Sims’ Experienced Bank Market Knowledge Maximizes Value to Life Plan Community
“Havenwood-Heritage Heights and Herbert J Sims have had an important and special strategic relationship for close to 20 years now. During that time we have been successful in the completion of several major financial transactions allowing our organization to be true to its mission by doing much needed infrastructure work. Today, hundreds and hundreds of lives have been positively impacted by this challenging yet highly rewarding financial work that is often never seen by anyone as it happens quietly and seamlessly behind the scenes.”
– Michael Palmieri, President and CEO Havenwood-Heritage Heights
Partnered Right®
Havenwood-Heritage Heights (HHH) has been serving New Hampshire seniors at its two campuses for nearly 50 years. It is the largest of only three Life Plan communities in the state to be accredited by CARF-CCAC. HJ Sims has been working with the organization for 20 years on various engagements as the communities have evolved through expansion and renovation.
Structured Right®
HHH developed a close working relationship with a regional bank that led to a prior refunding of existing debt with lower cost bonds purchased directly by the bank. Management received a term sheet for the refunding of the remaining public debt with additional bonds purchased directly by the bank and engaged HJ Sims to represent them as financial advisor.
Working with management Sims took inventory of the interest rates, covenants and reporting requirements on the existing debt and the proposed new debt, comparing it to what Sims has seen from other banks in the numerous other engagements with which it has been involved. Sims worked closely to identify areas for improvement that provided flexibility for future growth and eased the administrative burden.
Sims also presented management with several scenarios that would enable them to “reinvest” the debt service savings into additional bond proceeds to complete capital projects without tapping into balance sheet reserves. Furthermore, Sims requested a lower interest rate on the existing debt with the bank to better reflect the improved financial performance of the organization.
Executed Right®
HHH issued $11 million in tax exempt bonds through the New Hampshire Health and Education Facilities Authority. The credit spread on the existing debt held by the bank was reduced, and uniform documents were created which provided management with a consistent set of covenants and flexibility. In order to capture favorable market conditions, HHH entered into an interest rate swap with the bank shortly before closing.
Financed Right®
The fixed interest rate on the new debt is 2.37%. The bond issue provided $2.6 million in additional proceeds for capital improvements, and there was no increase in HHH’s annual debt service payment.
For more information on how Havenwood-Heritage Heights was Financed Right® by HJ Sims, please contact
Andrew Nesi
(203) 418-9057