Bank of China contributes to €3.84 billion EUR revolving credit facility for Vodafone for general corporate purposes in 2021 (Linked to Record ID#92096 and #110728)

Project narrative

On March 28, 2014, a syndicate of 29 banks — including the London Branch of Bank of China (BOC) — signed a multi-currency €3,860,000,000 EUR revolving credit facility (RCF) agreement with Vodafone Group Plc to support its commercial paper programmes, general corporate purposes, such as acquisitions, and to refinance a multi-currency five-year €4,000,000,000 EUR facility (loan) dated July 1, 2010 with a maturity date of July 1, 2015. The loan carried an interest rate of EURIBOR (or, if an advance was denominated in any Optional Currency, LIBOR) plus a margin based on the lowest percentage rate in relation to the Long Term Credit Rating Assigned to Vodafone by Moody’s, Fitch and/or S&P (either 0.175%, 0.20%, 0.225%, 0.275%, or 0.325%), a maturity of five years, a final maturity date of March 28, 2019, with an option to extend by one additional year. Vodafone Group Plc. served as a guarantor of this RCF. The London Branch of BOC provided €150,000,000 EUR to the syndicated loan (Record ID#92096). In addition to the London Branch of BOC, 28 institutions participated in the syndicate: Abbey National Treasury Services (ANTS) (Trading as Santander Global Banking and Markets) (€150 million EUR), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ANZ) (€80 million EUR), the London Branch of Banco de Sabadell S.A. (€80 million EUR), Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited (€150 million EUR), The Bank of New York Mellon (€80 million EUR), The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. (BTMU) (€150 million EUR), Barclays Bank Plc (€150 million EUR), BBVA Ireland P.L.C. (€150 million EUR), the London Branch of BNP Paribas S.A. (€150 million EUR), Citibank N.A., London (€150 million EUR), the London Branch of Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft (€150 million EUR), the London Branch of Deutsche Bank AG (€150 million EUR), Goldman Sachs Bank USA (€150 million EUR), HSBC Bank PLC (€150 million EUR), the London Branch of ING Bank N.V. (€150 million EUR), Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. (€150 million EUR), the London Branch of JP Morgan Chase Bank (€150 million EUR), Lloyds Bank Plc (€150 million EUR), Mizuho Bank, Ltd. (€150 million EUR), Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. (€150 million EUR), National Australia Bank Limited (NAB) (€80 million EUR), the London Branch of Société Générale (€80 million EUR), Standard Chartered Bank (€80 million EUR), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) (€150 million EUR), The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC (RBS) (€150 million EUR), The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD Bank) (€80 million EUR), the London Branch of UBS AG (€150 million EUR), and UniCredit Luxembourg S.A. (€150 million EUR). The Royal Bank of Scotland acted as the Facility Agent. On January 11, 2018, financial close was reached on a deal in which a syndicate of 27 banks — including Bank of China — entered into a €3.84 billion EUR syndicated loan agreement with Vodafone Group Plc — a UK-based multinational telecommunications company operating services in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania — for general corporate purposes. The maturity of the loan is 5 years and the interest rate was EURIBOR plus an applicable margin. The proceeds were used by the borrower for general corporate purposes. No additional details were disclosed in the agreement. While Bank of China contributed €150,000,000 EUR to this loan (Record ID#110728), the following lenders also participated: Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited (€150,000,000), The Bank of New York Mellon (€80,000,000), The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. (€150,000,000), Barclays Bank PLC (€150,000,000), BBVA Ireland P.L.C. (€150,000,000), BNP Paribas SA, London Branch (€150,000,000), Citibank N.A., London Branch (€150,000,000), Commerzbank AG, London Branch (€150,000,000), Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A. (€150,000,000), Goldman Sachs Bank USA (€150,000,000), HSBC Bank PLC (€150,000,000), ING Bank N.V., London Branch (€150,000,000), Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A., London Branch (€150,000,000), JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., London Branch (€150,000,000), Lloyds Bank PLC (€150,000,000), Mizuho Bank, Ltd (€150,000,000), Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. (€150,000,000), Royal Bank of Canada (€150,000,000), Santander UK PLC (€150,000,000), Société Générale, London Branch (€150,000,000), Standard Chartered Bank (€80,000,000), Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (€150,000,000), The Royal Bank of Scotland PLC (€150,000,000), The Toronto-Dominion Bank (€80,000,000), UBS AG, London Branch (€150,000,000), and UniCredit Bank AG, London Branch (€150,000,000). On March 10, 2021, financial close was reached on a second deal in which a syndicate of 50 banks — including Bank of China — entered into a €3.84 billion EUR syndicated loan agreement with Vodafone Group Plc for general corporate purposes. The maturity of the loan is 5 years and the interest rate was EURIBOR plus an applicable margin. The proceeds were used by the borrower for general corporate purposes. No additional details were disclosed in the agreement. While Bank of China contributed to this loan (Record ID#110729), the following lenders also participated: Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A., London Branch; Bank of America Europe Designated Activity Company; Barclays Bank PLC; BNP Paribas, London Branch; CaixaBank SA, UK Branch; Citibank N.A., London Branch; Commerzbank AG, London Branch; Deutsche Bank Luxembourg S.A.; Goldman Sachs Bank USA; HSBC Bank PLC; ING Bank N.V., London Branch; Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A.; JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., London Branch; Mizuho Bank, Ltd.; Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A.; MUFG Bank, Ltd.; National Westminster Bank PLC; Raiffeisen Bank International AG; Royal Bank of Canada; Société Générale, London Branch; Standard Chartered Bank; The Toronto-Dominion Bank, London Branch; UBS AG, London Branch; UniCredit Bank AG, London Branch; Banco Santander S.A., London Branch; Credit Suisse International; J.P. Morgan Securities PLC; and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, London Branch.