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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStifel Response_City of Bozeman_4.5.21 1 April 5, 2021 Mike Maas David Fine City Clerk Urban Renewal Program Manager City of Bozeman City of Bozeman Dear Mr. Maas and Mr. Fine: The Stifel team has reviewed the City of Bozeman’s (the “City” or “Bozeman”) Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for Professional Services in Economic Development and Housing Finance. While Stifel does not provide all of the services requested, for this proposed engagement, Stifel is submitting this unsolicited proposal to provide underwriting and market related services for the City’s upcoming projects, particularly in relation to services listed under Scope of Services, Housing and Economic Development Financial Planning and Capital Building, #4. If Stifel is engaged through our non-binding preliminary engagement agreement, our team can provide support and analysis through all aspects of the debt issuance process, including structure, ratings and marketing. The rationale for this response is due to the regulations stipulated in the SEC’s Municipal Advisor Rule (the “Rule”) and the limitations the Rule places on Broker Dealers for advisory services, without obtaining one of the seven permitted exemptions from the Rule. As further outlined below, Stifel would like to emphasize a few aspects of our firm's qualifications as underwriter to assist the City with these projects: Unmatched Experience in Marketing Transactions: Stifel is the #1 ranked underwriter nationally (by number of deals) for each of the prior six years. In 2020, Stifel served as sole or lead manager on 929 transactions totaling $18.2 billion in par. This volume of market participation means Stifel’s sales force is in the market daily, resulting in established investor relationships and a strong knowledge and understanding of investor patterns and preferences. In addition, it provides Stifel with an unmatched understanding of issuing a variety of credits in the current environment and the value of the accompanied rating agency and investor feedback. #1 Underwriter of Tax Increment Financings for the Last Decade: No other firm served on more negotiated tax increment financings (“TIF”) than Stifel, with 24 transactions in 2020 or with more TIF par amount of bonds ($373 million) (Source: SDC). These transactions represented 25.2% of all TIF transactional par for 2020. Our underwriters are in the market more than any other firm, and we sell more TIF bonds than our competitors. This experience allows us to market to the complete spectrum of potential investors, develop a targeted outreach program and leverage demand to provide the best execution for our clients. Served on City’s Most Recent Financings: Stifel is proud of its past service to the City, having served as sole managing underwriter or placement agent to the City on three of its recent financings. Stifel proposes the same team to serve the City, providing continuity to the financing team and familiarity with the City’s financing process, which provides an advantage for the entire financing team. Highlights from these transactions include:  General Obligation Bonds, Series 2019: Stifel worked with the City when it issued $34.305 million General Obligation Bonds to finance the construction of a new public safety center. Stifel assisted the City in securing a rating upgrade to ‘Aa1’ based upon the City’s considerable growth and the strength of the local economy that is expected to continue, and the strong management practices of the City. Furthermore, due to Stifel’s strong retail presence in Montana, and Bozeman’s desire to target a retail audience, Stifel put together an advertisement than ran in 16 newspapers across Montana. The Series 2019 Bonds received 56 individual retail orders and 134 retail orders in total. While the average transaction will see approximately 4% retail participation, approximately 9% of Bozeman’s Series 2019 Bonds were allocated to retail accounts across Montana.  Downtown Bozeman Improvement District, Tax Increment Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2020: Stifel served as placement agent to the Downtown Bozeman Improvement District on a refinancing of its Series 2007 Bonds. The prior debt service reserve fund was contributed to the refunding and a new reserve fund was not funded due to the improved strength of the credit. The savings resulted in $699,893 in gross debt service savings.  Midtown Urban Renewal District, Tax Increment Revenue Bonds, Series 2020: Stifel served as sole managing underwriter to the City on its $6.5 million financing for the Midtown Urban Renewal District. The Bonds received a BBB rating by S&P National Lead Managed Financings 2020 Negotiated Issues (Ranked by # of Issues) Rank Firm # of Issues Mkt. Share Par Amount (US$ mil) 1 STIFEL 929 11.9% $18,246.9 2 Piper Sandler 673 8.6 17,839.3 3 RBC 639 8.2 28,262.3 4 Raymond James 549 7.0 15,923.6 5 D A Davidson 523 6.7 5,325.0 Source: SDC (Full to Book Equal if Joint) negotiated transactions ranked by number of issues. As of January 5, 2021. 2 and were further secured by an insurance policy from AGM and a surety in lieu of a cash funded reserve fund, which helped to secure a lower borrowing cost. Regional Presence: Stifel’s Rocky Mountain presence is a core line of business to both our Public Finance practice and across all aspects of the firm. Our lead underwriter and manager of Stifel’s national municipal commitment centers, Mike Imhoff, is based on our Denver municipal syndicate desk. Stifel has 19 offices within the Rocky Mountain region, including four in Montana with one in Bozeman. Our underwriters and trading professionals are familiar with the region’s credits and have broad and established investor relationships marketing to the region’s investors. Stifel’s sales and trading team are skilled at selling general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, and certificates of participation. With national and local resources, Stifel is uniquely suited to serve issuers throughout Montana.  Commitment to Montana: In addition, Stifel further provides support and shows its commitment to Montana by being a member of the Montana League of Cities and Towns, the Montana Infrastructure Coalition and the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce. Montana Retail and Institutional Distribution Capabilities: Stifel has a comprehensive distribution platform with municipal syndicate, institutional sales and trading, and public finance origination all housed together within our Municipal Securities Group. Stifel’s robust distribution network includes: a) Tier I institutional distribution (assets > $1 billion), b) Tier II (assets of $600 - $999 million) and Tier III (assets of $100 - $599 million) middle market distribution, c) national retail and Montana retail. The goal of Stifel’s distribution platform is to help build the most diverse book of orders, allowing for the lowest yields at pricing.  Montana Retail: Within Montana, Stifel currently employs 23 brokers managing over 16,000 individual accounts in our offices located in Bozeman, Billings, Great Falls, and Kalispell, with over $1.95 billion of Montana retail assets under management. Stifel believes that our retail customers offer issuers an opportunity to have the community invest in their capital projects, while also creating leverage against institutional buyers. Stifel’s Housing Experience: The team proposed to the City has recently served as underwriter, placement agent or selling group member on affordable housing transactions for Telluride Housing Authority (CO), Telluride School District (CO), Town of Breckenridge (CO), Colorado Housing & Finance Authority, Denver Housing Authority (CO), Wyoming Community Development Authority, Utah Housing Corporation, and is currently engaged by Eagle County School District (CO). Stifel also has a national specialized housing team serving multi-family housing issuers around the county. Stifel’s bankers have significant experience structuring and pricing multi-family housing bonds and our underwriters and sales force have unparalleled knowledge of the specialized buyer base for multi-family housing bonds. For each of the past seven years, Stifel was the #1 ranked underwriter of multi-family housing negotiated transactions. In 2020, Stifel served as underwriter on 47 transactions for total aggregate par of $805 million, with 23% of market share (Source: SDC). Experience with Parking Projects: Given the City’s planned projects, Stifel would also like to highlight our experience serving as underwriter or placement agent on parking facility projects. In 2020 Stifel served as underwriter to the Town of Breckenridge (CO) for their $36.72 million Series 2020B Certificates of Participation (“COPs”) which financed a new parking structure. In 2018 Stifel served as placement agent to the Town of Telluride (CO) for their $4.2 million Parking Revenue Bonds, which in addition to the parking structure was part of a larger project that also consisted of affordable housing and an art school which was financed separately. At his prior firm, Bryan Stelmack also served as underwriter to the Town of Helena (MT) on their $8.9 million COPs to construct a parking lot in downtown Helena. Stifel can assist in evaluating different structures and credits to finance a parking structure project, while factoring in the best way to utilize and leverage investments through a public private partnership. Based on our firm’s strengths and experience, we believe the firm’s resources can provide a valuable asset to the City’s financing team as they undertake these various Economic Development, Tax Increment Finance Projects and Development Planning projects initiated by the Economic Development Department, Community Development Department, or Downtown Bozeman Partnership. We welcome the opportunity to discuss Stifel’s unsolicited proposal to serve as Underwriter or Placement Agent to the City as they review and embark on these important projects. Respectfully submitted, Bryan Stelmack, Director Amy Canfield, Vice President stelmackb@stifel.com, (303) 291-5288 canfielda@stifel.com, (303) 291-5362 3 General Information Disclosure Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated (“Stifel”) has prepared the attached materials. Such material consists of factual or general information (as defined in the SEC’s Municipal Advisor Rule). Stifel is not hereby providing a municipal entity or obligated person with any advice or making any recommendation as to action concerning the structure, timing or terms of any issuance of municipal securities or municipal financial products. To the extent that Stifel provides any alternatives, options, calculations or examples in the attached information, such information is not intended to express any view that the municipal entity or obligated person could achieve particular results in any municipal securities transaction, and those alternatives, options, calculations or examples do not constitute a recommendation that any municipal issuer or obligated person should effect any municipal securities transaction. Stifel is acting in its own interests, is not acting as your municipal advisor and does not owe a fiduciary duty pursuant to Section 15B of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, to the municipal entity or obligated party with respect to the information and materials contained in this communication. Stifel is providing information and is declaring to the proposed municipal issuer and any obligated person that it has done so within the regulatory framework of MSRB Rule G-23 as an underwriter (by definition also including the role of placement agent) and not as a financial advisor, as defined therein, with respect to the referenced proposed issuance of municipal securities. The primary role of Stifel, as an underwriter, is to purchase securities for resale to investors in an arm’s- length commercial transaction. Serving in the role of underwriter, Stifel has financial and other interests that differ from those of the issuer. The issuer should consult with its own financial and/or municipal, legal, accounting, tax and other advisors, as applicable, to the extent it deems appropriate. These materials have been prepared by Stifel for the client or potential client to whom such materials are directly addressed and delivered for discussion purposes only. All terms and conditions are subject to further discussion and negotiation. Stifel does not express any view as to whether financing options presented in these materials are achievable or will be available at the time of any contemplated transaction. These materials do not constitute an offer or solicitation to sell or purchase any securities and are not a commitment by Stifel to provide or arrange any financing for any transaction or to purchase any security in connection therewith and may not relied upon as an indication that such an offer will be provided in the future. Where indicated, this presentation may contain information derived from sources other than Stifel. While we believe such information to be accurate and complete, Stifel does not guarantee the accuracy of this information. This material is based on information currently available to Stifel or its sources and is subject to change without notice. Stifel does not provide accounting, tax or legal advice; however, you should be aware that any proposed indicative transaction could have accounting, tax, legal or other implications that should be discussed with your advisors and /or counsel as you deem appropriate.