Debt and Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 26, 2020

Debt and Commitments and Contingencies

Debt and Commitments and Contingencies

Note 4 – Debt and Commitments and Contingencies

The outstanding balances under uncommitted and committed lines of credit were $242 million and $29 million, respectively, as of September 26, 2020. Of the aggregate outstanding balance, $157 million was denominated in foreign currencies with $122 million denominated in the South African rand, $24 million denominated in the Canadian dollar and $11 million denominated in various other currencies. The outstanding balances under uncommitted and committed lines of credit were $246 million and $0 million, respectively, as of December 31, 2019. The weighted average interest rates for outstanding lines of credit were 4.23% and 5.79% as of September 26, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

During the second quarter of 2020, Seaboard entered into an unsecured $250 million short-term committed revolving line of credit agreement with a $100 million accordion option maturing May 20, 2021. Draws bear interest based on LIBOR plus 1.63%. Seaboard incurs unused commitment fees of 0.20% per annum. During September of 2020, Seaboard renewed its $100 million secured committed line of credit with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association through September 30, 2021. Pursuant to the amendment, interest is computed at LIBOR plus 0.75%, and Seaboard incurs an unused commitment fee of 0.15% per annum.

Long-term debt includes borrowings under term loans and other contractual obligations for payment, including notes payable. The following is a summary of long-term debt:

		September 26,		December 31,
(Millions of dollars)		2020		2019
Term Loan due 2028	$	688	$	691
Foreign subsidiary obligations		52		102
Total long-term debt at face value		740		793
Current maturities of long-term debt and unamortized discount and costs		(57)		(63)
Long-term debt, less current maturities and unamortized discount and costs	$	683	$	730

The interest rate on the Term Loan due 2028 was 1.78% and 3.42% as of September 26, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The weighted average interest rate on Seaboard’s foreign subsidiary obligations was 3.41% and 3.50% as of September 26, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.

Seaboard was in compliance with all restrictive debt covenants as of September 26, 2020.

Legal Proceedings

On June 28, 2018, Wanda Duryea and eleven other indirect purchasers of pork products, acting on behalf of themselves and a putative class of indirect purchasers of pork products, filed a class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota (the “District Court”) against several pork processors, including Seaboard Foods LLC and Agri

Stats, Inc., a company described in the complaint as a data sharing service. Subsequent to the filing of this initial complaint, additional class action complaints making similar claims on behalf of putative classes of direct and indirect purchasers were filed in the District Court. The complaints were amended and consolidated for pre-trial purposes, into three consolidated putative class actions brought on behalf of (a) direct purchasers, (b) consumer indirect purchasers and (c) commercial and institutional indirect purchasers. The amended complaints named Seaboard Corporation as an additional defendant. The consolidated actions are styled In re Pork Antitrust Litigation. Subsequent to the original filings, two additional actions making similar claims, including one by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, were brought in or transferred to the District Court. The complaints alleged, among other things, that beginning in January 2009, the defendants conspired and combined to fix, raise, maintain, and stabilize the price of pork products in violation of U.S. antitrust laws by coordinating their output and limiting production, allegedly facilitated by the exchange of non-public information about prices, capacity, sales volume and demand through Agri Stats, Inc. The complaints on behalf of the putative classes of indirect purchasers also included causes of action under various state laws, including state antitrust laws, unfair competition laws, consumer protection statutes and state common law claims for unjust enrichment. The complaints also alleged that the defendants concealed this conduct from the plaintiffs and the members of the putative classes. The relief sought in the respective complaints includes treble damages, injunctive relief, pre- and post-judgment interest, costs and attorneys’ fees on behalf of the putative classes. On August 8, 2019, the District Court granted defendants’ motion to dismiss the class action cases while giving the plaintiffs leave to amend. The classes and the other two plaintiffs filed amended complaints in November and December 2019. In addition to amending the original claims, the consumer indirect purchasers have asserted a new claim alleging that the exchange of information by defendants through Agri Stats Inc. unreasonably restrained trade. On October 16, 2020, the defendants’ pending motion to dismiss the amended complaints was denied. Seaboard intends to defend these cases vigorously. It is impossible at this stage either to determine the probability of a favorable or unfavorable outcome resulting from these suits, or to reasonably estimate the amount of potential loss or range of potential loss, if any, resulting from the suits.

On March 20, 2018, the bankruptcy trustee (the “Trustee”) for Cereoil Uruguay S.A. (“Cereoil”) filed a suit in the Bankruptcy Court of First Instance in Uruguay that was served during the second quarter of 2018 naming as parties Seaboard and Seaboard’s subsidiaries, Seaboard Overseas Limited (“SOL”) and Seaboard Uruguay Holdings Ltd. (“Seaboard Uruguay”). Seaboard has a 45% indirect ownership of Cereoil. The suit seeks an order requiring Seaboard, SOL and Seaboard Uruguay to reimburse Cereoil the amount of $22 million, contending that deliveries of soybeans to SOL pursuant to purchase agreements should be set aside as fraudulent conveyances. Seaboard intends to defend this case vigorously. It is impossible at this stage to determine the probability of a favorable or unfavorable outcome resulting from this suit. In the event of an adverse ruling, Seaboard and its two subsidiaries could be ordered to pay the amount of $22 million. Any award in this case would offset against any award in the additional case described below filed by the Trustee on April 27, 2018.

On April 27, 2018, the Trustee for Cereoil filed another suit in the Bankruptcy Court of First Instance in Uruguay that was served during the second quarter of 2018 naming as parties Seaboard, SOL, Seaboard Uruguay, all directors of Cereoil, including two individuals employed by Seaboard who served as directors at the behest of Seaboard, and the Chief Financial Officer of Cereoil, an employee of Seaboard who also served at the behest of Seaboard (collectively, the “Cereoil Defendants”). The Trustee contends that the Cereoil Defendants acted with willful misconduct to cause Cereoil’s insolvency, and thus should be ordered to pay all liabilities of Cereoil, net of assets. The bankruptcy filing lists total liabilities of $53 million and assets of $30 million. Seaboard intends to defend this case vigorously. It is impossible at this stage to determine the probability of a favorable or unfavorable outcome resulting from this suit. In the event of an adverse ruling, Seaboard and the other Cereoil Defendants could be ordered to pay the amount of the net indebtedness of Cereoil, which based on the bankruptcy schedules would total $23 million. It is possible that the net indebtedness could be higher than this amount if Cereoil’s liabilities are greater than $53 million and/or Cereoil’s assets are worth less than $30 million.

In addition, in the event of an adverse ruling, the Bankruptcy Court of First Instance could order payment of the Trustee’s professional fees, interest, and other expenses. Any award in this case would offset against any award in the case described above filed on March 20, 2018.

A creditor of Cereoil which has a claim in the bankruptcy proceeding pending in Uruguay of approximately $10 million, plus accrued interest, has threatened to bring legal action in the U.S. against Seaboard alleging on various legal theories that Seaboard is responsible for this same indebtedness. Seaboard will vigorously defend this action should it be brought.

On May 15, 2018, the Trustee for Nolston S.A. (“Nolston”) filed a suit in the Bankruptcy Court of First Instance in Uruguay that was served during the second quarter of 2018 naming as parties Seaboard and the other Cereoil Defendants. Seaboard

has a 45% indirect ownership of Nolston. The Trustee contends that the Cereoil Defendants acted with willful misconduct to cause Nolston’s insolvency, and thus should be ordered to pay all liabilities of Nolston, net of assets. The bankruptcy filing lists total liabilities of $29 million and assets of $15 million. Seaboard intends to defend this case vigorously. It is impossible at this stage to determine the probability of a favorable or unfavorable outcome resulting from this suit. In the event of an adverse ruling, Seaboard and the other Cereoil Defendants could be ordered to pay the amount of the net indebtedness of Nolston, which based on the bankruptcy schedules would total $14 million. It is possible that the net indebtedness could be higher than this amount if Nolston’s liabilities are greater than $29 million and/or Nolston’s assets are worth less than $15 million. In addition, in the event of an adverse ruling, the Bankruptcy Court of First Instance could order payment of the Trustee’s professional fees, interest, and other expenses.

Seaboard is subject to various administrative and judicial proceedings and other legal matters related to the normal conduct of its business. In the opinion of management, the ultimate resolution of these items is not expected to have a material adverse effect on the condensed consolidated financial statements of Seaboard.

Guarantees

Certain of the non-consolidated affiliates and third-party contractors who perform services for Seaboard have bank debt supporting their underlying operations. From time to time, Seaboard will provide guarantees of that debt in order to further Seaboard’s business objectives. Seaboard does not issue guarantees of third parties for compensation. As of September 26, 2020, guarantees outstanding to affiliates and third parties were not material. Seaboard has not accrued a liability for any of the affiliate or third-party guarantees as management considers the likelihood of loss to be remote.