Montreal, November 22, 2021 – METRO INC. today announced the pricing of a private placement offering of C$300 million aggregate principal amount of 1.922% Series J Senior Unsecured Notes due December 2, 2024 (the “Series J Notes”). The Series J Notes will carry a coupon of 1.922% and were priced at $1,000 per $1,000 principal amount, for an effective yield of 1.922% per annum if held to maturity. Metro intends to use the proceeds of the offering for the repayment of the Series C senior unsecured notes due December 1, 2021 and for general corporate purposes. In conjunction with this offering, Metro entered into a C$300 million interest rate swap effectively locking in a floating rate of interest of 11 basis points (0.11%) over the 3-month bankers’ acceptance rate (CDOR) over the life of the Series J Notes.
BMO Capital Markets, Scotia Capital Inc. and TD Securities Inc. are acting as co-lead managers and co-bookrunners for the offering and CIBC World Markets Inc., Desjardins Securities Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., RBC Dominion Securities Inc. and Casgrain & Company Limited are acting as co-managers for such offering.
The Series J Notes will be direct unsecured obligations of Metro and will rank pari passu with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of Metro.
The Series J Notes are being offered in Canada on a private placement basis in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus requirements under applicable securities legislation and have been assigned provisional ratings BBB, with a stable trend, by DBRS Limited, and BBB by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services.
Closing of the offering is expected to take place on November 30, 2021.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any securities in any jurisdiction in which such offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
The Series J Notes have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered, sold or delivered in the United States of America or its territories or possessions or to U.S. persons except in compliance with the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or pursuant to an exemption therefrom. The information in this press release is not complete and may be changed. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Series J Notes in the United States.
About METRO inc.
With annual sales of $18 billion, METRO Inc. is a food and pharmacy leader in Québec and Ontario. As a retailer, franchisor, distributor, and manufacturer, the company operates or services a network of some 950 food stores under several banners including Metro, Metro Plus, Super C and Food Basics, as well as some 650 drugstores primarily under the Jean Coutu, Brunet, Metro Pharmacy and Food Basics Pharmacy banners, providing employment to almost 90,000 people. For more details, visit corpo.metro.ca.
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METRO INC.
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