Debt

12 Months Ended

Dec. 28, 2019

Debt [Abstract]

Debt

Note 6 – Debt

Bank Credit Lines

Bank credit lines consisted of the following:

	December 28,		December 29,
	2019		2018
Revolving credit agreement	$	-	$	175,000
Other short-term bank credit lines		23,975		376,458
Committed loan associated with Animal Health spin-off		-		400,000
Total	$	23,975	$	951,458

Revolving Credit Agreement

On April 18, 2017, we entered into a $750 million revolving credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”), which matures in April 2022. The interest rate is based on the USD LIBOR plus a spread based on our leverage ratio at the end of each financial reporting quarter. We expect that the LIBOR rate will be discontinued at some point during 2021. We expect to work with our lenders to identify a suitable replacement rate and amend our debt agreements to reflect this new reference rate accordingly. We do not believe that the discontinuation of LIBOR as a reference rate in our debt agreements will have a material adverse effect on our financial position or materially affect our interest expense. Additionally, the Credit Agreement provides, among other things, that we are required to maintain maximum leverage ratios, and contains customary representations, warranties and affirmative covenants. The Credit Agreement also contains customary negative covenants, subject to negotiated exceptions on liens, indebtedness, significant corporate changes (including mergers), dispositions and certain restrictive agreements. As of December 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018, the borrowings on this revolving credit facility were $0.0 million and $175.0 million, respectively. As of December 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018, there were $9.6 million and $11.2 million of letters of credit, respectively, provided to third parties under the credit facility.

Other Short-Term Credit Lines

As of December 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018, we had various other short-term bank credit lines available, of which $24.0 million and $376.5 million, respectively, were outstanding. At December 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018, borrowings under all of our credit lines had a weighted average interest rate of 3.45% and 3.30%, respectively.

Committed Loan Associated with Animal Health Spin-off

On May 21, 2018, we obtained a $400 million committed loan which matured on the earlier of (i) March 31, 2019 and (ii) the consummation of the Animal Health Spin-off. The proceeds of this loan were used, among other things, to fund our purchase of all of the equity interests in Butler Animal Health Holding Company, LLC (“BAHHC”) directly or indirectly owned by Darby Group Companies, Inc. (“Darby”) and certain other sellers pursuant to the terms of that certain Amendment to Put Rights Agreements, dated as of April 20, 2018, by and among us, Darby, BAHHC and the individual sellers party thereto for an aggregate purchase price of $365 million. As of December 29, 2018, the balance outstanding on this loan was $400 million and is included within the “Bank credit lines” caption within our consolidated balance sheet. At December 29, 2018, the interest rate on this loan was 3.38%. Concurrent with the completion of the Animal Health Spin-off on February 7, 2019, we re-paid the balance of this loan.

Long-term debt

Long-term debt consisted of the following:

		December 28,		December 29,
		2019		2018
Private placement facilities		$	621,274	$	628,189
U.S. trade accounts receivable securitization			100,000		350,000
Various collateralized and uncollateralized loans payable with interest,
	in varying installments through 2024 at interest rates
	ranging from 2.56% to 10.5% at December 28, 2019 and
	ranging from 2.61% to 4.17% at December 29, 2018		6,089		6,491
Finance lease obligations (see Note 7)			5,394		3,944
Total			732,757		988,624
Less current maturities			(109,849)		(8,280)
	Total long-term debt	$	622,908	$	980,344

Private Placement Facilities

On September 15, 2017, we increased our available private placement facilities with three insurance companies to a total facility amount of $1 billion, and extended the expiration date to September 15, 2020. These facilities are available on an uncommitted basis at fixed rate economic terms to be agreed upon at the time of issuance, from time to time through September 15, 2020. The facilities allow us to issue senior promissory notes to the lenders at a fixed rate based on an agreed upon spread over applicable treasury notes at the time of issuance. The term of each possible issuance will be selected by us and can range from five to 15 years (with an average life no longer than 12 years). The proceeds of any issuances under the facilities will be used for general corporate purposes, including working capital and capital expenditures, to refinance existing indebtedness and/or to fund potential acquisitions. On June 29, 2018, we amended and restated the above private placement facilities to, among other things, (i) permit the consummation of the Animal Health Spin-off and (ii) provide for the issuance of notes in Euros, British Pounds and Australian Dollars, in addition to U.S. Dollars. The agreements provide, among other things, that we maintain certain maximum leverage ratios, and contain restrictions relating to subsidiary indebtedness, liens, affiliate transactions, disposal of assets and certain changes in ownership. These facilities contain make-whole provisions in the event that we pay off the facilities prior to the applicable due dates.

The components of our private placement facility borrowings as of December 28, 2019 are presented in the following table (in thousands):

	Amount of
Date of	Borrowing		Borrowing
Borrowing	Outstanding		Rate		Due Date
September 2, 2010	$	100,000	3.79	%	September 2, 2020
January 20, 2012		50,000	3.45		January 20, 2024
January 20, 2012 (1)		21,429	3.09		January 20, 2022
December 24, 2012		50,000	3.00		December 24, 2024
June 2, 2014		100,000	3.19		June 2, 2021
June 16, 2017		100,000	3.42		June 16, 2027
September 15, 2017		100,000	3.52		September 15, 2029
January 2, 2018		100,000	3.32		January 2, 2028
Less: Deferred debt issuance costs		(155)
	$	621,274
(1) Annual repayments of approximately $7.1 million for this borrowing commenced on January 20, 2016.

U.S. Trade Accounts Receivable Securitization

We have a facility agreement with a bank, as agent, based on the securitization of our U.S. trade accounts receivable that is structured as an asset-backed securitization program with pricing committed for up to three years. Our current facility, which has a purchase limit of $350 million, and was previously scheduled to expire on April 29, 2020, has been extended to April 29, 2022. As of December 28, 2019 and December 29, 2018, the borrowings outstanding under this securitization facility were $100 million and $350 million, respectively. At December 28, 2019, the interest rate on borrowings under this facility was based on the asset-backed commercial paper rate of 1.90% plus 0.75%, for a combined rate of 2.65%. At December 29, 2018, the interest rate on borrowings under this facility was based on the asset-backed commercial paper rate of 2.66% plus 0.75%, for a combined rate of 3.41%.

We are required to pay a commitment fee of 30 basis points on the daily balance of the unused portion of the facility if our usage is greater than or equal to 50% of the facility limit or a commitment fee of 35 basis points on the daily balance of the unused portion of the facility if our usage is less than 50% of the facility limit.

Borrowings under this facility are presented as a component of Long-term debt within our consolidated balance sheet.

As of December 28, 2019, the aggregate amounts of long-term debt, including finance lease obligations and net of deferred debt issuance costs of $155, maturing in each of the next five years and thereafter are as follows:

2020		$	109,849
2021			108,842
2022			110,504
2023			1,529
2024			101,112
Thereafter			300,921
	Total	$	732,757