Íslandsbanki has today issued a SEK 750m 10NC5 Tier 2 transaction. The bond pays a quarterly coupon of 3 month STIBOR +200bps. The bond has an investment grade rating of BBB- from S&P Global Ratings.
Demand was high for the issue which was sold to a broad spectrum of investors in the Nordics and continental Europe. The bond is expected to be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange on 23 November 2017.
This is the first subordinated issue from an Icelandic bank in the international capital markets since 2008 and marks a significant step in normalising the liability side of Íslandsbanki's balance sheet.
There have been favourable developments in the Bank's foreign currency secondary spreads in recent months which marks investors' increasing confidence in the Bank and in Iceland's economy. In late October, S&P upgraded Íslandsbanki's rating to BBB+ on improving operating environment for the Icelandic banking system following the liberalisation of capital controls and declining private sector debt. Íslandsbanki is the only bank in Iceland with a credit rating from two international rating agencies.
The bonds will be issued under Íslandsbanki's EUR 2,000m Global Medium Term Note (GMTN) Programme which enables Íslandsbanki to issue bonds in a broad range of currencies at fixed or floating interest rates. The GMTN Base Prospectus and its supplements are available at www.islandsbanki.is/ir.
Joint bookrunners on the transaction were Danske Bank, DNB Markets and Pareto Securities.
Jon Gudni Omarsson, CFO of Íslandsbanki:
'We at Íslandsbanki are very pleased with the transaction and the great interest we have felt from investors. Many of these investors have benefitted from investments in Íslandsbanki's senior bonds in recent years and their participation in this issuance show their continued confidence in the Bank and the Icelandic economy.'