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Senior Debentures and Innovative Capital Instruments
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Financial Instruments [Abstract]  
Senior Debentures and Innovative Capital Instruments
13.A Senior Debentures(1)                                        
The following obligations are included in Senior debentures as at December 31:
 
Interest rate

          Earliest par call or redemption date
Maturity
2018
 
2017
 
SLF Inc. senior debentures
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Series D issued June 30, 2009(2)
5.70
%
n/a
2019
 
$
300

 
$
300

Series E issued August 23, 2011(2)
4.57
%
n/a
2021
 
299

 
299

Sun Life Assurance senior debentures(3)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Issued to Sun Life Capital Trust ("SLCT I")
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Series B issued June 25, 2002
7.09
%
June 30, 2032(4)
2052
 
200

 
200

Issued to Sun Life Capital Trust II ("SLCT II")
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Series C issued November 20, 2009(5)
6.06
%
December 31, 2019(6)
2108
 
500

 
500

Total senior debentures
 
 
 
 
$
1,299

 
$
1,299

Fair value
 
 
 
 
$
1,390

 
$
1,439


(1)
All senior debentures are unsecured.
(2)  
Redeemable in whole or in part at any time prior to maturity at a price equal to the greater of par and a price based on the yield of a corresponding Government of Canada bond plus 0.575% for the Series D debentures and 0.53% for the Series E debentures.
(3)  
Redemption is subject to regulatory approval.
(4)  
Redeemable in whole or in part on any interest payment date or in whole upon the occurrence of a Regulatory Event or Tax Event, as described in the debenture. Prior to June 30, 2032, the redemption price is the greater of par and a price based on the yield of a corresponding Government of Canada bond plus 0.32%; from June 30, 2032, the redemption price is par.
(5)  
On December 31, 2019, and every fifth anniversary thereafter (“Interest Reset Date”), the interest rate will reset to an annual rate equal to the five-year Government of Canada bond yield plus 3.60%.
(6) 
Redeemable in whole or in part. If redemption occurs on an Interest Reset Date, the redemption price is par; otherwise, it is the greater of par and a price based on the yield of a corresponding Government of Canada bond plus (i) 0.65% if redemption occurs prior to December 31, 2019, or (ii) 1.30% if redemption occurs after December 31, 2019. Also redeemable in whole at par at any time upon the occurrence of a Regulatory Event or Tax Event, as described in the debenture.

Fair value is determined based on quoted market prices for identical or similar instruments. When quoted market prices are not available, fair value is determined from observable market data by dealers that are typically the market makers. The fair value is categorized in Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

Interest expense for senior debentures was $76 for 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The senior debentures issued by SLF Inc. are direct senior unsecured obligations and rank equally with other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness of SLF Inc.
13.B Innovative Capital Instruments
Innovative capital instruments consist of Sun Life ExchangEable Capital Securities ("SLEECS"), which were issued by SLCT I and SLCT II (together “SL Capital Trusts”), established as trusts under the laws of Ontario. SLCT I issued Sun Life ExchangEable Capital Securities – Series B (“SLEECS B”), which are units representing an undivided beneficial ownership interest in the assets of that trust. SLEECS B are non-voting except in certain limited circumstances. Holders of the SLEECS B are eligible to receive semi-annual non-cumulative fixed cash distributions. SLCT II issued Sun Life ExchangEable Capital Securities – Series 2009-1 (“SLEECS 2009-1”), which are subordinated unsecured debt obligations. Holders of SLEECS 2009-1 are eligible to receive semi-annual interest payments. The proceeds of the issuances of SLEECS B and SLEECS 2009-1 were used by the SL Capital Trusts to purchase senior debentures of Sun Life Assurance. The SL Capital Trusts are not consolidated by us. As a result, the innovative capital instruments are not reported on our Consolidated Financial Statements. However, the senior debentures issued by Sun Life Assurance to the SL Capital Trusts are reported on our Consolidated Financial Statements.

The SLEECS are structured to achieve Tier 1 regulatory capital treatment for SLF Inc. and Sun Life Assurance and, as such, have features of equity capital. No interest payments or distributions will be paid in cash by the SL Capital Trusts on the SLEECS if Sun Life Assurance fails to declare regular dividends (i) on its Class B Non-Cumulative Preferred Shares Series A, or (ii) on its public preferred shares, if any are outstanding (each, a “Missed Dividend Event”). In the case of the SLEECS 2009-1, if a Missed Dividend Event occurs or if an interest payment is not made in cash on the SLEECS 2009-1 for any reason, including at the election of Sun Life Assurance, holders of the SLEECS 2009-1 will be required to invest interest paid on the SLEECS 2009-1 in non-cumulative perpetual preferred shares of Sun Life Assurance. In the case of the SLEECS B, if a Missed Dividend Event occurs, the net distributable funds of SLCT I will be distributed to Sun Life Assurance as the holder of Special Trust Securities of that trust. If the SL Capital Trusts fail to pay in cash the semi-annual interest payments or distributions on the SLEECS in full for any reason other than a Missed Dividend Event, then, for a specified period of time, Sun Life Assurance will not declare dividends of any kind on any of its public preferred shares, and if no such public preferred shares are outstanding, SLF Inc. will not declare dividends of any kind on any of its preferred shares or common shares.

Each SLEECS B unit and each one thousand dollars principal amount of SLEECS 2009-1 will be automatically exchanged for 40 non-cumulative perpetual preferred shares of Sun Life Assurance if any one of the following events occurs: (i) proceedings are commenced or an order is made for the winding-up of Sun Life Assurance; (ii) OSFI takes control of Sun Life Assurance or its assets; (iii) Sun Life Assurance's capital ratios fall below applicable thresholds; or (iv) OSFI directs Sun Life Assurance to increase its capital or provide additional liquidity and Sun Life Assurance either fails to comply with such direction or elects to have the SLEECS automatically exchanged (“Automatic Exchange Event”). Upon an Automatic Exchange Event, former holders of the SLEECS will cease to have any claim or entitlement to distributions, interest or principal against the issuing SL Capital Trusts and will rank as preferred shareholders of Sun Life Assurance in a liquidation of Sun Life Assurance.

According to OSFI guidelines, innovative capital instruments can comprise up to 15% of net Tier 1 capital with an additional 5% eligible for Tier 2B capital. As at December 31, 2018, for regulatory capital purposes of Sun Life Assurance, $699 (2017$699) represented Tier 1 capital.

The table below presents additional significant terms and conditions of the SLEECS:
Issuer
Issuance date
Distribution or interest payment dates
Annual yield

 
Redemption date at the issuer's option
Conversion date at the holder's option
Principal amount
 
Sun Life Capital Trust(1)(2)(3)(4)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLEECS B
June 25, 2002
June 30, December 31
7.093
%
 
June 30, 2007
Any time
 
$
200

Sun Life Capital Trust II(1)(2)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
SLEECS 2009-1
November 20, 2009
June 30, December 31
5.863
%
(5) 
December 31, 2014
No conversion option
 
500

Total
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
700


(1) 
Subject to regulatory approval, the SL Capital Trusts may (i) redeem any outstanding SLEECS, in whole or in part, on the redemption date specified above or on any distribution date thereafter, or in the case of SLCT II, on any date thereafter, and (ii) may redeem all, but not part of any class of SLEECS upon occurrence of a Regulatory Event or a Tax Event, prior to the redemption date specified above.
(2) 
The SLEECS B may be redeemed for cash equivalent to (i) the greater of the Early Redemption Price or the Redemption Price if the redemption occurs prior to June 30, 2032 or (ii) the Redemption Price if the redemption occurs on or after June 30, 2032. Redemption Price is equal to one thousand dollars plus the unpaid distributions, other than unpaid distributions resulting from a Missed Dividend Event, to the redemption date. Early Redemption Price for the SLEECS B is the price calculated to provide an annual yield, equal to the yield of a Government of Canada bond issued on the redemption date that has a maturity date of June 30, 2032, plus 32 basis points, plus the unpaid distributions, other than unpaid distributions resulting from a Missed Dividend Event, to the redemption date. The SLEECS 2009-1 may be redeemed for cash equivalent to, on any day that is not an Interest Reset Date, accrued and unpaid interest on the SLEECS 2009-1 plus the greater of par and a price calculated to provide an annual yield equal to the yield of a Government of Canada bond maturing on the next Interest Reset Date plus (i) 0.60% if the redemption date is prior to December 31, 2019 or (ii) 1.20% if the redemption date is any time after December 31, 2019. On an Interest Reset Date, the redemption price is equal to par plus accrued and unpaid interest on the SLEECS 2009-1.
(3) 
The non-cumulative perpetual preferred shares of Sun Life Assurance issued upon an Automatic Exchange Event in respect of the SLEECS B will become convertible, at the option of the holder, into a variable number of common shares of SLF Inc. on distribution dates on or after December 31, 2032.
(4) 
Holders of SLEECS B may exchange, at any time, all or part of their SLEECS B units for non-cumulative perpetual preferred shares of Sun Life Assurance at an exchange rate for each SLEECS of 40 non-cumulative perpetual preferred shares of Sun Life Assurance. SLCT I will have the right, at any time before the exchange is completed, to arrange for a substituted purchaser to purchase SLEECS tendered for surrender to SLCT I so long as the holder of the SLEECS so tendered has not withheld consent to the purchase of its SLEECS. Any non-cumulative perpetual preferred shares issued in respect of an exchange by the holders of SLEECS B will become convertible, at the option of the holder, into a variable number of common shares of SLF Inc. on distribution dates on or after December 31, 2032.
(5) 
Holders of SLEECS 2009-1 are eligible to receive semi-annual interest payments at a fixed rate until December 31, 2019. The interest rate on the SLEECS 2009-1 will reset on December 31, 2019 and every fifth anniversary thereafter to equal the five-year Government of Canada bond yield plus 3.40%.