Azteca Holdings to Prepay US$69 Million of Its US$129 Million 12 1/2% Senior Secured Notes Due 2005
22 November 2004 - 9:36PM
PR Newswire (US)
Azteca Holdings to Prepay US$69 Million of Its US$129 Million 12
1/2% Senior Secured Notes Due 2005 Azteca Holdings Reduces Debt by
US$113 Million Since July 2003 MEXICO CITY, Nov. 22
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Azteca Holdings, S.A. de C.V., the
controlling shareholder of TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V., one of the two
largest producers of Spanish-language television programming in the
world, announced today that it will prepay on December 22, 2004,
US$69 million of the principal on its US$129 million 12 1/2% senior
notes due June 15, 2005. The 2005 senior secured notes are callable
at par. Azteca Holdings, the owner of 56.6% of the capital stock of
TV Azteca, will receive approximately US$73 million from an
upcoming US$130 million distribution to shareholders to be made by
TV Azteca as part of an ongoing plan for cash disbursements. The
company will use the proceeds to reduce the balance of its
indebtedness and to make interest payments on its outstanding debt.
By means of the US$69 million prepayment, Azteca Holdings expects
to save approximately US$4 million in interest expense that would
otherwise accrue on the senior secured notes to be redeemed at
final maturity. The prepayment adds to prior debt amortizations
made by Azteca Holdings since July 2003 of US$44 million, which
together with the newly announced prepayment, will reduce the
company's total debt by an aggregate amount of US$113 million, from
US$279 million to US$166 million. TV Azteca's board of directors
has approved cash disbursements to shareholders for another US$80
million during 2005 under its ongoing distributions plan. Azteca
Holdings expects to use its corresponding portion of the proceeds
to continue decreasing outstanding debt, further strengthening its
capital structure and reducing interest expense. Company Profile
Azteca Holdings, S.A. de C.V. is a holding company whose principal
asset is 56.6% of the capital stock of TV Azteca, S.A. de C.V. TV
Azteca is one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language
television programming in the world, operating two national
television networks in Mexico, Azteca 13 and Azteca 7, through more
than 300 owned and operated stations across the country. TV
Azteca's affiliates include Azteca America, operator of a broadcast
television network focused on the rapidly growing United States
Hispanic market; and Todito.com, operator of an Internet portal for
North American Spanish speakers. Except for historical information,
the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking
statements and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those
projected. Risks that may affect Azteca Holdings are identified in
its Form 20-F and other filings with the US Securities and Exchange
Commission. DATASOURCE: Azteca Holdings, S.A. de C.V. CONTACT:
Hector Romero, +011-5255-1720-0060, or Web site:
http://www.tvazteca.com.mx/
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