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Soft cap baskets meaning

What does Soft cap baskets mean?
In loan and high‑yield practice, soft cap baskets are covenant baskets whose capacity changes over time, rather than being fixed. They typically size by reference to a dynamic metric (for example, a percentage of Consolidated EBITDA or total assets) or by accumulating amounts over the life of the facilities. Common forms include grower baskets (the greater of a fixed amount and a percentage of a financial metric) and builder baskets (capacity built from retained excess cash flow or cumulative net income). This contrasts with hard cap baskets, which have an absolute, unchanging limit. Soft cap baskets are used across leveraged finance documents (often following LMA or high‑yield precedent) for restricted payments, investments, additional indebtedness and prepayments of junior debt. Capacity is usually recalculated at each testing point, may expand with EBITDA growth or acquisitions, and can contract if performance declines. Usage is typically subject to conditions precedent such as no default, pro forma ratio tests and compliance with financial definitions. The term is a market expression rather than one defined by legislation or case law, and its meaning and application are broadly consistent in England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Their practical significance lies in providing borrowers flexibility while requiring...
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View the related Practice Notes about Soft cap baskets

PRACTICE NOTES
Acquisition and Leveraged Finance: Practitioner’s A–Z of Terms, Covenants, Structures and Jargon

This glossary sets out many of the expressions commonly used in the leveraged finance market. Words appearing in the definitions in bold are defined elsewhere in this glossary. For further banking terminology, please refer to the main Banking & Finance Glossary... Acquisition finance glossary—A Acceleration Acceleration is the formal action taken by the agent, on the instructions of the majority lenders, following an event of default, such as making a demand for early repayment of the loan. See Practice Note: Accelerating a loan for more information... Accordion feature/accordion facility An accordion, also called an incremental debt feature, is a mechanism in the facilities agreement that, provided specified conditions are satisfied (for example, pro forma compliance with a leverage test), permits those lenders under the facilities agreement who wish to do so to advance additional debt. The terms for that extra debt are typically captured in an increase notice. This accordion or incremental debt flexibility is different from structural adjustment, which usually requires the majority consent...

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PRACTICE NOTES
UK Banking, Finance, Capital Markets, Derivatives and Insolvency Law Glossary including Islamic finance

Banking & Finance glossary A Auditing and Accounting Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) The foremost Islamic, international, autonomous, independent, not-for-profit corporate body that develops and issues accounting, auditing, governance, ethics and Shari’ah benchmarks and standards for Islamic Financial Institutions (IFIs) and the wider Islamic finance sector. Founded in Bahrain in 1991, it is backed by a number of institutional members across more than 45 countries, including central banks and regulatory authorities, financial institutions, accounting and auditing practices, and legal firms. Its pronouncements are currently applied by leading Islamic financial institutions across the world and have advanced a progressive and gradual harmonisation of global Islamic finance practice. It also delivers professional qualification programmes—notably Certified Islamic Professional Accountant (CIPA), Certified Shari’ah Adviser and Auditor (CSAA), and the corporate compliance programme—in efforts to strengthen the industry’s human capital and governance frameworks. For further details, see Practice Note: Key participants in the Islamic finance industry—Accounting and Auditing Organisation for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI). Acceleration Acceleration is the formal action...

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