Davis Polk & Wardwell

Credit Transactions News

Davis Polk Advises HMA on Its Recapitalization Plan

January 17, 2007

Davis Polk & Wardwell is advising Health Management Associates, Inc. (HMA) on its balance sheet recapitalization. HMA owns and operates general acute care hospitals in non-urban communities located throughout the United States.

Under its plan, HMA will recapitalize its balance sheet through $3.25 billion of new senior secured credit facilities, including the refinancing of amounts outstanding under its current revolving line of credit. As part of the recapitalization, HMA will return approximately $2.4 billion to shareholders through a $10.00 per share one-time special cash dividend. HMA’s board of directors has unanimously approved the recapitalization plan.

The Davis Polk corporate team includes partners George R. Bason Jr. and Leonard Kreynin and associate Miranda So. Partner Joseph P. Hadley and associates Dahlia Jacobs Prager and Adi David are providing credit advice. Partner Kyoko Takahashi Lin is providing employment advice. Counsel Susan D. Kennedy and associate Jason Blacksberg are providing real estate advice. All members of the Davis Polk team work in the New York office.

Ford and Visteon Restructure Business Relationship

May 25, 2005

Davis Polk & Wardwell is advising Ford Motor Company on the proposed restructuring of its relationship with Visteon Corporation. Visteon is a Michigan-based automotive components manufacturer and Ford's largest supplier. Visteon was spun off from Ford in 2000.

According to the terms of the memorandum of understanding announced today, Visteon will transfer 24 of its plants and facilities in the United States and Mexico to a temporary business entity controlled by Ford. Ford will also receive warrants to purchase up to 25 million shares of Visteon common stock at $6.90 per share.

Ford will pay Visteon approximately $300 million for inventory and $550 million to assist with Visteon's restructuring. Additionally, Ford will forgive Visteon's remaining obligation to fund approximately $800 million in post-retirement health care and life insurance benefit obligations (OPEB) related to Ford's Visteon-assigned United Auto Workers (UAW) employees and a portion of Visteon's salaried OPEB obligation for former Ford employees and retirees. Ford will also extend to Visteon a $250 million secured loan to repay debt maturing on August 1, 2005.

The transaction is subject to execution of definitive agreements and customary closing conditions and ratification by Ford-UAW hourly employees affected by the proposed agreement. The transaction is expected to close by September 30, 2005.

The Davis Polk corporate team includes partners Paul R. Kingsley and Donald S. Bernstein and associates Michael Davis and H. Oliver Smith. Partner Kathleen L. Ferrell is providing tax advice. Partner Thomas Patrick Dore Jr. and counsel Joseph J. Sperber are providing real estate advice. Partner Gail A. Flesher is providing environmental advice. Counsel John T. Wright is providing employment advice. Associate Lori Fields is providing intellectual property advice. All lawyers work in the New York office.

Davis Polk Advises SMART Modular on Its Recapitalization

March 30, 2005

Davis Polk & Wardwell advised SMART Modular Technologies (WWH), Inc. on its $125 million recapitalization. As part of the recapitalization, SMART Modular issued and sold $125 million of senior secured floating-rate notes due 2012. SMART Modular also entered into a new $35 million senior secured revolving credit facility that was undrawn at closing. SMART Modular used the net proceeds of the offering to repay existing credit facility debt, redeem approximately $65.1 million of preferred stock and the balance for general corporate purposes.

Based in Fremont, California, SMART Modular is a leading independent designer, manufacturer and supplier of memory products and related services focused on original equipment manufacturers. SMART Modular provides customers with technologically advanced memory products as well as comprehensive design, manufacturing, testing and logistics services. Texas Pacific Group, Francisco Partners and Shah Capital Partners are SMART Modular's shareholders.

The Davis Polk capital markets team included partner Alan F. Denenberg and associates Afra Afsharipour, Michael Nordtvedt and Nandan Kamath, all of the Menlo Park office. Partner Jean M. McLoughlin of the Menlo Park office provided employee benefits advice. Partner Karin S. Day and associate Lina E. Ziurys provided credit advice, partner Harry Ballan and associate Christopher Peters provided tax advice and associates Kelly Ann Finley and Yelena Lungin provided Investment Company Act advice, and are all of the New York office. Eric C. Valle, Edna S. Kwong, Cari M. Hebel and Karla K. Rogers, all of the Menlo Park office, were the legal assistants on the transaction.

Davis Polk Advises Mueller on Its Recapitalization

April 30, 2004

Davis Polk & Wardwell advised Mueller Holdings (N.A.), Inc. in connection with its $1.15 billion recapitalization. As part of the recapitalization, Mueller issued and sold units consisting of 14.75-percent senior discount notes due 2014 in an aggregate principal amount at maturity of $223 million and warrants to purchase Mueller Holdings common stock; and its subsidiary, Mueller Group, Inc. issued and sold $100 million of second-priority senior secured floating-rate notes due 2011 and $315 million of 10-percent senior subordinated notes due 2012. Mueller Group also entered into a $625 million amended and restated senior secured credit facility, which provided for $545 million of term loans and an $80 million revolving credit facility. Mueller used the net proceeds of the offerings and term loan borrowings to repay existing credit facility debt; pay a dividend to its common equity holders, including DLJ Merchant Banking Partners II, L.P. and related funds, of approximately $400 million in the aggregate; and redeem approximately $110 million of preferred stock.

Based in Decatur, Illinois, Mueller is a leading North American manufacturer of a broad range of flow control products for use in water distribution networks, water and wastewater treatment facilities, gas distribution systems and piping systems.

The Davis Polk capital markets team included partners Michael Kaplan and Richard D. Truesdell Jr. and associates Michael Nordtvedt, Laura M. Nardone, Jason H. Pan, Charles P. Bronowski and Jared G. Jensen. Partner Lawrence E. Wieman and associates James C. O'Brien and Kimberly E. Epstein provided credit advice. Partner Kathleen L. Ferrell and associates Raymond J. Holst and Melissa E. Loewenstern provided tax advice. Associate Kyoko Takahashi provided benefits advice. Counsel Betty Moy and associate Jason M. Licht provided environmental advice. Counsel Susan D. Kennedy and associate Charles J. Harary provided real estate advice. Kathryn Holden, Moonsun M. Kang and James F. Henderson were the legal assistants on the transaction. All members of the Davis Polk team work in the New York office.

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