Methods and systems for providing structured loan commitment transactions
View Patent ↗In one aspect, the invention comprises entering into an agreement with a borrower to provide a loan of a specified amount on a specified date, wherein the agreement further specifies a fixed rate and a spread; and on the specified date specifying whether the borrower must pay a fixed coupon at the fixed rate or pay a floating coupon based on the spread. In another aspect, the invention comprises an agreement between a lender and a borrower whereby the lender provides to the borrower a loan of a specified amount on a specified date; a fixed rate and a spread are specified; and the borrower receives the specified amount on the specified date, and during the term pays, at lender's option to be specified on the specified date, either a fixed coupon at the fixed rate or a floating coupon at a floating rate based on the spread.
1. A system comprising:
memory operable to store at least one program; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory, in which the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
access data regarding a loan agreement entered into on a loan agreement date comprising a specified loan amount, a fixed rate, a credit spread, and a floating rate, wherein said floating rate comprises said credit spread;
process data regarding a selection made after said loan agreement date of one of said fixed rate and said floating rate from said loan agreement to be an interest rate for interest payments on said specified loan amount; and
communicate information specifying said interest rate for said specified loan amount.
2. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said floating rate is a LIBOR rate plus said spread.
3. A system as in claim 2 , wherein said LIBOR rate is three-month LIBOR.
4. A system as in claim 1 , wherein said specified loan amount is less than 10% of total debt outstanding.
5. A system as in claim 1 , wherein a trust provides said loan.
6. A system as in claim 5 , wherein said trust is operable to electronically pay commitment fees to one or more banks prior to said specified loan amount being provided to a borrower, as compensation for a commitment from said one or more banks to fund said loan.
7. A system as in claim 5 , wherein said trust is operable to electronically pay interest payments on said loan to one or more banks after said specified loan amount is provided to said borrower.
8. A system as in claim 5 , wherein said trust is operable to electronically receive said loan from one or more banks at or near a specified date and, further comprising electronically transferring said loan to said borrower on said specified date.
9. A system as in claim 7 , wherein said electronically-paid interest payments are based on electronically-received data comprising a LIBOR rate plus a specified number of basis points of said loan.
10. A system comprising:
memory operable to store at least one program; and
at least one processor communicatively coupled to the memory, in which the at least one program, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to:
access and process data regarding a loan agreement entered into on a loan agreement date comprising a specified loan amount, a fixed rate, a credit spread, and a floating rate, wherein said floating rate comprises said credit spread;
wherein said loan further specifies that one of: said fixed rate or said floating rate will be selected, after the loan agreement date, to be an interest rate for interest payments on said loan;
store data regarding said specified loan amount, said fixed rate, said credit spread, and said floating rate; and
communicate said stored data regarding said specified loan amount, said fixed rate, said credit spread, and said floating rate.
11. A system as in claim 10 , wherein said floating rate is a LIBOR rate plus said spread.
12. A system as in claim 11 , wherein said LIBOR rate is three-month LIBOR.
13. A system as in claim 10 , wherein said specified loan amount is less than 10% of said borrower's total debt outstanding.
14. A system as in claim 10 , wherein a trust provides said loan to said borrower.
15. A system as in claim 14 , wherein said trust is operable to electronically pay commitment fees to one or more banks prior to said specified loan amount being provided to said borrower, as compensation for a commitment from said one or more banks to fund said loan.
16. A system as in claim 14 , wherein said trust is operable to electronically pay interest payments on said loan to one or more banks after said specified loan amount is provided to said borrower.
17. A system as in claim 14 , wherein said trust is operable to electronically receive said loan from one or more banks at or near a specified date and to electronically transfer said loan to said borrower on said specified date.
18. A system as in claim 16 , wherein said electronically-paid interest payments are based on electronically-received data comprising a LIBOR rate plus a specified number of basis points of said loan.