Second lien finance | Practical Law

Second lien finance | Practical Law

Second lien finance

Second lien finance

Practical Law UK Glossary 9-350-9996 (Approx. 3 pages)

Glossary

Second lien finance

Second lien finance or second lien debt is a type of secured debt which may be characterised as:
  • Ranking equally with senior debt as to payment prior to acceleration.
  • Sharing the same security package as the senior debt, in terms of the assets over which security is granted.
  • Ranking behind senior debt (but ahead of junior debt and unsecured debt) with regard to the proceeds of enforcement of the security package.
  • Ranking equally with (or, in European but not US deals, often behind) senior debt in respect of unsecured claims against the borrower and guarantors if the security enforcement proceeds have been insufficient to pay the senior debt in full.
It is used in various types of financings, in particular, restructurings and leveraged buyouts.