Module IV· Sources & UsesIntermediate
Question

Continuing Industrial Manufacturing Co: the sponsor wants 5x Senior Debt, no mezzanine, and to use the $15m of existing cash. What does the Sources side look like?

Answer

Total Uses from the prior step = $354m. EBITDA $40m. Sponsor structuring: 5x Senior Debt, no mezzanine, existing cash fully used.

Deep diveShow more details
Sources item$mCalculation
Existing cash15From the target balance sheet
Senior Debt (TLB)2005.0x EBITDA of $40m
Sponsor Equity139Plug = 354 − 15 − 200
Total Sources354

Equity check for the sponsor: $139m (39% of Total Uses). Debt/EBITDA ratio 5.0x — at the top of the middle-market range, but still financeable with stable cash flow.

Sanity check: both sides = $354m ✓.

Question: "What happens at 6x debt?"
Answer: "The equity check falls to $99m (28%), but lenders then usually demand a mezzanine tranche or decline — cash-flow coverage gets too tight"