FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
On October 29, 2012, we entered into a senior unsecured revolving credit facility for up to $500 million with a $500 million accordion feature (the "Credit Agreement"), with a syndicate of financial institutions led by U. S. Bank. The purpose of this facility was to partially fund the acquisition of Phoenix International Freight Services, Ltd. ("Phoenix") and will allow us to continue to fund working capital, capital expenditures, dividends, and share repurchases. The Credit Agreement expires on October 29, 2017.
As of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, we had $410.0 million and $375.0 million, respectively, in borrowings outstanding under the Credit Agreement which is classified as a current liability on the consolidated balance sheet. The recorded amount of borrowings outstanding approximates fair value because of the short maturity period of the debt; therefore, we consider these borrowings to be a Level 2 financial liability.
Borrowings under the Credit Agreement generally bear interest at a variable rate determined by a pricing schedule or the base rate (which is the highest of (a) the administrative agent's prime rate, (b) the federal funds rate plus 0.50 percent, or (c) the sum of 1.00 percent plus one-month LIBOR plus a specified margin). As of March 31, 2014, the variable rate equaled LIBOR plus 1.50 percent. In addition, there is a commitment fee on the average daily undrawn stated amount under each letter of credit issued under the facility. The weighted average interest rate incurred on borrowings during the quarter ended March 31, 2014 was approximately 1.4 percent and at March 31, 2014 was approximately 1.7 percent. The weighted average interest rate incurred on borrowings during the quarter ended March 31, 2013 was approximately 1.3 percent and at March 31, 2013 was approximately 1.2 percent.
The Credit Agreement contains various restrictions and covenants. Among other requirements, we may not permit our leverage ratio, as of the end of each of our fiscal quarters, of (i) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness to (ii) Consolidated Total Capitalization, to be greater than 0.65 to 1.00. We were in compliance with all of the debt covenants as of March 31, 2014.
The Credit Agreement also contains customary events of default. If an event of default under the Credit Agreement occurs and is continuing, then the administrative agent may declare any outstanding obligations under the Credit Agreement to be immediately due and payable. In addition, if we become the subject of voluntary or involuntary proceedings under any bankruptcy, insolvency or similar law, then any outstanding obligations under the Credit Agreement will automatically become immediately due and payable.
On August 23, 2013, we entered into a Note Purchase Agreement with certain institutional investors (the “Purchasers”) named therein (the “Note Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Note Purchase Agreement, the Purchasers purchased, on August 27, 2013, (i) $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the company’s 3.97 percent Senior Notes, Series A, due August 27, 2023 (the “Series A Notes”), (ii) $150,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the company’s 4.26 percent Senior Notes, Series B, due August 27, 2028 (the “Series B Notes”) and (iii) $175,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the company’s 4.60 percent Senior Notes, Series C, due August 27, 2033 (the “Series C Notes” and, together with the Series A Notes and the Series B Notes, the “Notes”). Interest on the Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears. We applied the proceeds of the sale of the Notes for share repurchases, see Note 6.
The Note Purchase Agreement contains customary provisions for transactions of this type, including representations and warranties regarding the Company and its subsidiaries and various covenants, including covenants that require us to maintain specified financial ratios. The Note Purchase Agreement includes the following financial covenants: we will not permit our leverage ratio, as of the end of each of our fiscal quarters, of (i) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness to (ii) Consolidated Total Capitalization to be greater than 0.65 to 1.00; we will not permit the interest coverage ratio, as of the end of each of our fiscal quarters and for the twelve-month period ending, of (i) Consolidated EBIT (earnings before income taxes) to (ii) Consolidated Interest Expense to be less than 2.00 to 1.00; we will not permit, as of the end of each of our fiscal quarters, Consolidated Priority Debt to exceed 15 percent of Consolidated Total Assets. We were in compliance with all of the financial debt covenants as of March 31, 2014.
The Note Purchase Agreement provides for customary events of default, generally with corresponding grace periods, including, without limitation, payment defaults with respect to the Notes, covenant defaults, cross-defaults to other agreements evidencing indebtedness of the Company or its subsidiaries, certain judgments against the Company or its subsidiaries and events of bankruptcy involving the Company or its material subsidiaries. The occurrence of an event of default would permit certain Purchasers to declare certain Notes then outstanding to be immediately due and payable.
Under the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, the Notes are redeemable, in whole or in part, at 100 percent of the principal amount being redeemed together with a “make-whole amount”, and accrued and unpaid interest (as defined in the Note Purchase Agreement) with respect to each Note. The obligations of the Company under the Note Purchase Agreement and the Notes are guaranteed by C.H. Robinson Company, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, and by C.H. Robinson Company, Inc., a Minnesota corporation and an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
The Notes were issued by the company to the initial purchasers in a private placement in reliance on Section 4(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). The Notes will not be or have not been registered under the Securities Act and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements.
The fair value of long-term debt approximated $517.0 million at March 31, 2014, based on observable market-based inputs compared to carrying value of $500.0 million. If our long-term debt was recorded at fair value, it would be classified as a Level 2 liability.