One after another, some of the most embattled names in corporate America are racing to raise easy money while they can.
With the coronavirus surging anew across the nation, two prominent companies in the stricken travel industry -- American Airlines Group Inc. and Carnival Corp. -- outlined plans Tuesday to sell stock. Meantime, in the junk bond market, corporations with weak credit ratings are hurrying to lock in today’s ultra-low interest rates.
The rush underscores the angst gripping many companies even as global investors drive financial markets to giddy heights. With reduced odds for a large stimulus package, companies looking for money to tide them through the crisis are riding an election rally and progress toward a vaccine that could end the pandemic. Traders also cheered the prospect of a split Congress that may limit regulatory changes and tax increases. But it could be a short reprieve, with President-elect Joe Biden warning a “dark winter” lies ahead as the virus roars back, signaling some hard months before a vaccine is available.
“Companies are currently focused on strengthening their balance sheets and boosting cash liquidity,” said Nicholas Elfner, co-head of research at Breckinridge Capital Advisors. “The window is open, so take advantage of it -- before a Covid Winter.”
There will likely be more companies tapping credit markets amid record low borrowing costs, to either shore up cash, or to curb the cost of their existing loans or bonds with new and cheaper debt.
Among them were two firms in the beleaguered energy sector -- Continental Resources Inc. and Antero Midstream Corp. -- which were even able to increase bond offerings to help repay their existing debt. Oil producer Continental offered $1 billion of bonds initially before increasing the notes to $1.5 billion, a rare occurrence of late for junk-rated energy companies.
Antero, which owns and operates midstream energy assets, was also able to boost its sale by $150 million to $550 million last week, just after Americans went to the polls to vote. It sold the bonds due in 2026 -- to repay debt and help improve liquidity -- at a yield of 7.875%. Other notes held by the company due in 2028 yielded over 16% in March, when the pandemic took hold in the U.S.
Tervita Corp., a Canadian company that provides waste management services to oil and gas companies, is marketing $500 million of bonds. The company had suffered as quarantines crashed demand for oil.
And at these rates, other companies will follow suit, either opportunistically or to help weather the impact of Covid-19, according to Jerry Cudzil, head of U.S. credit trading at TCW Group Inc.
“All-in yields are almost too enticing for companies to ignore,” he said. “Given the recent rally, many companies can access the capital markets at levels not seen since pre-Covid.”
Then there are the cruise operators, which are among the hardest hit by the virus. Carnival, the world’s biggest cruise company, filed to sell as much as $1.5 billion in stock after its shares surged on Monday in their biggest one-day increase ever.