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Credit and Other Debt Agreements
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Credit and Other Debt Agreements

8.  Credit and Other Debt Agreements

The following is a summary of our corporate and other debt (in millions):

 

 

 

December 31,

 

 

 

2020

 

 

2019

 

Note Purchase Agreements:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 3.48%, balloon due June 24, 2020

 

$

-

 

 

$

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 3.99%, balloon due July 10, 2020

 

 

-

 

 

 

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 5.18%, balloon due February 10, 2021

 

 

75.0

 

 

 

75.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 3.69%, balloon due June 14, 2022

 

 

200.0

 

 

 

200.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 5.49%, balloon due February 10, 2023

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.13%, balloon due June 24, 2023

 

 

200.0

 

 

 

200.0

 

Quarterly payments of interest, floating rate of 90 day LIBOR plus 1.65%, balloon due August 2, 2023 (prepaid on November 3, 2020)

 

 

-

 

 

 

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.72%, balloon due February 13, 2024

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

100.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.58%, balloon due February 27, 2024

 

 

325.0

 

 

 

325.0

 

Quarterly payments of interest, floating rate of 90 day LIBOR plus 1.40%, balloon due June 13, 2024

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.31%, balloon due June 24, 2025

 

 

200.0

 

 

 

200.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.85%, balloon due February 13, 2026

 

 

140.0

 

 

 

140.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.73%, balloon due February 27, 2026

 

 

175.0

 

 

 

175.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.40%, balloon due June 2, 2026

 

 

175.0

 

 

 

175.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.36%, balloon due June 24, 2026

 

 

150.0

 

 

 

150.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 3.75%, balloon due January 30, 2027

 

 

30.0

 

 

 

-

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.09%, balloon due June 27, 2027

 

 

125.0

 

 

 

125.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.09%, balloon due August 2, 2027

 

 

125.0

 

 

 

125.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.14%, balloon due August 4, 2027

 

 

98.0

 

 

 

98.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 3.46%, balloon due December 1, 2027

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

100.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.55%, balloon due June 2, 2028

 

 

75.0

 

 

 

75.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.34%, balloon due June 13, 2028

 

 

125.0

 

 

 

125.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 5.04%, balloon due February 13, 2029

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

100.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.98%, balloon due February 27, 2029

 

 

100.0

 

 

 

100.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.19%, balloon due June 27, 2029

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.19%, balloon due August 2, 2029

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 3.48%, balloon due December 2, 2029

 

 

50.0

 

 

 

50.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 3.99%, balloon due January 30, 2030

 

 

341.0

 

 

 

-

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.44%, balloon due June 13, 2030

 

 

125.0

 

 

 

125.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 5.14%, balloon due March 13, 2031

 

 

180.0

 

 

 

180.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.70%, balloon due June 2, 2031

 

 

25.0

 

 

 

25.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.09%, balloon due January 30, 2032

 

 

69.0

 

 

 

-

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.34%, balloon due June 27, 2032

 

 

75.0

 

 

 

75.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.34%, balloon due August 2, 2032

 

 

75.0

 

 

 

75.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.59%, balloon due June 13, 2033

 

 

125.0

 

 

 

125.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 5.29%, balloon due March 13, 2034

 

 

40.0

 

 

 

40.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.48%, balloon due June 12, 2034

 

 

175.0

 

 

 

175.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.24%, balloon due January 30, 2035

 

 

79.0

 

 

 

-

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.69%, balloon due June 13, 2038

 

 

75.0

 

 

 

75.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 5.45%, balloon due March 13, 2039

 

 

40.0

 

 

 

40.0

 

Semi-annual payments of interest, fixed rate of 4.49%, balloon due January 30, 2040

 

 

56.0

 

 

 

-

 

Total Note Purchase Agreements

 

 

4,348.0

 

 

 

3,923.0

 

Credit Agreement:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Periodic payments of interest and principal, prime or LIBOR plus up to 1.45%, expires June 7, 2024

 

 

-

 

 

 

520.0

 

Premium Financing Debt Facility - expires September 15, 2022:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facility B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUD denominated tranche, interbank rates plus 1.400%

 

 

193.1

 

 

 

142.1

 

NZD denominated tranche, interbank rates plus 1.750%

 

 

-

 

 

 

-

 

Facility C and D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AUD denominated tranche, interbank rates plus 0.730%

 

 

-

 

 

 

18.8

 

NZD denominated tranche, interbank rates plus 0.940%

 

 

10.5

 

 

 

9.7

 

Total Premium Financing Debt Facility

 

 

203.6

 

 

 

170.6

 

Total corporate and other debt

 

 

4,551.6

 

 

 

4,613.6

 

Less unamortized debt acquisition costs on Note Purchase Agreements

 

 

(7.0

)

 

 

(6.9

)

Net corporate and other debt

 

$

4,544.6

 

 

$

4,606.7

 

 

Note Purchase Agreements - On February 13, 2019, we closed an offering of $600.0 million aggregate principal amount of fixed rate private placement senior unsecured notes.  This offering was funded on February 13, 2019 ($340.0 million) and March 13, 2019 ($260.0 million).  The weighted average maturity of these notes is 10.1 years and the weighted average interest rate is 5.04% after giving effect to a net hedging loss.  In 2017 and 2018, we entered into pre-issuance interest rate hedging transactions related to this private placement.  We realized a net cash loss of approximately $1.2 million on the hedging transactions that will be recognized on a pro rata basis as an increase in our reported interest expense over the life of the debt.  We used the proceeds of this offering to repay certain existing indebtedness and fund acquisitions.

The notes consist of the following tranches:

 

$100.0 million of 4.72% senior notes due in 2024;

 

$140.0 million of 4.85% senior notes due in 2026;

 

$100.0 million of 5.04% senior notes due in 2029;

 

$180.0 million of 5.14% senior notes due in 2031;

 

$40.0 million of 5.29% senior notes due in 2034; and

 

$40.0 million of 5.45% senior notes due in 2039

On June 12, 2019, we closed a private placement of $175.0 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior notes.  The unsecured senior notes were issued with an interest rate of 4.48% and are due in 2034.  We used the proceeds of these offerings in part to fund the $50.0 million June 24, 2019 Series L note maturity, and for acquisitions and general corporate purposes.  The weighted average interest rate is 4.68% after giving effect to a net hedging loss.  In 2017 and 2018, we entered into pre-issuance interest rate hedging transactions related to this private placement.  We realized a net cash loss of approximately $5.2 million on the hedging transactions that will be recognized on a pro rata basis as an increase in our reported interest expense over ten years of the total 15‑year notes.

On December 2, 2019 we closed a private placement of $50.0 million aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior notes.  The unsecured senior notes were issued with an interest rate and weighted average interest rate of 3.48% and are due in 2029.  We used the proceeds of those offerings to fund the $50.0 million November 30, 2019 Series C note maturity.

On January 30, 2020, we closed and funded an offering of $575.0 million aggregate principal amount of fixed rate private placement unsecured senior notes. The weighted average maturity of these notes is 11.7 years and the weighted average interest rate is 4.23% per annum after giving effect to underwriting costs and the net hedge loss. In 2017 and 2018, we entered into pre-issuance interest rate hedging transactions related to this private placements.  We realized a net cash loss of approximately $8.9 million on the hedging transactions that will be recognized on a pro rata basis as an increase to our reported interest expense over a ten year period.

The notes consist of the following tranches:

 

$30.0 million of 3.75% senior notes due in 2027;

 

$341.0 million of 3.99% senior notes due in 2030;

 

$69.0 million of 4.09% senior notes due in 2032;

 

$79.0 million of 4.24% senior notes due in 2035; and

 

$56.0 million of 4.49% senior notes due in 2040

We used these offerings to repay certain existing indebtedness and for general corporate purposes, including to fund acquisitions.

Under the terms of the note purchase agreements described above, we may redeem the notes at any time, in whole or in part, at 100% of the principal amount of such notes being redeemed, together with accrued and unpaid interest and a “make-whole amount”.  The “make-whole amount” is derived from a net present value computation of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest using a discount rate based on the U.S. Treasury yield plus 0.5% and is designed to compensate the purchasers of the notes for their investment risk in the event prevailing interest rates at the time of prepayment are less favorable than the interest rates under the notes.  We do not currently intend to prepay any of the notes.

The note purchase agreements described above contain customary provisions for transactions of this type, including representations and warranties regarding us and our subsidiaries and various financial covenants, including covenants that require us to maintain specified financial ratios.  We were in compliance with these covenants as of December 31, 2020.  The note purchase agreements also provide customary events of default, generally with corresponding grace periods, including, without limitation, payment defaults with respect to the notes, covenant defaults, cross-defaults to other agreements evidencing our or our subsidiaries’ indebtedness, certain judgments against us or our subsidiaries and events of bankruptcy involving us or our material subsidiaries.

The notes issued under the note purchase agreement are senior unsecured obligations of ours and rank equal in right of payment with our Credit Agreement discussed below.

Credit Agreement - On June 7, 2019, we entered into an amendment and restatement to our multicurrency credit agreement dated April 8, 2016, (which we refer to as the Credit Agreement) with a group of fifteen financial institutions.  The amendment and restatement, among other things, extended the expiration date of the Credit Agreement from April 8, 2021 to June 7, 2024 and increased the revolving credit commitment from $800.0 million to $1,200.0 million, of which up to $75.0 million may be used for issuances of standby or commercial letters of credit and up to $75.0 million may be used for the making of swing loans (as defined in the Credit Agreement).  We may from time to time request, subject to certain conditions, an increase in the revolving credit commitment under the Credit Agreement up to a maximum aggregate revolving credit commitment of $1,700.0 million.  On August 27, 2020, we entered into an amendment to the Credit Agreement providing that the obligations of each subsidiary of Gallagher that was a borrower, guarantor and/or obligor under the Credit Agreement, ceased to apply and that each subsidiary was released from all of its obligations under the Credit Agreement.  The amendment also replaced the minimum asset covenant with a priority indebtedness covenant, substantially similar to other priority indebtedness covenants applicable to us under our private placement note purchase agreements.

The Credit Agreement provides that we may elect that each borrowing in U.S. dollars be either base rate loans or eurocurrency loans, each as defined in the Credit Agreement.  However, the Credit Agreement provides that all loans denominated in currencies other than U.S. dollars will be eurocurrency loans.  Interest rates on base rate loans and outstanding drawings on letters of credit in U.S. dollars under the Credit Agreement will be based on the base rate, as defined in the Credit Agreement, plus a margin of 0.00% to 0.45%, depending on the financial leverage ratio we maintain.  Interest rates on eurocurrency loans or outstanding drawings on letters of credit in currencies other than U.S. dollars under the Credit Agreement will be based on adjusted LIBOR, as defined in the Credit Agreement, plus a margin of 0.85% to 1.45%, depending on the financial leverage ratio we maintain.  Interest rates on swing loans will be based, at our election, on either the base rate or an alternate rate that may be quoted by the lead lender.  The annual facility fee related to the Credit Agreement is 0.15% and 0.30% of the revolving credit commitment, depending on the financial leverage ratio we maintain.  In connection with entering into the Credit Agreement, we incurred approximately $2.5 million of debt acquisition costs that were capitalized and will be amortized on a pro rata basis over the term of the Credit Agreement.

The terms of the Credit Agreement include various financial covenants, including covenants that require us to maintain specified financial ratios.  We were in compliance with these covenants as of December 31, 2020.  The Credit Agreement also includes customary provisions for transactions of this type, including events of default, with corresponding grace periods and cross‑defaults to other agreements evidencing our indebtedness.  

At December 31, 2020, $17.4 million of letters of credit (for which we had $17.5 million of liabilities recorded at December 31, 2020) were outstanding under the Credit Agreement.  See Note 17 to these consolidated financial statements for a discussion of the letters of credit.  There were no borrowings outstanding under the Credit Agreement at December 31, 2020.  Accordingly, at December 31, 2020, $1,182.6 million remained available for potential borrowings.  

Premium Financing Debt Facility - On September 16, 2020, we entered into an amendment to our revolving loan facility (which we refer to as the Premium Financing Debt Facility), that provides funding for the three Australian (AU) and New Zealand (NZ) premium finance subsidiaries.  The amendment, among other things, extended the expiration date of the Premium Financing Debt Facility from July 18, 2021 to September 15, 2022, added six-months variable limits to Facility B NZ$ beginning in 2021 and increased the total commitment for the AU$ denominated tranche from AU$245.0 million to AU$310.0 million.  The Premium Financing Debt Facility is comprised of: (i) Facility B is separated into AU$260.0 million and NZ$25.0 million tranches, (ii) Facility C, an AU$50.0 million equivalent multi-currency overdraft tranche and (iii) Facility D, a NZ$15.0 million equivalent multi-currency overdraft tranche.     

The interest rates on Facility B are Interbank rates, which vary by tranche, duration and currency, plus a margin of 1.400% and 1.750% for the AU$ and NZ$ tranches, respectively.  The interest rates on Facilities C and D are 30 day Interbank rates, plus a margin of 0.730% and 0.940% for the AU$ and NZ$ tranches, respectively.  The annual fee for Facility B is 0.63% and 0.7875% for the undrawn commitments for the AU$ and NZ$ tranches, respectively.  The annual fee for Facility C is 0.67% and for Facility D is 0.86% of the total commitments of the facilities. 

The terms of our Premium Financing Debt Facility include various financial covenants, including covenants that require us to maintain specified financial ratios.  We were in compliance with these covenants as of December 31, 2020.  The Premium Financing Debt Facility also includes customary provisions for transactions of this type, including events of default, with corresponding grace periods and cross-defaults to other agreements evidencing our indebtedness.  Facilities B, C and D are secured by the premium finance receivables of the Australian and New Zealand premium finance subsidiaries.


 

At December 31, 2020, AU$255.0 million and NZ$0.0 of borrowings were outstanding under Facility B, AU$0.0 million of borrowings outstanding under Facility C and NZ$14.9 million of borrowings were outstanding under Facility D, which in aggregate amount to US$203.6 million of borrowings under the Premium Finance Debt Facility.  Accordingly, as of December 31, 2020,  AU$5.0 and NZ$25.0 million remained available for potential borrowing under Facility B, and AU$50.0 million and NZ$0.1 million under Facilities C and D, respectively. 

See Note 17 to these 2020 consolidated financial statements for additional discussion on our contractual obligations and commitments as of December 31, 2020.

The aggregate estimated fair value of the $4,348.0 million in debt under the note purchase agreements at December 31, 2020 was $5,018.9 million due to the long-term duration and fixed interest rates associated with these debt obligations.  No active or observable market exists for our private long-term debt.  Therefore, the estimated fair value of this debt is based on the income valuation approach, which is a valuation technique that converts future amounts (for example, cash flows or income and expenses) to a single current (that is, discounted) amount.  The fair value measurement is determined on the basis of the value indicated by current market expectations about those future amounts.  Because our debt issuances generate a measurable income stream for each lender, the income approach was deemed to be an appropriate methodology for valuing the private placement long-term debt.  The methodology used calculated the original deal spread at the time of each debt issuance, which was equal to the difference between the yield of each issuance (the coupon rate) and the equivalent benchmark treasury yield at that time.  The market spread as of the valuation date was calculated, which is equal to the difference between an index for investment grade insurers and the equivalent benchmark treasury yield today.  An implied premium or discount to the par value of each debt issuance based on the difference between the origination deal spread and market as of the valuation date was then calculated.  The index we relied on to represent investment graded insurers was the Bloomberg Valuation Services (BVAL) U.S. Insurers BBB index.  This index is comprised primarily of insurance brokerage firms and was representative of the industry in which we operate.  For the purpose of our analysis, the average BBB rate was assumed to be the appropriate borrowing rate for us.  The estimated fair value of the zero of borrowings outstanding under our Credit Agreement approximate their carrying value due to their short-term duration and variable interest rates.  The estimated fair value of the $203.6 million of borrowings outstanding under our Premium Financing Debt Facility approximates their carrying value due to their short-term duration and variable interest rates.