Carnival
Corporation & plc Announces Upsizing and Pricing of
$2.3 Billion Term Loan Facility for
Refinancing, Saving Interest and Extending Maturities
Interest Savings of Over $135 Million Annually
MIAMI, Oct. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation
& plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) today announced that Carnival
Corporation (the "Company") successfully completed the syndication
of its $2.3 billion first-priority
senior secured term loan facility ("Term Loan Facility"), which the
Company intends to use to redeem its 11.5% First Priority Senior
Secured Notes due 2023 (the "2023 Notes"). The new Term Loan
Facility will bear interest at a rate per annum equal to adjusted
LIBOR with a 0.75% floor, plus a margin equal to 3.25% and will
mature in 2028. The refinancing transaction will generate
annual interest savings of over $135
million and extend maturities.
The Company also issued a conditional notice of redemption for
the entire outstanding principal amount of the Company's 2023
Notes.
The Term Loan Facility described above is expected to be
implemented via Incremental Assumption Agreement and Amendment No.
4 to the existing term loan agreement dated June 30, 2020, which is expected to close on
October 18, 2021, subject to
customary closing conditions and the execution of definitive
documentation.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acted as sole global coordinator for
the marketing of the Term Loan Facility.
PJT Partners is serving as independent financial advisor to the
Company.
This press release does not constitute a notice of redemption
with respect to the 2023 Notes.
About Carnival Corporation &
plc
Carnival Corporation & plc is one of the world's largest
leisure travel companies with a portfolio of nine of the world's
leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise
Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O
Cruises (Australia), Costa
Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.
Cautionary Note Concerning Factors
That May Affect Future Results
Carnival Corporation and Carnival plc and their respective
subsidiaries are referred to collectively in this press release as
"Carnival Corporation & plc," "our," "us" and "we." Some of the
statements, estimates or projections contained in this press
release are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks,
uncertainties and assumptions with respect to us, including some
statements concerning the financing transactions described herein,
future results, operations, outlooks, plans, goals, reputation,
cash flows, liquidity and other events which have not yet
occurred. These statements are intended to qualify for the
safe harbors from liability provided by Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. All statements other than statements
of historical facts are statements that could be deemed
forward-looking. These statements are based on current
expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about our
business and the industry in which we operate and the beliefs and
assumptions of our management. We have tried, whenever
possible, to identify these statements by using words like "will,"
"may," "could," "should," "would," "believe," "depends," "expect,"
"goal," "anticipate," "forecast," "project," "future," "intend,"
"plan," "estimate," "target," "indicate," "outlook" and similar
expressions of future intent or the negative of such terms.
Forward-looking statements include those statements that relate
to our outlook and financial position including, but not limited
to, statements regarding:
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- Goodwill, ship and trademark fair values
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- Liquidity and credit ratings
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- Adjusted earnings per share
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- Interest, tax and fuel expenses
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- Return to guest cruise operations
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- Impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus global pandemic on our
financial condition and results of operations
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- Estimates of ship depreciable
lives and residual values
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Because forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties, there are many factors that could cause our actual
results, performance or achievements to differ materially from
those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements.
This note contains important cautionary statements of the known
factors that we consider could materially affect the accuracy of
our forward-looking statements and adversely affect our business,
results of operations and financial position. Additionally,
many of these risks and uncertainties are currently amplified by,
and will continue to be amplified by, or in the future may be
amplified by, the COVID-19 outbreak. It is not possible to
predict or identify all such risks. There may be additional
risks that we consider immaterial or which are unknown.
These factors include, but are not limited to, the
following:
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COVID-19 has had, and is expected to continue to have, a
significant impact on our financial condition and operations, which
impacts our ability to obtain acceptable financing to fund
resulting reductions in cash from operations. The current,
and uncertain future, impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, including
its effect on the ability or desire of people to travel (including
on cruises), is expected to continue to impact our results,
operations, outlooks, plans, goals, reputation, litigation, cash
flows, liquidity, and stock price;
-
World events impacting the ability or desire of people to travel
have and may continue to lead to a decline in demand for
cruises;
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Incidents concerning our ships, guests or the cruise vacation
industry as well as adverse weather conditions and other natural
disasters have in the past and may, in the future, impact the
satisfaction of our guests and crew and lead to reputational
damage;
-
Changes in and non-compliance with laws and regulations under
which we operate, such as those relating to health, environment,
safety and security, data privacy and protection, anti-corruption,
economic sanctions, trade protection and tax have in the past and
may, in the future, lead to litigation, enforcement actions, fines,
penalties, and reputational damage;
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Breaches in data security and lapses in data privacy as well as
disruptions and other damages to our principal offices, information
technology operations and system networks, including the recent
ransomware incidents, and failure to keep pace with developments in
technology may adversely impact our business operations, the
satisfaction of our guests and crew and may lead to reputational
damage;
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Ability to recruit, develop and retain qualified shipboard
personnel who live away from home for extended periods of time may
adversely impact our business operations, guest services and
satisfaction;
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Increases in fuel prices, changes in the types of fuel consumed
and availability of fuel supply may adversely impact our scheduled
itineraries and costs;
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Fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates may adversely
impact our financial results;
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Overcapacity and competition in the cruise and land-based
vacation industry may lead to a decline in our cruise sales,
pricing and destination options;
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Inability to implement our shipbuilding programs and ship
repairs, maintenance and refurbishments may adversely impact our
business operations and the satisfaction of our guests; and
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the risk factors included in Carnival Corporation's and
Carnival plc's Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on
January 26, 2021 and Carnival
Corporation's and Carnival plc's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q
filed with the SEC on April 7, 2021,
June 28, 2021 and September 30, 2021.
The ordering of the risk factors set forth above is not intended
to reflect our indication of priority or likelihood.
Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as a
prediction of actual results. Subject to any continuing
obligations under applicable law or any relevant stock exchange
rules, we expressly disclaim any obligation to disseminate, after
the date of this document, any updates or revisions to any such
forward-looking statements to reflect any change in expectations or
events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements
are based.
CONTACT: Roger Frizzell, Carnival
Corporation, rfrizzell@carnival.com, (305) 406-7862; Mike Flanagan, LDWW, mike@ldwwgroup.com, (727)
452-4538