Definition of Leased Bank Guarantee
A leased bank guarantee is a guarantee, which is leased to a third party for a specific fee. The issuing bank will conduct due diligence on the creditworthiness of the customer, looking to secure the bank guarantee. Following this it will lease a guarantee to that customer for a set amount of money and over a set period of time (typically less than two years).
The issuing bank will send the guarantee to the borrower’s main bank, and the issuing bank then becomes a backer for debts incurred by the borrower, up to the guaranteed amount.
What You Need to Know About Leased Bank Guarantee
Leased bank guarantees tend to be very expensive; fees can run as high as 15% of the guarantee amount every year. The fee usually consists of an initial setup fee and an annual fee, both of which will be a percentage of the dollar amount that the issuing bank “guarantees” (or covers) in the event that the company is not able to promptly pay its debts.
Smaller enterprises typically only use this option for financial backing (particularly those who are desperate to expand operations and/or fund a specific project). These enterprises will have typically exhausted other opportunities to raise financing or obtain a letter of credit from their own bank.
International Market For Leased Bank Guarantees
Voxtur SA lease bank guarantees, usually with a minimum amount of $5 million to $10 million, all the way up to $10 billion and more.
Knowing Credit-Worthiness
We determine if a borrower is worthy of a leased bank guarantee, many banks will undertake a credit analysis. Credit analyses focus on the ability of the organization to meet its debt obligations, focusing on default risk. Lenders will generally work through the five C’s to determine credit risk: the applicant’s credit history, capacity to repay, its capital, the loan’s conditions, and associated collateral. This form of due diligence can revolve around liquidity and solvency ratios. Liquidity measures the ease with which an individual or company can meet its financial obligations with the current assets available to them, while solvency measures its ability to repay long-term debts.
Difference Between Bank Guarantee and Letter of Credit
A Bank Guarantee
Bank guarantees represent a more significant contractual obligation for banks than letters of credit do. A bank guarantee, like a letter of credit, guarantees a sum of money to a beneficiary; however, unlike a letter of credit, the sum is only paid if the opposing party does not fulfill the stipulated obligations under the contract. This can be used to essentially ensure a buyer or seller from loss or damage due to nonperformance by the other party in a contract.
Bank guarantees protect both parties in a contractual agreement from credit risk. For instance, a construction company and its cement supplier may enter into a new contract to build a mall. Both parties may have to issue bank guarantees to prove their financial capability. In a case where the supplier fails to deliver cement within a specified time, the construction company would notify the bank, which then pays the company the amount specified in the bank guarantee.
A Letter of Credit
Sometimes referred to as a documentary credit, a letter of credit acts as a promissory note from a financial institution, usually a bank or credit union. It guarantees a buyer’s payment to a seller or a borrower’s payment to a lender will be received on time and for the full amount. It also states that if the buyer can’t make payment on the purchase, the bank will cover the full or remaining amount owed.
A letter of credit represents an obligation taken on by a bank to make a payment once certain criteria are met. After these terms are completed and confirmed, the bank will transfer the funds. The letter of credit ensures the payment will be made as long as the services are performed.
For example, say China wholesaler receives an order from a new client, a Thailand company. Because the wholesaler has no way of knowing whether this new client can fulfill its payment obligations, it requested letter of credit is provided in the purchasing contract.
The purchasing company applies for a letter of credit at a bank where it already has funds or a line of credit (LOC). The bank issuing the letter of credit holds payment on behalf of the buyer until it receives confirmation that the goods in the transaction have been shipped. After the goods have been shipped, the bank would pay the wholesaler its due as long as the terms of the sales contract are met, such as delivery before a certain time or confirmation from the buyer that the goods were received undamaged. Basically, the letter of credit substitutes the bank’s credit for that of its client, ensuring correct and timely payment.
Review
Both bank guarantees and letters of credit work to reduce the risk in a business agreement or deal. Parties are more likely to agree to the transaction because they have less liability when a letter of credit or bank guarantee is active. These agreements are particularly important and useful in what would otherwise be risky transactions, such as certain real estate and international trade contracts.
Banks thoroughly screen clients interested in one of these documents. After the bank has determined that the applicant is creditworthy and has a reasonable risk, a monetary limit is placed on the agreement. The bank agrees to be obligated up to, but not exceeding, the limit. This protects the bank by providing a specific threshold of risk. {Note: Letters of credit ensure a transaction proceeds as planned, while bank guarantees reduce the loss if the transaction doesn’t go as planned.}