Cebu Landmasters Inc. is raising P10 billion from the capital market this year through the issuance of sustainability-linked bonds in two tranches to fund its entry to the Luzon market as well as capital expenditures for its ongoing projects in Visayas and Mindanao.
In a media interview, CLI Executive Director and COO Jose Franco B. Soberano said this is in addition to its existing and unavailed term loans from banks as well as from the firm’s strong cash flow.
He said the P10 billion sustainability-linked bonds will come from the balance of the P15 billion the company had shelf-registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“So we drew the first P5 billion late in 2023 and we have two years to draw the balance of P10 billion. The next tranche of P5 billion is already in the works and should be listed in the first week of March this year.
“We’re already book-building now with our lead bank BPI Capital and also the participating banks like BDO Capital, Philippine National Bank, RCBC Capital, and Chinabank Capital,” Soberano said.
He added that the remaining tranche of P5 billion will be issued at the last quarter of this year with portions of the funds raised to be used also for refinancing maturing obligations.
Late last year, Philippine Rating Services Corporation (PhilRatings) assigned an Issue Credit Rating of PRS Aa plus, with a Stable Outlook, to CLI’s proposed Sustainability-Linked Bonds of P3.0 billion, with an Oversubscription Option of up to P2.0 billion.
In relation to the proposed bonds, CLI’s Sustainability Performance Targets are to build 8,500 cumulative affordable homes by the first quarter of 2027 and 16,000 cumulative affordable homes by the first quarter of 2029.
The proceeds of the proposed bond issuance will be used to refinance CLI’s maturing obligations in 2025 and other general corporate purposes.
In addition, PhilRatings has also maintained its Issue Credit Rating of PRS Aa plus, with a Stable Outlook, for both CLI’s outstanding bond issuances of P5.0 billion and outstanding Series A to C Corporate Notes of P5.0 billion.
Obligations rated “PRS Aa” are of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong. The “plus” further qualifies the assigned ratings.
A Stable Outlook, on the other hand, indicates that the rating is likely to be maintained or to remain unchanged in the next 12 months.
PhilRatings said key considerations in the assignment of the ratings and outlook includes CLI’s sound management and strategy, with a sustained competitive advantage in the Visayas and Mindanao (VisMin) markets as evidenced by its growth over the last few years.
Also factored-in is CLI’s sustained earnings growth on account of its real estate sales, its adequate interest coverage ratios despite a more leveraged capital position, and threats from a highly competitive market, with peers having access to significant capital and a substantial landbank.