Minibond emission
STAR7 ISSUES €13 MILLION MINIBOND, FULLY SUBSCRIBED BY UNICREDIT AND PARTIALLY GUARANTEED BY SACE, TO SUPPORT ITS LONG-TERM GROWTH
STAR7’S RATING UPGRADED TO “B1+” FROM “B1”, ASSISTED BY IMPROVED FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Valle San Bartolomeo (Alessandria, Italy), 14 November 2024
STAR7 (EGM: ticker STAR7) announces that it has issued, on 14 November 2024, a non-convertible minibond for a value of €13 million at a floating rate and with maturity in November 2031. The minibond is fully subscribed by UniCredit, partially guaranteed by SACE, and has a grace period of approximately 13 months. STAR7 provides an integrated range of product-information services, from product and process engineering support to the creation and management of technical and marketing content, translation, printing and virtual experience.
The funds will be partly allocated to the forthcoming acquisition of the CAAR Group business division, which will be formally completed in the coming weeks (following the provisional award of the tender by the Judicial Liquidation of CAAR S.p.A. and STI S.r.l. on 22 October 2024), and partly to support related activities including working capital and investments, with particular reference to the Artificial Intelligence projects that will support STAR7's business development in the near future.
In addition, Modefinance Ratings has announced in a note that it has upgraded STAR7's debt rating to “B1+” from “B1”. The agency's decision is supported by the Group's improved financial performance and reduced financial leverage.
Modefinance points out that “the Company now has an appreciable diversification of the products and services it offers and is progressively internationalising its business – both factors that are contributing to the continuous expansion of its turnover. The half-year figures as at 30/06/2024 show a notable increase in revenues and solid strengthening of operating margins compared to the same period last year.
According to the ratings agency, “STAR7 S.p.A. presents, at the consolidated level, an overall satisfactory economic-financial situation, characterised in terms of solvency by improving leverage and financial leverage indicators, and an adequate balance of assets and liabilities. The net debt and debt sustainability ratios continue to denote good management of the Company's financial exposure, while the balance between short-term assets and liabilities remains correct.”
Lorenzo Mondo, Chairman and CEO of STAR7, commented: “Our company's focus on generative AI will become increasingly important and will be one of the key drivers for development. This was demonstrated by the success of the event organised in Milan in October dedicated to 7AI, the new generation of STAR7 services integrating artificial intelligence. I am pleased to say that we have not only invested in these new technologies for some time, but are already reaping important results by working on numerous projects with our major customers.”
In the transaction, STAR7 was assisted by EMINTAD ITALY as financial advisor, by the law firm GPBL for the legal and contractual aspects, and by Andrea Farina as in-house counsel, while UNICREDIT, for the legal and contractual aspects, was assisted by LEGANCE.
This press release is available on the STAR7 website www.star-7.com (in the “Investor Relations/Press releases” section) and on the storage system for regulated information www.1info.it.
STAR7
For more than 20 years, STAR7 has served its customers as a leader in the product information sector. Support for product and process engineering, creating and managing technical content, as well as marketing, translation, printing and virtual experience: STAR7’s range of services means it can assist its customers throughout the product life-cycle – from design to aftersales.
STAR7’s hallmark has always been an approach combining specific know-how, technology and vision to offer the best possible solutions to the needs of customers and the global market. This approach has seen STAR7 strike major partnerships with leading international companies, establishing it as a reliable and credible global partner.
STAR7 is part of the STAR Group network.
www.star-7.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
INVESTOR RELATIONS
investorrelations@star-7.com
Pierluigi Valletta, CFO and Investor Relations Manager
Mob: +39 0131 19788
Email: pierluigi.valletta@star-7.com
MEDIA RELATIONS
mediarelations@star-7.com
EURONEXT GROWTH ADVISOR
ALANTRA Capital Markets
Mob: +39 334 6267243
Email: ega@alantra.com