MAC Clauses & COVID-19: A Free Pass For Lenders?

By Drew Salvest

28.04.2020

The Scenario:

A client is prudently engaging with its bank to put in place a credit facility to address working capital needs which it anticipates might grow due to the Covid-19 isolation measures causing its customers to reduce requirements for its services and to pay more slowly than during less distressed times. As the motivation for this client to enter into the facility was its potential exposure to the risks to general economic conditions arising from the pandemic, the client was understandably concerned about the lender’s insistence on the inclusion of a “Material Adverse Change” or “MAC” representation and event of default.

The client’s question to us, after vain attempts to remove the language and tepid protestations from its relationship manager that such clauses “are rarely relied upon”, was whether it had any reason to be concerned.

To be fair to the lender, MAC events of default are rarely relied upon to enforce an event of default. However, the Covid-19 pandemic and the government ordered lockdown is having an unprecedented impact on the UK and the global economy. One has to consider whether the changed circumstances arising from this event might have a similarly unprecedented change in the approach lenders take in limiting losses in their loan portfolios. More importantly, if it does, will a typical MAC clause assist them? Continue reading “MAC Clauses & COVID-19: A Free Pass For Lenders?”

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The opinions expressed on this blog are those of the author and are not to be construed as legal advice.

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