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Financing Arrangements
9 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2018
Debt And Capital Lease Obligations [Abstract]  
Financing Arrangements

(3) Financing Arrangements

We have a shelf registration statement with the SEC that allows us to sell, in one or more future offerings, any combination of our unsecured debt securities and common stock.

During the third quarter of 2018, we issued $1.5 billion of senior unsecured debt under our current shelf registration statement, comprised of $500 million of 3.40% fixed-rate notes due in February 2028, and $1 billion of 4.05% fixed-rate notes due in February 2048. Interest on these notes is paid semi-annually. We used the net proceeds for a voluntary incremental contribution in February 2018 to our tax-qualified U.S. domestic pension plans (“U.S. Pension Plans”).

During the quarter, we amended our five-year revolving credit facility to increase the aggregate amount available under the facility from $1.75 billion to $2.0 billion. The facility, which expires in November 2020 and includes a $500 million letter of credit sublimit, is available to finance our operations and other cash flow needs. The agreement contains a financial covenant, which requires us to maintain a ratio of debt to consolidated earnings (excluding non-cash pension mark-to-market adjustments and non-cash asset impairment charges) before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“adjusted EBITDA”) of not more than 3.5 to 1.0, calculated as of the end of the applicable quarter on a rolling four-quarters basis. The ratio of our debt to adjusted EBITDA was 2.2 to 1.0 at February 28, 2018. We believe this covenant is the only significant restrictive covenant in our revolving credit agreement. Our revolving credit agreement contains other customary covenants that do not, individually or in the aggregate, materially restrict the conduct of our business. We are in compliance with this financial covenant and all other covenants of our revolving credit agreement and do not expect the covenants to affect our operations, including our liquidity or expected funding needs.

During the third quarter of 2018, we issued commercial paper which provided us with additional short-term liquidity. The maximum outstanding during the quarter was $800 million. Our commercial paper program is backed by unused commitments under the revolving credit facility and borrowings under the program reduce the amount available under the credit facility. As of February 28, 2018, $800 million of commercial paper and $54 million in letters of credit were outstanding, leaving $1.146 billion available under the revolving credit facility for future borrowings.

Long-term debt, exclusive of capital leases, had carrying values of $16.7 billion at February 28, 2018 and $14.9 billion at May 31, 2017, compared with estimated fair values of $17.0 billion at February 28, 2018 and $15.5 billion at May 31, 2017. The annualized weighted-average interest rate on long-term debt was 3.6% at February 28, 2018. The estimated fair values were determined based on quoted market prices and the current rates offered for debt with similar terms and maturities. The fair value of our long-term debt is classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. This classification is defined as a fair value determined using market-based inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the liability, either directly or indirectly.