European Capital Increases Capital Resources to euro 2.5 Billion; Announces Issuance of euro 267 Million of AAA-Rated Investment Grade Notes

St. Peter Port, Guernsey (ots/PRNewswire) -

European Capital Limited (LSE: ECAS) ("European Capital")
announced today that ECAS 2007-1 Loan BV ("ECAS 2007-1 BV"), an
entity consolidated by European Capital, has issued euro 267 million
of AAA-rated secured floating rate notes, backed by euro 457 million
in loans originated by European Capital subsidiaries. The notes were
rated by Standard & Poors. Affiliates of Deutsche Bank AG acted as
the arranger and underwriter. The addition of the euro 267 million
secured floating rate notes increases European Capital's capital
resources to euro 2.5 billion.

European Capital has the following committed debt facilities:
EUROPEAN CAPITAL COMMITTED DEBT FACILITIES
Total Commitment
Multicurrency Secured RLOC euro 900,000,000
Secured Term Notes euro 267,000,000
Multicurrency Unsecured RLOC euro 150,000,000
Unsecured Private Placements
March 2007 US$37,500,000
January 2007 US$37,500,000
December 2006 euro 52,000,000
TOTAL COMMITTED DEBT FACILITIES(i) euro 1,421,000,000
(i) US Dollar facilities converted to Euros at 31 January 2008 exchange
rate.

"We are happy to have been able to arrange this financing in the
current market, bringing European Capital's capital resources to euro
2.5 billion. The securitisation provides European Capital with
additional capital, a major competitive advantage especially at a
time when European Capital can capitalize on the widening spreads in
the leveraged loan market," said John Hooker, Vice President, Debt
Capital Markets, American Capital. "This securitisation also makes a
very positive statement about the quality of European Capital's
assets. Particularly in this environment, Deutsche Bank AG and the
rating agency were very focused on credit quality and underwrote
every asset in the pool."

"As banks pull back lending, the number and quality of investment
opportunities for European Capital are expected to increase," said
Tom McHale, Director, European Capital Financial Services Limited.
"In particular, our One Stop Buyouts(TM) have become even more
important to sellers of companies in this uncertain financing
environment. Furthermore, our ability to underwrite mezzanine
tranches is in demand from other private equity sponsors, especially
because we can provide certainty of close. We are now in an even
greater position to meet the financing needs of middle market
companies."

European Capital has invested approximately euro 2.9 billion in
79 companies since its formation in August of 2005 and approximately
euro 1.6 billion in 49 companies in 2007. For more information about
European Capital's portfolio, go to
http://www.ecas.com/our_portfolio/portfolio.html.

ABOUT EUROPEAN CAPITAL

European Capital is a publicly traded investment company for
pan-European equity, mezzanine and senior debt investments with
capital resources of approximately euro 2.5 billion (US$3.7 billion).
It is managed by European Capital Financial Services (Guernsey)
Limited ("ECFSG" or "the Investment Manager"), a wholly-owned
affiliate of American Capital Strategies, Ltd ("American Capital").

European Capital invests in and sponsors management and employee
buyouts, invests in private equity buyouts and provides capital
directly to private and public companies headquartered predominantly
in Europe. European Capital generally invests between euro 5 million
and euro 500 million per transaction in equity, mezzanine debt and
senior debt to fund growth, acquisitions and recapitalisations.

The investment objective of European Capital is to provide
investors with dividend income and the potential for share value
appreciation by investing in debt and equity investments in private
and public companies headquartered primarily in Europe. European
Capital seeks to achieve this through pursuing the following types of
investments:

European Capital One Stop Buyouts(TM)

Through our One Stop Buyouts(TM), European Capital provides
equity, mezzanine debt and senior debt as the lead investor in the
buyout of private and public companies.

Mezzanine Direct with Sponsors

European Capital provides debt and equity financing for buyouts
sponsored by private equity firms where European Capital is either
the sole or lead mezzanine debt investor.

Syndicated Mezzanine and Senior Debt

European Capital provides mezzanine and senior financing for
buyouts sponsored by private equity firms where European Capital is
neither the sole nor lead mezzanine or senior debt investor.

Direct Investments

European Capital provides debt and equity financing directly to
private and public companies, which is used for growth, acquisitions
or recapitalisations, and investing in structured finance vehicles.

Companies interested in learning more about European Capital's
flexible financing should contact Simon Henderson or Nathalie Faure
Beaulieu at +44(0)20-7539-7000 in London, Jean Eichenlaub at +
33(0)1-40-68-06-66 in Paris, Robert von Finckenstein at
+49(0)69-71-71-297-0 in Frankfurt, or Luis Felipe Castellanos at
+34-91-423-27-60 in Madrid, or visit the website at
www.EuropeanCapital.com.

ABOUT AMERICAN CAPITAL

American Capital Strategies, Ltd. (Nasdaq: ACAS), with US$19
billion in capital resources under management, is an affiliate of
European Capital and a member of the S&P 500. It is the largest U.S.
publicly traded private equity firm and one of the largest publicly
traded alternative asset managers. American Capital, both directly
and through its global asset management business, is an investor in
management and employee buyouts, private equity buyouts, and early
stage and mature private and public companies. American Capital
provides senior debt, mezzanine debt and equity to fund growth,
acquisitions, recapitalisations and securitisations. American Capital
and its affiliates invest from US$5 million to US$800 million per
company in North America and euro 5 million to euro 500 million per
company in Europe.

This press release contains forward-looking statements. The
statements regarding expected results of European Capital and/or
American Capital are subject to various factors and uncertainties,
including the uncertainties associated with the timing of transaction
closings, changes in interest rates, availability of transactions,
changes in regional, national or international economic conditions,
or changes in the conditions of the industries in which European
Capital and/or American Capital has made investments.

Web site: http://www.EuropeanCapital.com
http://www.ecas.com/our_portfolio/portfolio.html

ots Originaltext: European Capital
Im Internet recherchierbar: http://www.presseportal.de

Contact:
Tom McHale, Director, +1-301-951-6122, or Juan Carlos Morales Cortes,
Finance Director, +44(0)207-539-7000, both of European Capital
Financial Services, or John Hooker, Vice President, Debt Capital
Markets, or Justin Cressall, Vice President, Equity Capital Markets,
both of American Capital, +1-301-951-6122