Weak Credit Covenants

Victoria  Ivashina; Boris  Vallee

Working Paper | 2017

Weak Credit Covenants

Abstract

Using novel data on 1,240 credit agreements for large corporate loans, we show that while inclusion of negative covenants that restrict new debt issuance, payments, asset sales, affiliate transactions and investments is widespread, clauses that weaken these restrictions are almost as common. We measure the deductions for the core covenants in terms of their potential impact on overall leverage and show that they are large, and concentrated in already highly levered transactions. We analyze the cross-sectional variation in contractual weaknesses introduced through deductions and exclusions to negative covenants and show that such contractual provisions are characteristic of leveraged buyouts.

Keywords: Credit; Agreements and Arrangements;

Language: English

Format: Print

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Citation:

Ivashina, Victoria, and Boris Vallee. "Weak Credit Covenants." Working Paper, June 2017.

Case | HBS Case Collection | February 2020

Seso Global: Building a Blockchain-enabled Property Marketplace in Nigeria

Boris Vallee and Yang (Dolly) Yu

The mutual aspiration of addressing the housing shortage and improving real estate market efficiency led Daniel and Phillip to co-found Seso Global in 2017. Seso Global developed a unique integrated platform to streamline and rationalize the process of acquiring and financing a home in Nigeria. In particular, the Seso team aimed to create a blockchain-enabled ledger of land titles to address a key challenge of Nigerian real estate and mortgages market: ensuring rightful ownership of properties. Their platform combined a land registry management and query portal, a property and mortgage marketplace, and a land service provider marketplace. However, VC investors had been grilling them on their business and revenue model. On the other hand, the impact investors they had talked to were focused on whether their activity would have an effect at the bottom of the pyramid. Pondering on the comments made by the VC, Daniel and Phillip were discussing which part of the platform to prioritize. What should be the focus of their business model? Who should be their main clients? Answers to these questions would be key to win over investors and scale up their operations.

Keywords: fintech; Blockchain; developing markets; entrepreneurial management; Financing and Loans; Online Technology; Business Model; Growth and Development Strategy; Developing Countries and Economies; Real Estate Industry; Africa; Nigeria;

Citation:

Vallee, Boris, and Yang (Dolly) Yu. "Seso Global: Building a Blockchain-enabled Property Marketplace in Nigeria." Harvard Business School Case 220-055, February 2020. View Details

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Using credit-registry data for Spain and Peru, we document that four main types of commercial credit—asset-based loans, cash flow loans, trade finance and leasing—are easily identifiable and represent the bulk of corporate credit. We show that credit growth dynamics and bank lending channels vary across these loan types. Moreover, aggregate credit supply shocks previously identified in the literature appear to be driven by individual loan types. The effects of monetary policy and the effects of the financial crisis propagating through banks’ balance sheets are primarily driven by cash flow loans, whereas asset-based credit appears to be largely insensitive to these types of effects.

In 2005, Berkshire Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm specializing in growth equity, was one year into their ownership of Amscan, the market leader of designed, manufactured, and distributed decorated party goods and accessories. However, Amscan's primary customer, retail store Party City, was making aggressive moves to backwards integrate and cut into Amscan's profit pool. Even if Party City failed at its attempt, it could cause significant damage to the business and subsequently hurt Amscan’s top line. The Berkshire team needed to figure out a path forward. Should they try to invest in or buy Party City to thwart efforts that would potentially erode both businesses? If they did, should Party City remain a standalone company, or should it be merged with Amscan? Would Party City even come to the negotiating table? These questions, plus additional complications with investments from overlapping funds, left the Berkshire team in a difficult situation.

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Weak Credit Covenants

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