The high yield bond market remains open, with Garda World Security Corp. raising $325-million this week.
While non-investment grade debt issuers such as Bombardier opted to wait for better days in credit markets, cancelling a planned $1-billion (U.S.) offering, security firm Garda did a pair of junk bond offerings.
Garda is a single-B rated credit - well under the triple-B threshold for investment grade - and sold debt denominated in both U.S. and Canadian dommars. The domestic bond sale is significant, as high yield issuers have traditionally financed in the deeper American market.
Garda raised $250-million by selling seven year bonds with a 9.75 per cent interest rate. UBS Securities and Macquarie Group led the private placement, and the bonds yield a rich 700 basis points over the comparable U.S. government debt.
In Canada, TD Securities led a $75-million (Canadian) Garda offering that also sported a 9.75 per cent interest rate, or 712 basis points over the comparable government paper.