PARETO ADVISES SECTO AUTOMOTIVE ON THE SUCCESSFUL PLACEMENT OF A EUR 40 MILLION SENIOR SECURED BOND

Pareto Securities AB has advised Secto Topco Oy, a newly established holding company of Secto Automotive Group Oy (jointly “Secto Automotive” or the “Group”), ultimately majority owned by funds managed by the Finnish private equity firm Sentica Partners, on its successful placement of a 3-year EUR 40 million senior secured bond (the “Bonds”). The Bonds, maturing in November 2022, will carry a floating rate coupon of 3m Euribor + 7.00 per cent, with interest paid quarterly. The Bonds will be governed by Finnish law.

The proceeds from the transaction will be used to refinance the Group’s outstanding bond maturing in December 2019, to finance an extraordinary dividend to the shareholders, and for general corporate purposes.

The transaction was well received by the market, with participation from high-quality Nordic institutional investors coupled with incremental demand from continental Europe.

“The bond issue optimises the capital structure on the back of the successful profitable growth the Group has exhibited since Sentica Partners came in as majority owner. With this new financing in place, Secto is in a strong position to continue executing on its business plan and to grow with both existing and new customers, thus reaffirming our strong leading position” says Matias Henkola, CEO of Secto Automotive.

Pareto Securities AB acted as Sole Bookrunner in connection with the bond issue.

For more information please contact:

Mats Carlsson, CEO, +46 8 402 52 86

Markus Wirenhammar, Head of Investment Banking, +46 70-872 51 86

About Secto Automotive

Secto Automotive is the market leading SME-focused vehicle leasing service company in Finland providing a one-stop-shop concept to meet all vehicle leasing needs of small and medium-sized enterprises. Headquartered in Porvoo, Finland, the Group serves 3,600 SME customers from various industries across Finland. More information is available at www.secto.fi

Pareto Securities is an independent full service investment bank with a leading position in the Nordic capital markets and a strong international presence within the energy sector. Pareto Securities AB offers Swedish and foreign institutions, companies and private individuals investment services related to trading in stocks, shares in SPV’s and fixed income instruments, wide coverage both within equity- and credit research. Furthermore, Pareto Securities corporate finance offers ECM, M&A and DCM services as well as arrangement and syndication of new investment projects, arrangement and syndication of sale and leaseback structures within real estate, infrastructure and shipping/offshore. Pareto Securities AB is part of the Pareto Securities group and is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with more than 500 employees located in offices in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Switzerland, USA, Singapore and Australia.