Bladex leads successful syndication of a US$120 million 3-Year Senior Unsecured Term Loan Facility for Grupo Monge

PANAMA CITY, May 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ --Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. ("Bladex" or the "Bank"; NYSE: BLX) announced today the successful closing of a US$120 million 3-year senior unsecured syndicated loan (the "Facility") for GMG Holding S.A. and subsidiaries ("Grupo Monge" or the "Group"). Bladex was the Sole Lead Arranger and Bookrunner, and Administrative Agent for the Facility.

Established in Costa Rica in 1974, Grupo Monge is one of the two largest integrated durable goods retailers and consumer finance providers in Central America, with 518 stores across 6 countries: Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Peru.  The group is 100% owned by the Monge family, and is led by a seasoned management team and a board of directors with very extensive experience in the banking and retail industries.

The deal constitutes the second international syndicated Facility for Grupo Monge.  Proceeds from the Facility will be used to refinance Grupo Monge's existing indebtedness and extending the Group's debt maturity profile.

The transaction attracted the interest of 15 financial institutions from Panama, Costa Rica, Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, Curacao, Dominican Republic, and the United States, of which the majority represent new banking relationships for Grupo Monge.  It was 1.2 times oversubscribed, which allowed the Group to upsize the facility amount to US$120 million from its original target of US$100 million. 

Gaston Monge, Chief Executive Officer of Grupo Monge commented: "We are very satisfied to have closed an extremely successful transaction, which will allow us to continue growing and consolidating into the markets in which we operate. Having worked hand in hand with the Bladex team reaffirms our commitment to excellence. This deal constitutes the second international syndicated transaction of over US$100 million for Grupo Monge, highlighting the international and regional banks' trust in our Group.

Alejandro Jaramillo, Chief Commercial Officer of Bladex, stated: "Bladex is very pleased to have successfully executed this syndicated loan for Grupo Monge, which provides the Group access to new banking relationships and medium-term funding. This Facility adds to Bladex's continuing growth in the Latin American syndicated loan space, highlighting its distribution capabilities and its access to a wide network of regional and international financial institutions."

Bladex, a multinational bank originally established by the central banks of Latin-American and Caribbean countries, initiated operations in 1979 to promote foreign trade finance and economic integration in the Region. The Bank, headquartered in Panama, also counts with offices in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and the United States of America, supporting the regional expansion and servicing its customer base, which includes financial institutions and corporations.

Bladex is listed on the NYSE in the United States of America (NYSE: BLX), since 1992, and its shareholders include: central banks and state-owned banks and entities representing 23 Latin American countries; commercial banks and financial institutions; and institutional and retail investors through its public listing.

For further information, please access Bladex's website at www.bladex.com or contact:

Irma Garrido Arango - Senior Vicepresident, Corporate Development and Investor Relations
E-mail address:  igarrido@bladex.com, Tel.: (+507) 210-8559
Head Office Address:  Torre V, Business Park, Ave. La Rotonda, Urb. Costa del Este,
Panama, Republic of Panama

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SOURCE Banco Latinoamericano de Comercio Exterior, S.A. (Bladex)