Stock Markets May 8, 2026 01:14 PM

Yahoo Raises $1.6 Billion in Debt at Elevated Yields to Replace Apollo-Era Loans

Company sells $700M term loan and $900M high-yield bonds to repay financing tied to Apollo’s 2021 buyout

By Avery Klein

Yahoo Inc. closed a combined $1.6 billion financing package made up of a $700 million term loan B and $900 million of high-yield bonds, both priced at yields well above prevailing risky-debt benchmarks. Proceeds will be used to repay loans tied to Apollo Global Management’s 2021 acquisition of Yahoo from Verizon, which were due to mature next year.

Yahoo Raises $1.6 Billion in Debt at Elevated Yields to Replace Apollo-Era Loans

Key Points

  • Yahoo completed a $1.6 billion financing package made up of a $700 million term loan B and $900 million of bonds maturing in 2031.
  • The term loan was priced at 97 cents on the dollar with a spread of 6.5 percentage points over the US benchmark; the bonds were issued at an 11% yield.
  • Proceeds will repay loans from 2021 tied to Apollo’s $5 billion acquisition of Yahoo from Verizon, loans that were due to mature next year and originally priced at a 5.5 percentage point spread and 98.5 cents on the dollar.

Yahoo Inc. has completed a $1.6 billion financing transaction consisting of a term loan and a bond offering intended to refinance debt that was put in place when Apollo Global Management acquired the company in 2021.

The package includes a $700 million term loan B priced at 97 cents on the dollar and carrying an interest spread of 6.5 percentage points over the US benchmark. In addition, Yahoo placed $900 million of high-yield bonds maturing in 2031 that carry an 11% yield.

Both tranches were marketed and sold at rates that are higher than many other risky corporate debt issues this year. For context provided within the financing report, US leveraged loans have averaged pricing near 3 percentage points over benchmark in 2026, and the average yield on existing B-rated bonds has been roughly 7.2%.


Use of proceeds

The proceeds from the new debt will be used to repay loans originated in 2021 that helped fund Apollo’s $5 billion purchase of Yahoo from Verizon Communications Inc. Those earlier loans were set to mature next year. The refinancing replaces that earlier financing, which had been priced at a 5.5 percentage point spread over the benchmark and at 98.5 cents on the dollar.


Market implications

Investors in the new securities are receiving yields that stand noticeably above averages for similarly rated or structured debt this year. The term loan’s spread of 6.5 percentage points and the bond offering’s 11% coupon both compare to the market indications cited in the financing note: roughly 3 percentage points for leveraged loans and a 7.2% average yield for existing B-rated bonds.


Summary and outlook

Yahoo’s $1.6 billion refinancing exchanges the company’s 2021 buyout debt for new obligations that carry higher borrowing costs. The loan and bond pricing reflect a market that, in this issuance, demanded materially higher returns than the averages reported for leveraged loans and B-rated bonds in 2026.

Risks

  • The new debt carries higher interest costs than the 2021 financing, increasing Yahoo’s borrowing expense - this primarily impacts the company and credit investors.
  • Yields on the new securities are well above prevailing averages for leveraged loans and B-rated bonds in 2026, which may indicate greater compensation demanded by the market - affecting corporate credit and high-yield markets.
  • The replacement of loans that mature next year concentrates refinancing activity and interest-rate exposure in the near term for the company - relevant to fixed-income investors and debt markets.

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