Debt and Lines of Credit

3 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2019

Lines of Credit

On June 29, 2018, we entered into a credit agreement (“Credit Agreement”) with a syndicate of banks that provides us with a $400.0 million five-year unsecured revolving credit facility (“Revolving Credit Facility”) and a $400.0 million unsecured delayed draw term loan facility (“Term Loan Facility”). We had no borrowings outstanding under the current Revolving Credit Facility or Term Loan Facility as of November 30, 2019 or August 31, 2019.

Generally, amounts outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility allow for borrowings to bear interest at either the Eurocurrency Rate or the base rate at our option, plus an applicable margin. Eurocurrency Rate advances can be denominated in a variety of currencies, including U.S. Dollars, and amounts outstanding bear interest at a periodic fixed rate equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or screen rate for the applicable currency plus an applicable margin. The Eurocurrency applicable margin is based on our leverage ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement, with such margin ranging from 1.000% to 1.375%. Base rate advances bear interest at an alternate base rate plus an applicable margin. The base rate applicable margin is based on our leverage ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement, with such margin ranging from 0.000% to 0.375%. The Term Loan Facility allows for borrowings to be drawn over a period ending December 31, 2019, utilizing up to four separate installments, which are U.S. dollar denominated. Borrowings under the Term Loan Facility will amortize in equal quarterly installments of 2.5% per year in year one, 2.5% per year in year two, 5.0% per year in year three, 5.0% per year in year four, and 7.5% per year in year five. Any remaining borrowings under the Term Loan Facility are due and payable in full on June 29, 2023. The Term Loan Facility allows for borrowings to bear interest at either a Eurocurrency Rate or the base rate, at our option, in each case plus an applicable margin. Eurocurrency Rate advances can be denominated in a variety of currencies, including U.S. Dollars, and amounts outstanding bear interest at a periodic fixed rate equal to the LIBOR or screen rate for the applicable currency plus an applicable margin. The Eurocurrency applicable margin is based on our leverage ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement, with such margin ranging from 0.875% to 1.250%. Base Rate advances bear interest at an alternate base rate plus an applicable margin. The base rate applicable margin is based on our leverage ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement, with such margin ranging from 0.0% to 0.25%.

We are required to pay certain fees in connection with the Credit Agreement, including administrative service fees and annual facility fees. The annual facility fee is payable quarterly, in arrears, and is determined by our leverage ratio as defined in the Credit Agreement. The facility fee ranges from 0.125% to 0.25% of the aggregate $800.0 million commitment of the lenders under the Credit Agreement. The Credit Agreement contains financial covenants, including a minimum interest expense coverage ratio (“Minimum Interest Expense Coverage Ratio”) and a leverage ratio (“Maximum Leverage Ratio”) of total indebtedness to earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization (“EBITDA”), as such terms are defined in the Credit Agreement. These ratios are computed at the end of each fiscal quarter for the most recent 12-month period. The Credit Agreement generally allows for a Minimum Interest Expense Coverage Ratio of 2.50 and a Maximum Leverage Ratio of 3.50, subject to certain conditions, as such terms are defined in the Credit Agreement.

We were in compliance with all financial covenants under the Credit Agreement as of November 30, 2019. At November 30, 2019, we had additional borrowing capacity under the Credit Agreement of $796.2 million under the most restrictive covenant in effect at the time, which represents the full amount of the Revolving Credit Facility and the Term Loan Facility less the outstanding letters of credit of $3.8 million issued under the Revolving Credit Facility. As of November 30, 2019, we had outstanding letters of credit totaling $8.1 million, primarily for securing collateral requirements under our casualty insurance programs and for providing credit support for our industrial revenue bond, which includes the $3.8 million issued under the Revolving Credit Facility.

Borrowings and repayments on our Revolving Credit Facility with terms of three months or less are reported on a net basis on our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Long-term Debt

At November 30, 2019, we had $350.0 million of publicly-traded, senior unsecured notes outstanding at a 6% interest rate that matured in December 2019 (the “Unsecured Notes”). On December 16, 2019, we repaid the Unsecured Notes and accrued interest in full with borrowings under our Term Loan Facility. Because approximately $341.2 million of the borrowings under the Term Loan Facility are due greater than one year from the refinancing date, $341.2 million of the carrying value of the Unsecured Notes is reflected within Long-term debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as of November 30, 2019.

We also had $4.0 million of tax-exempt industrial revenue bonds that are scheduled to mature in 2021 and $2.3 million outstanding under fixed-rate bank loans outstanding at November 30, 2019. Further discussion of our long-term debt is included within the Debt and Lines of Credit footnote of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements within our Form 10-K.

Interest Expense, net

Interest expense, net, is comprised primarily of interest expense on long-term debt and obligations in connection with non-qualified retirement benefits and Revolving Credit Facility borrowings, partially offset by interest income earned on cash and cash equivalents.

The following table summarizes the components of interest expense, net for the periods presented (in millions):



	Three Months Ended
	November 30, 2019			November 30, 2018
Interest expense	$	9.0		$	9.2
Interest income	(0.7		)	(0.5		)
Interest expense, net	$	8.3		$	8.7