Economy June 4, 2026 09:19 AM

Warner Bros. Discovery Unit Replaces Bridge Debt with $13 Billion in Seven-Year Term Loans

Discovery Global Holdings secures dollar and euro term loans and repays $15 billion in bridge financing using loan proceeds and cash reserves

By Ajmal Hussain

Discovery Global Holdings, a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery, arranged new seven-year term loans totaling $13 billion and 1.72 billion, and used the proceeds together with existing cash to fully retire a $15 billion non-investment grade leveraged bridge loan dated June 26, 2025. The dollar loans carry a choice of Term SOFR plus 2.50% or base rate plus 1.50%, mature on June 4, 2033, and include 1.00% annual amortization; the euro loans bear interest at EURIBOR plus 2.50%. JPMorgan entities serve as administrative agents for the transaction.

Warner Bros. Discovery Unit Replaces Bridge Debt with $13 Billion in Seven-Year Term Loans

Key Points

  • Discovery Global Holdings secured $13 billion in dollar term loans and 1.72 billion in euro term loans, each with seven-year terms.
  • Proceeds plus cash reserves were used to fully repay $15 billion of outstanding debt from a non-investment grade leveraged bridge loan agreement dated June 26, 2025.
  • The new dollar loans offer interest options of Term SOFR + 2.50% or base rate + 1.50% and mature on June 4, 2033 with 1.00% annual amortization; euro loans are priced at EURIBOR + 2.50%.

Discovery Global Holdings, the financing arm of Warner Bros. Discovery, has closed new credit facilities consisting of $13 billion in dollar-denominated term loans and 1.72 billion in euro-denominated term loans, both with seven-year maturities. The company applied the gross proceeds from these new facilities, together with existing cash on hand, to fully repay $15 billion of outstanding obligations under a non-investment grade leveraged bridge loan agreement dated June 26, 2025.

The new dollar term loans offer the borrower an interest rate alternative: either Term SOFR plus 2.50% per annum or a base rate plus 1.50% per annum. The euro tranche is priced at the EURIBOR screen rate plus 2.50% per year. The dollar loans carry a stated maturity date of June 4, 2033, and the facility features an amortization schedule requiring annual principal repayments at a rate of 1.00% per year.

Bank roles in the deal are split across JPMorgan entities. JPMorgan Chase is named as the U.S. administrative agent and collateral agent for the transaction, while JPMorgan SE is designated as the non-U.S. administrative agent.

The move replaces the previously outstanding bridge financing with longer-dated term facilities, funded in part by the new loans and in part by Discovery Global Holdings existing liquidity. The replacement was executed in full, extinguishing the $15 billion balance of the earlier leveraged bridge loan agreement dated June 26, 2025.


Transaction details

  • New term loans: $13.0 billion (USD) and 1.72 billion (EUR), seven-year term
  • Use of proceeds: combined with cash to repay $15.0 billion outstanding on a June 26, 2025 non-investment grade leveraged bridge loan
  • Dollar loan pricing: Term SOFR + 2.50% or base rate + 1.50%; maturity June 4, 2033; 1.00% annual amortization
  • Euro loan pricing: EURIBOR + 2.50% per year
  • Administrative agents: JPMorgan Chase (U.S. administrative and collateral agent); JPMorgan SE (non-U.S. administrative agent)

The financing package establishes the contractual interest and repayment framework for Discovery Global Holdings borrowings under the new term facilities and completes the paydown of the prior bridge debt using the proceeds and available cash.

Risks

  • Variable-rate exposure on the dollar tranche - the borrowers interest cost will fluctuate depending on Term SOFR or the alternative base rate chosen.
  • Currency-linked interest risk on the euro tranche - the euro facility is tied to the EURIBOR screen rate plus 2.50%, exposing payments to EURIBOR movements.
  • Ongoing cash flow obligations from the 1.00% per year amortization schedule on the dollar loans, which will require scheduled principal outflows over the life of the facility.

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