Sandoz successfully issues EUR 2.0 billion inaugural Eurobonds

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES, AUSTRALIA, CANADA OR JAPAN 

• Inaugural Eurobonds priced earlier today; three tranches of EUR 700 million, EUR 700 million and EUR 600 million
• Maturities of 3.5, 6.5 and 10 years, carrying fixed coupons at 3.97%, 4.22% and 4.50%, respectively
• Proceeds to repay bridge loan facility and for general corporate purposes

Basel, November 8, 2023 – Sandoz, the global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, today announced the issuance of three highly successful inaugural Eurobonds, with total gross proceeds of EUR 2.0 billion.

Following a debut transaction in CHF last month, this issuance marks the entry of Sandoz into the EUR debt capital market. Today’s issuance, through subsidiary Sandoz Finance B.V., turned out to be equally successful and concludes the company’s immediate refinancing needs post spin-off.

Colin Bond, Sandoz CFO said: "These inaugural bonds represent a further milestone for Sandoz, establishing us firmly as a new issuer in the EUR bond market and creating a diversified and well-balanced financing profile from a currency and maturity perspective."

The bonds carry fixed coupons of 3.97%, 4.22% and 4.50%, with tenors of 3.5, 6.5 and 10 years, maturing in 2027, 2030 and 2033, respectively.

The proceeds, together with those from last month’s CHF issuance, will be used for the repayment of the EUR 2.4 billion bridge loan and for general corporate purposes.

Sandoz continues to target a net debt to core EBITDA ratio of 1.7 to 2.0 and to maintain its solid investment grade rating.

Sandoz is rated Baa2 (stable outlook) by Moody’s and BBB (stable outlook) by S&P, and both agencies are expected to rate the bonds with ratings of Baa2 and BBB, respectively.

The transaction was led by BNP Paribas, J.P. Morgan and Mizuho as Active Bookrunners; Advestra and Linklaters acted as legal advisors to Sandoz.

Disclaimer

This Media Release contains forward-looking statements, which offer no guarantee with regard to future performance. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance at the time the statements are made. They are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not confined to, future global economic conditions, exchange rates, legal provisions, market conditions, activities by competitors and other factors outside of the control of Sandoz. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecasted or expected. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of the particular statement, and Sandoz undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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This Media Release does not constitute or form part of an offer to sell securities of Sandoz Group AG or the solicitation of any offer to subscribe for or otherwise buy securities of Sandoz Group AG, to any person in Australia, Canada, Japan or the United States, or in any jurisdiction to whom or in which offer or solicitation is unlawful.

THIS PRESS RELEASE IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES FOR SALE IN THE UNITED STATES. SECURITIES MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES ABSENT REGISTRATION OR AN EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION. THE BONDS HAVE NOT BEEN AND WILL NOT BE REGISTERED IN THE UNITED STATES AND MAY NOT BE OFFERED OR SOLD WITHIN THE UNITED STATES OR TO ANY U.S. PERSON, AND THIS ANNOUNCEMENT MAY NOT BE DISTRIBUTED IN THE UNITED STATES.

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About Sandoz

Sandoz (SIX: SDZ; OTCQX: SDZNY) is the global leader in generic and biosimilar medicines, with a growth strategy driven by its Purpose: pioneering access for patients. 22,000 people of more than 100 nationalities work together to bring Sandoz medicines to some 500 million patients worldwide, generating substantial global healthcare savings and an even larger total social impact. Its leading portfolio of more than 1500 products addresses diseases from the common cold to cancer. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Sandoz traces its heritage back to the year 1886. Its history of breakthroughs includes Calcium Sandoz in 1929, the world’s first oral penicillin in 1951, and the world’s first biosimilar in 2006. In 2022, Sandoz achieved sales of USD 9.1 billion and core EBITDA of USD 1.9 billion.

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