By Davide Barbuscia | Updated on Oct 07, 2026 at 05:41 PM
Morgan Stanley has invited banks to buy pieces of a $3 billion loan that helps fund Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.’s purchase of a 50% stake in Sandals Resort International, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
The $3 billion loan, with a maturity of 364 days, offers an interest rate equivalent to 1.125 percentage point more than the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, said the people, speaking anonymously as the deal information is private.
The loan, initially made by Morgan Stanley, will likely be refinanced with other forms of debt such as longer-term bonds in the future, the people said.
The debt is one of a recent string of short-term buyout financings provided by Morgan Stanley, as the investment bank capitalizes on a surge in mergers and acquisitions.
Just this week, Morgan Stanley was listed as one of two banks, together with Société Générale, providing a €22 billion ($24.6 billion) bridge loan to French electric equipment and software maker Schneider Electric SE, which agreed to buy industrial software firm PTC Inc. The bank was also the lender for a $4.5 billion short-term loan to back freight broker CH Robinson’s proposed $5.8 billion acquisition of RXO.
On Wednesday, the bank was named, together with CIBC, as provider of the acquisition financing for Wittington Investments, the Canadian branch of the billionaire Weston family, agreeing to buy · UK drugstore chain Boots for $8.9 billion.
Morgan Stanley was the sole provider of a £2.4 billion ($3.17 billion) bridge financing commitment to publishing and events firm Informa for its planned acquisition of events group Clarion, announced on Tuesday, one of the people familiar with the matter said. That loan has a one-year maturity with two six-month extension options, the person said.
Royal Caribbean and Informa didn’t respond to requests for comment. A Morgan Stanley representative declined to comment.