Royal Caribbean Group announces completion of private exchanges with certain holders of its 6.000% convertible senior notes due 2025

Rhea-AI Summary

Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) has completed private exchange transactions with certain holders of its 6.000% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025. The company exchanged approximately $827 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes for about 11.4 million shares of common stock and $827 million in cash. The cash portion was funded through borrowings under revolving credit facilities. Following the exchange, approximately $323 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes remain outstanding.

CFO Naftali Holtz stated that this transaction addresses a 2025 debt maturity while reducing outstanding shares and share equivalents on a fully diluted basis by 5.1 million shares. The exchange is not expected to materially impact 2024 adjusted earnings per share.

Positive

• Reduction of $827 million in convertible debt due in 2025
• Decrease in outstanding shares and share equivalents by 5.1 million on a fully diluted basis
• No material impact expected on 2024 adjusted earnings per share

Negative

• Increase in cash debt by $827 million through borrowings from revolving credit facilities
• Issuance of approximately 11.4 million new common shares, potentially diluting existing shareholders

Insights

Financial Analyst

Royal Caribbean's exchange of $827 million in convertible notes for stock and cash is a strategic move to address near-term debt. While it reduces diluted share count by 5.1 million, the $827 million cash outlay, funded by credit facilities, could impact liquidity. The remaining $323 million in 2025 notes suggests proactive debt management.

This transaction's neutral impact on 2024 adjusted EPS indicates careful financial planning. However, investors should monitor how increased credit facility usage might affect future borrowing costs and financial flexibility. The cruise industry's recovery trajectory remains important for assessing Royal Caribbean's long-term financial health.

Corporate Finance Expert

This transaction showcases Royal Caribbean's proactive approach to balance sheet management. By exchanging convertible notes for equity and cash, they're effectively deleveraging while also managing potential dilution. The 11.4 million shares issued are offset by a 5.1 million net reduction in diluted share count, a positive for existing shareholders.

However, the use of revolving credit facilities to fund the cash portion warrants attention. While it addresses the 2025 maturity, it shifts the debt burden to potentially higher-interest revolving credit. Investors should watch for future refinancing moves and the company's ability to generate free cash flow to pay down these credit lines.

MIAMI, Aug. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE: RCL) (the "Company") today announced the completion of its previously announced privately negotiated exchange transactions (the "Exchange Transactions") with a limited number of holders (the "Holders") of its 6.000% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the "2025 Notes"). In the Exchange Transactions, the Holders exchanged approximately $827 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes for an aggregate of approximately 11.4 million shares (the "Shares") of the Company's common stock and approximately $827 million in cash, representing the par value of the 2025 Notes exchanged, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon (together with the Shares, the "Exchange Consideration"). The Company funded the cash portion of the Exchange Consideration with borrowings under its revolving credit facilities.

The 2025 Notes exchanged by the Holders were immediately cancelled at the close of the Exchange Transactions. Immediately following the completion of the Exchange Transactions, approximately $323 million in aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes remain outstanding.

"We continue to proactively and methodically strengthen the balance sheet through debt paydowns and opportunistic refinancings." said Naftali Holtz, Chief Financial Officer of Royal Caribbean Group. "The private exchange of notes allows us to address a 2025 debt maturity, while also reducing our outstanding shares and share equivalents on a fully diluted basis by 5.1 million shares. This transaction is not expected to have a material impact to 2024 adjusted earnings per share given the timing of weighted average shares outstanding on a fully diluted basis."

Perella Weinberg Partners LP, J. Wood Capital Advisors LLC, and Truist Securities, Inc. served as advisors on this transaction.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein or any other securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release relating to, among other things, the expected impact of the Exchange Transactions and of future transactions constitute forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited, to: statements regarding debt paydowns and refinancings. Words such as "anticipate," "believe," "considering," "could," "driving," "estimate," "expect," "goal," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "seek," "should," "will," "would" and similar expressions are intended to help identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect management's current expectations, but they are based on judgments and are inherently uncertain. Furthermore, they are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause the Company's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied in those forward-looking statements. Examples of these risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, the following: the impact of the economic and geopolitical environment on key aspects of the Company's business, such as the demand for cruises, passenger spending, and operating costs; changes in operating and financing costs; the unavailability or cost of air service; adverse events such as terrorist attacks, war and other similar events; disease outbreaks and an increase in concern about the risk of illness on the Company's ships or when traveling to or from the Company's ships, all of which could reduce demand; incidents or adverse publicity concerning the Company's ships, port facilities, land destinations and/or passengers or the cruise vacation industry in general; the effects of weather, natural disasters and seasonality on the Company's business; the impact of issues at shipyards, including ship delivery delays, ship cancellations or ship construction cost increases; shipyard unavailability; vacation industry competition and changes in industry capacity and overcapacity; unavailability of ports of call; an inability to source the Company's crew or the Company's provisions and supplies from certain places; the uncertainties of conducting business internationally and expanding into new markets and new ventures; the Company's ability to obtain sufficient financing, capital or revenues to satisfy liquidity needs, capital expenditures, debt repayments and other financing needs; the Company's indebtedness, any additional indebtedness the Company may incur and restrictions in the agreements governing the Company's indebtedness that limit the Company's flexibility in operating its business; changes in foreign travel policy of the United States or other countries; growing anti-tourism sentiments and environmental concerns; concerns over safety, health and security of guests and crew; the impact of new or changing legislation and regulations (including environmental regulations) or governmental orders on the Company's business; uncertainties of a foreign legal system as the Company is not incorporated in the United States; the impact of foreign currency exchange rates, the impact of higher interest rate and food and fuel prices; further impairments of the Company's goodwill, long-lived assets, equity investments and notes receivable; the Company's ability to recruit, develop and retain high quality personnel; the risks and costs related to cyber security attacks, data breaches, protecting the Company's systems and maintaining integrity and security of the Company's business information, as well as personal data of its guests, employees and others; and pending or threatened litigation, investigations and enforcement actions.

Forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as predictions of actual results. Undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements in this release, which are based on information available to the Company on the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

About Royal Caribbean Group

Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL) is a vacation industry leader with a global fleet of 68 ships across its five brands traveling to approximately 1,000 destinations. With a mission to deliver the best vacations responsibly, Royal Caribbean Group serves millions of guests each year through its portfolio of best-in-class brands, including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silversea; and expanding portfolio of land-based vacation experiences through Perfect Day at CocoCay and Royal Beach Club collection. The company also owns 50% of a joint venture that operates TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises.

Investor Relations contact: Blake Vanier
Email: bvanier@rccl.com 
Media contact: Melissa Castro
Email: corporatecommunications@rccl.com 

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SOURCE Royal Caribbean Group

FAQ

What was the total amount of 2025 Convertible Notes exchanged by Royal Caribbean (RCL)?

Royal Caribbean (RCL) exchanged approximately $827 million in aggregate principal amount of its 6.000% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025.

How many new shares did Royal Caribbean (RCL) issue in the exchange transaction?

Royal Caribbean (RCL) issued approximately 11.4 million shares of its common stock as part of the exchange transaction.

What is the remaining principal amount of Royal Caribbean's (RCL) 2025 Convertible Notes after the exchange?

After the exchange transaction, approximately $323 million in aggregate principal amount of Royal Caribbean's (RCL) 2025 Convertible Notes remain outstanding.

How did Royal Caribbean (RCL) fund the cash portion of the exchange transaction?

Royal Caribbean (RCL) funded the cash portion of the exchange transaction with borrowings under its revolving credit facilities.