Centene Corporation Prices Offering of Senior Notes

On July 29, 2021 Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) ("Centene" or the "Company") reported that it has priced its previously announced underwritten public offering of $1,800,000,000 aggregate principal amount of senior notes (Press release, Centene , JUL 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234585408]). The $1,800,000,000 offering of senior notes will include $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of additional 2.450% senior notes due 2028 (the "Additional 2028 Notes") at a premium to yield 2.31% and $1,300,000,000 aggregate principal amount of new 2.625% senior notes due 2031 (together with the Additional 2028 Notes, the "Notes"). The Additional 2028 Notes will have the same terms as the Company’s existing 2.450% senior notes due 2028 (the "Existing 2028 Notes"), other than the issue date and the issue price. The offering is expected to close on or about August 12, 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Centene intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes, together with a portion of the proceeds of certain term loans under the Company’s proposed amended and restated credit agreement and cash on hand to redeem all of its outstanding 5.375% senior notes due 2026 and all of WellCare Health Plans, Inc.’s, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, outstanding 5.375% senior notes due 2026 (together, the "Note Redemptions"), including all premiums, accrued interest and costs and expenses related to the Note Redemptions. Pending the application of the net proceeds of the offering for the foregoing purposes, net proceeds may be temporarily used for general corporate purposes. The foregoing does not constitute a notice of redemption or an obligation to issue a notice of redemption for the outstanding notes of any series.

The Notes will be senior unsecured obligations of the Company and will be equal in right of payment with all of the Company’s existing and future senior indebtedness and will be senior in right of payment to all of the Company’s existing and future subordinated debt. The Notes will not be guaranteed by any of the Company’s subsidiaries.

J.P. Morgan, Barclays, BofA Securities, Truist Securities and Wells Fargo Securities are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering of the Notes.

This offering is being made pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement and prospectus and a related preliminary prospectus supplement filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Before you invest, you should read the prospectus and the related preliminary prospectus supplement, the registration statement and other documents that Centene has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Centene and this offering.

Copies of the prospectus supplement and related prospectuses for this offering can be obtained from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717 or by calling +1 (866) 803-9204; from Barclays Capital Inc., c/o Broadridge Financial Solutions, 1155 Long Island Avenue, Edgewood, NY 11717, by email at [email protected], or by calling (888) 603-5847; from BofA Securities, Inc., NC1-004-03-43, 200 North College Street, 3rd floor, Charlotte, NC 28255-0001, Attn: Prospectus Department or by email at [email protected]; from Truist Securities by email at [email protected]; and from Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, 550 S. Tryon Street, 5th Floor, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, Attention: Leveraged Syndicate.

This press release is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, including the Notes. There shall not be any sale of the securities described herein in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction.