Note I. Long-Term Debt and Credit Lines

The table below presents long-term debt, exclusive of current installments, as of April 29, 2017, January 28, 2017 and April 30, 2016. All amounts are net of unamortized debt discounts.


In thousands	April 29, 2017			January 28, 2017			April 30, 2016
General corporate debt:
6.95% senior unsecured notes, redeemed on October 12, 2016 (effective interest rate of 6.98% after reduction of unamortized debt discount of $205 at April 30, 2016)	$	—		$	—		$	374,795
2.50% senior unsecured notes, maturing May 15, 2023 (effective interest rate of 2.51% after reduction of unamortized debt discount of $267 at April 29, 2017, $278 at January 28, 2017 and $312 at April 30, 2016)		499,733			499,722			499,688
2.75% senior unsecured notes, maturing June 15, 2021 (effective interest rate of 2.76% after reduction of unamortized debt discount of $306 at April 29, 2017, $325 at January 28, 2017 and $381 at April 30, 2016)		749,694			749,675			749,619
2.25% senior unsecured notes, maturing September 15, 2026 (effective interest rate of 2.32% after reduction of unamortized debt discount of $6,963 at April 29, 2017 and $7,149 at January 28, 2017)		993,037			992,851			—
Debt issuance cost		(14,113	)		(14,649	)		(8,625	)

Long-term debt	$	2,228,351		$	2,227,599		$	1,615,477

On September 12, 2016, TJX issued $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 2.25% ten-year notes due September 2026 all of which was outstanding at April 29, 2017. TJX entered into a rate-lock agreement to hedge $700 million of the 2.25% notes. The cost of these agreements are being amortized to interest expense over the term of the notes resulting in an effective fixed rate of 2.36%.

At April 29, 2017, TJX also had outstanding $500 million aggregate principal amount of 2.50% ten-year notes due May 2023 and $750 million aggregate principal amount of 2.75% seven-year notes, due June 2021. TJX entered into rate-lock agreements to hedge the underlying treasury rate of $250 million of the 2.50% notes. The costs of these agreements are being amortized to interest expense over the term of the respective notes, resulting in an effective fixed interest rate of 2.57% for the 2.50% notes. TJX also entered into rate-lock agreements to hedge the underlying treasury rate of all of the 2.75% notes prior to their issuance. The agreements were accounted for as cash flow hedges and the pre-tax realized loss of $7.9 million was recorded as a component of other comprehensive income and is being amortized to interest expense over the term of the notes, resulting in an effective fixed interest rate of 2.91%.

At April 29, 2017 TJX had two $500 million revolving credit facilities, one which matures in March 2020 and one which matures in March 2022. At April 29, 2017, the agreements require quarterly payments of 6.0 basis points per annum on the committed amounts for both agreements. This rate is based on the credit ratings of TJX’s long-term debt and would vary with specified changes in the credit ratings. These agreements had no compensating balance requirements and had various covenants. Each of these facilities required TJX to maintain a ratio of funded debt and four-times consolidated rentals to consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, and consolidated rentals (“EBITDAR”) of not more than 2.75 to 1.00 on a rolling four-quarter basis. TJX was in compliance with all covenants related to its credit facilities at April 29, 2017, January 28, 2017 and April 30, 2016. As of April 29, 2017, January 28, 2017 and April 30, 2016, and during the quarters and year then ended, there were no amounts outstanding under any of these facilities.

As of April 29, 2017, January 28, 2017 and April 30, 2016, TJX Canada had two uncommitted credit lines, a C$10 million facility for operating expenses and a C$10 million letter of credit facility. As of April 29, 2017, January 28, 2017 and April 30, 2016, there were no amounts outstanding on the Canadian credit line for operating expenses. As of April 29, 2017, January 28, 2017, and April 30, 2016, our European business at TJX International had an uncommitted credit line of £5 million. As of April 29, 2017, January 28, 2017, and April 30, 2016, and during the quarters and year then ended, there were no amounts outstanding on the European credit line.