Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc. – Issue of EUR 375,000,000 Cash Settled Exchangeable Bonds due April 2029 Referable to the Shares of LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton
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Insights
The announcement of Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.'s exchangeable bonds issuance is a strategic financial move. The offering, tied to LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton shares, provides investors with an alternative to direct equity investment. The bonds' cash settlement feature eliminates the need for physical delivery of LVMH shares, simplifying the exchange process and potentially making them more attractive to investors seeking exposure to LVMH without the complexities of direct share ownership.
With an A2/P-1 rating by Moody's, the bonds are considered upper-medium grade, which may appeal to conservative investors. However, the ratings are subject to change, which could affect investor confidence. The pricing strategy, with an issue price over par and a coupon of 1.00%, reflects a conservative yield, potentially attracting investors in a low-interest-rate environment.
The bonds' impact on the stock market could be twofold. Firstly, the issuance could lead to a temporary increase in LVMH's share price due to the hedging activities by the underwriting banks. Secondly, the premium set over the reference share price might indicate Citigroup's outlook on LVMH's stock performance, potentially influencing investor sentiment.
The decision to list and admit the bonds to trading on the Open Market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange or another stock exchange reflects Citigroup's strategy to enhance liquidity and accessibility for European investors. This move could increase the attractiveness of the bonds, potentially impacting their trading volume and price stability after issuance.
Furthermore, the involvement of Citigroup Global Markets Limited as both the Calculation Agent and a participant in market-making activities raises questions about potential conflicts of interest. While these arrangements are common in the industry, they underscore the importance of transparency and the potential influence on market dynamics. Investors should be aware of these relationships as they may impact the pricing and valuation of both the bonds and LVMH shares.
Overall, the issuance of these exchangeable bonds could signify Citigroup's confidence in LVMH's stability and growth prospects. The impact on the business landscape will depend on investor reception and the performance of LVMH's shares leading up to the exchange price determination.
The Bonds will be issued by the Issuer, a subsidiary of Citigroup Inc. (the “Guarantor”). The Issuer’s senior debt is currently rated A2 (Stable Outlook) / P-1 (Moody’s) / A (Stable Outlook) / A-1 (S&P) and A+ (Stable Outlook) / F1 (Fitch). Such ratings may be subject to revision, qualification, suspension, reduction or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency.
The Issuer’s payment obligations under the Bonds will be unconditionally and irrevocably guaranteed (the “Guarantee”) by the Guarantor, whose senior debt is currently rated A3 (Stable Outlook) / P-2 (Moody’s) / BBB+ (Stable Outlook) / A-2 (S&P) and A (Stable Outlook) / F1 (Fitch) as of the date of this announcement. Such ratings may be subject to revision, qualification, suspension, reduction or withdrawal at any time by the assigning rating agency.
The Bonds will be issued in principal amounts of
The exchange price (the “Exchange Price”) will be set at a
Settlement and delivery of the Bonds is expected to take place on 5 April 2024 (the “Issue Date”).
The net proceeds from the issue of Bonds will be used by the Issuer for its general corporate purposes.
Application will be made for the Bonds to be listed and admitted to trading on the Open Market (Freiverkehr) segment of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange or any other stock exchange as determined by the Issuer, and such admission to trading is expected to take place within six months following the Issue Date.
Citigroup Global Markets Limited, Citigroup Global Markets Europe AG and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are acting as Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners. Citigroup Global Markets Limited is the Calculation Agent.
Each of the Joint Global Coordinators, the Joint Bookrunners, the Issuer and the Guarantor may be party to certain existing derivative arrangements in relation to the Shares, and Citigroup Global Markets Limited is also acting as Calculation Agent with respect to the Bonds and may participate in market making activities. In addition, the Calculation Agent will make all determinations, calculations and adjustments under the terms and conditions of the Bonds which will involve the exercise of its discretion. Such arrangements and activities may present a conflict of interest between the interests of Bondholders and the interests of the Joint Global Coordinators and Joint Bookrunners in their various capacities and the Joint Global Coordinators may adjust their hedging positions or take positions that are inconsistent with, or adverse to, the investment objectives of the holders of the Bonds. Such activities may impact the price or value of the Shares and/or the Bonds, and may affect a Bondholder’s return on the Bonds.
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NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO
IMPORTANT NOTICE
NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTOR, THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES THAT WOULD PERMIT AN OFFERING OF THE BONDS OR POSSESSION OR DISTRIBUTION OF THIS PRESS RELEASE OR ANY OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL RELATING TO THE BONDS IN ANY JURISDICTION WHERE ACTION FOR THAT PURPOSE IS REQUIRED. PERSONS INTO WHOSE POSSESSION THIS PRESS RELEASE COMES ARE REQUIRED BY THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTOR AND THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS TO INFORM THEMSELVES ABOUT, AND TO OBSERVE, ANY SUCH RESTRICTIONS.
THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN OR INTO
THE BONDS AND THE GUARANTEE DESCRIBED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT, OR WITH ANY SECURITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY OF ANY STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION OF
THIS PRESS RELEASE IS AN ADVERTISEMENT AND IS NOT AN OFFERING CIRCULAR, OFFERING MEMORANDUM OR PROSPECTUS AND SHOULD NOT BE TREATED AS OFFERING OR PUBLICITY MATERIAL OF ANY SORT AND IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. NO OFFERING CIRCULAR OR OFFERING MEMORANDUM WILL BE PREPARED OR DISTRIBUTED IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF THE BONDS.
THE BONDS AND THE GUARANTEE, WHEN OFFERED, WILL BE OFFERED AND SOLD (I) IN
THIS PRESS RELEASE AND THE OFFERING WHEN MADE ARE ONLY ADDRESSED TO, AND DIRECTED IN, MEMBER STATES OF THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AREA (THE “EEA”), AT PERSONS WHO ARE “QUALIFIED INVESTORS” WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 2(E) OF THE PROSPECTUS REGULATION (“QUALIFIED INVESTORS”). FOR THESE PURPOSES, THE EXPRESSION "PROSPECTUS REGULATION" MEANS EU REGULATION 2017/1129. THE BONDS WILL NOT AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN
NO OFFERING CIRCULAR OR OTHER DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REGISTERED AS A PROSPECTUS WITH THE MONETARY AUTHORITY OF
WHERE THE BONDS ARE SUBSCRIBED OR PURCHASED UNDER SECTION 275 OF THE SFA BY A RELEVANT PERSON WHICH IS: (A) A CORPORATION (WHICH IS NOT AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR (AS DEFINED IN SECTION 4A OF THE SFA)) THE SOLE BUSINESS OF WHICH IS TO HOLD INVESTMENTS AND THE ENTIRE SHARE CAPITAL OF WHICH IS OWNED BY ONE OR MORE INDIVIDUALS, EACH OF WHOM IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR; OR (B) A TRUST (WHERE THE TRUSTEE IS NOT AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR) WHOSE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO HOLD INVESTMENTS AND EACH BENEFICIARY OF THE TRUST IS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS AN ACCREDITED INVESTOR, SECURITIES OR SECURITIES-BASED DERIVATIVES CONTRACT (EACH TERM AS DEFINED IN SECTION 2(1) OF THE SFA) OF THAT CORPORATION OR THE BENEFICIARIES’ RIGHTS AND INTEREST (HOWSOEVER DESCRIBED) IN THAT TRUST SHALL NOT BE TRANSFERRED WITHIN SIX MONTHS AFTER THAT CORPORATION OR THAT TRUST HAS ACQUIRED THE BONDS PURSUANT TO AN OFFER MADE UNDER SECTION 275 OF THE SFA EXCEPT: (I) TO AN INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR OR TO A RELEVANT PERSON, OR TO ANY PERSON ARISING FROM AN OFFER REFERRED TO IN SECTION 275(1A) OR SECTION 276(4)(I)(B) OF THE SFA; (II) WHERE NO CONSIDERATION IS OR WILL BE GIVEN FOR THE TRANSFER; (III) WHERE THE TRANSFER IS BY OPERATION OF LAW; OR (IV) AS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 276(7) OF THE SFA; OR (V) AS SPECIFIED IN REGULATION 37A OF THE SECURITIES AND FUTURES (OFFERS OF INVESTMENTS) (SECURITIES AND SECURITIES-BASED DERIVATIVES CONTRACTS) REGULATIONS 2018.
THE BONDS ARE NOT BEING OFFERED OR SOLD AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN THE PEOPLE’S
EU PRIIPS REGULATION /
CONSEQUENTLY, NO KEY INFORMATION DOCUMENT REQUIRED BY REGULATION (EU) NO 1286/2014 (AS AMENDED, THE "PRIIPS REGULATION") OR THE PRIIPS REGULATION AS IT FORMS PART OF
IN ADDITION, IN THE
ANY DECISION TO PURCHASE ANY OF THE BONDS SHOULD ONLY BE MADE ON THE BASIS OF AN INDEPENDENT REVIEW BY A PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR OF THE ISSUER’S, THE GUARANTOR’S AND THE COMPANY’S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION (INCLUDING THE OFFERING CIRCULAR DATED 14 DECEMBER 2023 RELATING TO THE CITI GLOBAL MEDIUM TERM NOTE PROGRAMME). NEITHER THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS NOR ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATES ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY ARISING FROM THE USE OF, OR MAKE ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF, THIS PRESS RELEASE OR THE ISSUER’S, THE GUARANTOR’S AND THE COMPANY’S PUBLICLY AVAILABLE INFORMATION. THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE IN ITS ENTIRETY WITHOUT NOTICE UP TO THE ISSUE DATE.
THE SECURITIES ARE NOT READILY LIQUID INSTRUMENTS. THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATES MAY BUT SHALL HAVE NO OBLIGATION TO MAKE A SECONDARY MARKET FOR THE SALE AND PURCHASE OF THE SECURITIES. ALTHOUGH THE DEALER OR ITS AFFILIATES WILL TRY TO PROVIDE PRICING OR OFFER UNWIND FACILITIES, THERE MAY EXIST A TIME WHEN THERE IS A LACK OF LIQUIDITY OR LOW TRADING VOLUME IN THE MARKET FOR THE SECURITIES, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A DECREASE OF THE MARKET VALUE OF THE SECURITIES. IN THE EVENT THAT THE DEALER OR ITS AFFILIATES MAKES A SECONDARY MARKET, IT IS NOT A COMMITMENT TO PURCHASE ANY SECURITY AT A PARTICULAR TIME OR PRICE AND THE DEALER OR ITS AFFILIATES MAY SUSPEND OR TERMINATE MARKET MAKING AT ANY TIME, AT ITS OWN DISCRETION AND WITHOUT NOTICE TO THE HOLDERS. IF THE SECURITIES ARE EARLY REDEEMED PRIOR TO THE MATURITY DATE OR EARLY REDEMPTION DATE (IF APPLICABLE), THE HOLDER OF SECURITIES MAY SUFFER A HIGHER LOSS OR SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER GAIN ON THE PRINCIPAL INVESTED, AND MAY ALSO SUFFER SIGNIFICANT UNWIND COSTS AND WIDE BID OFFER SPREADS. EACH PROSPECTIVE INVESTOR SHOULD PROCEED ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT MUST BEAR THE ECONOMIC RISK OF AN INVESTMENT IN THE BONDS OR THE SHARES NOTIONALLY UNDERLYING THE BONDS (TOGETHER WITH THE BONDS, THE “SECURITIES”). NEITHER OF THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTOR NOR THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION AS TO (I) THE SUITABILITY OF THE SECURITIES FOR ANY PARTICULAR INVESTOR, (II) THE APPROPRIATE ACCOUNTING TREATMENT AND POTENTIAL TAX CONSEQUENCES OF INVESTING IN THE SECURITIES OR (III) THE FUTURE PERFORMANCE OF THE SECURITIES EITHER IN ABSOLUTE TERMS OR RELATIVE TO COMPETING INVESTMENTS.
THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS ARE ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE ISSUER AND NO ONE ELSE IN CONNECTION WITH THE BONDS AND WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO ANY OTHER PERSON FOR PROVIDING THE PROTECTIONS AFFORDED TO CLIENTS OF THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR FOR PROVIDING ADVICE IN RELATION TO THE SECURITIES.
IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF THE BONDS, THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS AND ANY OF THEIR AFFILIATES ACTING AS AN INVESTOR FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT MAY TAKE UP THE SECURITIES AND IN THAT CAPACITY MAY RETAIN, PURCHASE OR SELL FOR ITS OWN ACCOUNT THE SECURITIES OR ANY OTHER SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTOR, THE COMPANY OR RELATED INVESTMENTS, MAY OFFER OR SELL THE SECURITIES OR OTHER INVESTMENTS OTHERWISE THAN IN CONNECTION WITH THE OFFERING OF THE BONDS, AND MAY ENTER INTO CONVERTIBLE ASSET SWAPS, CREDIT DERIVATIVES OR OTHER DERIVATIVE TRANSACTIONS RELATING TO THE BONDS AND/OR THE UNDERLYING SHARES. AS A RESULT OF SUCH TRANSACTIONS OR FROM TIME TO TIME, THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS OR THEIR AFFILIATES MAY HOLD LONG OR SHORT POSITIONS IN SUCH BONDS OR DERIVATIVES OR IN THE UNDERLYING SHARES. THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS DO NOT INTEND TO DISCLOSE THE EXTENT OF ANY SUCH INVESTMENT OR TRANSACTIONS. IN ADDITION, THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS AND THEIR SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES MAY PERFORM SERVICES FOR, OR SOLICIT BUSINESS FROM, THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTOR, THE COMPANY OR MEMBERS OF THE ISSUER’S, THE GUARANTOR’S AND THE COMPANY’S RESPECTIVE GROUPS, MAY MAKE MARKETS IN THE SECURITIES OF SUCH PERSONS AND/OR HAVE A POSITION OR EFFECT TRANSACTIONS IN SUCH SECURITIES. EACH POTENTIAL INVESTOR ACKNOWLEDGES THAT THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS AND THEIR AFFILIATES MAY FROM TIME TO TIME PERFORM VARIOUS INVESTMENT BANKING AND ADVISORY, BROKERAGE, COMMERCIAL BANKING, FINANCIAL ADVISORY AND FIDUCIARY SERVICES FOR THE COMPANY OR ITS AFFILIATES WHICH MAY HAVE CONFLICTING INTERESTS WITH RESPECT TO ANY POTENTIAL INVESTOR.
EACH OF THE ISSUER, THE GUARANTOR AND THE JOINT BOOKRUNNERS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY OBLIGATION OR UNDERTAKING TO UPDATE, REVIEW OR REVISE ANY STATEMENT CONTAINED IN THIS PRESS RELEASE WHETHER AS A RESULT OF NEW INFORMATION, FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS OR OTHERWISE.
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Rekha Jogia-Soni
Rekha.JogiaSoni@citi.com
Source: Citi
FAQ
What is the aggregate principal amount of the Bonds offered by Citigroup Global Markets Holdings Inc.?
To which company are the Bonds referable?
What is the expected issue price range for the Bonds?
When will the Bonds be redeemed?