SMBC Aviation Capital closes US$1 billion loan facility with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation

Dublin, November 29, 2019: SMBC Aviation Capital, one of the world’s leading aircraft leasing companies, today announced that it has closed a US$1 billion loan facility with the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (“JBIC”).

The facility has a 10 year term and will be used to finance a proportion of SMBC Aviation Capital’s order book with Airbus and Boeing in the coming years. JBIC is a policy-based Financial Institution owned by the Japanese government which promotes the overseas development of strategically important Japanese owned enterprises.

Commenting on the transaction, Barry Flannery, Chief Financial Officer of SMBC Aviation Capital, said:

“This transaction further expands our relationship with JBIC. This is a strong endorsement of SMBC Aviation Capital’s strategy and the continued success of our partnership with the SMBC Group and Sumitomo Corporation. Our shareholders bring significant financial support and product strength to our business. We in turn, have delivered strong and stable profitability in addition to expanding their financing activities in the global aviation space, so that we have true strategic alignment”

Commenting on the transaction, JBIC says this loan is for “supporting overseas business expansion of the Japanese aircraft leasing industry”, and they express in their press release that“as Japan's policy-based financial institution, JBIC will continue to provide financial support for the overseas business development of Japanese companies”.

Last week, SMBC Aviation Capital announced an increase in profit before tax of US$200m for the half year to September 30 2019, which is a 19% increase on the comparative period last year.