Companies keeping debt markets busy ahead of Fed decision

Corporate borrowers are rushing to debt markets to raise cash before a series of central bank meetings kick off around the globe this week.

Ten companies are selling new bond deals in the high-grade primary market Monday, while at least 14 new leveraged loan sales began alongside seven high-yield bond offerings, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Royal Caribbean is selling $1.5 billion of junk bonds to refinance existing debt. Seaworld launched a $1.5 billion loan refinancing, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Netflix, meanwhile, is holding a call with fixed income investors in the afternoon about a potential offering that would be its first blue-chip bond deal since its upgrade from speculative grade last year.

Borrowers are taking advantage of favorable funding conditions in credit markets ahead of the Federal Reserve’s rate decision Wednesday. The Bank of Japan and Bank of England are also meeting this week. The average yield in the US high-yield bond market is hovering around the lowest level this year, while borrowing costs in the high-grade bond market have been trending downward this month.

Wall Street banks are also selling new offerings for Enova International, Permian Resources and contractor Amentum, while prepping potential high-yield bond deals for Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and Newell Brands that could hit the market as soon as this week.

Citigroup Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Sumitomo Mitsui are leading the 8.5-year Royal Caribbean offering, according to a person with knowledge of the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing a private transaction. Proceeds from the deal will refinance all of the company’s notes maturing in 2029 that pay an interest rate of 9.25%, and some of the notes maturing the same year with an interest rate of 8.25%.

Mercedes-Benz Finance North America is marketing a five-part offering in the investment-grade market. Syndicate desks are expecting around $25 billion of new issuance this week, with most of it expected before the policy statement. July’s issuance volume entered the week at $96.6 billion, the busiest since 2017.