DENVER - Spruce Power Holding Corporation (NYSE: SPRU), a prominent player in the U.S. distributed solar energy sector, has successfully refinanced its existing debt through a $130 million facility provided by investment manager Barings LLC. This move not only replaces the company's previous $125 million term loan but also introduces fresh capital, strengthening Spruce Power's financial position.
The refinancing, led by Santander (BME:SAN) US Capital Markets LLC as the sole structuring agent, has been rated A+ by Kroll and comes with a fixed loan rate of 6.889%. It represents a 69% advance rate of the company's contracted cash flows available for debt service, discounted at 6%.
The new facility's collateral comprises cash flows from over 22,000 solar contracts, primarily variable rate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) indexed to retail electric rates in California.
Joe Pettit, Spruce Power's VP of Corporate Development, expressed satisfaction with the transaction, highlighting the balance it strikes between leveraging the company's robust asset performance and retaining asset-level cash flows for shareholders.
The deal also marks the start of a new partnership with Barings, who is recognized for its deep industry expertise and commitment to supporting Spruce Power's mission of promoting clean and efficient energy use.
Barings' Managing Director, Burak Cetin, echoed this sentiment, noting the partnership's alignment with their goal of delivering attractive risk-adjusted returns to clients. The refinancing is expected to inject over $6 million of incremental capital into Spruce Power, net of fees and including the positive value from terminating interest rate swaps associated with the previous facility.
Spruce Power, with a portfolio that includes cash flows from over 75,000 home solar assets and contracts, offers subscription-based services that enable homeowners to adopt rooftop solar power and battery storage without significant upfront investments or maintenance costs.
The information in this article is based on a press release statement from Spruce Power Holding Corporation.
In other recent news, Spruce Power reported a strong first quarter for 2024, emphasizing its solid financial standing and strategic growth plans. The company's CEO, Chris Hayes, attributed this strength to the positive cash generation from its core solar business, a robust balance sheet with significant cash reserves, and a reduction in legacy issues.
In Q1, Spruce Power reported revenues of $18.3 million and an adjusted EBITDA of $3.8 million, with a cash position of $150 million. The company also reaffirmed its guidance for breakeven to moderately positive adjusted free cash flow for the year.
Spruce Power's CFO, Sarah Wells, mentioned a slight decrease in cash from the previous year but maintained that the company is in a strong cash position. The company is focusing on capital light organic growth and disciplined M&A opportunities, leveraging its comprehensive servicing technology platform.
Despite a GAAP net loss of $2.5 million for the quarter, Spruce Power's focus on long-term sustainability and market opportunities suggests a proactive approach to navigating the evolving solar industry landscape. These are recent developments in the company's operations and financial status.
InvestingPro Insights
Spruce Power Holding Corporation (NYSE: SPRU), amidst its recent debt refinancing strategy, presents a mixed financial landscape according to the latest data and insights from InvestingPro. With a market capitalization of $67.73 million, the company's financial maneuvers are especially noteworthy.
InvestingPro data highlights a significant revenue growth of 93.88% over the last twelve months as of Q1 2024, suggesting a robust expansion in Spruce Power's business operations. Despite this impressive growth, the company's Price / Book ratio stands at a low 0.32, indicating that the stock may be undervalued relative to the company's asset base. Additionally, a notable metric is the 10.27% return over the last week, reflecting a recent uptick in investor confidence.
From the perspective of InvestingPro Tips, it's important to consider that Spruce Power operates with a significant debt burden, which could be a concern given the company's aggressive share buyback strategy. This dual approach of managing debt while returning value to shareholders is a delicate balance for the management to maintain.
Moreover, with analysts not anticipating the company to be profitable this year, potential investors should be mindful of the short-term financial health and the long-term strategic direction of Spruce Power.
For readers looking to delve deeper into the financial nuances of Spruce Power, InvestingPro offers additional insights, including a total of 15 InvestingPro Tips for SPRU at https://www.investing.com/pro/SPRU. These tips provide a comprehensive analysis that could be crucial for making informed investment decisions. To access these valuable insights, use coupon code PRONEWS24 to get an additional 10% off a yearly or biyearly Pro and Pro+ subscription.
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