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MuniFin debuted successfully in the NOK social bond market

MuniFin’s inaugural NOK social bond was issued on 13 February. Despite ample supply from SSA issuers in the NOK market, the demand for the NOK 2 billion issue was strong, with a high quality investor base.

The issue marked both MuniFin’s first ESG labelled bond and the first NOK trade this year. The books built very quickly and were closed at a spread of +25 bps over 3-month Nibor.

“Over the past years, MuniFin has established themselves as a frequent issuer in the Nordic market, popular amongst a wide array of investors. The new issue marks the first social bond issued by MuniFin in Norway and the label was a significant contributor to the great investor demand”, says Hedda Giæver, Head of IG International, DBN Bank ASA.

The strong investor base showcased significant interest from bank treasuries, as well as domestic and foreign real money, including pension insurance and asset managers.

80% of the issue was allocated to Norwegian investors.

“We are extremely happy to have been able to return to the Norwegian Krona market. What’s even more pleasing is to be able to do it with a social bond. It is in the very core of our Sustainability Agenda to provide financing to social projects and increase their share in our lending portfolio. We are ever grateful for the support from our investors”, says Aaro Koski, MuniFin’s Funding Analyst.

Transaction details

Issuer:Municipality Finance (KUNTA, MuniFin)
Issue Rating:Aa1/AA+
Status:Senior unsecured
Reoffer Price:99.631% / 4.083%
Reoffer Spread:3mN+25bps
Issue Size:NOK 2bn
Settlement:20 February 2024
Maturity:20 February 2029
Coupon:4% Fixed, Annual, Act/Act Icma Unadjusted Following
Listing:Nasdaq Helsinki
ISIN:XS2769883955
Lead Manager:DNB Markets

Further information

Joakim Holmström, Executive Vice President, Capital Markets and Sustainability, +358 50 4443 638  
Antti Kontio, Head of Funding and Sustainability, +358 50 3700 285 
Karoliina Kajova, Senior Manager, Funding, +358 50 5767 707 
Lari Toppinen, Senior Analyst, Funding, +358 50 4079 300 
Aaro Koski, Analyst, Funding, +358 45 138 746

FundingMuniFinSocial bond

MuniFin celebrates the issuing of Finland’s first social bond – rings opening bell at Nasdaq Helsinki

In addition to being the first social bond issued by a Finnish entity, MuniFin’s debut social bond also claims the title of the first Nordic social bond in the SSA category. The 15-year EUR 500 million product was met with overwhelming investor demand, and the bond, issued on September 3rd, was overbooked by nearly four times. 

With its introduction of the social finance product, MuniFin aims to encourage investments that have a notably strong impact and bring about wide-ranging social benefits. The first projects to receive financing within the MuniFin Social Bonds Framework were announced in June. These projects involve schools, hospitals and healthcare centers as well as housing for people with special needs. 

Social bonds expand MuniFin’s range of sustainable finance products. The company has been an active green bond issuer for four years and it is now expanding the offering into social bonds. 

Click here to watch a recording of the opening ceremony at Nasdaq Helsinki (Presentations in Finnish)

 Read more:  
 MuniFin leads the way by issuing the first Nordic SSA Social Bond 

Nasdaq Helsinki welcomes Municipality Finance as its First Social Bond Issuer 

FundingMuniFinSocial bondSustainability

Nasdaq Helsinki welcomes Municipality Finance as its First Social Bond Issuer

On 10 September 2020, Nasdaq announced that Municipality Finance Plc has listed its inaugural social bond on the Nasdaq Sustainable Debt Market at Nasdaq Helsinki. The bond notional is EUR 500 million with a maturity of 15 years, explicitly guaranteed by the Municipal Guarantee Board. MuniFin’s issuance is the first social bond listed on Nasdaq Helsinki and the first social bond issued by an SSA (Sovereigns, Supranationals, Agencies) issuer in the Nordic countries.

MuniFin has been an active green bond issuer for four years and is now expanding the offering into social bonds. The proceeds of the social bond issue will finance projects that fall into one of the three categories of social housing, welfare and education and they promote equality, sense of community, wellbeing and vitality of regions and/or municipalities. The first financed projects include schools, hospitals and health care centres and housing for people with special needs.

– We are extremely proud to be in the forefront of Nordic and European sustainable finance. Even if all of our financing is aimed at building and developing the Nordic welfare state, social finance is a flagship product that highlights the wide-ranging effects that municipal and non-profit housing investments have both on individuals and the society as a whole, said Esa Kallio, President and CEO at MuniFin.

– The investor response for our inaugural social bond was overwhelmingly positive. This is a strong testimony that the financial markets want to actively transform societies and make them more sustainable.

– With the help of issuers such as MuniFin, we have in recent years seen Nasdaq develop into an important hub for sustainable investments in Europe with more than 230 bonds listed on Nasdaq´s Sustainable Debt Market. Following many international firsts, such the first green corporate bond by Vasakronan and first city bond issued by Gothenburg, Sweden, we are especially happy to see continued leadership coming from the Nordic region, said Ann-Charlotte Eliasson, Head of European Debt Listings and Sustainable Bonds at Nasdaq.

– We are excited to welcome MuniFin, a Finnish pioneer in sustainable finance, as our first social bond issuer in Finland, said Henrik Husman, President of Nasdaq Helsinki.

– MuniFin was also our first green bond issuer in 2018, and we have now five sustainable bonds listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. We look forward to seeing additional issuers following this trend.

Source: Nasdaq Helsinki

FundingMuniFinSocial bondSustainability