Macy’s raises $4.5 billion, says it has ‘sufficient liquidity’ to weather pandemic

Macy’s raises $4.5 billion, says it has ‘sufficient liquidity’ to weather pandemic

A view outside Macy’s Herald Square during the coronavirus pandemic on May 13, 2020 in New York City.

  • Macy’s says it has raised roughly $4.5 billion in new financing to help it weather the coronavirus pandemic.
  • The department store said it expects to have “sufficient liquidity” to address the needs of its business during this time of upheaval.
  • The funding includes $3.15 billion in asset-based credit, and a previously announced $1.3 billion bond offering.

Macy’s said Monday it has raised roughly $4.5 billion in new financing to help it weather the coronavirus pandemic.

The funding includes $3.15 billion in asset-based credit, and a previously announced $1.3 billion bond offering.

Macy’s said, as a result, it expects to have “sufficient liquidity” to address the needs of its business during this time of upheaval. This includes purchasing fresh merchandise for the upcoming selling seasons, and repaying upcoming debt maturities in fiscal 2020 and 2021.

The latest financing agreement will mature in May 2024, and includes a short-term facility of $300 million that matures later this year in December, the company said. Through the agreement, the company can request increases in the facility of up to an additional $750 million.

Macy’s said it has additionally amended and substantially reduced the credit commitments of its existing $1.5 billion unsecured credit agreement. Macy’s plans to use the bond offering and cash on hand to repay outstanding borrowings under this agreement.

Macy’s stock rose as much as 10% in after-hours trading following the release. Its shares had closed Monday up nearly 9%, amid a broader market rally. The stock, which is valued at $3 billion, is down about 44% this year.

The funding raise comes as all of Macy’s stores had been shut since mid-March because of the pandemic, and are now beginning to reopen in phases across the U.S. Most of its New York City locations began offering curbside pickup on Monday. But a few, including its flagship Herald Square shop and Bloomingdale’s 59th Street, will open later this week.

Meantime, many of Macy’s peers in the department store industry are struggling. Neiman Marcus, Stage Stores and J.C. Penney have all filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection during the pandemic. Lord & Taylor is expected to liquidate. Many consumers are hesitant to return to malls after living through the Covid-19 crisis, putting more pressure on an already struggling group.

“We are pleased with the strong demand from new investors in our notes issuance, which allowed us to tighten pricing and increase the size of the offering,” Macy’s Chief Executive Jeff Gennette said in a statement Monday.

“The high quality of our real estate portfolio positioned us well to execute this offering,” he added.

Macy’s should be able to now fund its business for the “foreseeable future,” according to Gennette.

Macy’s is expected to hold a meeting with analysts Tuesday at 11 am ET, to provide an update on its financials.

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