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WSJ: Banks Tighten Corporate Credit Lines

By Anonymous

From the WSJ: Banks Get Tougher on Credit Line Conditions

Banks are shortening the terms on lines of credit ... They are charging significantly higher fees for the lines of credit, known as revolvers. And instead of promising an interest rate determined mainly by the company's credit rating, banks will now charge more if the cost of insuring the company's debt against default is higher.
...
About 72% of the revolving credit facilities obtained by investment-grade companies in the first quarter of 2009 had 364-day maturities, or tenors, and no companies received five-year lines ... In the same period a year ago, 30% of the facilities were for 364 days and 41% had five-year maturities.

There are two key changes: the duration has been shortened, and the interest rate is based on the price of default insurance (as opposed to credit rating). Another snub of the ratings agencies!

Also on lending standards, the Fed's April Senior Loan Officer Survey on bank lending practices will probably be released this week.

Full post as published by Calculated Risk on May 03, 2009 (boomark / email).