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RESIDENTIAL CAPITAL: To Get $750 Mil. Bailout from GM & Cerberus
GMAC LLC, both owned by General Motors Corp. and Cerberus Capital Management LP, is currently negotiating to provide a new 2-year $3.5 billion senior secured credit facility to its wholly owned subsidiary Residential Capital LLC, which would be conditioned on successful completion by ResCap of a debt tender and exchange offer for its outstanding unsecured notes. ResCap's financing plans also include seeking amendments to substantially all of its secured bilateral credit facilities to extend their maturities or to modify their tangible net worth covenants.
GM and Cerberus are in discussions to acquire $750 million first loss participation in GMAC's proposed senior secured credit facility, shared between Cerberus and GM on a pro rata basis.
As reported in the Troubled Company Reporter on May 7, 2008, ResCap disclosed that it is highly leveraged relative to its cash flow, and its liquidity position has been declining. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, ResCap said there is a significant risk that the company will not be able to meet its debt service obligations, be unable to meet certain financial covenants in its credit facilities, and be in a negative liquidity position in June 2008.
ResCap anticipates that its new debt agreements will include covenants to maintain minimum cash balances. To comply with these covenants and to satisfy its liquidity needs, ResCap expects that it will be required, even if it successfully implements all of the proposed actions, to generate capital in the near term through asset sales or other actions in addition to its normal mortgage finance activities, to obtain additional cash of approximately $600 million by June 30, 2008. This additional cash requirement is an estimate based upon ResCap's internal monthly cash forecasts targeting sufficient cash surpluses to prudently operate its business and remain in excess of anticipated cash covenants.
According to GM, if ResCap is unsuccessful in executing the financing transactions, including additional liquidity actions, it would have a material adverse effect on GMAC, which could result in a further impairment of GM's investments in GMAC and could disrupt GMAC's ability to finance GM's dealers and customers.
About GM
Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) -- http://www.gm.com/ -- was founded in 1908. GM employs about 266,000 people around the world and manufactures cars and trucks in 35 countries. In 2007, nearly 9.37 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Vauxhall and Wuling. GM's OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.
About GMAC LLC
GMAC LLC -- http://www.gmacfs.com/ -- formerly General Motors Acceptance Corporation, is a global, diversified financial services company that operates in approximately 40 countries in automotive finance, real estate finance, insurance and other commercial businesses. GMAC was established in 1919 and employs approximately 26,700 people worldwide. Cerberus Capital Management LP bought 51% GMAC LLC stake from General Motors Corp. on December 2006.
About ResCap
Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Residential Capital LLC -- http://www.rescapholdings.com/ -- is the home mortgage unit of GMAC Financial Services, which is in turn wholly owned by GMAC LLC.
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As reported in yesterday's Troubled Company Reporter, Moody's Investors Service downgraded to Ca, from Caa1, its ratings on the senior debt of Residential Capital, LLC subject to the bond exchange announced by ResCap on May 2, 2008. The rating of ResCap's approximately $1.2 billion of bonds maturing on June 9, 2008 was affirmed at Caa1. All ratings remain under review for downgrade.
Standard & Poor's Ratings Services lowered selected ratings on Residential Capital LLC, including lowering the long-term corporate credit rating to 'CC' from 'CCC+', following the company's launch of an exchange offer for unsecured bonds that S&P interpret as a distressed debt exchange. The ratings remain on CreditWatch with negative implications, where they were placed April 24, 2008.
Fitch Ratings has downgraded Residential Capital LLC's Issuer Default Rating to 'C' from 'BB-' following the company's debt exchange offer announcement. ResCap remains on Rating Watch Negative pending execution of the debt exchange offer. Upon completion of the exchange, Fitch will downgrade ResCap's IDR to 'D' indicating a default has occurred in accordance with Fitch's criteria on distressed debt exchanges.
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