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Greensill Capital is a UK-based commercial finance company which filed for bankruptcy protection in early March. The company had focused on providing financing to companies using supply chain financing and other related receivables finance services. 

The bankruptcy appears to have been the result of a combination of factors: unusual underwriting practices (by Greensill, their primary financier and their credit insurer); the cancellation of their credit insurance policy; the cessation of their source of financing by their largest funder and financial intermediary;  related party transactions inclusive of financing, as well as obtaining financing from one of their investors and in turn using such funding to finance the investor’s own affiliates.

While the final outcome remains to be seen in the ongoing saga, it is clear the circumstances are not typical for a supply chain finance institution. 

Golub Capital BDC, Inc. (the “Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) a business development company (Nasdaq: GBDC), today announced the closing of a new senior secured syndicated revolving credit facility (the “Facility”). The Facility is led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and includes a total of six bank participants.

The Facility closed on February 11, 2021. Under the Facility, the lenders have agreed to extend credit to us in an initial aggregate amount of up to $475.0 million in U.S. dollars and certain agreed upon foreign currencies with an option to request, at one or more times, that existing and/or new lenders, at their election, provide up to $237.5 million of additional commitments.

Greg Eck and Bill Stapel are the new leaders of the ABL Group at Fifth Third Bank, N.A., one of the nation’s largest asset-based lenders, with $8.1 MM in commitments and serving customers in 38 states, Canada and Europe. They step into their roles following the retirement of Fifth Third Business Capital President Mike Sharkey, who was also past president and chairman of Secured Finance Network.

When asked, “Is technology empowering or overshadowing expertise in asset-based lending?” the answer is simple: Yes.

We’re in an era where technology’s efficiency and human expertise should work together, and if balanced thoughtfully, we can absolutely have both. But this requires intention. As we lean into technology, we must preserve the critical thinking that defines the art of ABL.

Wingspire Capital LLC (“Wingspire”) announced that it has agented a $100 million credit facility consisting of an $80 million senior credit facility (co-led by Ares Commercial Finance) and a $20 million second lien credit facility (provided by Atalaya Capital Management) to Rubies II, LLC (“Rubies II”).

Proceeds from the financing were used to purchase substantially all of the assets of Rubie’s Costume Company, Inc. (“Rubie’s”) via a Chapter 11 363 sale process.  Proceeds will also be used to fund the on-going working capital needs of Rubies II. 

The last 18 months have brought challenges unlike no other. Stewart Hayes, chair of the SFNet 2021 40 Under 40 Awards and managing director, Wells Fargo Capital Finance, sat down with four former SFNet 40 Under 40 Award winners who led their company or group practice during 2020-2021 to dive into how they addressed challenges, what helped prepare them to weather the COVID crisis, and advice on handling the next curveball.

Wintrust Business Credit (WBC), the asset-based lending (ABL) unit of Wintrust Commercial Banking, today announced plans to expand its geographic reach from a regional provider to a national ABL platform.

Since its founding in 2008, WBC has provided best-in-class asset-based lending solutions with a focus on middle-market businesses in the Wintrust footprint. 

Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC is serving as financial advisor to Huntington.  Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz is serving as legal advisor to Huntington.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, a Stifel Company, is serving as financial advisor to TCF.  Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP is serving as legal advisor to TCF.

Cross-border loan workouts and enforcement of security interests across multiple jurisdictions is a complex matter and greatly depends on the venue of the insolvency and the location of the collateral. These factors are also intertwined with the overall reach of the credit facility. A deep understanding of the multiplicity of issues that may arise during a workout or insolvency can not only enhance a lender’s ability to be made whole in an enforcement scenario, but can also create opportunity for liquidity providers to expand their geographic offerings and create unique value for their global borrowers.

Conducive factors include high market liquidity, low interest rates, accommodative Fed policy and a vaccination against COVID-19

The year 2021 is shaping up to be a strong and supportive one for leveraged finance, led primarily by merger-and-acquisition (M&A) and refinancing activity, according to the Capital Markets group at Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG). 

Key members of the group delivered their outlook for leveraged finance to reporters and editors at a virtual MUFG media roundtable earlier this month that featured Jeffrey Knowles, Co-Head of Debt Capital Markets; Grant Moyer, Head of Leveraged Capital Markets; and Art de Peña, Head of Loan Syndications and Distribution.

Siena Lending Group LLC ("Siena"), a leading independent asset-based lending company, today announced it has increased its senior credit facility with Wells Fargo Capital Finance to $400 million. This upsize will enable Siena to continue its growth following the firm’s historic results in the second quarter of 2021, when it closed more than $220 million in credit facilities for middle-market businesses across the country.

SFNet is your advocate at the state and federal level. See below for current legislative issues SFNet is working on relevant to secured finance. If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to the Advocacy Committee Staff Liaison, Michele Ocejo.