Intrum closes Cerberus asset sale, $682 million net proceeds to cut debt

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -Swedish debt collector Intrum said on Monday it had completed the sale of a large portion of its investment portfolio and would use the net proceeds of 7.2 billion crowns ($682 million) to reduce its own debt.

Intrum, Europe's biggest manager of bad loans, announced the sale to Cerberus Capital Management in January saying it expected to raise 8.2 billion crowns.

"The previously disclosed 8.2 billion crowns expected proceeds are lower due to a later closing date," it said in a statement on Monday to explain the lower net proceeds figure.

"Having received the cash proceeds from the portfolio through to closing (of the deal), the total proceeds to Intrum remain the same," it added.

A spokesperson said Intrum had initially aimed to finalise the deal in February, and that revenues from the portfolio between then and the June closing may also be used to cut debt.

Intrum said it now expects its net debt to shrink to below 49 billion crowns by the end of the second quarter, from 57.5 billion in the first quarter.

Shares in Intrum, which has seen S&P and Moody's cut its credit ratings this year despite efforts to de-leverage, were up 3% at 0951 GMT. Year-to-date, its shares are down 56%.

($1 = 10.5546 Swedish crowns)

(Reporting by Anna Ringstrom, additional reporting by Tilla Sjaavaag in Gdansk; Editing by Stine Jacobsen and Alexander Smith)