B&M Bargains to refinance loans of £585m ahead of IPO

Discount retailer B&M Bargains is planning to refinance £585m of loans used to fund 2012's buyout to put it in better shape ahead of a stock market listing.

According to reports Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs are expected to lead the refinancing of the Speke-based chain.

A lender meeting is due to take place today when more details of the deal will emerge.

The company has grown to a chain of more than 350 shops, employing around 15,000 staff. Bobby, Robin and Simon Arora sold a 60% stake to US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in December 2012 in a deal which valued the group at around £900m.

Reuters said the acquisition was done with a £125m term loan A, a £335m term loan B, a £100m revolver and a £25m acquisition facility. The owners are now considering a stock market flotation which could value the business at £2bn.

Meanwhile, Property Week has reported that B&M is planning an 800,000 sq ft distribution centre in southern England. It says it has launched a requirement for 35-40 acres of land to build a purpose-built distribution centre and is scouring a wide search area from the M4 corridor north to the Midlands and parts of Hertfordshire.

Source : James Graham - BusinessDesk.co.uk
www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/609497-b-amp-m-bargains-to-refinance-585m-of-loans.html