What is the Loan Syndication Process?

  • April 29, 2021

Understanding the loan syndication process can help your company finance the ambitious commercial real estate project that will take it to the next level. Before seeking out a syndicated loan, entrepreneurs should understand the loan syndication process. A syndicated loan is a loan granted by a group of lenders to a single borrower.

Syndicate loans are generally sought out by borrowers who are seeking a particularly large loan. By creating a syndicate of lenders, banks collectively distribute the risk amongst themselves and gain the peace of mind needed to issue such a large loan.

Keep reading to learn more about the loan syndication process and how each role within the process functions.

What to Know About the Loan Syndication Process

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, partaking in the loan syndication process can allow a bank to broaden the geographic area or specific industries that it lends to, thereby giving it a broad financial foundation to fall back upon in the event of a crisis.

Most banks focus on the three main types of loan syndication: underwritten deals, best effort deals, and club deals.

Underwritten deals see the lead underwriter of the syndicate loan guarantee and syndicate most of a loan, which is risky but allows the lead underwriter to generate huge profits. The lead underwriter takes on most of the loan’s responsibility and will be forced to fully finance the loan by itself if it cannot find other banks to participate in the loan syndication process.

Best effort deals entail a bank using its “best efforts” to form a syndicate of other lenders to collectively back the loan. The bank has no obligation to lend money to the borrower but will instead seek to create a coalition of banks to fulfill the loan terms.

Finally, club deals entail a syndicate of lenders funding a smaller loan by pooling their resources together in a largely equal fashion. Each lender that’s a part of the “club” will get a relatively equal amount of fees from the loan depending on how much they contributed to it.

The Role of the Borrower

Borrowers enjoy many advantages when partaking in the loan syndication process. Usually, borrowers don’t have to deal with each lender involved in the loan but instead meets with the lead bank that’s arranging and syndicating the loan. Borrowers should focus on finding an arranging bank that can quickly provide funds, enabling them to embark upon their project promptly.

Borrowers should find a qualified agent that they trust to serve as the middleman between them and the lender(s) in question. This largely administrative role will free the borrower from having to manage complicated paperwork personally. A borrower partaking in the loan syndication process should consider whether they want to negotiate for fixed or floating interest rates. The latter will enable them to be more flexible when paying fees to lenders.

Borrowers must consider which type of syndicate loan they’re seeking and assess the various drawbacks of each option. An underwritten loan guarantees that a lender pays all the necessary money for your project even if they cannot find other banks to partake in the syndicate. It may entail higher than usual fees, however. A best effort deal may simply fall through if the arranging lender cannot find other banks to participate, rendering this option less than ideal for very risky projects in dire need of cash. Club deals are ideal for borrowers seeking relatively smaller loans and are on good terms with the lenders involved in the loan.

The Role of the Arranger

Lead banks (or the lead arranger) of a syndicated loan are charged with managing the loan’s documentation. Depending on the loan terms, the lead arranger may determine when and how to let other lenders in on the project. A credit union service organization (CUSO) may be involved to manage the origination of the loan. A CUSO may collect payments or perform reviews of the loan on a long-term basis during the loan syndication process.

At the start of the process, a borrower may send an invitation to bid to multiple banks to secure a competitive and more affordable relationship with its lead arranger. Banks submit their terms to the borrower, competing with one another to become the lead arranger. The borrower may then choose a bank as the lead arranger, giving it the mandate to arrange and manage the loan.

Boost Your Success With Extensia Financial

By and large, there are many benefits to utilizing a syndicated loan for your business projects. When looking to begin the syndicated loan process, it is crucial to find the appropriate partner for your needs.

The professionals at Extensia Financial can help you manage a syndicated loan from start to finish. The experts at Extensia are particularly well suited for helping commercial real estate projects secure the funding they need to succeed. Contact Extensia today to begin your loan syndication process.