By Matt Tracy
(Reuters) -Rankings company S&P International put a adverse credit score outlook on U.S. gentle drinks big Keurig Dr Pepper after the corporate introduced Monday it is going to purchase Dutch espresso group JDE Peet’s.
In a Monday be aware accompanying their credit score outlook downturn on the favored soda vendor, S&P analysts highlighted the elevated debt profile of Keurig following the announcement of its $18 billion takeover of Peet’s.
The analysts famous Keurig’s post-deal leverage will probably lie within the mid-to-high 5x vary, effectively above its 4x leverage on the finish of June.
Keurig introduced early Monday morning its settlement to purchase JDE Peet’s in a deal providing a 20% premium to Peet’s closing market worth on Friday. Keurig expects to separate the merged entity into two separate publicly traded U.S. corporations – a agency targeted on espresso operations and a second enterprise targeted on different drinks.
S&P stated it at the moment expects to formally downgrade Keurig’s credit standing only one notch to BBB-, or the decrease finish of investment-grade, nearer to the deal’s cut-off date.
Analysts at S&P famous that they anticipate the mixed firm will decrease its leverage again right down to the low 4x vary roughly two years after the deal closing, given their forecast it is going to “prioritize debt reimbursement, revenue development, and synergy realization such that credit score metrics strengthen materially.”
(Reporting by Matt Tracy; Enhancing by Hugh Lawson)
