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LONG-TERM DEBT
12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2013
LONG-TERM DEBT  
LONG-TERM DEBT

 

 

7   LONG-TERM DEBT

A summary of long-term debt as of October 31 is as follows:

   

 

    2013     2012  
   

7.800% Debentures, due June 15, 2027

  $ 100,000   $ 100,000  

6.625% Senior Notes, due May 1, 2037

    123,544     123,482  

Other

        1,858  
   

Total long-term debt

    223,544     225,340  

Less current portion

        1,858  
   

Long-term debt, less current portion

  $ 223,544   $ 223,482  
   

   On April 26, 2007, the company issued $125,000 in aggregate principal amount of 6.625% senior notes due May 1, 2037. The senior notes were priced at 98.513% of par value, and the resulting discount of $1,859 associated with the issuance of these senior notes is being amortized over the term of the notes using the effective interest rate method. The underwriting fee and direct debt issue costs totaling $1,524 will be amortized over the life of the notes. Although the coupon rate of the senior notes is 6.625%, the effective interest rate is 6.741% after taking into account the issuance discount. Interest on the senior notes is payable semi-annually on May 1 and November 1 of each year. The senior notes are unsecured senior obligations of the company and rank equally with the company's other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness from time to time outstanding. The indentures under which the senior notes were issued contain customary covenants and event of default provisions. The company may redeem some or all of the senior notes at any time at the greater of the full principal amount of the senior notes being redeemed or the present value of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest discounted to the redemption date on a semi-annual basis at the treasury rate plus 30 basis points, plus, in both cases, accrued and unpaid interest. In the event of the occurrence of both (i) a change of control of the company, and (ii) a downgrade of the notes below an investment grade rating by both Moody's Investors Service, Inc. and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services within a specified period, the company would be required to make an offer to purchase the senior notes at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the senior notes plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of repurchase.

   In connection with the issuance in June 1997 of $175,000 in long-term debt securities, the company paid $23,688 to terminate three forward-starting interest rate swap agreements with notional amounts totaling $125,000. These swap agreements had been entered into to reduce exposure to interest rate risk prior to the issuance of the new long-term debt securities. As of the inception of one of the swap agreements, the company had received payments that were recorded as deferred income to be recognized as an adjustment to interest expense over the term of the new debt securities. As of the date the swaps were terminated, this deferred income totaled $18,710. The excess termination fees over the deferred income recorded has been deferred and is being recognized as an adjustment to interest expense over the term of the debt securities issued. As of October 31, 2013, the company had $2,153 remaining in other assets for the excess termination fees over deferred income.

   Principal payments required on long-term debt in each of the next five fiscal years ending October 31 are as follows: 2014, $0; 2015, $0; 2016, $0; 2017, $0; 2018, $0; and after 2018, $225,000.