(Bloomberg) -- Databricks Inc., the fast-growing analytics software firm, is seeking about $2.5 billion of debt from private credit lenders to help it offset tax burdens associated with stock sales from staffers, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
JPMorgan Chase & Co. is reaching out to a variety of direct lenders including Blackstone Inc. on behalf of the firm, looking for what would be a first-lien term loan, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing private information. The deal may be structured as an annual recurring revenue loan, a common way for private lenders to fund debt of high-growth companies that are yet to turn a profit, the people added.
Any new debt would come as the company looks to raise almost $8 billion in equity through a secondary share sale, a deal that would value the company at around $60 billion, the people said. Reuters previously reported the equity raise. Venture capital firm Thrive Capital is in talks to acquire a roughly $1 billion stake in the firm by leading the share sale, which would allow early investors and employees to sell their stakes to new investors, Bloomberg reported.
Conversations are preliminary and details of the financing may change, the people said. Representatives for Blackstone, Databricks and JPMorgan declined to comment.
Databricks’ private capital raising efforts would allow the firm to hold off on an IPO, a market that’s been struggling over the past couple of years due to factors including rates. But listings are predicted to rise with a second Trump administration, given the stock market rallies seen since the November election and expectations the incoming president and his cabinet will bring lighter financial regulation.
The new first-lien transaction could price at around 4.5 percentage points over the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, the people said. Databricks is also looking for a $2 billion revolving credit facility from banks, according to one of the people. The new debt would help Databricks cover hefty employee tax bills associated with the secondary share sale, the people said.
Private credit lenders have been expanding beyond just sponsor-backed corporates by also helping to finance large public companies. This week, Blackstone provided a $2 billion private credit loan to Dropbox Inc. as a part of the company’s stock repurchase program.
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