China Bank is joint lead underwriter for SMIC’s P10B fixed rate bonds

China Bank FVP Virgilio O. Chua of Investment Banking Group speaking at the SMIC Bonds Investors’ Briefing at the SMX Convention last June 27, 2012. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines – China Bank FVP Virgilio O. Chua of Investment Banking Group speaking at the SMIC Bonds Investors’ Briefing at the SMX Convention last June 27, 2012.

China Banking Corporation (China Bank) is one of the financial institutions tapped by SM Investments Corp. (SMIC) for its issue of P10 billion fixed rate bonds— 7-year bonds due 2019 and 10-year bonds due 2022. There is an option to increase the bond size to P15 billion in the event of an oversubscription.

The interest rates for the 7-year and 10-year bonds were set at 6.0% p.a. and 6.9442% p.a., respectively. The bonds will be offered to the public through the underwriters starting June 27 up to July 6 and are set to be issued on July 16.

SMIC recently conducted an Investors’ Briefing at the SMX Convention Center with the joint issue managers and bookrunners BDO Capital and Investment Corp. and First Metro Investment Corp.; joint lead underwriters China Bank, BDO Capital and Investment Corp., BPI Capital Corp., and First Metro Investment Corp.; and the seven participating underwriters for the bond issue.

This is SMIC’s second public offering of peso-denominated bonds. Both the 2009 and this new issue of SM bonds are rated PRS Aaa by Philippine Rating Services Corporation (PhilRatings), the highest rating assigned by PhilRatings. A PRS Aaa rating denotes that such obligations are of the highest quality with minimal credit risk, and that the issuing company’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligations is extremely strong.

Proceeds of the bond sale will be used to finance various project expansions and general corporate purposes of SMIC.

“We are pleased that China Bank Investment Banking Group is a part of this bonds sale. There is strong investor interest, both from the institutional and retail investors for the SMIC Bonds and we are confident of the success of this offering,” said China Bank SEVP and COO Ricardo R. Chua.

The Bank also played a key role in Filinvest Land, Inc.’s recent P7 billion, 7-year bonds offering where it acted as the co-lead underwriter, and in Globe Telecom, Inc.’s P10 billion long-term bonds in May, as well as San Miguel Brewery, Inc.’s P20 billion multi-tranche bond issue in March.