Hillenbrand Deal Adds to M&A Debt Wave in Junk Loan Market (1)

Hillenbrand Inc.’s $1.8 billion leveraged loan buyout financing deal kicked off on Friday, joining the surge of M&A-related activity hitting the junk-rated debt market this year.

Banks led by Bank of America Corp. and UBS Group AG launched the loan sale for the industrial equipment maker, part of what is expected to be a larger $3.1 billion financing package that includes bonds.

The transaction joins a raft of acquisition fundings hitting the market this week, the largest being the $7 billion of dollar and euro loans being offered to help finance Hologic Inc.’s leveraged buyout. Other such deals that ...