MUFG Struggles to Sell Another Portion of CNX Resources Bonds

(Bloomberg) -- Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. has cut prices on $75 million of U.S. junk bonds that it has struggled to sell as part of a soured underwriting deal. Investors don't seem to be snapping it up.

The Japanese bank cut the price on bonds from CNX Resources Corp., an oil and gas driller, to around 89 cents on the dollar, down about 1 cent from where it sold a bigger block -- some $300 million -- in May, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing a private matter. The notes are now quoted lower in the market at around 86 cents, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

A representative for MUFG declined to comment.

The attempted sale is the latest twist in MUFG's offering of what was originally a $500 million bond from the energy company, the bank's first attempt as a sole underwriter in the U.S. dollar high-yield bond market.

MUFG beat Credit Suisse Group AG to underwrite the sale by essentially guaranteeing CNX Resources a better price for the bonds after the company sought other offers. But MUFG got a tepid reception from investors, selling a portion of the offering in March at about 97 cents and hanging on to some.

In May, it enlisted competitor Cantor Fitzgerald LP to offload another $300 million, selling the bond to the brokerage for 90 cents on the dollar. Cantor in turn sold the notes to investors at 90.25 cents, people with knowledge of the matter said at the time.

MUFG's struggles to sell the CNX debt come amid a junk bond market that is otherwise awash in cash. In June, high-yield posted its biggest monthly gains since January, according to Bloomberg Barclays index data. Issuance was the busiest since September 2017.

CNX Resources, based in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, tried to sell bonds before in March 2018 but was one of a few energy firms to pull deals that month as investors grew wary of risk. MUFG is a market maker in the company's securities, meaning it helps customers buy and sell them constantly.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sally Bakewell in New York at sbakewell1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Natalie Harrison at nharrison73@bloomberg.net, Dan Wilchins

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