FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS AND LONG-TERM DEBT

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS AND LONG-TERM DEBT

FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS AND LONG-TERM DEBT

On December 14, 2016, Spire, Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama entered into a syndicated revolving credit facility pursuant to a loan agreement with 11 banks, expiring December 14, 2021. The loan agreement has an aggregate credit commitment of $975.0, including sublimits of $300.0 for Spire, $475.0 for Spire Missouri, and $200.0 for Spire Alabama. The agreement contains financial covenants limiting each borrower’s consolidated total debt, including short-term debt, to no more than 70% of its total capitalization. As defined in the line of credit, on December 31, 2017, total debt was 57% of total capitalization for the consolidated Company, 50% for Spire Missouri, and 35% for Spire Alabama. There were no borrowings against this credit facility as of December 31, 2017, or September 30, 2017, but $193.5 as of December 31, 2016.

On December 21, 2016, Spire established a commercial paper program (Program) pursuant to which Spire may issue short-term, unsecured commercial paper notes (Notes). Amounts available under the Program may be borrowed, repaid, and re-borrowed from time to time, with the aggregate face or principal amount of the Notes outstanding under the Program at any time not to exceed $975.0. The Notes may have maturities of up to 365 days from date of issue. As of December 31, 2017, Notes outstanding under the Program totaled $583.6. Of that amount, $275.6 and $163.1 were loaned to Spire Missouri and Spire Alabama, respectively, at Spire’s cost. Notes outstanding under the Program totaled $477.3 and $0.0 as of September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016, respectively.

On December 1, 2017, Spire Alabama entered into the First Supplement to Master Note Purchase Agreement with certain institutional investors. Pursuant to the terms of that supplement, on December 1, 2017, Spire Alabama issued and sold $30.0 million in aggregate principal amount of its 4.02% Series 2017A Senior Notes due January 15, 2058, and on January 12, 2018, issued and sold $45.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.92% Series 2017B Senior Notes due January 15, 2048, to those institutional investors. The notes bear interest from the date of issuance, payable semi-annually on the 15th day of July and January of each year, commencing on July 15, 2018. The notes are senior unsecured obligations of Spire Alabama, rank equal in right to payment with all its other senior unsecured indebtedness, and have make-whole call options. Spire Alabama used the proceeds from the sale of the notes to repay short-term debt and for general corporate purposes.