ATS Announces Offering and Pricing of Upsized Reopening of $200 Million Senior Notes Due 2032

Rhea-AI Summary

ATS (TSX and NYSE: ATS) has announced an upsized reopening offering of $200 million aggregate principal amount of 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2032, increased from the initial target of $150 million. The notes will be issued at 100.625% of face value with a yield to call of 6.341%. These notes will be fungible with the previously issued $400 million senior unsecured notes from August 21, 2024.

The company plans to use the net proceeds to pay outstanding amounts under its revolving credit line. The offering is expected to close around December 19, 2024, subject to customary conditions. The notes are being offered privately in Canada and to qualified institutional buyers in the US under Rule 144A.

Positive

• Successful upsizing of note offering from $150M to $200M indicates strong investor demand
• Strategic debt refinancing through revolving credit line paydown

Negative

• Additional debt burden with 6.50% interest rate
• Increased leverage could impact financial flexibility

Insights

Financial Analyst

The $200 million senior notes offering, upsized from $150 million, demonstrates strong market demand and investor confidence in ATS's credit profile. With a 6.50% coupon rate and yield to call of 6.341%, the pricing reflects current market conditions while providing ATS with additional liquidity. The strategic use of proceeds to pay down revolving credit indicates prudent balance sheet management, effectively replacing short-term debt with longer-term financing through 2032.

This reopening, combined with the previous $400 million issuance, brings the total notes to $600 million. The slight premium pricing at 100.625% of face value suggests healthy investor appetite. The debt restructuring should provide ATS with enhanced financial flexibility and a more stable long-term capital structure, though it will increase annual interest expenses.

CAMBRIDGE, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ATS Corporation (TSX and NYSE: ATS) (“ATS” or the “Company”), announced today that it has entered into an underwriting agreement with a syndicate of underwriters to sell, pursuant to a private placement offering (the “Offering”), an additional $200 million aggregate principal amount of its 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2032 (the “Notes”), which aggregate principal amount of additional Notes was upsized from the initial target reopening size of $150 million.

The Notes will be issued at a price of 100.625% of their face value (plus accrued interest from August 21, 2024), with a yield to call of 6.341%. The Notes will have identical terms (except for their date of issue and issuance price) and be fungible (following the expiry of the applicable statutory hold period) with and be part of a single series with the $400 million aggregate principal amount of 6.50% senior unsecured notes due 2032 issued by the Company on August 21, 2024.

ATS intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering to pay outstanding amounts owed under the revolving line of credit available under its senior syndicated credit facility.

The Offering is expected to close on or about December 19, 2024, subject to customary closing conditions.

The Notes are being conditionally offered for sale in Canada on a private placement basis pursuant to certain prospectus exemptions. The Notes have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act“), or any state securities laws, and are being offered and sold in the United States only to persons reasonably believed to be qualified institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws and outside the United States in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act.

This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Notes, nor shall there be any offer or sale of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About ATS Corporation

ATS Corporation is an industry-leading automation solutions provider to many of the world's most successful companies. ATS uses its extensive knowledge base and global capabilities in custom automation, repeat automation, automation products and value-added solutions including pre-automation and after-sales services, to address the sophisticated manufacturing automation systems and service needs of multinational customers in markets such as life sciences, transportation, food & beverage, consumer products, and energy. Founded in 1978, ATS employs over 7,500 people at more than 65 manufacturing facilities and over 85 offices in North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and Oceania. The Company's common shares are traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ATS.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release contains certain statements that may constitute forward-looking information and forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities laws (“forward-looking statements”). All such statements are made pursuant to the “safe harbour” provisions of Canadian provincial and territorial securities laws and the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that ATS believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, but not limited to: the anticipated timing for closing of the Offering and the use of proceeds from the Offering of the Notes. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to significant known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of ATS, or developments in ATS’ business or in its industry, to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance, achievements, or developments expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important risks, uncertainties, and factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, general market performance including market conditions and availability and cost of credit; and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in ATS' filings with securities regulators, including, without limitation, the risk factors described in ATS’ annual information form for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024, which are available on the System for Electronic Data Analysis and Retrieval+ (SEDAR+) at www.sedarplus.com and on the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR) at www.sec.gov. ATS has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to materially differ from current expectations, however, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from such expectations.

Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates, factors, and assumptions regarding, among others, management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions; the future performance and results of the Company’s business and operations; and the ability of ATS to execute on its business objectives.

Forward-looking statements included herein are only provided to understand management’s current expectations relating to future periods and, as such, are not appropriate for any other purpose. Although ATS believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and ATS cautions you not to place undue reliance upon any such forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. ATS does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements contained herein other than as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241216388731/en/

For more information, contact:

David Galison

Head of Investor Relations

ATS Corporation

730 Fountain Street North

Cambridge, ON, N3H 4R7

(519) 653-6500

dgalison@atsautomation.com



For general media inquiries, contact:

Matthew Robinson

Director, Corporate Communications

ATS Corporation

730 Fountain Street North

Cambridge, ON, N3H 4R7

(519) 653-6500

mrobinson@atsautomation.com

Source: ATS Corporation

FAQ

What is the size and interest rate of ATS 's new senior notes offering?

ATS 's new senior notes offering is $200 million with a 6.50% interest rate, due in 2032.

How will ATS use the proceeds from its December 2024 notes offering?

ATS will use the net proceeds to pay outstanding amounts owed under the revolving line of credit available under its senior syndicated credit facility.

What was the pricing of ATS 's December 2024 notes offering?

The notes were priced at 100.625% of face value with a yield to call of 6.341%.

How does the new $200M notes offering relate to ATS's previous notes issuance?

The new notes will be fungible with and part of the same series as the $400M senior unsecured notes issued by ATS on August 21, 2024.