Czech investor Kretinsky's EPH raises debut $527 million Samurai loan

EPH Invest SpA

18/02/2025 09:18

PRAGUE, Feb 18 (Reuters) - Czech energy group EPH,
controlled by billionaire investor Daniel Kretinsky, raised its
first Japanese loan facility worth 80 billion yen ($527
million), as part of efforts to diversify  funding access, the
company said.
    The so-called Samurai loan matures in February 2030 and pays
an interest margin of 160 basis points over the Tokyo overnight
average rate (TONAR), EPH said in a statement on Monday.
    SMBC Group was the sole coordinator of the loan.
    "We are delighted to have raised our debut Samurai loan,
which is an important milestone in the further diversification
of EPH's funding model," Vice-Chairman Pavel Horsky said in a
statement.
    It was the largest debut for a corporate borrower in the
Samurai loan market since the global financial crisis, Horsky
added.
    Kretinsky, a 49-year-old former investment bank lawyer, has
built Energeticky a Prumyslovy Holding (EPH) into one of
Europe's largest energy groups since its founding in 2009, while
also diversifying his investments into retail, media and other
areas across Europe in recent years.
    EPH reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and
amortisation (EBITDA) of 3.6 billion euros ($3.76 billion) on
revenue of 24.2 billion euros in 2023.
($1=151.8500 yen)
($1=0.9563 euros)

 (Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
 ((jason.hovet@thomsonreuters.com;))