SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Subsequent Events [Text Block]

18. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS

On November 22, 2011, the Company, through HEICO Electronic, acquired Switchcraft, Inc. (“Switchcraft”) through the purchase of all of the stock of Switchcraft’s parent company, Switchcraft Holdco, Inc. for approximately $143 million.  The purchase price of this acquisition was paid in cash, principally using proceeds from the Company’s revolving credit facility.  Switchcraft is a leading designer and manufacturer of high performance, high reliability and harsh environment electronic connectors and other interconnect products.  The Company is still in the process of allocating the purchase price of Switchcraft to the tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed given the limited time since the acquisition date and expects to provide such information in its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ending January 31, 2012.

On December 14, 2011, the Company entered into a $670 million Revolving Credit Agreement (“New Credit Facility”) with a bank syndicate, which matures in December 2016.  Under certain circumstances, the maturity of the New Credit Facility may be extended for two one-year periods.  The New Credit Facility also includes a feature that will allow the Company to increase the New Credit Facility by $130 million, at its option, to become an $800 million facility through increased commitments from existing lenders or the addition of new lenders.  The New Credit Facility may be used for working capital and general corporate needs of the Company, including capital expenditures and to finance acquisitions.  The New Credit Facility replaced the $300 million Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement (as discussed in Note 5, Long-Term Debt).

Advances under the New Credit Facility accrue interest at the Company’s choice of the “Base Rate” or the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) plus applicable margins (based on the Company’s ratio of total funded debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, noncontrolling interests and non-cash charges, or “leverage ratio”).  The Base Rate is the highest of (i) the Prime Rate; (ii) the Federal Funds rate plus .50% per annum; and (iii) the Adjusted LIBO Rate determined on a daily basis for an Interest Period of one month plus 1.00% per annum, as such capitalized terms are defined in the New Credit Facility.  The applicable margins for LIBOR-based borrowings range from .75% to 2.25%.  The applicable margins for Base Rate borrowings range from 0% to 1.25%.  A fee is charged on the amount of the unused commitment ranging from .125% to .35% (depending on the Company’s leverage ratio).  The New Credit Facility also includes a $50 million sublimit for borrowings made in foreign currencies, letters of credit and swingline borrowings.  Outstanding principal, accrued and unpaid interest and other amounts payable under the New Credit Facility may be accelerated upon an event of default, as such events are described in the New Credit Facility.  The New Credit Facility is unsecured and contains covenants that require, among other things, the maintenance of a total leverage ratio, a senior leverage ratio and a fixed charge coverage ratio.  In the event the Company’s leverage ratio exceeds a specified level, the New Credit Facility would become secured by the capital stock owned in substantially all of the Company’s subsidiaries.