Top oder Flop??? American Capit.LTD

American Capital shares active on debt negotiation hopes [b/]

Jun 18, 2009, 4:15 p.m. EST

www.marketwatch.com/story/...bt-negotiation-hopes?siteid=yhoof

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- American Capital Ltd. shares were active Thursday amid hopes that the investment firm may be able to renegotiate debt agreements with creditors.

However, the Bethesda, Md.-based company /quotes/comstock/15*!acas/quotes/nls/acas (ACAS 3.27, +0.80, +32.39%) remains in default on debt covenants and faces a tough challenge to get covenant waivers from different groups of lenders.

American Capital spokeswoman declined to comment.

American Capital shares closed at $3.18 on Thursday as more than nine million shares changed hands. The stock closed at $3.54 on Wednesday, according to FactSet data.

The stock has slumped 89% in the past year, but it's rebounded more than fivefold since hitting a low of 58 cents on March 6.

American Capital is in default under its unsecured credit facility and its unsecured public and private debt. While it hasn't missed any payments on the debt, the company said in a recent regulatory filing that it breached some financial covenants earlier this year.

It has $4.4 billion of debt outstanding, with $2.3 billion of that in the three credit facilities. A total of $1.25 billion of the debt matures in March 2011, according to analysts at Stifel Nicolaus & Co.

American Capital is also paying most of a dividend of more than $200 million in stock rather than cash.

"We have very good odds of reaching a satisfactory resolution with our creditors that will be universal and global in terms of solving all three creditor defaults," said Chief Executive Malon Wilkus during a June 4 analyst conference.

After the company fixes the default problem, it will likely raise capital to invest, he added.

"This is a great time to invest when you have capital," Wilkus noted, according to a transcript of the conference.

'Desire'
Several investors have argued that the banks which have lent money to American Capital won't want to see the company descend into bankruptcy. However, that decision isn't just up to the banks, according to Troy Ward and his analyst colleagues at Stifel, Nicolaus.

There are three different groups of lenders: the banks behind the revolving credit facility, public bond holders, and private bond holders, the analysts said in a note to investors earlier this week.

If one group moves to accelerate required debt payments, the other two groups would too, they noted, citing a recent speech by Wilkus.

"We remain concerned that the public debt holders don't have the desire like the bank holders to keep American Capital out of bankruptcy," Ward and his colleagues wrote.

"Based on recent trading in the public debt some of the new holders now own the debt at 30-60 cents on the dollar. Their desire for bankruptcy or covenant waivers is potentially different than the bank holders," they wrote.

Wilkus confirmed on June 4 that unsecured lenders would probably like to become secured creditors and that American Capital has roughly $4 billion in assets that could be used as collateral.

However, Wilkus also said that if American Capital arranged secured loans, the company could be left more vulnerable.

Provisions in typical secured loan agreements could include tangible net worth covenants and requirements that the market for mergers and acquisitions remains active, he explained.

"We have to be highly concerned on behalf of our shareholders to enter into a secured agreement that has provisions that we think we might trip out of no fault of our own," Wilkus said, according to the transcript of the June 4 meeting.

"The sale of People Media is an excellent outcome for American Capital, creating strong returns for American Capital and its funds under management," said Miles Arnone, Managing Director, Technology Group. "Throughout our two year investment, the company has achieved significant objectives, including launching a partnership with AOL Personals, which have assisted in solidifying its leading position in the targeted online dating market. As an even stronger company now, we believe People Media will continue to thrive under the leadership of its new owner."

People Media is the leading provider of targeted online dating communities. The company's 27 focused dating websites enable adults to meet online in a safe and convenient setting and participate in a community, become friends, date, establish long-term relationships or marry. The company's websites are focused on specific demographic groups and include BlackPeopleMeet.com, SingleParentMeet.com, SeniorPeopleMeet.com, BBPeopleMeet.com and LDSPlanet.com, with a combined 255,000 paying subscribers.

"Since 2007, the American Capital Technology Group has worked closely with People Media and the management team to transform the company from an entrepreneurially run business to an enterprise with improved controls, infrastructure and growth prospects," said Will Rudat, Vice President, Technology Group.

Since American Capital's August 1997 IPO through the first quarter of 2009, the company has earned a 16% compounded annual return, including interest, dividends, fees and net gains, on 255 realizations of senior debt, subordinated debt and equity investments, totaling $11 billion of committed capital. These realizations represent 48% of all amounts invested by American Capital since its August 1997 IPO. Proceeds from these realizations exceeded the total associated prior quarter valuation of the investments by less than 1%. American Capital earned a 29% compounded annual return on the exit of its equity investments, including dividends, fees and net gains.

For a chart showing American Capital's exited portfolio companies, please go to www.americancapital.com/our_portfolio/exited.html.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN CAPITAL TECHNOLOGY GROUP

The American Capital Technology Group invests in early, middle and late stage technology companies. With the flexibility to invest in equity and debt from $5 million to $400 million, the American Capital Technology Group can provide its capital base and domain expertise to build category-leading, technology companies. These companies generally are mature, high performing, cash flowing companies with excellent growth rates. They operate across many industry sectors and are driven by a broad range of technologies. The Technology Group extends American Capital's existing technology investment business by investing in earlier stage technology companies.

ABOUT AMERICAN CAPITAL

American Capital is a publicly traded private equity firm and global asset manager. American Capital, both directly and through its asset management business, originates, underwrites and manages investments in middle market private equity, leveraged finance, real estate and structured products. Founded in 1986, American Capital has $11 billion in capital resources under management(1) and ten offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia. For further information, please refer to www.americancapital.com/.

(1) As of March 31, 2009.

Performance data quoted above represents past performance of American Capital. Past performance does not guarantee future results and the investment return and principal value of an investment in American Capital will likely fluctuate. Consequently, an investor's shares, when sold, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Additionally, American Capital's current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted above.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The statements regarding expected results of American Capital are subject to various factors and uncertainties, including the uncertainties associated with the timing of transaction closings, changes in interest rates, availability of transactions, changes in regional, national or international economic conditions, or changes in the conditions of the industries in which American Capital has made investments.

CONTACT: Miles Arnone, Managing Director, Technology Group (508) 598-1100 Will Rudat, Vice President, Technology Group (508) 598-1100 Jennifer Burke, Corporate Communications (301) 968-9400

DATASOURCE: American Capital Ltd.


CONTACT: Miles Arnone, Managing Director, Technology Group,

+1-508-598-1100, or Will Rudat, Vice President, Technology Group,

+1-508-598-1100, or Jennifer Burke, Corporate Communications, +1-301-968-9400


Web Site: www.americancapital.com/



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