SM Investments Corporation (SM Investments), the parent company of the SM Group, has been honored with the “Philippine Capital Market Deal of the Year” award by International Financing Review Asia (IFR Asia) for its successful issuance of a USD500 million five-year bond in 2024. This milestone, marking SM Investments’ return to the US dollar bond market after a decade, underscores the company’s leadership in capital markets and highlights strong global investor confidence in its financial stability.
The bond deal, the largest five-year corporate issuance by a Philippine company in 2024, played a crucial role in reopening the market amid volatile conditions, achieving competitive pricing at 35 basis points. The issuance attracted notable interest due to the relative scarcity of corporate issuances from the Philippines in recent years.
“This landmark transaction represents a major milestone for both SM Investments and the Philippine capital markets,” said Erwin G. Pato, executive vice president for treasury, finance, and planning at SM Investments. “The strong demand from investors reflects confidence in Philippine corporate issuers and underscores SM’s reputation as a stable and well-managed investment option.”
The bond issuance, arranged by global financial institutions including HSBC, JP Morgan, Standard Chartered, and UBS, is a testament to SM Investments’ financial excellence and its role in bolstering investor trust in the Philippine market.
