Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt (Notes)

v3.7.0.1
Debt (Notes)
6 Months Ended
Mar. 26, 2017
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt
Debt
Revolving Credit Facility. In November 2016, the Company amended and restated its existing Revolving Credit Facility that provides for unsecured revolving facility loans, swing line loans and letters of credit (Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility) to increase the aggregate amount available to $5.0 billion, of which $530 million and $4.47 billion will expire in February 2020 and November 2021, respectively. The Company had not previously borrowed any funds under the existing Revolving Credit Facility. Proceeds from the Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility are expected to be used for general corporate purposes. Loans under the Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility will bear interest, at the option of the Company, at either the reserve-adjusted Eurocurrency Rate (determined in accordance with the Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility) or the Base Rate (determined in accordance with the Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility), in each case plus an applicable margin based on the Company’s long-term unsecured senior, non-credit enhanced debt ratings. The initial margins over the reserve-adjusted Eurocurrency Rate and the Base Rate will be 0.70% and 0.00% per annum, respectively. The Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility has a facility fee, which initially accrues at a rate of 0.05% per annum. At March 26, 2017, the Company had not borrowed any funds under the Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility.
Commercial Paper Program. The Company has an unsecured commercial paper program, which provides for the issuance of up to $5.0 billion of commercial paper. Net proceeds from this program are used for general corporate purposes. Maturities of commercial paper can range from 1 day to up to 397 days. At March 26, 2017 and September 25, 2016, the Company had $2.0 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively, of outstanding commercial paper recorded as short-term debt with weighted-average interest rates of 0.82% and 0.52%, respectively, which included fees paid to the commercial paper dealers and weighted-average remaining days to maturity of 39 days and 36 days, respectively. The carrying value of the outstanding commercial paper approximated its estimated fair value at March 26, 2017 and September 25, 2016.
Bridge Loan Facility. In October 2016, the Company entered into commitment letters pursuant to which the Company received commitments for senior unsecured bridge facility loans in an aggregate principal amount up to $13.6 billion (Bridge Loan Facility). Subsequently, the commitments available under the Bridge Loan Facility were reduced to $7.1 billion upon the Company entering into a $4.0 billion Term Loan Facility, described below, and the sale of certain assets by NXP Semiconductors N.V. for estimated net cash proceeds of $2.5 billion in February 2017. Proceeds from the Bridge Loan Facility, if drawn, will be used to finance, in part, the proposed acquisition of NXP by Qualcomm River Holdings B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (Qualcomm River Holdings) (Note 8). Loans under the Bridge Loan Facility will only be available on the closing date of the proposed acquisition of NXP. The commitments available under the Bridge Loan Facility will be reduced on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the net cash proceeds of certain issuances of debt or equity securities and the incurrence of certain indebtedness by the Company, and the sales of certain assets by the Company. Commitments under the Bridge Loan Facility will expire on the first to occur of (i) the consummation of the proposed acquisition of NXP without using loans under the Bridge Loan Facility, (ii) the termination of Qualcomm River Holdings’s obligation to consummate the proposed acquisition of NXP and (iii) October 27, 2017 (unless such date is extended in accordance with the NXP purchase agreement).
Loans drawn under the Bridge Loan Facility will mature 364 days after the date on which the Bridge Loan Facility is funded and will bear interest at either the reserve-adjusted Eurodollar Rate (determined in accordance with the Bridge Loan Facility) or the Base Rate (determined in accordance with the Bridge Loan Facility), in each case plus an applicable margin based on the Company’s long-term unsecured senior, non-credit enhanced debt ratings. The initial margins over the reserve-adjusted Eurodollar Rate and the Base Rate will be 0.75% and 0.00% per annum, respectively, and will adjust 90 days, 180 days and 270 days after the Bridge Loan Facility is funded to 1.00% and 0.00%, respectively, 1.25% and 0.25%, respectively, and 1.50% and 0.50%, respectively. Loans outstanding under the Bridge Loan Facility will also incur duration fees equal to 0.50%, 0.75% and 1.00% of the outstanding principal amount of Bridge Loan Facility loans on the dates that are 90 days, 180 days and 270 days after the funding date, respectively. The Bridge Loan Facility also has a ticking fee, which initially accrues at a rate of 0.05% per annum commencing on December 26, 2016. At March 26, 2017, no amounts were outstanding under the Bridge Loan Facility.
Term Loan Facility. In November 2016, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement that provides for senior unsecured delayed-draw term facility loans in an aggregate amount of $4.0 billion (Term Loan Facility). Proceeds from the Term Loan Facility, if drawn, will be used to finance the proposed acquisition of NXP. Commitments under the Term Loan Facility will expire on the first to occur of (i) the consummation of the proposed acquisition of NXP without using loans under the Term Loan Facility, (ii) the termination of Qualcomm River Holdings’s obligation to consummate the proposed acquisition of NXP and (iii) October 27, 2017 (unless such date is extended in accordance with the NXP purchase agreement). Loans under the Term Loan Facility will mature on the third anniversary of the date on which they are funded and will bear interest at either the reserve-adjusted Eurocurrency Rate (determined in accordance with the Term Loan Facility) or the Base Rate (determined in accordance with the Term Loan Facility), in each case plus an applicable margin based on the Company’s long-term unsecured senior, non-credit enhanced debt ratings. The initial margins over the reserve-adjusted Eurocurrency Rate and the Base Rate will be 0.875% and 0.00% per annum, respectively. The Term Loan Facility has a ticking fee, which initially accrues at a rate of 0.05% per annum commencing on December 26, 2016. At March 26, 2017, the Company had not borrowed any funds under the Term Loan Facility.
Long-term Debt. The following table provides a summary of the Company’s long-term debt (in millions except percentages):
 
March 26, 2017
 
September 25, 2016
 
Amount
 
Effective
Rate
 
Amount
 
Effective
Rate
Floating-rate notes due May 18, 2018
$
250

 
1.38%
 
$
250

 
1.14%
Floating-rate notes due May 20, 2020
250

 
1.66%
 
250

 
1.42%
Fixed-rate 1.40% notes due May 18, 2018
1,250

 
1.59%
 
1,250

 
0.93%
Fixed-rate 2.25% notes due May 20, 2020
1,750

 
2.10%
 
1,750

 
1.69%
Fixed-rate 3.00% notes due May 20, 2022
2,000

 
2.58%
 
2,000

 
2.04%
Fixed-rate 3.45% notes due May 20, 2025
2,000

 
3.46%
 
2,000

 
3.46%
Fixed-rate 4.65% notes due May 20, 2035
1,000

 
4.74%
 
1,000

 
4.74%
Fixed-rate 4.80% notes due May 20, 2045
1,500

 
4.71%
 
1,500

 
4.71%
Total principal
10,000

 
 
 
10,000

 
 
Unamortized discount, including debt issuance costs
(53
)
 
 
 
(57
)
 
 
Hedge accounting fair value adjustments
(8
)
 
 
 
65

 
 
Total long-term debt
$
9,939

 
 
 
$
10,008

 
 

The interest rate on the floating rate notes due in 2018 and 2020 for a particular interest period will be a per annum rate equal to three-month LIBOR as determined on the interest determination date plus 0.27% and 0.55%, respectively. Interest is payable in arrears quarterly for the floating-rate notes and semi-annually for the fixed-rate notes. The Company may redeem the fixed-rate notes at any time in whole, or from time to time in part, at specified make-whole premiums as defined in the applicable form of note. The Company may not redeem the floating-rate notes prior to maturity. The Company is not subject to any financial covenants under the notes nor any covenants that would prohibit the Company from incurring additional indebtedness ranking equal to the notes, paying dividends, issuing securities or repurchasing securities issued by it or its subsidiaries. At March 26, 2017 and September 25, 2016, the aggregate fair value of the notes, based on Level 2 inputs, was approximately $10.1 billion and $10.6 billion, respectively.
In fiscal 2015, the Company entered into interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional amount of $3.0 billion, which effectively converted all of the fixed-rate notes due in 2018 and approximately 43% and 50% of the fixed-rate notes due in 2020 and 2022, respectively, into floating-rate notes. The net gains and losses on the interest rate swaps, as well as the offsetting gains or losses on the related fixed-rate notes attributable to the hedged risks, are recognized in earnings in interest expense in the current period.
The effective interest rates for the notes include the interest on the notes, amortization of the discount, which includes debt issuance costs, and if applicable, adjustments related to hedging. Cash interest paid related to the Company’s commercial paper program and long-term debt, net of cash received from the related interest rate swaps, was $150 million and $137 million in the six months ended March 26, 2017 and March 27, 2016.
Debt Covenants. The Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Facility, the Bridge Loan Facility and the Term Loan Facility require, and the prior Revolving Credit Facility required, that the Company comply with certain covenants, including one financial covenant to maintain a ratio of consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to consolidated interest expense, as defined in each of the respective agreements, of not less than three to one at the end of each fiscal quarter. At March 26, 2017 and September 25, 2016, the Company was in compliance with the applicable covenants under each facility outstanding at such time.