NextDecade Announces $175 Million Senior Secured Loan

Fsn Capital

Proceeds Will be Used to Repay Existing $50 Million Revolving Credit Facility and $12.5 Million Interest Term Loan and for Working Capital and General Corporate Purposes

HOUSTON–(BUSINESS WIRE) –January 6, 2025– NextDecade Corporation (NextDecade or the Company) (NASDAQ: NEXT) announced today that its wholly owned subsidiary, Rio Grande LNG Super Holdings, LLC, has entered into a credit agreement with General Atlantic Credit’s (“GA Credit”) Atlantic Park Fund that provides for a $175 million senior secured loan (the “Senior Loan”).

Proceeds from the Senior Loan were disbursed at closing on December 31, and net proceeds, after fees and related transaction expenses, will be used to repay outstanding borrowings under the Company’s existing $50 million revolving credit facility and $12.5 million interest term loan, and to fund working capital and general corporate purposes, including development expenses for expansion trains 4 and 5 at the Rio Grande LNG Facility.

The Senior Loan matures six years from the closing date. Borrowings under the Senior Loan bear interest at 12.0%, with interest payable quarterly. Interest may be paid in-kind for the first two years after the closing date and then up to 50% paid in-kind thereafter.

On the closing date, NextDecade issued to GA Credit approximately 7.16 million warrants. The warrants are each exercisable for one share of NextDecade common stock at the option of GA Credit, and are exercisable for five years after the closing date. 50% of the warrants are exercisable at $7.15 per share, which represents the 30-day volume weighted average trading price for the 30 trading-day period immediately preceding the closing date, and the remaining 50% of the warrants are exercisable at $9.30 per share.

Santander acted as exclusive financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP acted as legal advisor to NextDecade. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and Baker Botts L.L.P. acted as legal advisors to GA Credit.

About NextDecade Corporation

NextDecade Corporation is an energy company accelerating the path to a net-zero future. Leading innovation in more sustainable LNG and carbon capture solutions, NextDecade is committed to providing the world access to cleaner energy. Through our subsidiaries Rio Grande LNG and NEXT Carbon Solutions, we are developing a 27 MTPA LNG export facility in South Texas along with one of the largest proposed carbon capture and storage projects in North America. We are also working with third-party customers around the world to deploy our proprietary processes to lower the cost of carbon capture and storage and reduce CO2 emissions at their industrial-scale facilities. NextDecade’s common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol “NEXT.” NextDecade is headquartered in Houston, Texas. For more information, please visit www.next-decade.com.

About General Atlantic Credit

General Atlantic Credit (“GA Credit”) is the dedicated credit investment platform within General Atlantic, a leading global growth investor. GA Credit leverages a demonstrated track record of strategic credit partnerships across market cycles and capital structures alongside General Atlantic’s more than 40 years of domain expertise and company-building capabilities. GA Credit’s Atlantic Park strategy provides flexible capital to high-quality companies seeking a strategic partner at various stages of the corporate and economic lifecycle. This partnership approach enables Atlantic Park to create customized capital solutions tailored to a company’s specific capital needs. General Atlantic manages approximately $100 billion in assets under management, inclusive of all strategies, as of October 1, 2024, with more than 900 professionals in 20 countries across five regions. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. federal securities laws. The words “anticipate,” “contemplate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “plan,” “intend,” “believe,” “may,” “might,” “will,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “can have,” “likely,” “continue,” “design,” “assume,” “budget,” “guidance,” “forecast,” and “target,” and other words and terms of similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, and these statements may relate to the business of NextDecade and its subsidiaries. These statements have been based on assumptions and analysis made by NextDecade in light of current expectations, perceptions of historical trends, current conditions and projections about future events and trends and involve a number of known and unknown risks, which may cause actual results to differ materially from expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Although NextDecade believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations will prove to be correct. NextDecade’s actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in NextDecade’s periodic reports that are filed with and available from the Securities and Exchange Commission. Additionally, any development of subsequent trains at the Rio Grande LNG Facility or CCS projects remains contingent upon execution of definitive commercial and financing agreements, securing all financing commitments and potential tax incentives, achieving other customary conditions and making a final investment decision to proceed. The forward-looking statements in this press release speak as of the date of this release. NextDecade may from time to time voluntarily update its prior forward-looking statements, however, it disclaims any commitment to do so except as required by securities laws.

Contacts

NextDecade

Investors
Megan Light
mlight@next-decade.com
832-981-6583

Media
Susan Richardson
srichardson@next-decade.com
832-413-6400

General Atlantic
Emily Japlon / Sara Widmann
media@generalatlantic.comRe

Optio Investment Partners, Kennedy Lewis Investment Management And KKR Announce Multi-Year Financing Agreement

KKR

Stockholm and London, 23 January, 2024 – Optio Investment Partners (“Optio”), an innovative credit platform, Kennedy Lewis Investment Management (“Kennedy Lewis”), a leading alternative credit manager, and KKR, a leading global investment firm, today announced a multi-year, multi-jurisdiction agreement. Under this agreement, Kennedy Lewis and KKR will provide asset-based funding to support the Optio Auto Evolution strategy, driving next generation auto financing. To ensure growth, in 2021, Optio entered into a partnership with Volvo Car Corporation (“Volvo Cars”).

The agreement commenced in December 2023 with an initial commitment of up to USD 750 million to fund the Optio Auto Evolution leasing and subscription strategy for retail and business customers across the UK. The agreement also extends funding to other jurisdictions across Europe, with an ambition for substantial growth in financed volumes over the next four years.

This relationship will support Optio and their partners’ ambition of a scalable multibillion USD solution for their subscription business across Europe. A proprietary tech platform has been built and integrated over the past years to support this. The growth of Optio’s Auto Evolution strategy will provide more consumers with access to flexible and competitive car subscription solutions, as well as a diversified product range with an increasing number of electric vehicles.

Björn Lagerstam, Co-founder, at Optio, said: “We at Optio are delighted to work with Kennedy Lewis and KKR for our inaugural strategy, Optio Auto Evolution. Optio was established to change the status quo in terms of financing real assets, and Auto being one of the largest asset backed markets, it was an obvious starting point. Since signing our first asset partner agreement in 2021, we have spent time establishing a robust investment and tech platform which enables scale as well as an attractive offering, both for investors, manufacturers, and asset owners. This new multi-year, multi-jurisdiction agreement is a great next step for scaling the Optio Auto Evolution strategy and subsequent Optio strategies.”

David K. Chene, Co-Founder and Co-Managing Partner at Kennedy Lewis, commented: “We are thrilled to provide this tailored asset-based financing solution to Optio in order to accelerate their growth. This investment demonstrates our structuring creativity and partnership-first mindset, and we look forward to supporting Optio and Volvo Cars’ rollout across the European market. This is an exciting opportunity for Kennedy Lewis to invest behind an innovative platform for the benefit of our investors.”

Vaibhav Piplapure, Managing Director in KKR’s Credit team, added: “This transaction creates a significant opportunity to help Optio scale its unique proposition, while accelerating growth for Volvo Cars. Automotive finance continues to be a core theme for KKR’s asset-based finance strategy, with auto companies increasingly looking for innovative solutions to help maintain stable cash flows and free up their balance sheet for product development, primarily in electrification. We look forward to building on this relationship with Optio in the years ahead.”

KKR will fund the transaction through credit funds, vehicles and accounts managed or advised by it under its Asset-Based Finance strategy.

Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP acted as legal advisor to Kennedy Lewis and KKR, and Ashurst LLP acted as legal advisor to Optio.

—           Ends      —

About Optio
Optio is an originator and private credit platform established in 2021 currently present in Sweden, UK and Luxembourg. Its expertise is to provide Asset Backed solutions and support asset partners using its scalable investment and tech platform. Optio acts on opportunities where current financing possibilities are inefficient and aims to partner with sustainable businesses, where they enable asset partners to accelerate their green transition journeys through capital management. Optio’s first strategy “Auto Evolution” is purchasing subscription cars with a focus to accelerate electrification and the direct-to-consumer business of the auto industry. The Auto Evolution strategy has been live since June 2023. (https://www.optioinvest.com/)

About Kennedy Lewis
Kennedy Lewis is an alternative credit manager founded in 2017 by David K. Chene and Darren L. Richman with approximately $14 billion under management across private funds, a business development company, and collateralized loan obligations. The firm seeks to deliver attractive risk adjusted returns for clients by investing across the credit markets through its opportunistic credit, homebuilder finance, core lending and broadly syndicated loan strategies. For more information, please visit Kennedy Lewis’ website at www.klimllc.com.

About KKR
KKR is a leading global investment firm that offers alternative asset management as well as capital markets and insurance solutions. KKR aims to generate attractive investment returns by following a patient and disciplined investment approach, employing world-class people, and supporting growth in its portfolio companies and communities. KKR sponsors investment funds that invest in private equity, credit and real assets and has strategic partners that manage hedge funds. KKR’s insurance subsidiaries offer retirement, life and reinsurance products under the management of Global Atlantic Financial Group. References to KKR’s investments may include the activities of its sponsored funds and insurance subsidiaries. For additional information about KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE: KKR), please visit KKR’s website at www.kkr.com. For additional information about Global Atlantic Financial Group, please visit Global Atlantic Financial Group’s website at www.globalatlantic.com.

Media Contacts

Optio Investment Partners
Tina Söderlund-Boley, tina@optioinvest.com
Phone +44 7872 484913
Head of Sales, Marketing and Investor Relations

Kennedy Lewis
Prosek Partners
Josh Clarkson
jclarkson@prosek.com
+1 212 279 3115

KKR
FGS Global
Alastair Elwen / Sophia Johnston
KKR-Lon@FGSGlobal.com
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7251 3801

 

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