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Restructuring AMERCO

By Richard Williamson and Josh Skevington
January 25, 2005

When AMERCO, the parent company of U-Haul International, emerged from bankruptcy protection in March 2004, it secured an unusual place in history — exiting Chapter 11 with a global capital restructuring that resulted in zero dilution in shareholder value. Alvarez & Marsal, which was retained as the company's financial advisors, executed one of the most successful restructurings on record by developing and implementing a complex and consensual plan that required significant negotiations with a diverse group of debt and equity holders. By the end of the swift process, AMERCO's common equity value had increased by over 350% and nearly $300 million in value was restored to the investments of preferred stock and unsecured debt holders.

Best known for the market position and brand recognition of its subsidiary U-Haul, the dominant player in the self-move and self-storage market, AMERCO is also the holding company of AMERCO Real Estate Company, which owns 90% of the company's real estate assets, Oxford Life Insurance Company, which specializes in providing consumer-oriented life, annuity, disability income and health insurance products, and Republic Western Insurance Company, a property and casualty insurance company.

In addition to its operating subsidiaries, AMERCO utilized a special purpose entity (SAC) as a vehicle to finance a portion of its expansion into the self-storage industry. Under this arrangement, self-storage properties are owned by SAC and managed by U-Haul for a fee. SAC financed the purchase of the self-storage properties through combination of senior loans from third-party lenders and borrowing from AMERCO.

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