Element Taps Rated ABS Market for US$340 million to Fund Rail Assets


TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - April 17, 2014) - Element Financial Corporation (TSX:EFN) ("Element" or the "Company"), one of North America's leading equipment finance companies, and its wholly-owned subsidiary Element Rail Leasing I LLC (Series 2014-1), announced today that it has closed its first railcar asset-backed securitization (ABS) in the aggregate gross amount of US$340.3 million.

The transaction is comprised of three classes of notes with ratings from Standard & Poor's with two of the three classes, comprising 90% of the notes, carrying an A rating. Together, the notes offer an initial blended coupon of 3.547% and an expected average weighted life of 6.10 years. The transaction is secured by a portfolio of 4,267 railcars, with an appraised value of US$401.5 million, and their related leases. Proceeds from the transaction will be used to reduce Element's existing funding facilities.

"This very successful offering provides Element with clear access to an important funding source that aligns with the long-life nature of these underlying railcar assets," said Steven K. Hudson, Element Financial Corporation's Executive Chairman and CEO. "Under our strategic alliance with Trinity Industries, Element is expecting to acquire more than US$ 2 billion worth of railcars and related leases over a two-year period and we anticipate tapping the ABS market utilizing the structure that we now have in place for additional funding as these assets are added to our balance sheet," added Mr. Hudson.

The notes were offered by Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC as lead arranger.

About Element Financial Corporation

With total assets in excess of $4 billion, Element Financial Corporation is one of North America's leading equipment finance companies. Element operates across North America in five verticals of the equipment finance market - Commercial Finance, Vendor Finance, Aviation Finance, Railcar Finance and Fleet Management.

Forward Looking Statements

This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Element and its business. Such statements are based on the current expectations and views of future events of Element's management. In some cases the forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may", "will", "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "potential", "estimate", "believe" or the negative of these terms, or other similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this release include those related to expected use of proceeds, future railcar acquisitions and future funding opportunities in the asset-backed securities market or otherwise. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Element, including risks regarding the equipment finance industry, economic factors and many other factors beyond the control of Element. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements and information by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statement or information. A discussion of the material risks and assumptions associated with this outlook can be found in the Company's 2013 MD&A, and 2013 Annual Information Form, all of which have been filed on SEDAR and can be accessed at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements or information. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Element undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

Contact Information:

Element Financial Corporation
John Sadler
Senior Vice President
(416) 386-1067 ext. 2313
jsadler@elementfinancial.ca

Element Financial Corporation
Michel Beland
Chief Financial Officer
(416) 386-1067 ext. 2225
mbeland@elementfinancial.ca