By NEIL HARTNELL
Tribune Business Editor
nhartnell@tribunemedia.net
A leading investment banker yesterday expressed confidence that the second $42.5 million block of new government securities will be “fully subscribed” following next week’s launch, with the first tranche set for an imminent Bahamas International Securities Exchange (BISX) listing.
Michael Anderson, RoyalFidelity Merchant Bank & Trust’s president, told Tribune Business that the second Bahamas Government Stock (BGS) issue would come to market for a two-day period starting on Tuesday, January 27.
Besides competing with the first BGS issue for the title of ‘shortest ever offering’ in the Bahamian capital markets, Mr Anderson said other common characteristics would be the ‘three series’ the debt is divided into.
And, like December’s inaugural $75 million BGS issue, each ‘series’ will have its own interest rate and maturity, in a bid to satisfy the needs and risk appetites of different investors.
Next week’s $42.5 million offering is comprised of a $15 million tranche bearing a 4 per cent interest rate, and three-year principal maturity; another $15 million ‘slice’ carrying a 4.25 per cent interest coupon and five-year principal maturity; and $12.5 million priced at 4.5 per cent interest and a seven-year principal maturity timeframe.
RoyalFidelity is again the lead arranger for next week’s BGS issue, and Mr Anderson told Tribune Business: “I think we have a good level of interest in the offering based on what we have heard back so far, so I don’t see any reason why it will not be fully subscribed given what we have seen.
“I don’t know of any offering on the immediate horizon that people have a chance to invest in. For people looking continually for investment opportunities, it’s a good one for them to buy into.
“We were very happy with the acceptance of the bond in the last offering, the liquidity in the economy has not substantially changed, and the rates are attractive for the terms and low risk of a government offering.”
Mr Anderson predicted that the BGS would likely become “the most bought fixed income security in the market” due to its liquidity and ability for investors to buy/sell the bonds over BISX.
He added that the BGS had “some neat features” that distinguish it from other government securities, such as previous Bahamas Government Registered Stock (BGRS) issues, and other instruments such as corporate bonds and preference shares.
“It’ll probably become the most bought fixed income security in the market, with the ability to trade them across BISX and the high level of interest in fixed income securities, so people will have no trouble buying and selling them,” Mr Anderson told Tribune Business.
“They have some neat features that make them different from traditional bonds, both in the subscription process and sales process thereafter.”
This is because the BGS debt will be placed through Bahamian broker/dealers rather than the Central Bank of the Bahamas. The Bahamas Central Securities Depository (BCSD) has also replaced the Central Bank as the custodian for who holds the debt.
The BGS debt is also effectively “decertified”. They are not Bahamas Government Registered Stock (BGRS), as investors will no longer need certificates of registration to prove their ownership. This function will now be performed electronically by BISX and the Securities Depository.
Mr Anderson explained that, when it came to the BGS securities, owners would no longer have to go through the Central Bank, which has to verify certificates of registration, to sell them.
This function will be performed by broker/dealers and BISX, which Mr Anderson argued “makes life a lot easier for holders of the debt”.
Both the inaugural $75 million BGS issue, and next week’s $42.5 million offering, will be listed on BISX once they complete the exchange’s formal listing process.
Mr Anderson said he expected the first $75 million block to be listed imminently, telling this newspaper: “Application has been made for that listing. Within the next week or so, I expect it will be listed.
“This latest bond offering will be a bit faster than the initial one, as it’s always a bit more complicated getting the first one listed.”
The RoyalFidelity president confirmed that next weeks’ BGS offering will launch on Tuesday and close on the Wednesday, with the ‘date of issue’ - from when interest will be paid and honoured - recorded as January 30.
The $42.5 million issue is part of $200 million worth of BGS that the Government is seeking to place with Bahamian investors before the 2014-2015 fiscal year-end on June 30.
Mr Anderson said two further issues, one at the end of March and the other at the end of June 2015, each worth $30 million, are scheduled to follow.
He explained that RoyalFidelity’s strategy was to alert investors ahead of time, so they would be able to “break deposits” and have the necessary funds available for BGS investment.
And Mr Anderson expressed hope that each BGS issue would be greeted by “broader participation”, especially among retail investors.
Comments
Sickened 9 years, 9 months ago
"Mr Anderson explained that, when it came to the BGS securities, owners would no longer have to go through the Central Bank, which has to verify certificates of registration, to sell them.
This function will be performed by broker/dealers and BISX, which Mr Anderson argued “makes life a lot easier for holders of the debt”.
I disagree that it is a lot easier. I think it will cost the small man more now to buy a bond as they will have to pay a broker/dealer to buy it and also to hold it for them. Most of the interest earned by the small man will have to be handed over to the broker/dealer.
Just like if you wanted to buy gold/silver collector coins. You used to be able to go the Central Bank and buy them... now you have to pay a banking institution to buy them for you. The small man continues to get screwed out of their hard earned money.
GrassRoot 9 years, 9 months ago
4% to 4.5% p.a. looks on its face like a good interest the investor is getting (compared Italy 10-year gov bond pays 1.75%, same country rating Baa2). The key however is that the BSD (albeit pegged to the USD) is way overvalued. So 4% to 4.5% wont pay you a loaf of bread really, if the BSD starts to float vs the USD.
Economist 9 years, 9 months ago
5 and 7 years the way this country is spending money? Sure hope the Vat money is used to reduce debt, as promised. Remember, the only way you get your money back is if the government doesn't run out of money like Greece did a few years ago.
We are looking a lot like Greece did a couple of years before the money ran out. But then again, that's why they offer the 4% to 4.5% rate. The higher the rate, the higher the risk.
BahamaPundit 9 years, 9 months ago
It always amazes me when I see a banker's smirking face next to the news that the Bahamas Government is borrowing more money. The private sector really needs to become more aware that they are aiding and abetting a corrupt government in bankrupting Bahamians. There's absolutely nothing positive about the government borrowing more money. Tribune, please take note. Stop painting bankers that assist with issuing government securities as worthwhile businessmen -- they aren't. They are cruel and callous perpetrators of the Bahamas' doom.
Economist 9 years, 9 months ago
You are correct. The bankers are looking forward to the fees that they will earn. Never mind that we are only two ticks away from "junk bond" status.
An economic disaster could be just around the corner. The more the government borrows the more likely disaster will strike.
banker 9 years, 9 months ago
The interesting bit about local bankers selling government debt in a non-convertible domestic currency, is that it sometimes escapes the eye of the foreign ratings agencies, and some ratings agencies discount or even ignore B$ debt which has no effect on foreign reserves. So they (the government and the Bankers) gladly serve up another tranche of debt to the poor suckers who haven't figured out how to convert Bahamian dollars to the hard currency of American dollars. Buying this debt (if you are a businessman who has accumulated a pile of Bahamian dollars), is the only way to get a decent return on your money.
Most "smart" business men that I know, convert some of their money to American, and have nominee suppliers in Florida that supply them and must be paid by American Dollar currency transfer with full approval by the Central Bank. If you look at the beneficial ownership of these nominee suppliers, you don't have to go very far.
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