINESS SOURCEBOOK) AND PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS (AS DEFINED IN UK MIFIR); AND (II) ALL CHANNELS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF THE BONDS TO ELIGIBLE COUNTERPARTIES AND PROFESSIONAL CLIENTS ARE APPROPRIATE. ANY PERSON SUBSEQUENTLY OFFERING, SELLING OR RECOMMENDING THE BONDS (A "DISTRIBUTOR") SHOULD TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE MANUFACTURERS’ TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT; HOWEVER, A DISTRIBUTOR SUBJECT TO MIFID II OR THE FCA HANDBOOK PRODUCT INTERVENTION AND PRODUCT GOVERNANCE SOURCEBOOK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UNDERTAKING ITS OWN TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT IN RESPECT OF THE BONDS (BY EITHER ADOPTING OR REFINING THE MANUFACTURERS’ TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT) AND DETERMINING APPROPRIATE DISTRIBUTION CHANNELS.

THE TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT IS WITHOUT PREJUDICE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF ANY CONTRACTUAL OR LEGAL SELLING RESTRICTIONS IN RELATION TO ANY OFFERING OF THE BONDS.

FOR THE AVOIDANCE OF DOUBT, THE TARGET MARKET ASSESSMENT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE: (A) AN ASSESSMENT OF SUITABILITY OR APPROPRIATENESS FOR THE PURPOSES OF MIFID II OR UK MIFIR; OR (B) A RECOMMENDATION TO ANY INVESTOR OR GROUP OF INVESTORS TO INVEST IN, OR PURCHASE, OR TAKE ANY OTHER ACTION WHATSOEVER WITH RESPECT TO THE BONDS.

THE BONDS ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO AND SHOULD NOT BE OFFERED, SOLD OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE TO ANY RETAIL INVESTOR IN THE EEA OR THE UNITED KINGDOM. FOR THESE PURPOSES, A RETAIL INVESTOR MEANS (A) IN THE EEA, A PERSON WHO IS ONE (OR MORE) OF: (I) A RETAIL CLIENT AS DEFINED IN POINT (11) OF ARTICLE 4(1) OF MIFID II; OR (II) A CUSTOMER WITHIN THE MEANING OF DIRECTIVE (EU) 2016/97, WHERE THAT CUSTOMER WOULD NOT QUALIFY AS A PROFESSIONAL CLIENT AS DEFINED IN POINT (10) OF ARTICLE 4(1) OF MIFID II AND (B) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, A PERSON WHO IS ONE (OR MORE) OF: (I) A RETAIL CLIENT, AS DEFINED IN POINT (8) OF ARTICLE 2 OF REGULATION (EU) NO 2017/565 AS IT FORMS PART OF UNITED KINGDOM DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUWA; OR (II) A CUSTOMER WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 OF THE UNITED KINGDOM (THE “FSMA”) AND ANY RULES OR REGULATIONS MADE UNDER THE FSMA TO IMPLEMENT DIRECTIVE (EU) 2016/97, WHERE THAT CUSTOMER WOULD NOT QUALIFY AS A PROFESSIONAL CLIENT, AS DEFINED IN POINT (8) OF ARTICLE 2(1) OF REGULATION (EU) NO 600/2014 AS IT FORMS PART OF UNITED KINGDOM DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUWA.

CONSEQUENTLY, NO KEY INFORMATION DOCUMENT REQUIRED BY REGULATION (EU) NO 1286/2014, AS AMENDED (THE "PRIIPS REGULATION") OR THE PRIIPS REGULATION AS IT FORMS PART OF UNITED KINGDOM DOMESTIC LAW BY VIRTUE OF THE EUWA (THE “UK PRIIPS REGULATION”) FOR OFFERING OR SELLING THE BONDS OR OTHERWISE MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO RETAIL INVESTORS IN THE EEA OR THE UNITED KINGDOM HAS BEEN PREPARED AND THEREFORE OFFERING OR SELLING THE BONDS OR OTHERWISE MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO ANY RETAIL INVESTOR IN THE EEA OR THE UNITED KINGDOM MAY BE UNLAWFUL UNDER THE PRIIPS REGULATION AND/OR THE UK PRIIPS REGULATION.

IN ADDITION, IN THE UNITED KINGDOM THIS PRESS RELEASE IS BEING DISTRIBUTED ONLY TO, AND IS DIRECTED ONLY AT, QUALIFIED INVESTORS (I) WHO HAVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IN MATTERS RELATING TO INVESTMENTS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 19(5) OF THE FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MARKETS ACT 2000 (FINANCIAL PROMOTION) ORDER 2005, AS AMENDED (THE “ORDER”) AND QUALIFIED INVESTORS FALLING WITHIN ARTICLE 49(2)(A) TO (D) OF THE ORDER, AND (II) TO WHOM IT MAY OTHERWISE LAWFULLY BE COMMUNICATED (ALL SUCH PERSONS TOGETHER BEING REFERRED TO AS “RELEVANT PERSONS”). THIS PRESS RELEASE MUST NOT BE ACTED ON OR RELIED ON (I) IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT RELEVANT PERSONS, AND (II) IN ANY MEMBER STATE OF THE EEA, BY PERSONS WHO ARE NOT QUALIFIED INVESTORS. ANY INVESTMENT OR INVESTMENT ACTIVITY TO WHICH THIS PRESS RELEASE RELATES IS AVAILABLE ONLY TO (A) RELEVANT PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND WILL BE ENGAGED IN ONLY WITH RELEVANT PERSONS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND (B) QUALIFIED INVESTORS IN MEMBER STATES OF THE EEA.

THIS PRESS RELEASE AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENT OR MATERIAL IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFER OR SALE, OR INVITATION FOR SUBSCRIPTION OR PURCHASE, OF THE BONDS MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED, NOR MAY THE BONDS BE OFFERED OR SOLD, OR BE MADE THE SUBJECT OF AN INVITATION FOR SUBSCRIPTION OR PURCHASE, WHETHER DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, TO PERSONS IN SINGAPORE OTHER THAN TO AN “ACCREDITED INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN SECTION 4A(1)(A) OF THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES ACT 2001 OF SINGAPORE, AS MODIFIED OR AMENDED FROM TIME TO TIME (THE “SFA”), AN “INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR” AS DEFINED IN SECTION 4A(1)(C) OF THE SFA, A RELEVANT PERSON (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 275(2) OF THE SFA) OR OTHERWISE PURSUANT TO, AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF, ANY OTHER APPLICABLE PROVISION OF THE SFA, IN EACH CASE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS SPECIFIED IN SECTIONS 274 AND 275 OF THE SFA.

SINGAPORE SFA PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION: IN CONNECTION WITH SECTION 309B OF SFA AND THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES (CAPITAL MARKETS PRODUCTS) REGULATIONS 2018 OF SINGAPORE (THE “CMP REGULATIONS 2018”), THE ISSUER HAS DETERMINED, AND HEREBY NOTIFIES ALL RELEVANT PERSONS (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 309A(1) OF THE SFA), THAT THE BONDS ARE ‘PRESCRIBED CAPITAL MARKETS PRODUCTS’ (AS DEFINED IN THE CMP REGULATIONS 2018) AND EXCLUDED INVESTMENT PRODUCTS (AS DEFINED IN MAS NOTICE SFA 04-N12: NOTICE ON THE SALE OF INVESTMENT PRODUCTS AND MAS NOTICE FAA-N16: NOTICE ON RECOMMENDATIONS ON INVESTMENT PRODUCTS).

THE BONDS MAY BE SOLD ONLY TO PURCHASERS IN THE PROVINCES OF CANADA PURCHASING, OR DEEMED TO BE PURCHASING, AS PRINCIPAL THAT ARE ACCREDITED INVESTORS, AS DEFINED IN NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 45-106 PROSPECTUS EXEMPTIONS OR SUBSECTION 73.3(1) OF THE SECURITIES ACT (ONTARIO), AND ARE PERMITTED CLIENTS, AS DEFINED IN NATIONAL INSTRUMENT 31-103 REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS, EXEMPTIONS AND ONGOING REGISTRANT OBLIGATIONS. ANY RESALE OF THE BONDS OR SHARES ISSUED ON CONVERSION OF THE BONDS MUST BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH AN EXEMPTION FROM, OR IN A TRANSACTION NOT SUBJECT TO, THE PROSPECTUS REQUIREMENTS OF APPLICABLE SECURITIES LAWS.

ANY DECISION TO PURCHASE ANY OF THE BONDS SHOULD ONLY BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW BY A PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR OF THE ISSUER’S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. NEITHER THE GLOBAL COORDINATORS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY ARISING FROM THE USE OF, OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF, THIS PRESS RELEASE OR THE ISSUER’S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT NOTICE UP TO THE CLOSING DATE.

EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD PROCEED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT MUST BEAR THE ECONOMIC RISK OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE BONDS OR THE ORDINARY SHARES TO BE ISSUED OR TRANSFERRED AND DELIVERED UPON CONVERSION OF THE BONDS AND NOTIONALLY UNDERLYING THE BONDS (TOGETHER WITH THE BONDS, THE “SECURITIES”). NONE OF THE ISSUER OR THE GLOBAL COORDINATORS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO (I) THE SUITABILITY OF THE SECURITIES FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR, (II) THE APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING TREATMENT AND POTENTIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES OF INVESTING IN THE SECURITIES OR (III) THE FUTURE PERFORMANCE OF THE SECURITIES EITHER IN ABSOLUTE TERMS OR RELATIVE TO COMPETING INVESTMENTS.

THE GLOBAL COORDINATORS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS ARE ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUER AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY OTHER PERSON FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO CLIENTS OF THE GLOBAL COORDINATORS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR FOR PROVIDING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE SECURITIES.

EACH OF THE ISSUER, THE GLOBAL COORDINATORS AND JOINT BOOKRUNNERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY OBLIGATION OR UNDERTAKING TO UPDATE, REVIEW OR REVISE ANY STATEMENT CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OR OTHERWISE.