CIT Enters into Restructuring Plan Support Agreement with Carl Icahn and Obtains Incremental $1 Billion Committed Line of Credit from Icahn Capital LP
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CIT Group Inc. (NYSE: CIT), a leading provider of financing to small businesses and middle market companies, today announced that it has entered into an agreement with Carl Icahn to support its restructuring plan and secured an incremental $1 billion committed line of credit from Icahn Capital LP to provide supplemental liquidity for CIT as it pursues that plan.
This new line of credit may be drawn by the Company on or prior to December 31, 2009, subject to definitive documentation and other customary conditions, and may be drawn as debtor-in-possession financing in the event of bankruptcy. Together with CIT’s $4.5 billion expansion facility, announced on October 28, 2009, and other available sources of liquidity, the line of credit will further enhance CIT’s liquidity during the execution of its restructuring plan and ensure its ability to serve its existing small business and middle market customers.
For Additional Information
Further information about the Company and its restructuring plan is available at www.cit.com
Evercore Partners, Morgan Stanley and FTI Consulting are the Company’s financial advisors and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP is legal counsel in connection with the restructuring plan. Sullivan & Cromwell is legal advisor to CIT’s Board of Directors.
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About CIT
CIT (NYSE: CIT) is a bank holding company with more than $60 billion in finance and leasing assets that provides financial products and advisory services to small and middle market businesses. Operating in more than 50 countries across 30 industries, CIT provides an unparalleled combination of relationship, intellectual and financial capital to its customers worldwide. CIT maintains leadership positions in small business and middle market lending, retail finance, aerospace, equipment and rail leasing, and vendor finance. Founded in 1908 and headquartered in New York City, CIT is a member of the Fortune 500. www.cit.com
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable federal securities laws that are based upon our current expectations and assumptions concerning future events, which are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The words “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “initiative,” “objective,” “plan,” “goal,” “project,” “outlook,” “priorities,” “target,” “intend,” “evaluate,” “pursue,” “commence,” “seek,” “may,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” or the negative of any of those words or similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements. All statements contained in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, including without limitation, statements about our plans, strategies, prospects and expectations regarding future events and our financial performance, are forward-looking statements that involve certain risks and uncertainties. While these statements represent our current judgment on what the future may hold, and we believe these judgments are reasonable, these statements are not guarantees of any events or financial results, and our actual results may differ materially. Important factors that could cause our actual results to be materially different from our expectations include, among others, CIT may need to seek protection under the US Bankruptcy Code, even if the tender offer is consummated, the risk that the additional loan facilities do not provide the liquidity that CIT is seeking due to material negative changes to CIT’s liquidity from draw down of loans by customers, the risk that CIT is unsuccessful in its efforts to effectuate a comprehensive restructuring of its liabilities, in which case CIT may be forced to seek bankruptcy relief. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which the statements were made. CIT undertakes no obligation to update publicly or otherwise revise any forward-looking statements, except where expressly required by law.