Equitable Bank Completes $150 Million Deposit Note Issue
TORONTO, April 16, 2019 /CNW/ - Equitable Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Equitable Group Inc. (the "Company") (TSX: EQB and EQB.PR.C) today announced the closing of a successful institutional placement of a $150 million 2-year fixed rate deposit note due April 16, 2021 (the "Deposit Note").
The Deposit Note was priced at 160 basis points over comparable term Government of Canada bonds, which was tighter than the levels achieved on Equitable's last deposit note issuance. Similarly, twenty-five (25) investors participated in the deal, almost twice as many as in the Company's previous deposit note issuance. The Deposit Note ranks equally and ratably with all present and future unsecured and unsubordinated liabilities of the Company. It is not eligible for Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance.
"We are pleased to once again step into the deposit note market with this issue, at terms that demonstrate our strong support from the institutional investor community," said Tim Wilson, Chief Financial Officer of the Company. "The terms of this deal reflect our consistently strong financial performance and risk management track record. We are encouraged by the market's reception and hope this deal represents the beginnings of a more sustained issuance program."
The issuance was completed with CIBC World Markets and RBC Capital Markets, acting as co-leads and bookrunners, supported by the Bank of Montreal, National Bank Financial, Scotiabank, and TD Securities as co-managers.
ABOUT EQUITABLE GROUP INC.
Equitable Group Inc. is a growing Canadian financial services business that operates through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Equitable Bank. Equitable Bank, Canada's Challenger Bank™, is the country's ninth largest independent Schedule I bank and offers a diverse suite of residential lending, commercial lending and savings solutions to Canadians. Through its proven branchless approach and customer service focus, Equitable Bank has grown to over $29 billion of Assets Under Management. EQ Bank, the digital banking arm of Equitable Bank, provides state-of-the-art digital banking services to 75,000 Canadians and was the 2018 recipient of the Best Mobile App in Canada at the World Finance Digital Banking Awards. On January 1, 2019, Equitable Bank acquired Bennington Financial Corp., which furthered the Bank's diversification by providing access to the brokered equipment leasing market. Equitable Bank employs over 830 dedicated professionals across the country and is a 2019 recipient of Canada's Best Employer Platinum Award, the highest bestowed by AON Hewitt. For more information about Equitable Bank and its products, please visit equitablebank.ca.
CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Statements made by the Company in the sections of this news release, in other filings with Canadian securities regulators and in other communications include forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). These statements include, but are not limited to, statements about the Company's objectives, strategies and initiatives, financial result expectations and risk management, statements about future issuances of deposit notes of the Company, statements made by our Chief Financial Officer and other statements made herein, whether with respect to the Company's businesses or the Canadian economy. Generally, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "planned", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases which state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, closing of transactions, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including but not limited to risks related to capital markets and additional funding requirements, fluctuating interest rates and general economic conditions, legislative and regulatory developments, the nature of our customers and rates of default, and competition as well as those factors discussed under the heading "Risk Management" in the Management's Discussion and Analysis and in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. All material assumptions used in making forward-looking statements are based on management's knowledge of current business conditions and expectations of future business conditions and trends, including their knowledge of the current credit, interest rate and liquidity conditions affecting the Company and the Canadian economy. Although the Company believes the assumptions used to make such statements are reasonable at this time and has attempted to identify in its continuous disclosure documents important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Certain material assumptions are applied by the Company in making forward-looking statements, including without limitation, assumptions regarding its continued ability to fund its mortgage business at current levels, a continuation of the current level of economic uncertainty that affects real estate market conditions, continued acceptance of its products in the marketplace, as well as no material changes in its operating cost structure and the current tax regime. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that are contained herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of any offer to buy securities in any province, state or jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such province, state or jurisdiction.
The Deposit Note has not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or delivered, directly or indirectly, or sold in the United States absent an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
SOURCE Equitable Group Inc.
Andrew Moor, President and Chief Executive Officer, 416-515-7000; Tim Wilson, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, 416-515-7000
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