Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
Completion of Offering of Senior Unsecured Debt
On August 17, 2018, CIT Group Inc. (“CIT”) completed a registered public offering of $500 million aggregate principal amount of senior unsecured notes due 2024 (the “Notes”). The Notes were priced at par. The Notes will bear interest at a rate of 4.750% per annum. Interest on the Notes will be payable semi-annually in cash in arrears on February 16 and August 16 of each year, commencing on February 16, 2019.
The net proceeds of this offering were approximately $496.5 million, after deducting commissions, fees and expenses associated with the offering. We intend to use the net proceeds from the offering for the redemption of the remaining approximately $500 million aggregate principal amount of our outstanding 3.875% senior unsecured notes due February 2019.
The Notes were issued pursuant to CIT’s shelf registration statement on FormS-3 (RegistrationNo. 333-221965), as supplemented by the final prospectus supplement filed with the SEC on August 16, 2018.
The Notes are unsecured obligations of CIT and are not guaranteed by any of CIT’s subsidiaries.
The Notes were issued under a base indenture, dated March 15, 2012, as supplemented by an eighth supplemental indenture, dated as of August 17, 2018 (together, the “Indenture”), each between CIT, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, as paying agent, security registrar and authenticating agent. The Indenture contains certain covenants that, subject to exceptions, limit CIT’s ability to (i) create liens and (ii) merge or consolidate, or sell, transfer, lease or dispose of all or substantially all of its assets.
We may redeem the Notes at our option, at any time in whole or from time to time in part. If the Notes are redeemed prior to November 16, 2023 (the date which is three months prior to the maturity date of the Notes) (the “Par Call Date”), the redemption price for the Notes to be redeemed on any redemption date will be equal to the greater of: (1) the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date; or (2) the sum of the present values of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, together with the scheduled payments of interest (exclusive of interest to the redemption date) from the redemption date to the maturity date (assuming such Notes matured on the Par Call Date), discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis, at the Treasury Yield, plus 30 basis points, plus accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount of the Notes being redeemed to the redemption date. If the Notes are redeemed on or after the Par Call Date, the redemption price for such Notes will equal 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of redemption.
In addition, CIT may at any time and from time to time purchase Notes in open market transactions, tender offers or otherwise. If CIT experiences a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined in the Indenture), the holders of the Notes may require CIT to repurchase for cash all or a portion of their Notes at a price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest.