Waymo upsizes debut private loan to $5 billion to fund expansion - Bloomberg

Investing.com -- Waymo has significantly upsized its maiden private debt offering to $5 billion, capitalizing on strong lender appetite as the autonomous vehicle operator ramps up capital-intensive expansion plans across domestic and international markets.

According to Bloomberg reporting, the driverless unit of Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL) secured commitments from major private credit investors, including Pacific Investment Management Co., Blackstone Inc., and Sixth Street Partners. The loan was arranged with assistance from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and priced at 5.25 percentage points above the benchmark rate.

The enhanced borrowing facility marks a notable shift in Waymo's capital allocation strategy, which previously relied primarily on equity financing. The company raised $16 billion at a $126 billion valuation earlier this year to support its self-driving vehicle initiatives and recent hardware developments, such as custom-designed silicon for its autonomous fleet.

The expansion of the debt facility comes as Waymo faces escalating artificial intelligence and fleet procurement costs associated with scaling its operations. The platform is aggressively broadening its U.S. presence, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for entry into key Asian hubs, including Japan and Singapore.

The newly allocated capital is expected to close formally in the near future as Waymo works toward achieving its operational goal of delivering 1 million paid rides weekly this year.

Original Article

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