The J.M. Smucker Co. tapped the US investment-grade bond market on Wednesday to help finance its acquisition of Hostess Brands Inc.
(Bloomberg) — The J.M. Smucker Co. tapped the US investment-grade bond market on Wednesday to help finance its acquisition of Hostess Brands Inc.
The American food manufacturing giant, also known as Smuckers, sold $3.5 billion of bonds in four parts, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The longest portion of the offering, a 30-year fixed-rate note, yielded 1.80 percentage points above Treasuries, the data show. That’s tighter than initial discussions of around 2.05 percentage points, said a person with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified as the details are private.
Smuckers on Sept. 11 said it agreed to acquire Twinkies maker Hostess for about $5.6 billion, furthering a growing consolidation trend among companies that stock the shelf-stable aisles at the heart of supermarkets. The company was founded in 1897 by Jerome Monroe Smucker, selling homemade cider and apple butter door-to-door from the back of his horse-drawn wagon.
IG ANALYSIS: Smucker Funds Hostess Deal; Volume Tops $1 Trillion
The bond sale comes a month after the company secured a $5.2 billion bridge loan provided by Bank of America Corp. and RBC Capital Markets LLC to help fund its $5.6 billion purchase of Hostess.Â
The Orrville, Ohio-based firm currently has about $4.3 billion in outstanding debt, largely due through 2025, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.Â
Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase & Co. managed the deal. J.M. Smucker didn’t reply to a request for comment.
(Updates to show the deal priced.)
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