Debt Advisory And Refinancing

Debt Refinancing Advisory for Companies and Sponsors

A maturing loan, a bridge that has to be taken out, covenants that no longer fit the business, or a capital structure that costs too much: each of these is a refinancing problem, and each gets harder the closer the deadline gets. Financely acts as a debt refinancing advisor for operating companies, holding companies and sponsors. We diagnose the existing debt, design the replacement structure, prepare a lender-ready credit file and run a targeted process with banks, private credit funds and specialist lenders.

Financely is an advisory and arranging firm, not a lender. You close directly with the lender, and every facility remains subject to the lender's own credit approval.

Who This Service Is For

Companies facing a maturity

A term loan, revolver or private credit facility is due within the next 6 to 24 months and the current lender will not roll it on acceptable terms, or the business has outgrown it.

Sponsors with bridge debt

An acquisition or growth project was funded with short-term bridge capital and now needs a term takeout before extension fees and default interest start to bite.

Borrowers with covenant pressure

Leverage or interest cover tests are tight, waivers keep coming back with fees attached, and management wants a structure that matches how the business actually performs.

Owners planning a recapitalisation

Shareholders want to rebalance debt and equity, consolidate several facilities into one, or replace expensive layers of the capital stack.

What We Arrange

The right answer depends on cash flow, collateral and timing, so the mandate starts with structure, not with a product. Typical refinancing routes include:

  • Senior term loan refinancing: replacing a maturing bank or private credit loan with a new senior secured facility on a tenor and amortisation profile the business can carry.
  • Bridge-to-term takeouts: converting acquisition or development bridge debt into a longer-dated facility once the asset or business has stabilised.
  • Unitranche and senior plus junior structures: consolidating senior and subordinated debt into one facility, or adding a second-lien or mezzanine layer where senior lenders stop. See unitranche vs senior debt vs mezzanine.
  • Asset-based refinancing: moving from a cash flow loan to a borrowing base secured on receivables, inventory or equipment where the balance sheet supports more than earnings do.
  • Recapitalisations: resizing the debt and equity mix, including holdco financing where the operating company cannot take more debt.
  • Covenant resets and lender negotiations: where a full refinancing is not the best route, Financely prepares the case for revised terms with the existing lenders. Stressed situations are covered under liability management and recap advisory.

Deal Size And Eligibility

For operating companies, Financely's debt advisory for middle-market companies covers non-bank debt requirements of roughly USD 5 million to USD 100 million. Larger or more complex refinancings are assessed case by case.

Lenders generally look for an operating business with revenue, a clear source of repayment, clean ownership and enforceable security. Early-stage companies without revenue, and requests with no identifiable collateral or cash flow, are usually not refinanceable through a lender process and are declined at review.

How The Process Works

  1. Deal review. You submit the current facility agreements, maturity dates, financials and a short description of what you need. Financely screens the file and gives a go or no go with a proposed path to market.
  2. Engagement. If the file is bankable, you receive a written estimate setting out scope, retainer and success fee. Work begins once it is signed and the retainer is paid. Details are on the fees page.
  3. Diagnosis and structure. Financely models the existing debt, the refinancing need and the repayment capacity, then designs the target structure: size, tenor, amortisation, security and covenant package.
  4. Credit file. A lender-ready memo and data room covering financials, projections, collateral, ownership and the refinancing rationale.
  5. Targeted outreach. The file goes to lenders that fit the sector, jurisdiction, ticket and risk profile, not to a mass distribution list.
  6. Term sheets and negotiation. Financely compares offers on all-in cost, flexibility, covenants and execution risk, and supports negotiation through to signed documentation and funds flow, including the payoff of the existing lender.

What Lenders Need To See

  • Three years of financial statements, plus current-year management accounts.
  • All existing facility agreements, security documents and any waivers or amendments.
  • A debt schedule with balances, rates, maturities and prepayment terms.
  • A forecast that shows how the new debt is serviced and repaid.
  • A clear explanation of why the refinancing is needed now.
  • Ownership structure, KYC on beneficial owners and source of funds.
  • Collateral details: asset registers, receivables ageing, inventory reports or valuations.

Missing items do not end a mandate, but they slow it down. Lenders price uncertainty, and a complete file is usually the cheapest way to improve terms.

Why Financely

  • Structure before outreach. The file is built around the refinancing problem, so lenders see a clear credit case rather than a request for money.
  • Bank and non-bank options. Banks, private credit funds and asset-based lenders are considered side by side, so you compare real alternatives.
  • Cross-product view. Financely also works across trade finance, asset-based lending, project finance and acquisition finance, which helps where the best refinancing mixes several products.
  • Clear economics. Fees are agreed in writing before work begins. Third-party costs such as legal counsel and valuations are paid by you directly to the provider.

Start early. A refinancing process with lender diligence, legal documentation and security perfection takes weeks, not days. Borrowers who start close to maturity lose negotiating leverage and often end up paying for extensions.

Have A Loan Maturing Or A Bridge To Take Out?

Submit your current debt schedule and financials for a refinancing review. We will assess whether your business and collateral support a bankable refinancing and which lenders fit.

Request A Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

When should a company start a refinancing?

Ideally 9 to 12 months before maturity, and no later than 6 months for most senior facilities. Lender diligence, credit approval, documentation and security transfer all take time, and starting early keeps extension costs and negotiating pressure down.

Can Financely refinance a loan that is already in default?

Sometimes, but it is a different process. Where a borrower is in default or close to it, the work usually combines lender negotiation, new money and sometimes equity. Each case is assessed at deal review before any engagement.

Is Financely a lender?

No. Financely is an advisory and arranging firm. We structure the refinancing and run the lender process, and you sign the facility directly with the lender, subject to its credit approval.

What does debt refinancing advisory cost?

Financely charges a deal review fee, then a retainer and a success fee agreed in a signed estimate before work begins. Third-party costs such as legal counsel and valuations are paid directly by the client. Financely does not work on a success fee only basis.

Can you refinance bridge debt into a term loan?

Yes, where the business or asset now supports term debt. The file has to show stabilised cash flow or collateral value, and the takeout lender needs a clear repayment path for the new tenor.

Do you only work with banks?

No. Depending on the profile, the refinancing may be placed with banks, private credit funds, asset-based lenders or a combination, and the options are compared on cost, flexibility and execution risk.

Disclaimer: Financely is an advisory and structuring platform. We do not guarantee issuance, lender approvals, or transaction closing outcomes. All mandates are subject to underwriting, KYC and AML checks, compliance review, counterparty acceptance, and final provider decisions. This page is provided for commercial information only and does not constitute legal, tax, or investment advice.