ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE [Abstract]

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLES

On December 20, 2016, we entered into a three-year, $250.0 million Receivables Financing Agreement with PNC Bank, National Association, as administrative agent (Receivables Financing Agreement). Under the Receivables Financing Agreement, our eligible trade receivables are used for collateralized borrowings and continue to be serviced by us. In addition, the Receivables Financing Agreement incorporates the leverage and coverage covenants that are contained in the senior revolving credit facility. As of March 31, 2018, $382.7 million of our trade receivables were pledged as collateral and we had $230.3 million drawn under the agreement. As of March 31, 2018, we had $19.7 million additional borrowing capacity under the Receivables Financing Agreement. As of December 31, 2017, $340.9 million of our trade receivables were pledged as collateral and $249.7 million was drawn under the agreement.

Olin also has trade accounts receivable factoring arrangements (AR Facilities) and pursuant to the terms of the AR Facilities, certain of our subsidiaries may sell their accounts receivable up to a maximum of $294.0 million. We will continue to service the outstanding accounts sold.  These receivables qualify for sales treatment under ASC 860 “Transfers and Servicing” and, accordingly, the proceeds are included in net cash provided by operating activities in the condensed statements of cash flows.  The following table summarizes the AR Facilities activity:

	March 31,
	2018			2017
	($ in millions)
Balance at beginning of year	$	182.3		$	126.1
Gross receivables sold	413.1			389.6
Payments received from customers on sold accounts	(416.5		)	(370.7		)
Balance at end of period	$	178.9		$	145.0

The factoring discount paid under the AR Facilities is recorded as interest expense on the condensed statements of operations. The factoring discount was $1.2 million and $0.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The agreements are without recourse and therefore no recourse liability has been recorded as of March 31, 2018.