CIT
Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading provider of financing to
small businesses and middle market companies, today announced the
pricing of a private placement of $3.25 billion aggregate principal
amount of Series C Second-Priority Secured Notes, consisting of $1.5
billion principal amount due 2015 (the "2015 Notes”) and $1.75 billion
principal amount due 2019 (the "2019 Notes,” together with the 2015
Notes, the "Notes”). The 2015 Notes priced at par and will bear interest
at a rate of 4.75% and the 2019 Notes priced at par and will bear
interest at a rate of 5.50%. The Notes will be obligations of CIT and
will be secured by the same collateral that secures CIT’s outstanding
Series A Second-Priority Secured Notes and its other Series C
Second-Priority Secured Notes. In addition, the Notes will be guaranteed
by the same subsidiaries of CIT that guarantee CIT’s outstanding Series
A Second-Priority Secured Notes and its other Series C Second-Priority
Secured Notes. The collateral and guarantees for the Notes will be
automatically released when the Series A Notes have been paid off in
full. CIT expects the offering to close on or about February 7, 2012,
subject to customary closing conditions.
CIT plans to use the net proceeds from the offering for general
corporate purposes and the refinancing of outstanding indebtedness.
The Notes will be sold to qualified institutional buyers in accordance
with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act”) and outside the United States only to non-U.S.
investors in accordance with Regulation S under the Securities Act. The
Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or the
securities laws of any other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold
in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from
registration requirements.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the
solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Any offers of the securities
will be made only by means of a private offering memorandum.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements:
This press release contains "forward-looking statements” within the
meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All
forward-looking statements (including statements regarding future
financial and operating results) involve risks, uncertainties and
contingencies, many of which are beyond CIT’s control, which may cause
actual results, performance, or achievements to differ materially from
anticipated results, performance, or achievements. All statements
contained in this document that are not clearly historical in nature are
forward-looking, and the words "anticipate,” "believe,” "expect,”
"estimate,” "plan,” and similar expressions are generally intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Economic, business, funding market,
competitive and/or regulatory factors, among others, affecting CIT’s
businesses are examples of factors that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those described in the forward-looking
statements. More detailed information about these factors are described
in CIT’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including
its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and
its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the nine months ended September
30, 2011. CIT is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any
such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking statements,
whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to
differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking
statements: capital markets liquidity; risks of and/or actual economic
slowdown, downturn or recession; industry cycles and trends;
uncertainties associated with risk management, including credit,
prepayment, asset/liability, interest rate and currency risks; estimates
and assumptions used to fair value the balance sheet in accordance with
fresh start accounting and actual variation between the estimated fair
values and the realized values; adequacy of reserves for credit losses;
risks inherent in changes in market interest rates and quality spreads;
funding opportunities, deposit taking capabilities and borrowing costs;
risks that the restructuring of CIT’s capital structure did not result
in sufficient additional capital or improved liquidity; risks that CIT
will be unable to comply with the terms of the Written Agreement with
the Reserve Bank; conditions and/or changes in funding markets and our
access to such markets, including secured and unsecured term debt and
the asset-backed securitization markets; risks of implementing new
processes, procedures, and systems; risks associated with the value and
recoverability of leased equipment and lease residual values;
application of fair value accounting in volatile markets; application of
goodwill accounting in a recessionary economy; changes in laws or
regulations governing our business and operations; changes in
competitive factors; demographic trends; future acquisitions and
dispositions of businesses or asset portfolios; and regulatory changes
and/or developments. CIT undertakes no duty to update any forward
looking statement.
