HOUSTON, June 17, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Group 1
Automotive, Inc. (NYSE: GPI), an
international, Fortune 500 automotive retailer, today announced
that it has completed a $1.8 billion
five-year revolving syndicated credit facility with 24 financial
institutions that will expire in June 2021 and can be
expanded to $2.1 billion total availability.
The revolving facility will provide $1.45 billion for
inventory floorplan financing. The facility will also
provide $350.0 million for working capital, acquisitions
and general corporate purposes, of which up to $125.0
million can be borrowed in either Euros or Pounds
Sterling. New Vehicle and Used Vehicle floorplan interest
rates remain at one-month LIBOR plus 125bps and one-month LIBOR
plus 150bps, respectively.
Lenders in the syndicated facility include 6
manufacturer-affiliated finance companies and 18 commercial
banks. The 6 manufacturer-affiliated finance companies are:
Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC; Toyota Motor
Credit Corporation; BMW Financial Services NA, LLC; American Honda
Finance Corporation; Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation; and
Volkswagen Credit, Inc. The 18 commercial banks are: Bank of
America, N.A.; Comerica Bank; JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.; Wells
Fargo Bank, N. A.; U.S. Bank, N.A.; Compass Bank (d/b/a BBVA
Compass); MassMutual Asset Finance LLC; Branch Banking & Trust
Company; TD Bank, N.A.; Bank of the West; KeyBank National
Association; NYCB Specialty Finance Company, LLC.; Barclays Bank
PLC; ZB, N.A. (d/b/a Amegy Bank); Lloyds Bank plc; Ally Insurance
Holdings Inc.; Amarillo National Bank; and BOKF, NA (d/b/a Bank
of Oklahoma). The syndication was arranged through JP
Morgan Chase Bank N.A., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith
Incorporated, and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC.
"The expanded $1.8 billion revolving facility further
strengthens Group 1's balance sheet by locking in ample, reasonably
priced capital for vehicle financing and acquisition growth for the
next five years," said John C. Rickel, Group 1's senior vice
president and chief financial officer. "The commitments made by our
lenders are a testament to the strong relationships we have
established with our financial partners over the years."
About Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
Group 1 owns and operates 162 automotive
dealerships, 213 franchises, and 37
collision centers in the United
States, the United Kingdom
and Brazil that offer
34 brands of automobiles. Through its
dealerships, the Company sells new and used cars and light trucks;
arranges related vehicle financing; sells service contracts;
provides automotive maintenance and repair services; and sells
vehicle parts.
Investors please visit www.group1corp.com,
www.group1auto.com,
www.group1collision.com,
www.facebook.com/group1auto, and
www.twitter.com/group1auto, where Group 1 discloses
additional information about the Company, its business, and its
results of operations.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995, which are statements related to future, not past, events
and are based on our current expectations and assumptions regarding
our business, the economy and other future conditions. In this
context, the forward-looking statements often include statements
regarding our goals, plans, projections and guidance regarding our
financial position, results of operations, market position, pending
and potential future acquisitions and business strategy, and often
contain words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans,"
"believes," "seeks," "should," "foresee," "may" or "will" and
similar expressions. While management believes that these
forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there
can be no assurance that future developments affecting us will be
those that we anticipate. Any such forward-looking statements are
not assurances of future performance and involve risks and
uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially
from those set forth in the statements. These risks and
uncertainties include, among other things, (a) general economic and
business conditions, (b) the level of manufacturer incentives, (c)
the future regulatory environment, (d) our ability to obtain an
inventory of desirable new and used vehicles, (e) our relationship
with our automobile manufacturers and the willingness of
manufacturers to approve future acquisitions, (f) our cost of
financing and the availability of credit for consumers, (g) our
ability to complete acquisitions and dispositions and the risks
associated therewith, (h) foreign exchange controls and currency
fluctuations, and (i) our ability to retain key personnel. For
additional information regarding known material factors that could
cause our actual results to differ from our projected results,
please see our filings with the SEC, including our Annual Report on
Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on
Form 8-K. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any
forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as
a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
Investor contacts:
Sheila M.
Roth
Manager, Investor Relations
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
713-647-5741 | sroth@group1auto.com
Media contacts:
Pete
DeLongchamps
V.P. Manufacturer Relations, Financial Services and Public
Affairs
Group 1 Automotive, Inc.
713-647-5770 | pdelongchamps@group1auto.com
or
Clint Woods
Pierpont Communications, Inc.
713-627-2223 | cwoods@piercom.com
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SOURCE Group 1 Automotive, Inc.