LafargeHolcim offers to buy back bonds

Cement maker offers to buy back $2bn of euro and sterling-denominated bonds to cut interest payments.

London - LafargeHolcim Ltd, the cement maker formed through a merger in July, offered to buy back about 1.75 billion euros ($2 billion) of euro and sterling-denominated bonds to cut interest payments.

The tender cover notes issued by Lafarge SA that mature in 2016 to 2020, according to a statement.

The final amount of bonds purchased may be “significantly higher or lower” than 1.75 billion euros, LafargeHolcim said.

The world’s largest cement maker will pay for the buyback partly using cash raised from asset sales it made to get regulatory approval for the merger. The company will also no longer have to pay elevated interest rates on some Lafarge SA notes, as the combination caused all three major rating firms to rate the debt to investment grade.

The offer outlined on Monday includes 500 million euros of 4.25 percent notes maturing in March 2016 and 750 million euros of 7.625 percent notes due in November that year. It also includes 1 billion euros of 5.375 percent bonds maturing in November 2018 and 350 million pounds ($535 million) of 8.75 percent bonds due in May 2017, according to the statement.

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