Amsterdam, 06 February 2003
EADS (stock exchange symbol: EAD), the world’s second largest aerospace and defence company, unveiled on Thursday its first EUR 3 billion Euro Medium Term Note (EMTN) programme.
At the same time, EADS announced the launching of an inaugural Eurobond benchmark transaction, under the EMTN programme, subject to market conditions. The objectives of this initial issue will be to refinance existing debt and lengthen the maturity profile of the company’s debt, while benefiting from attractive interest rates.
Notes EADS Chief Financial Officer Hans Peter Ring: “This programme will further enhance EADS’ visibility on the global capital markets. It offers a truly flexible framework in terms of market access: Issuance will be based on prevailing market conditions.” The transaction will be launched following a Pan-European roadshow next week.
EADS has mandated Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas and HypoVereinsbank as joint lead managers and bookrunners.
An EMTN programme is a contractual framework that allows a borrower to raise debt from capital markets through dealers in successive issues of notes governed by the same terms. Each issue, however, may bear a different maturity (in this case between one month and 30 years) and interest rate.
EADS is a global aerospace and defence company, and is the world’s second largest in terms of revenues, having achieved EUR 30.8 billion in 2001. EADS maintains a workforce of more than 100,000 and is a market leader in defence technologies, commercial aircraft, helicopters, space, military transport and combat aircraft, as well as related services. Its family of leading brands includes the commercial aircraft maker Airbus; Eurocopter, the world's largest helicopter manufacturer; Astrium, the space company and MBDA, the world's second largest missile company. EADS is also the biggest partner in the Eurofighter consortium and heads the A400M military transport aircraft programme. EADS has more than 70 facilities in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. It is active in markets around the world, including the U.S., Russia and Asia.
Eckhard Zanger
EADS Communications Finance
Tel +49 89 607 27961
