Wednesday, May 07, 2008

GSK sell bonds to buy shares

GlaxoSmithKline, the pharmaceutical group, was poised to raise a record $9bn (£4.6bn) from new corporate bonds on Tuesday night as part of plans to raise its gearing to finance an ambitious share buy-back programme.

Demand from investors for non-financial corporate bond issues is high following the credit crunch, and the original $6bn issue was substantially oversubscribed. GSK added $2bn to its five, 10 and 30-year bonds and a further $1bn in floating rate two-year notes.

Most of the money will go towards funding the outstanding £8bn of a two-year £12bn buy-back unveiled in July last year and set to be completed by July 2009.

More at the FT

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