LFX Lists Its Second Preference Shares - AMMB USD 200 Million Fixed-To-Floating Rate Step-Up Non-Cumulative Non-Voting Guaranteed Preference Shares

Labuan International Financial Exchange (LFX) listed its second preference shares today. The issue a USD200 million Fixed-to-Floating Rate Step-up Non-Cumulative Non-voting Guaranteed Preference Shares (“Preference Shares”) are guaranteed on a subordinated basis by AmBank (M) Berhad (“AmBank”).

“The issue is a very positive signal of investors confidence in LFX,” said Chairman of LFX Board Encik Yusli Mohamed Yusoff, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Bursa Malaysia Berhad. “This issue will help LFX expand its businesses and provide a full complement of financial services to the local and international markets ”, added Yusli.

The Preference Shares are perpetual securities and have no final redemption date but may be redeemable at the option of the Issuer under certain circumstances. The Preference Shares are hybrid securities that are structured in accordance with the Guidelines for Innovative Tier 1 Capital Instruments issued by Bank Negara Malaysia.

AMBB Capital (L) Ltd (“AMBBCL” or the “Issuer”) is a special purpose company incorporated as a wholly-owned subsidiary of AmBank in the Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia under the Offshore Companies Act 1990. AmBank is the sixth largest domestic commercial bank in Malaysia in terms of assets (based on the published financial results of the 10 domestic banks in Malaysia) as at 30 September 2005. AmBank’s principal retail banking activity is the provision of consumer loans (such as vehicle hire purchase and mortgages) bancassurance, personal financing and credit cards).

The Preference Shares have been rated “Ba2” by Moody’s Investors Service, “BB” by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group, a division of the McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and “BB” by Fitch Ratings Ltd.

The net proceeds of the issue of the Preference Shares will be on-lent by AMBBCL to AmBank principally for its general working capital purposes.

AmInternational (L) Ltd is the Listing Sponsor for the preference shares on the LFX while BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse and AmMerchant Bank Berhad are the Joint Lead Managers, Structuring Advisers and Bookrunners for the issue.

With the latest listing, LFX’s range of financial instruments now comprises six (6) Sukuks, six (6) open-ended funds and twenty one (21) conventional debt securities and exchangeable bonds and two (2) preference shares. This brings the total market capitalisation of LFX to USD12.72 billion.