Leveraged loan issuance doubled in 2010 and is expected to continue at a healthy pace in 2011, according to a report published by Bloomberg today.
Companies secured more than $369 billion in loans as of Dec. 28, up from $170 billion in 2009. The upswing is attributed to low interest rates, significant demand on the part of corporations to refinance debt, and an increase in M&A and LBO activity.
The report notes that the loan market will be bolstered in 2011 by cheap financing and demand from LBO firms for financing for acquisitions.
Also, borrowers will need to refinance more than $288 billion in bank debt that comes due over the next four years, according to Barclays and Standard & Poor’s.
