Back to Case Studies
Healthcare ServicesLBO FinancingFrance / Benelux

€85M Unitranche for French Healthcare Platform

Sponsored LBO with single-lien unitranche, €25M accordion, 5.8x leverage, and a 45-day timeline—supporting buy-and-build across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Deal Overview

Transaction Type

Sponsored LBO

Facility Size

€85M

Structure

Single-lien with €25M accordion

Company EBITDA

€15M

Total Leverage

5.8x

Pricing

E+550bp

Term

7 years

Jurisdiction

France, Belgium, Netherlands

The Challenge

A mid-market private equity sponsor acquired a French healthcare services platform with operations across France and Benelux, requiring debt financing for the transaction and a credible path to fund add-ons—on a compressed timetable.

Key complexity factors included:

  • Multi-jurisdiction structure requiring coordinated security and documentation across three countries
  • Time-sensitive process requiring rapid execution (45-day timeline)
  • Need for flexible acquisition capacity to support buy-and-build
  • Regulatory considerations across healthcare jurisdictions

Our Solution

We structured an €85M unitranche facility with a single-lien profile and an accordion sized for bolt-ons. The solution included:

Structure

  • Single-lien unitranche, reducing intercreditor complexity
  • €25M accordion for future acquisitions at consistent economics
  • Flexible covenants with equity cure and restricted payment capacity aligned to the sponsor plan
  • Cross-border security package with local-law perfection

Execution

  • 45-day timeline from term sheet to funding
  • Coordinated security perfection across French, Belgian, and Dutch counsel
  • Healthcare regulatory clearances run in parallel with financing workstreams
  • Single closing coordinating multi-jurisdiction filings

Deal Structure

Capital structure

Unitranche€85M @ 5.8x
Accordion€25M
Sponsor equity€42M

Covenants

  • Net leverage: 6.25x
  • Fixed charge coverage: 2.0x
  • Equity cure: 50%
  • Restricted payments: 75% EBITDA

Key Documentation

Credit Agreement

LMA-based facility agreement adapted for a single-lender unitranche structure, with streamlined amendment thresholds and accordion mechanics.

Security Documentation

Multi-jurisdiction security including French law share pledges, Belgian business asset collateral, and Dutch law silent pledges—coordinated through a parallel debt structure.

Accordion Documentation

Pre-negotiated incremental provisions enabling up to €25M of additional capacity for qualifying acquisitions without a full credit agreement rewrite.

Intercreditor

Not applicable—single-lien unitranche structure removed the need for a senior / junior intercreditor agreement.

Transaction Timeline

1
Week 1

Term Sheet

Agreed economics, structure, covenant framework, and accordion mechanics

2-3
Weeks 2-3

Due diligence & docs

Financial, legal, and commercial diligence in parallel with credit agreement and multi-jurisdiction security drafts

4-5
Weeks 4-5

Negotiation

Covenant and security perfection mechanics finalized; regulatory workstreams aligned to signing

6
Week 6

Closing

Signing, funding, and coordinated filings across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands

Outcome

The financing closed on the targeted timetable, giving the sponsor certainty of funds and a practical accordion to execute the buy-and-build plan.

Post-closing benefits:

  • Accordion utilization: Bolt-on capacity was accessed with streamlined perfection and documentation—supporting incremental M&A without a new financing process.
  • Operational flexibility: A single-lien relationship simplified amendments and covenant discussions as trading conditions evolved.
  • Cost efficiency: Competitive unitranche economics versus a split senior / junior stack, with lower structural friction and fewer intercreditor constraints.

Discuss your financing needs

TULA Capital can support your transaction with structuring, lender outreach, and execution discipline.

Get in Touch