Brazilian sugar giant Raízen launches a $12.6 billion debt restructuring, with BNP Paribas holding $800 million at the top

The out-of-court debt restructuring process of Brazilian sugar and ethanol producer Raízen has made significant progress, with the exposure of debts from several international and local financial institutions. According to documents released by Raízen on Wednesday, BNP Paribas, Banco Bradesco SA, and Coöperatieve Rabobank are among the company's largest creditors. Raízen has agreed to initiate an out-of-court debt restructuring process involving approximately 65 billion reais (about 12.6 billion USD) in debt and has suspended repayments, giving itself 90 days to seek creditor support for a more comprehensive restructuring plan. The restructuring plan may involve options such as additional capital injections from shareholders, converting some debt into equity, or selling assets. Raízen is jointly owned by Shell and Cosan SA. The disclosure of the creditor list has provided a clearer understanding of the scale of risk borne by various financial institutions in this large-scale debt crisis. BNP Paribas tops creditor exposure, several banks each over 2 billion reais According to documents disclosed by Raízen, calculated in local currency, the exposure of BNP Paribas, headquartered in Paris, amounts to approximately 4.2 billion reais (about 810 million USD), making it the largest known single bank creditor. Banco Bradesco SA, Banco Santander SA, Coöperatieve Rabobank, and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. each hold approximately 2 billion reais in debt (all calculated in local currency). Meanwhile, Itau Unibanco Holding SA's exposure to the company exceeds 1 billion reais. Itau Unibanco Holding SA is the largest private financial group in Brazil and the entire Southern Hemisphere. The trustee bank Bank of New York Mellon is listed in the documents as a creditor with an equivalent of approximately 26 billion reais, but this figure typically reflects the scale of assets managed on behalf of bondholders as a trustee. Securitization company True Securitizadora is also among the largest creditors, holding approximately 6.4 billion reais in debt. The securitization agency is responsible for structuring agricultural receivable certificates (CRA), a relatively new type of fixed-income security widely used to finance Brazil's agricultural prosperity. Raízen's Predicament Raízen was once a leading company in Brazil's biofuel sector but is now deeply mired in financial difficulties. The high-interest-rate environment, consecutive poor harvests, and large upfront investments that have yet to yield returns have collectively eroded the company's debt repayment capacity. The prices of the company's dollar-denominated bonds have fallen to levels that typically indicate a company is in distress, and its credit rating has been significantly downgraded to deep junk status At the same time, concerns in the market regarding its debt scale continue to escalate, and negotiations surrounding assistance from major shareholders have been prolonged, further intensifying investors' worries about the company's prospects. Risk Warning and Disclaimer The market carries risks, and investments should be made with caution. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and does not take into account the specific investment objectives, financial situation, or needs of individual users. Users should consider whether any opinions, views, or conclusions in this article align with their specific circumstances. Investing based on this is at one's own risk