Merchants Fleet Secures $50 Million in Growth Financing from Bain Capital Credit

Infusion of Capital to Accelerate Merchants Goal of Bringing Disruptive Change to Commercial Vehicle Management

HOOKSETT, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Merchants Fleet, the nation’s fastest-growing fleet management company, today announced the company has secured $50 million in growth financing from Bain Capital Credit. The financing will enable Merchants Fleet to further accelerate its growth trajectory and mission of bringing disruptive change to the fleet management industry, which impacts over 3.2 million commercial cars and trucks.

“The fourth industrial revolution is pushing forward, being driven by societal and consumer shifts, and the fleet industry will see both evolutionary and revolutionary change,” said Brendan P. Keegan, CEO of Merchants Fleet. “Over the past couple of years, Merchants Fleet has been embracing this change, and bringing to market comprehensive, innovative, flexible and specialized offerings that have impacted our clients tremendously and resulted in significant growth for our company. Bain Capital Credit has a long track record of providing flexible and scalable solutions for financing growth strategies, and we look forward to partnering with them as we continue to lead the disruptive change facing commercial fleets across North America.”

Businesses in virtually every industry with fleets of commercial vehicles, from 1 to over 10,000, are being challenged to navigate the multiple driving forces behind the mobility movement which include connected vehicles, multi-modal transportation, efficiency requirements and data-driven intelligence. Merchants Fleet has positioned itself to disrupt the industry with a new FleetTech model that combines processes, technology platforms, pilot programs, and a network of strategic alliances to deliver both comprehensive and innovative solutions to their clients.

“We are excited to support Brendan and the Merchants Fleet team as they expand and broaden their leadership position in the rapidly growing fleet management industry,” said Olof Bergqvist, a Managing Director at Bain Capital Credit. “We believe Merchants Fleet is well-positioned to further differentiate itself in the marketplace through their technology-driven value proposition, innovative platform and customer-centric service offering. Bain Capital Credit looks forward to a lasting partnership with Merchants Fleet and their existing financing partners to help support the company’s thoughtfully constructed strategy.”

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) served as the exclusive financial advisor and placement agent to Merchants Fleet.

About Merchants Fleet

Merchants Fleet is the fastest growing fleet management company nationally. Merchants provides clients with the most high-touch service and innovative experience across the industry for fleets, with flexible terms from three months to seven years. Our unique technology platforms coupled with specialized fleet teams provide the most comprehensive FleetTech solutions to drive proven results. Find out more at merchantsfleet.com.

About Bain Capital Credit

Bain Capital Credit (www.baincapitalcredit.com) is a leading global credit specialist with approximately $41 billion in assets under management. Bain Capital Credit invests up and down the capital structure and across the spectrum of credit strategies, including leveraged loans, high-yield bonds, distressed debt, private lending, structured products, non-performing loans and equities. Our team of more than 200 professionals creates value through rigorous, independent analysis of thousands of corporate issuers around the world. I n addition to credit, Bain Capital invests across asset classes including private equity, public equity and venture capital, and leverages the firm’s shared platform to capture opportunities in strategic areas of focus. Bain Capital Credit's dedicated Private Credit Group focuses on providing complete financing solutions to businesses with EBITDA between $10 million and $100 million located in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. Our dedicated global team affords us the ability to diligence the most complex situations and provide private capital to those companies.

About Houlihan Lokey

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) is a global investment bank with expertise in mergers and acquisitions, capital markets, financial restructuring, and valuation. The firm serves corporations, institutions, and governments worldwide with offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region. Independent advice and intellectual rigor are hallmarks of the firm’s commitment to client success across its advisory services. Houlihan Lokey is the No. 1 M&A advisor for the past five consecutive years in the U.S., the No. 1 global restructuring advisor for the past six consecutive years, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 20 years, all based on number of transactions and according to data provided by Refinitiv (formerly Thomson Reuters).