Thai Union Plans $208 Mln Bond Issue To Refinance Debtff

Thai Union Frozen Products PCL (TUF), Asia’s top canned tuna exporter, said on Wednesday it planned to sell up to 8.5 billion baht ($208 million) of bonds by early next year to refinance debt.

TUF, whose U.S. subsidiaries own the Chicken of the Sea and Empress International brands, had debt of about 9 billion baht, most of it short term, president Thiraphong Chansiri informed. “We want more long-term debt so we can manage interest costs better,” he said, adding the firm's debt now carried floating interest rates.

TUF had interest costs of about 500 million baht per year, with debt of its U.S. units paying interest rates of 6 percent compared to domestic debt of 4 percent, Thiraphong said. ”Most of the proceeds will be used to refinance debt as we have no new investment plans now,” he said.

Earlier on Wednesday, TUF said the bond issue, also for business expansion, would help it manage costs better at a time of rising interest rates.

TUF is seeking a financial adviser for the bond issue. Other details including timeframe and maturity would be announced later, Thiraphong said.

Thai companies are rushing to issue bonds or mothball plans to raise money in the Thai debt market, which has been unsettled by fears of rising interest rates.

Government bond yields have risen steadily following a series of rate rises by the Bank of Thailand as it fights 7-year high, oil-induced inflation.

Last week, the central bank raise its key-14 day repurchase rate to 3.75 percent, its eighth rate rises since August 2004.

TUF shares closed unchanged at 30 baht on Wednesday, while the overall stock market rose 1.2 percent.

($1=40.89 baht)