Corporate debt soars to record highs in 2024 amid investor appetite and favorable spreads

A bumper year for corporate debt: Global corporate debt issuances hit an all-time high of USD 7.93 tn this year, growing more than 33% y-o-y, the Financial Times reports, citing LSEG data. Companies jumped to tap debt markets amid increased investor appetite, which boosted supply and lowered corporate borrowing costs compared to government debt.

Tight credit spreads are making corporate debts attractive. Spreads on 10-year investment grade corporate bonds tightened to their lowest level since 2005 last Thursday, falling to 86 basis points above US treasuries from 116 bps by the end of 2023, according to S&P data cited by the Wall Street Journal.

Big companies saw the opportunity: Many corporates raced to the debt market this year to capitalize on the favorable spreads, with investment grade companies issuing a total of USD 1.66 tn in debt until 10 December, according to data from Dealogic. Among the issuers was Facebook parent Meta, which sold USD 10.5 bn of investment grade bonds in August, marking its largest-ever issuance.

Companies aimed to secure their borrowing needs early this year, anticipating market turbulence around the US elections in November. Donald Trump’s re-election further lowered spreads, as markets anticipated tax cuts that would boost corporate earnings. This prompted companies to lock in favorable rates by borrowing for the next year as well.

The trend is expected to continue in 2025: Borrowing activity “will remain steady” into next year as companies move to refinance their low-cost debts, Marc Baigneres, global co-head of investment-grade finance at JPMorgan, told the FT. Financing acquisitions and capital investments will also fuel corporate issuances next year, amid an expected easing of both M&A regulation and monetary policy under Trump, advisors told WSJ.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are in the red this morning, following the sell-off on Wall Street. Japan’s Nikkei fell 1.0% in early trading, and Shanghai Composite fell 0.1%. Meanwhile, Wall Street futures are inching up in overnight trading.

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI rose 0.9% yesterday on turnover of SAR 5.2 bn. The index is up 0.3% YTD.

In the green: Saudi Re (+10.0%), SIDC (+9.0%) and Walaa (+7.4%).

In the red: AlKhaleej Trng (-3.3%), Sisco Holding (-2.9%) and Care (-2.1%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC rose 1.5% yesterday on turnover of SAR 54.3 mn. The index is up 28.5% YTD.

In the green: Future Care (+20.0%), Dar AlMarkabah (+11.8%) and Azm (+11.1%).

In the red: Leen Alkhair (-9.6%), Purity (-7.1%) and Mulkia (-6.5%)

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Salama Cooperative Ins. share issuance was 86.9% subscribed: Investors subscribed to 8.69 mn shares at SAR 10 apiece in Salama Cooperative Ins. offering of 10 mn shares, bringing the subscription rate to 86.9% and raising SAR 86.9 mn in proceeds, the firm said in a disclosure to Tadawul. Rump shares will be put on offer to institutional investors, with remaining unsubscribed shares allocated to the offering’s underwriter Alawwal Capital at the SAR 10 offering price.

ICYMI: The ins. player issued a prospectus for the rights offering last October as it moved to hike its capital by 50% to SAR 300 mn after obtaining approval from the Capital Market Authority. Net proceeds of the issuance will go towards supporting growth plans and maintaining a central bank-imposed solvency margin requirement, after deducting an estimated SAR 11.3 mn in offering costs. Shareholders will not receive any of the offering’s proceeds.

ADVISORS- Salama tapped Alawwal Capital as financial advisor, lead manager, and underwriter, with Al Nefaie Investment stepping in as an additional lead manager.

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Yanbu National Petrochemical Company (Yansab) will distribute SAR 562.5 mn in dividends at SAR 1 apiece for 2H 2024, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. Eligible shareholders will be able to cash-in starting Sunday, 16 March.