Benfica SAD places debts of 50 million and does not rule out the entry of a minority investor

Benfica SAD has placed €50 million in debt, for the three-year period 2024-2027, with 3,524 investors. The case relates to a bond subscription and exchange process that began on April 8 and ended last Friday, April 19.

“This case was a success and we are very satisfied,” Benfica SAD director Luis Mendes said on the occasion of presenting the results of the operation in Lisbon.

When reporters asked him, he left the assurance that “Benfica is comfortable” financially. However, he said that the club does not reject the possibility of a minority foreign investor entering, as has happened at other clubs, around the world.

He confirmed with Luis Mendes that “Benfica is financially comfortable and will not link the structure of its treasury and balance sheet to the entry of foreign investors.” However, he realizes that if this possibility existed, “Benfica would not close the door.” In this context, he also stressed that there is “no plan at the present time in this direction.”

Data on the debt deposit process indicate that the initial offering amount was exceeded on the second day of subscription (April 9). In total, the total bonds that were subject to subscription (OPS) amounted to €32,711,725, while the exchangeable bonds amounted to €17,288,275.

With a value of €5 per bond and a minimum subscription value of €2,500, the new bonds are linked to a total nominal interest rate of 5.10% per annum. In this context, the will of investors exceeded the commitments made by Benfica SAD by 1.33 times, to the point that they reached 67,575,285 euros by the end of April 19.

The new obligations are scheduled to be settled next Wednesday, April 24. It is scheduled to mature on April 23, 2027, completing a three-year period.

Regarding the upcoming transfer market for the football team, Mendes acknowledged that “any club, to achieve results, has to sell players”, but he did not refer to specific cases of football players.