Avaya Holdings Corp., a global leader in solutions to enhance and simplify communications and collaboration, has entered into a Restructuring Support Agreement (the “Financial Restructuring”) with overwhelming support of more than 90% of the Company’s secured lenders (the “Investor Group”). Implementing the Financial Restructuring will accelerate Avaya’s ongoing business transformation, significantly enhance its ability to invest in its innovative cloud-based communications portfolio and position the Company for long-term success.
Completing the Financial Restructuring will reduce the Company’s total debt by more than 75%, from approximately $3.4 billion today to approximately $800 million. Additionally, it will substantially increase Avaya’s cash and strengthen its liquidity position, resulting in an expected emergence balance sheet with less than 1x net leverage. Due to the overwhelming support of its financial stakeholders, the Company expects to implement the Financial Restructuring on an expedited basis and complete this comprehensive balance sheet de-leveraging within 60 to 90 days. These actions will not impact the Company’s customers, channel and strategic partners, suppliers, vendors or employees.
Alan Masarek, Avaya’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “I joined Avaya to help unlock the power of its iconic brand, global customer footprint, massive partner ecosystem, large-scale communications deployments and outstanding team. Building on this tremendous foundation, we have made significant progress pioneering an ambitious business model transformation, establishing a competitive product strategy for our subscription and cloud-delivered services and implementing operational efficiencies to better serve the Avaya ecosystem. Strengthening Avaya’s capital structure is a critical step to fully realize our transformation, and we are excited to move ahead as a well-capitalized company with one of the strongest balance sheets in our industry that includes substantial cash to invest in our own success.”
With substantially improved financial flexibility, the Company will accelerate its investment in innovative communications products, solutions and services for customers, including the Avaya Experience Platform, its cloud-based Contact Center offering.
Mr. Masarek continued, “We appreciate the strong support from our investors, who recognize the incredible value in Avaya’s business, brand and opportunities ahead. I also thank our customers and partners for their continued trust, as well as Avaya’s team members for their unwavering focus on providing exceptional service and support to those we serve. With this additional financial strength, we will be ideally positioned to accelerate innovation and advance our cutting-edge, long-range product roadmaps for the benefit of our customers.”
To efficiently implement the Financial Restructuring, Avaya and all of its U.S. subsidiaries today filed voluntary prepackaged Chapter 11 cases in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. During this process, Avaya will continue serving its customers and partners without interruption and providing them with outstanding communications solutions, service and support as usual.
The Company has received commitments for $628 million in debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing, including a $500 million new-money term loan from the Investor Group led by Apollo Global Management, Inc. and Brigade Capital Management, LP, among others, and a $128 million ABL facility from a bank syndicate led by Citi. Upon Avaya’s emergence from the court-supervised process, the $500 million new-money term loan and $128 million ABL facility will roll into exit facilities. Additionally, as part of the Financial Restructuring, certain members of the Investor Group have committed to provide $150 million of additional new-money financing through a fully backstopped debt rights offering at exit. This new committed financing of approximately $780 million, together with cash on hand and cash generated from ongoing operations, is expected to provide substantial liquidity to support Avaya during the restructuring process and beyond.
Avaya has filed a number of customary motions with the court to support its operations during the court-supervised process, including the continued payment of employee wages and benefits without interruption. Pursuant to the terms of the Financial Restructuring, all of the Company’s vendors and suppliers will be paid in full, regardless of when goods or services were delivered. Vendors and suppliers to Avaya’s non-U.S. subsidiaries will continue to be paid in the ordinary course.
Expansion of Global, Strategic Partnership with RingCentral
Avaya also announced that it has extended and expanded its global, strategic partnership with RingCentral, Inc., which was formed in 2019 to introduce and launch Avaya Cloud Office® by RingCentral (“Avaya Cloud Office”).
Avaya will continue to act as the exclusive sales agent for direct and partner sales of Avaya Cloud Office, Avaya’s exclusive multi-tenanted cloud PBX solution, in the geographies where it is available. The partnership has also expanded to include additional go-to-market constructs that enable Avaya to sell Avaya Cloud Office to its installed base on a direct basis. In addition, Avaya will be compensated in cash as Avaya Cloud Office seats are sold and, in connection with the Financial Restructuring, RingCentral’s preferred stock in Avaya will be eliminated.
Mr. Masarek added, “We are pleased to extend, expand and enhance our partnership with RingCentral, which provides Avaya an efficient way to deliver a market-leading multi-tenanted cloud PBX offering to our customers as part of our broader suite of communications solutions. We look forward to building on the Avaya Cloud Office footprint and continuing to support the adoption of seamless cloud functionality by our global customers at a pace that meets their business needs.”
Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as legal counsel to Avaya, Evercore Group L.L.C. is serving as financial advisor and AlixPartners, LLP is serving as restructuring advisor.
Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, Centerview Partners LLC and Alvarez & Marsal LLP are serving as legal counsel, investment banker and financial advisor, respectively, to an ad hoc group of Avaya’s first lien lenders. Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP is serving as legal counsel and FTI Consulting, Inc. is serving as financial advisor to an ad hoc group of Avaya’s first lien lenders. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP is serving as legal counsel to certain holders of Avaya’s secured exchangeable notes.