Commercial and industrial (C&I) lending has been an area of emphasis as banks seek to grow their loan portfolios during this economic recovery. Both C&I lending and agricultural lending involve many types of loans and credit facilities. Equally diverse are the various cash needs of these businesses, such as operating funds, plant expansion or equipment purchases. Commercial real estate (CRE) lending involves both term loans and construction (a type of bridge loan).

In general, all of these borrowing needs can be grouped into four categories with distinct characteristics. Can you identify the analytical focus of a seasonal loan or a bridge loan? Hint: It is not your traditional financial statement analysis and industry research.

This seminar provides bankers with examples of the basic principles of loan structuring for four basic loan types (seasonal, bridge, term, and line of credit), including:

• Identifying the loan structures that best match the source(s) of repayment, both primary and secondary
• Determining the typical cause of borrowing, use of proceeds and analytical focus for each loan type
• Identifying how strategically setting the loan maturity and other elements helps to make the loan self-policing, increasing lender efficiency and customer service
• Comparing appropriate reporting and monitoring after the loan is made
• Reviewing common mistakes and lender errors in the four basic loan types