Wells Fargo Launches $1.6 Billion Loan for Tempur Sealy Deal

(Bloomberg) -- A group of banks led by Wells Fargo & Co. launched a $1.6 billion term loan B to help support Tempur Sealy International Inc.’s acquisition of Mattress Firm Group Inc., according to a person familiar with the matter, as the Federal Trade Commission is moving to block the deal.

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A lender call will be held Monday, Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. New York time, the person said, asking not to be named because the information is private. Commitments are due Thursday, Oct. 3 at 5 p.m., and price talk has yet to be announced, they added.

Representatives for Tempur Sealy, Wells Fargo and Mattress Firm did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The FTC sued in July to block the acquisition, valued at $4 billion. Tempur Sealy “will have the ability and incentive to suppress competition and raise prices for mattresses for millions of consumers” if it acquires Mattress Firm, the agency alleged in its complaint.

Other companies have tapped the debt markets for money while deals await regulatory approval or appeals. Last month, grocery chain Kroger Co. sold $10.5 billion of notes to fund its acquisition of Albertsons Cos., which has also been a target of the FTC and the state of Colorado.