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Borrowings
12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Borrowings
NOTE 9. BORROWINGS
The Company’s total borrowings consist of the following:
Interest rate at June 30,
2023
Maturity at June 30,
2023
As of June 30, 2023As of June 30, 2022
(in millions)
News Corporation
2022 Term loan A(a)
6.842 %Mar 31, 2027497 500 
2022 Senior notes5.125 %Feb 15, 2032492 492 
2021 Senior notes3.875 %May 15, 2029989 987 
Foxtel Group (b)
2019 Credit facility (c)
6.65 %May 31, 2024320 68 
2019 Term loan facility6.25 %Nov 22, 2024167 171 
2017 Working capital facility (c)
6.65 %May 31, 2024— — 
Telstra facility11.46 %Dec 22, 2027100 90 
2012 US private placement—USD portion—tranche 2 (d)
— %Jul 25, 2022— 198 
2012 US private placement—USD portion—tranche 3 (d)
4.42 %Jul 25, 2024149 147 
2012 US private placement—AUD portion— %Jul 25, 2022— 68 
REA Group (b)
2022 Credit facility - tranche 1 (e)
5.35 %Sep 16, 2024211 273 
2022 Credit facility - tranche 2 (e)
5.50 %Sep 16, 2025— 
Finance lease liability42 67 
Total borrowings2,967 3,069 
Less: current portion (f)
(27)(293)
Long-term borrowings2,940 2,776 
________________________
(a)The Company entered into an interest rate swap derivative to fix the floating rate interest component of its Term A Loans at 2.083%. For the three months ended June 30, 2023 the Company was paying interest at an effective interest rate of 3.708%. See Note 11—Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements.
(b)These borrowings were incurred by certain subsidiaries of NXE Australia Pty Limited (the “Foxtel Group” and together with such subsidiaries, the “Foxtel Debt Group”) and REA Group and certain of its subsidiaries (REA Group and certain of its subsidiaries, the “REA Debt Group”), consolidated but non wholly-owned subsidiaries of News Corp, and are only guaranteed by the Foxtel Group and REA Group and their respective subsidiaries, as applicable, and are non-recourse to News Corp.
(c)As of June 30, 2023, the Foxtel Debt Group had total undrawn commitments of A$161 million available under these facilities.
(d)The carrying values of the borrowings include any fair value adjustments related to the Company’s fair value hedges. See Note 11—Financial Instruments and Fair Value Measurements.
(e)As of June 30, 2023, REA Group had total undrawn commitments of A$281 million available under this facility.
(f)The Company classifies the current portion of long term debt as non-current liabilities on the Balance Sheets when it has the intent and ability to refinance the obligation on a long-term basis, in accordance with ASC 470-50 “Debt.” $27 million relates to the current portion of finance lease liabilities as of June 30, 2023 and 2022.
News Corporation Borrowings
As of June 30, 2023, the Company had (i) borrowings of $1,978 million, consisting of its outstanding 2021 Senior Notes, 2022 Senior Notes (collectively, the “Senior Notes”) and Term A Loans and (ii) $750 million of undrawn commitments available under the Revolving Facility.
Senior Notes
The Senior Notes are the senior unsecured obligations of the Company and rank equally in right of payment with the Company’s other senior debt, including borrowings under its Term A and Revolving Facilities (as defined below). In the event of specified change in control events, the Company must offer to purchase the outstanding Senior Notes from the holders at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount, plus any accrued and unpaid interest. There are no financial maintenance covenants with respect to the Senior Notes. The indentures governing the applicable Senior Notes contain other covenants that, among other things and subject to certain exceptions, (i) limit the Company’s ability and the ability of its subsidiaries to incur any liens securing indebtedness for borrowed money and (ii) limit the Company’s ability to consolidate or merge with or into another person or sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries (taken as a whole).
Term Loan A and Revolving Credit Facilities
The Company is party to a credit agreement (the “2022 Credit Agreement”) that provides for a $500 million unsecured term loan A credit facility (the “Term A Facility” and the loans under the Term A Facility, the “Term A Loans”) and a $750 million unsecured revolving credit facility with a sublimit of $100 million available for issuances of letters of credit (the “Revolving Facility” and, together with the Term A Facility, the “Facilities”). Under the 2022 Credit Agreement, the Company may request increases with respect to either Facility in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $250 million.
The Term A Loans amortize in equal quarterly installments in an aggregate annual amount equal to —%, 2.5%, 2.5%, 5.0% and 5.0%, respectively, of the original principal amount of the Term A Facility for each 12-month period commencing on June 30, 2022. Loans under the Revolving Facility do not amortize. The Facilities have a maturity date of March 31, 2027, and under certain circumstances as set forth in the 2022 Credit Agreement, the Company may request that the maturity date of the Term A Facility be extended by at least one year and/or that the maturity date of the revolving credit commitments under the Revolving Facility be extended for up to two additional one-year periods.
Interest on borrowings is based on either (a) an Alternative Currency Term Rate formula, (b) a Term SOFR formula, (c) an Alternative Currency Daily Rate formula ((a) through (c) each, a “Relevant Rate”) or (d) the Base Rate formula, each as set forth in the 2022 Credit Agreement. The applicable margin for borrowings under the Facilities and the commitment fee for undrawn balances under the Revolving Facility vary based on the Company’s adjusted operating income net leverage ratio. At June 30, 2023, the Company was paying commitment fees of 0.225% and an applicable margin of 0.5% for a Base Rate borrowing and 1.5% for a Relevant Rate borrowing.
The 2022 Credit Agreement contains certain customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default with customary exceptions, including limitations on the ability of the Company and the Company’s subsidiaries to engage in transactions with affiliates, incur liens, merge into or consolidate with any other entity, incur subsidiary debt or dispose of all or substantially all of its assets or all or substantially all of the stock of all subsidiaries taken as a whole. In addition, the 2022 Credit Agreement requires the Company to maintain an adjusted operating income net leverage ratio of not more than 3.0 to 1.0, subject to certain adjustments following a material acquisition, and a net interest coverage ratio of not less than 3.0 to 1.0.
Foxtel Group Borrowings
As of June 30, 2023, the Foxtel Group has borrowings under the following facilities, as well as outstanding U.S. private placement senior unsecured notes:
An A$610 million 2019 revolving credit facility and A$40 million 2017 working capital facility. Borrowings under these facilities bear interest at a floating rate of the Australian BBSY plus an applicable margin of between 2.00% and 3.25% per annum, depending on the Foxtel Debt Group’s net leverage ratio. The Foxtel Debt Group had total undrawn commitments of A$161 million available under these facilities and pays a commitment fee of 45% of the applicable margin for any undrawn amounts.
A fully drawn A$250 million term loan facility. Borrowings under this facility bear interest at a fixed rate of 6.25% per annum.
An A$170 million subordinated shareholder loan facility with Telstra Corporation Limited (the “Telstra Facility”), which owns a 35% interest in the Foxtel Group. Borrowings under the Telstra Facility can be used to finance cable transmission costs due to Telstra under a services arrangement between the Foxtel Group and Telstra and bear interest at a variable rate of the Australian BBSY plus a margin of 7.75%. The terms of the Telstra Facility allow for the capitalization of accrued interest to the principal outstanding. The Company excludes borrowings under this facility from the Statements of Cash Flows as they are non-cash.
In July 2022, the Foxtel Group repaid its U.S. private placement senior unsecured notes that matured in July 2022 using capacity under the 2019 Credit Facility.
The agreements governing the Foxtel Debt Group’s external borrowings (revolving credit facilities, the term loan facility and the U.S. private placement senior unsecured notes) contain customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, with customary exceptions, including specified financial and non-financial covenants calculated in accordance with Australian International Financial Reporting Standards. Subject to certain exceptions, these covenants restrict or prohibit members of the Foxtel Debt Group from, among other things, undertaking certain transactions, disposing of certain properties or assets (including subsidiary stock), merging or consolidating with any other person, making financial accommodation available, giving guarantees, entering into certain other financing arrangements, creating or permitting certain liens, engaging in transactions with affiliates, making repayments of certain other loans and undergoing fundamental business changes. In addition, the agreements require the Foxtel Debt Group to maintain a ratio of net debt to Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization (“EBITDA”), as adjusted under the applicable agreements, of not more than 3.25 to 1.0. The agreements also require the Foxtel Debt Group to maintain a net interest coverage ratio of not less than 3.5 to 1.0. There are no assets pledged as collateral for any of the borrowings.
Foxtel Group Debt Refinancing
On August 14, 2023, the Foxtel Group entered into an agreement (the “2023 Foxtel Credit Agreement”) for a new A$1.2 billion syndicated credit facility (the “2023 Credit Facility”), which will be used to refinance its A$610 million 2019 revolving credit facility, A$250 million term loan facility and tranche 3 of its 2012 U.S. private placement. The 2023 Credit Facility consists of three sub-facilities: (i) an A$817.5 million three year revolving credit facility (the “2023 Credit Facility — tranche 1”), (ii) a US$48.7 million four year term loan facility (the “2023 Credit Facility — tranche 2”) and (iii) an A$311.0 million four year term loan facility (the “2023 Credit Facility — tranche 3”). In addition, the Foxtel Group amended its 2017 working capital facility to extend the maturity to August 2026 and modify the pricing.
Depending on the Foxtel Group’s net leverage ratio (i) borrowings under the 2023 Credit Facility — tranche 1 and 2017 working capital facility bear interest at a rate of the Australian BBSY plus a margin of between 2.35% and 3.60%; (ii) borrowings under the 2023 Credit Facility — tranche 2 bear interest at a rate based on a Term SOFR formula, as set forth in the 2023 Foxtel Credit Agreement, plus a margin of between 2.50% and 3.75%; and (iii) borrowings under the 2023 Credit Facility — tranche 3 bear interest at a rate of the Australian BBSY plus a margin of between 2.50% and 3.75%. All tranches carry a commitment fee of 45% of the applicable margin on any undrawn balance during the relevant availability period. Tranches 2 and 3 of the 2023 Credit Facility amortize on a proportionate basis in an aggregate annual amount equal to A$35 million in each of the first two years following closing and A$40 million in each of the two years thereafter.
The 2023 Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, with customary exceptions, that are generally consistent with those governing the Foxtel Debt Group’s external borrowings as of June 30, 2023, including financial covenants requiring maintenance of the same net debt to EBITDA and net interest coverage ratios.
REA Group Facilities
As of June 30, 2023, REA Group had (i) borrowings of approximately $211 million, consisting of amounts outstanding under its 2022 Credit Facility and (ii) A$281 million of undrawn commitments available under its 2022 Credit Facility.
REA Group may request increases in the amount of the 2022 Credit Facility up to a maximum amount of A$500 million, subject to the terms and limitations set forth in the syndicated facility agreement. Borrowings under the 2022 Credit facility — tranche 1
accrue interest at a rate of the Australian BBSY plus a margin of between 1.00% and 2.10%, depending on REA Group’s net leverage ratio. Borrowings under the 2022 Credit facility — tranche 2 accrue interest at a rate of the Australian BBSY plus a margin of between 1.15% and 2.25%, depending on REA Group’s net leverage ratio. Both tranches carry a commitment fee of 40% of the applicable margin on any undrawn balance.
The 2022 Credit Facility requires REA Group to maintain (i) a net leverage ratio of not more than 3.5 to 1.0 and (ii) an interest coverage ratio of not less than 3.0 to 1.0. The syndicated facility agreement also contains certain other customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default. Subject to certain exceptions, these covenants restrict or prohibit REA Group and its subsidiaries from, among other things, incurring or guaranteeing debt, disposing of certain properties or assets, merging or consolidating with any other person, making financial accommodation available, entering into certain other financing arrangements, creating or permitting certain liens, engaging in non arms’ length transactions with affiliates, undergoing fundamental business changes and making restricted payments.
Covenants
The Company’s borrowings and those of its consolidated subsidiaries contain customary representations, covenants and events of default, including those discussed above. If any of the events of default occur and are not cured within applicable grace periods or waived, any unpaid amounts under the applicable debt agreements may be declared immediately due and payable. The Company was in compliance with all such covenants at June 30, 2023.
Future maturities
The following table summarizes the Company’s debt maturities, excluding debt issuance costs and finance lease liabilities, as of June 30, 2023:
As of June 30, 2023
(in millions)
Fiscal 2024$333 
Fiscal 2025537 
Fiscal 202625 
Fiscal 2027450 
Fiscal 2028100 
Thereafter
1,500