Key Takeaways:
- Fermi upsized convertible note offering to $375M, with $56.25M greenshoe option
- Initial conversion price of $9.52 per share, a 30% premium to closing price
- Capped call transactions offset dilution until shares reach $14.64
Back
Fermi Inc. prices $375M convertible notes with dilution offset at $14.64
Fermi Inc. priced $375M of 5% convertible senior notes due 2031, upsized from the original offering and structured with capped call transactions that shield shareholders from dilution until the stock reaches $14.64.
The company granted initial purchasers a 13-day option for an additional $56.25M in notes, which would bring the total to $431.25M, Fermi said in a statement Thursday. The notes carry a 5% coupon payable semiannually starting Jan. 15, 2027, and mature July 15, 2031.
The initial conversion price of $9.52 per share represents a 30% premium to the $7.32 closing price on Nasdaq on July 9. Capped call transactions with unnamed financial institutions raise the effective conversion price to $14.64, a 100% premium that eliminates dilution risk for existing holders below that level.
Net proceeds are estimated at $362.25M, or $416.81M if the greenshoe is fully exercised. After paying roughly $30M for the capped call hedges, the remainder will go toward general corporate purposes. The offering is scheduled to close July 14.
The notes are callable by Fermi after July 20, 2029, if the stock trades at 130% of the conversion price for 20 of 30 consecutive trading days. Holders can force a repurchase at par upon a fundamental change. Prior to April 15, 2031, conversion is permitted only under specified conditions; after that date, holders may convert at any time until maturity.
Fermi shares fell 0.54% to $7.32 on Thursday, giving the Dallas-based company a market value of roughly $1.2B. The stock has declined 14% since July 3, when CEO Toby Neugebauer suspended a proxy campaign after a judge's recusal in a related legal dispute.
The capped call structure signals management's intent to limit dilution from the conversion feature. Investors will watch the July 14 closing and any subsequent use of proceeds for project funding at Fermi's 6-GW Project Matador nuclear and energy site in Amarillo, Texas.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
[1] Fermi Inc. Prices Upsized Offering of $375 Million of Convertible Senior Notes - Dilution Offset Until $14.64 per Share[2] Investors face no Fermi share dilution unless stock tops $14.64 - Stock Titan[3] Fermi Inc. Prices Upsized Offering of $375 Million of Convertible Senior Notes - Dilution Offset Until $14.64 per Share - marketscreener.com