Yingli Announces Update from Recent Meetings with Holders of Its Medium-Term Notes
Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited, one of the world’s leading solar panel manufacturers, recently announced that its subsidiary, Baoding Tianwei Yingli New Energy Company Limited (“Tianwei Yingli”), recently met with holders of its RMB1.4 billion of medium-term notes due on May 12, 2016 (the “2011 MTNs”) and holders of the remaining portion of its RMB1.0 billion of medium-term notes due on October 13, 2015 (the “2010 MTNs”).
On March 28, 2016, Bank of Communications Co., Ltd., the lead underwriter of the 2011 MTNs, convened a meeting among holders of the 2011 MTNs and Tianwei Yingli. At the meeting, Tianwei Yingli’s management informed the holders that, based on current conditions, it will be very difficult for Tianwei Yingli to repay the 2011 MTNs when they become due on May 12, 2016, and therefore, Tianwei Yingli proposed to extend the repayment date of the 2011 MTNs by two to three years so that it has more time to secure funding necessary for repayment of the 2011 MTNs through cash flow from continuing operations and other financing options such as liquidation of certain land use rights and introduction of strategic investors. Holders of the 2011 MTNs proposed to add Yingli China, another subsidiary of Yingli, as a guarantor for the 2011 MTNs. However, no agreement was reached at the meeting except that each of the holders and Tianwei Yingli orally agreed to consider the other party’s proposal.
Also on March 28, 2016, Bank of Communications Co., Ltd., the lead underwriter of the 2010 MTNs, convened a meeting among holders of the remaining 2010 MTNs and Tianwei Yingli. Tianwei Yingli repaid approximately 70% of the 2010 MTNs when they became due on October 13, 2015. At the meeting, holders of the 2010 MTNs demanded Tianwei Yingli to repay the remaining portion of the 2010 MTNs in full together with accrued interests between April 30, 2016 and May 12, 2016. Tianwei Yingli informed the holders that it will make its best efforts to repay the remaining portion of the 2010 MTN2 together with accrued interests before the 2011 MTNs become due on May 12, 2016.
