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Subsequent Events
3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Subsequent Events [Abstract]  
Subsequent Events

NOTE R – SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

 

Credit Agreements and Refinancing

During January 2020, Ashland LLC and Ashland Services B.V., indirect wholly owned subsidiaries of Ashland, entered into a new senior unsecured credit agreement (the 2020 Credit Agreement) with a group of lenders, replacing the 2017 Credit Agreement.  The 2020 Credit Agreement provides for (i) a $600 million unsecured five-year revolving credit facility (the revolving credit facility) and (ii) a $250 million unsecured five-year delayed draw term loan facility (the term loan facility).  The Credit Agreement is guaranteed by Ashland Global Holdings Inc. and Ashland Chemco Inc., and the obligations of Ashland Services B.V. under the revolving credit facility are guaranteed by Ashland LLC.

The agreement contains financial covenants for leverage and interest coverage ratios akin to those in effect under the 2017 Credit Agreement. The maximum net leverage ratio permitted under the 2020 Credit Agreement is 4.0. The minimum required consolidated interest coverage ratio under the 2020 Credit Agreement is 3.0.  The Credit Agreement contains usual and customary representations, warranties and affirmative and negative covenants, including financial covenants for leverage and interest coverage ratios, limitations on liens, additional indebtedness, further negative pledges, investments, mergers, sale of assets and restricted payments, and other customary limitations.

Note Issuance

During January 2020, Ashland Services B.V. completed the issuance of 2.00% senior unsecured notes due 2028 with an aggregate principal amount of €500 million (the 2028 Notes).  The notes are senior unsecured obligations of Ashland Services B.V and initially guaranteed on an unsecured basis by each of Ashland Global Holdings Inc. and Ashland LLC.  Ashland used the net proceeds of the offering (after deducting initial purchasers’ discounts and other fees and expenses), together with the proceeds of the new term loan facility and other funds of Ashland LLC or its subsidiaries, to purchase the existing notes described below in cash tender offers, and to pay fees and expenses associated therewith.

Existing Notes Tender

Proceeds from the new senior unsecured notes, together with the proceeds of the unsecured delayed draw term loan facility and other funds, were used to fund a cash tender offers for Ashland LLC’s 4.750% Senior Notes due 2022 (the 2022 Notes), Ashland LLC’s 6.875% Senior Notes due 2043 (the 2043 Notes), Hercules LLC’s 6.600% Debentures due 2027  (the 2027 Debentures), and Hercules LLC’s 6.500% Junior Subordinated Debentures due 2029 (the 2029 Junior Debentures), and to pay associated fees and expenses.   In January, Ashland exercised its early settlement of the tender offers resulting in $671 million principal amount of 2022 Notes being tendered for an aggregate purchase price of up to $712 million, $92 million principal amount of 2043 Notes being tendered, less than $1 million principal amount of 2027 Debentures being tendered and $3 million principal amount of 2029 Junior Debentures being tendered. The aggregate purchase price for the 2043 Notes, 2027 Debentures and 2029 Junior Debentures was up to $113 million.

In connection with the tender, Ashland expects to recognize greater than $60 million in expense related to accelerated amortization of debt issuance costs, accelerated accretion on debt discounts and premiums, and bond tender premiums.