|
Eutelsat
announces the completion of its
comprehensive re-financing plan, with
closing of €1.5 billion bond offering
06 March 2026
Eutelsat announces
the closing of its €1.5 billion senior
notes offering on 5 March 2026.
This transaction
represents the final milestone in the
Group’s comprehensive c. €5 billion
equity and debt financing strategy,
supported by its main shareholders. It
aims to support the Group’s long-term
strategic vision through the deployment
of its Low Earth Orbit (“LEO”) satellite
activities while strengthening its
financial flexibility by accelerating
its debt reduction.
In late 2025,
Eutelsat completed a €1.5 billion
two-part equity raise through:
Reserved Capital
Increases for a gross amount of €828
million at a price per share of €4.00,
subscribed by the French Republic via
the Agence des Participations de l’Etat
Bharti Space Ltd, His Majesty’s
Government, via The Secretary of State
for Science, Innovation and Technology
of the United Kingdom CMA CGM
Participations and the Fonds Stratégique
de Participations.
A Rights Issue of
approximately €670 million, in which the
above-mentioned shareholders exercised
their rights.
The successful
execution of this capital raise led to
rating upgrades from Moody’s and Fitch
to Ba3 (+2 notches) and BB (+3 notches)
respectively enhancing Eutelsat’s
ability to tap Debt Capital Markets and
raise Export Credit Financing to
complete the financing needs of its
medium-term plan.
In parallel with
the capital increases, Eutelsat designed
a global debt financing plan including
bond financing, export credit financings
and an extension of bank debt maturities
aimed at enabling the Group to finance
its medium-term plan and cover
investments of approximately €4 billion
over the period 2026-2029.
A key objective of
the debt financing plan was to simplify
the Group’s capital structure by (i)
removing structural subordination as
most of the existing debt of the Group
previously sat at the level of Eutelsat
SA subsidiary, and (ii) waiving cash
circulation constraints from existing
debt agreements.
This plan was
conducted in four parts:
November 2025: €900
million Senior Facilities Agreement
comprising a €400 million term loan and
a €500 million revolving credit
facility, to refinance the €450m RCF
raised in 2024 at Eutelsat SA level with
a maturity date in April 2027, the €100m
RCF sitting at Eutelsat Communications
level with a maturity date in July 2027
and the €400m Term Loan sitting at
Eutelsat Communications level with a
maturity date in June 2027.
February 2026:
Signing of c.€1 billion in Export Credit
Agency (ECA) financing, backing the
procurement of 440 LEO satellites from
Airbus Defence and Space. These
satellites will ensure full operational
continuity for customers of the OneWeb
LEO constellation, by progressively
replacing existing satellites as their
operational life comes to an end.
February 2026:
Amendment and Restatement Agreement with
the European Investment Bank (EIB) in
connection with the change of borrower
(from Eutelsat SA to Eutelsat
Communications SA) of the €200 million
term loan dated December 2028.
February 2026:
Eutelsat Communications priced a €1.5
billion dual-tranche senior unsecured
note comprised of a € 850 million 5-year
tranche and a €650 million 7-year
tranche with coupons of 5.75% and 6.25%
respectively. The proceeds will redeem
in full two sets of notes issued by
Eutelsat SA: the €600 million 2.25%
notes due 2027, and the €600 million
9.75% notes due 2029.
The closing of this
bond issuance on 5 March 2026, was the
last condition precedent to the
effectiveness of the SFA, ECA and EIB
debt transactions, concluding a
multi-stage capital structure
reorganisation initiated in 2025. These
four unsecured debt instruments will sit
at Eutelsat Communications SA level and
will rank pari-passu, benefitting from
upstream guarantees from Eutelsat SA and
OneWeb Holdings Ltd.
Sebastien Rouge,
Chief Financial Officer at Eutelsat
said, “Eutelsat has reached a major
milestone with the completion of its
comprehensive financing plan, marking a
decisive turning point in the Group’s
transformation. With this strengthened
financial foundation, Eutelsat is well
positioned to accelerate the deployment
of its multi-orbit strategy, support the
future European IRIS² constellation, and
reinforce its position as Europe’s
leading provider of space connectivity.”
|