

Note 12	Capital Structure



Total debt outstanding
	As of December 31,
($ in millions)	2017			2016
6.75% Senior Debentures, due 2018	$	176		$	176
7.45% Senior Notes, due 2019 ⁽¹⁾	317			317
Due after one year through five years	493			493
3.15% Senior Notes, due 2023 ⁽¹⁾	500			500
3.28% Senior Notes, due 2026 ⁽¹⁾	550			550
Due after five years through ten years	1,050			1,050
6.125% Senior Notes, due 2032 ⁽¹⁾	159			159
5.35% Senior Notes due 2033 ⁽¹⁾	323			323
5.55% Senior Notes due 2035 ⁽¹⁾	546			546
5.95% Senior Notes, due 2036 ⁽¹⁾	386			386
6.90% Senior Debentures, due 2038	165			165
5.20% Senior Notes, due 2042 ⁽¹⁾	62			62
4.50% Senior Notes, due 2043 ⁽¹⁾	500			500
4.20% Senior Notes, due 2046 ⁽¹⁾	700			700
5.10% Subordinated Debentures, due 2053	500			500
5.75% Subordinated Debentures, due 2053	800			800
6.125% Junior Subordinated Debentures, due 2067	224			224
6.50% Junior Subordinated Debentures, due 2067	500			500
Due after ten years	4,865			4,865

Long-term debt total principal	6,408			6,408
Debt issuance costs	(58		)	(61		)
Total long-term debt	6,350			6,347
Short-term debt ⁽²⁾	—			—
Total debt	$	6,350		$	6,347


⁽¹⁾	Senior Notes are subject to redemption at the Company’s option in whole or in part at any time at the greater of either 100% of the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date or the discounted sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest and accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date.


⁽²⁾	The Company classifies any borrowings which have a maturity of twelve months or less at inception as short-term debt.



Debt maturities for each of the next five years and thereafter
($ in millions)
2018	$	176
2019	317
2020	—
2021	—
2022	—
Thereafter	5,915
Total long-term debt principal	$	6,408

On December 8, 2016, the Company issued $550 million of 3.28% Senior Notes due 2026 and $700 million of 4.20% Senior Notes due 2046. The proceeds of this issuance were used for general corporate purposes, including in part to fund the purchase price for the acquisition of SquareTrade.

During 2016 and 2015, the Company repurchased principal debt amounts of $17 million and $11 million, respectively.

The Subordinated Debentures may be redeemed (i) in whole at any time or in part from time to time on or after January 15, 2023 for the 5.10% Subordinated Debentures and August 15, 2023 for the 5.75% Subordinated Debentures at their principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption; provided that if the Subordinated Debentures are not redeemed in whole, at least $25 million aggregate principal amount must remain outstanding, or (ii) in whole, but not in part, prior to January 15, 2023 for the 5.10% Subordinated Debentures and August 15, 2023 for the 5.75% Subordinated Debentures, within 90 days after the occurrence of certain tax and rating agency events, at their principal amount or, if greater, a make-whole redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest to, but excluding, the date of redemption. The 5.75% Subordinated Debentures have this make-whole redemption price provision only when a reduction of equity credit assigned by a rating agency has occurred.

Interest on the 5.10% Subordinated Debentures is payable quarterly at the stated fixed annual rate to January 14, 2023, or any earlier redemption date, and then at an annual rate equal to the three-month LIBOR plus 3.165%. Interest on the 5.75% Subordinated Debentures is payable semi-annually at the stated fixed annual rate to August 14, 2023, or any earlier redemption date, and then quarterly at an annual rate equal to the three-month LIBOR plus 2.938%. The Company may elect to defer payment of interest on the Subordinated Debentures for one or more consecutive interest periods that do not exceed five years. During a deferral period, interest will continue to accrue on the Subordinated Debentures at the then-applicable rate and deferred interest will compound on each interest payment date. If all deferred interest on the Subordinated Debentures is paid, the Company can again defer interest payments.

The Company has outstanding $500 million of Series A 6.50% and $224 million of Series B 6.125% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Debentures (together the “Debentures”). The scheduled maturity dates for the Debentures are May 15, 2057 and May 15, 2037 for Series A and Series B, respectively, with a final maturity date of May 15, 2067. The Debentures may be redeemed (i) in whole or in part, at any time on or after May 15, 2037 or May 15, 2017 for Series A and Series B, respectively, at the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption, or (ii) in certain circumstances, in whole or in part, prior to May 15, 2037 for Series A at the principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption or, if greater, a make-whole price.

Interest on the Debentures is payable semi-annually at the stated fixed annual rate to May 15, 2037 and May 15, 2017 for Series A and Series B, respectively, and then payable quarterly at an annual rate equal to the three-month LIBOR plus 2.12% and 1.935% for Series A and Series B, respectively. The Company may elect at one or more times to defer payment of interest on the Debentures for one or more consecutive interest periods that do not exceed 10 years. Interest compounds during such deferral periods at the rate in effect for each period. The interest deferral feature obligates the Company in certain circumstances to issue common stock or certain other types of securities if it cannot otherwise raise sufficient funds to make the required interest payments. The Company has reserved 75 million shares of its authorized and unissued common stock to satisfy this obligation.

The terms of the Company’s outstanding subordinated debentures prohibit the Company from declaring or paying any dividends or distributions on common or preferred stock or redeeming, purchasing, acquiring, or making liquidation payments on common stock or preferred stock if the Company has elected to defer interest payments on the subordinated debentures, subject to certain limited exceptions.

In connection with the issuance of the Debentures, the Company entered into replacement capital covenants (“RCCs”). These covenants were not intended for the benefit of the holders of the Debentures and could not be enforced by them. Rather, they were for the benefit of holders of one or more other designated series of the Company’s indebtedness (“covered debt”), currently the 5.75% Subordinated Debentures due 2053. Pursuant to the Series A RCCs, the Company has agreed that it will not repay, redeem, or purchase the Series A Debentures on or before May 15, 2067 (or such earlier date on which the RCCs terminate by their terms) unless, subject to certain limitations, the Company has received net cash proceeds in specified amounts from the sale of common stock or certain other qualifying securities. The promises and covenants contained in the RCC will not apply if (i) S&P upgrades the Company’s issuer credit rating to A or above, (ii) the Company redeems the Debentures due to a tax event, (iii) after notice of redemption has been given by the Company and a market disruption event occurs preventing the Company from raising proceeds in accordance with the RCCs, or (iv) the Company repurchases or redeems up to 10% of the outstanding principal of the Debentures in any one-year period, provided that no more than 25% will be so repurchased, redeemed or purchased in any ten-year period.

On May 16, 2017, a Redesignation Date occurred in accordance with the Series A RCCs. As a result, the Corporation’s 7.45% Senior Notes due 2019 were no longer the covered debt under the Series A RCCs, and the 5.75% Subordinated Debentures due 2053 became the new covered debt. On May 16, 2017, the Series B RCCs terminated pursuant to the terms of the Series B RCCs, and the obligations of the Corporation pursuant to the Series B RCCs expired.

The Series A RCCs terminate in 2067. The RCCs will terminate prior to their scheduled termination date if (i) the applicable series of Debentures is no longer outstanding and the Company has fulfilled its obligations under the RCCs or they are no longer applicable, (ii) the holders of a majority of the then-outstanding principal amount of the then-effective series of covered debt consent to agree to the termination of the RCCs, (iii) the Company does not have any series of outstanding debt that is eligible to be treated as covered debt under the RCCs, (iv) the applicable series of Debentures is accelerated as a result of an event of default, (v) certain rating agency or change in control events occur, (vi) S&P, or any successor thereto, no longer assigns a solicited rating on senior debt issued or guaranteed by the Company, or (vii) the termination of the RCCs would have no effect on the equity credit provided by S&P with respect to the Debentures. An event of default, as defined by the supplemental indenture, includes default in the payment of interest or principal and bankruptcy proceedings.

To manage short-term liquidity, the Company maintains a commercial paper program and a credit facility as a potential source of funds. These include a $1.00 billion unsecured revolving credit facility and a commercial paper program with a borrowing limit of $1.00 billion. In April 2016, the Company extended the maturity date of the facility to April 2021. This facility contains an increase provision that would allow up to an additional $500 million of borrowing. This facility has a financial covenant requiring the Company not to exceed a 37.5% debt to capitalization ratio as defined in the agreement. Although the right to borrow under the facility is not subject to a minimum rating requirement, the costs of maintaining the facility and borrowing under it are based on the ratings of the Company’s senior unsecured, unguaranteed long-term debt. The total amount outstanding at any point in time under the combination of the commercial paper program and the credit facility cannot exceed the amount that can be borrowed under the credit facility. No amounts were outstanding under the credit facility as of December 31, 2017 or 2016. The Company had no commercial paper outstanding as of December 31, 2017 or 2016.

The Company paid $332 million, $287 million and $289 million of interest on debt in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Company had $169 million and $132 million of investment-related debt that is reported in other liabilities and accrued expenses as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Of the $132 million, $45 million related to a commitment to fund a limited partnership as of December 31, 2016.

During 2015, the Company filed a universal shelf registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that expires in 2018. The registration statement covers an unspecified amount of securities and can be used to issue debt securities, common stock, preferred stock, depositary shares, warrants, stock purchase contracts, stock purchase units and securities of trust subsidiaries.

Common stock The Company had 900 million shares of issued common stock of which 355 million shares were outstanding and 545 million shares were held in treasury as of December 31, 2017. In 2017, the Company reacquired 16 million shares at an average cost of $89.95 and reissued 5 million net shares under equity incentive plans.

Preferred stock All outstanding preferred stock represents noncumulative perpetual preferred stock with a $1.00 par value per share and a liquidation preference of $25,000 per share.



Outstanding preferred stock as of December 31, 2017
		Aggregate liquidation preference				Dividend per share						Aggregate dividend payment ($ in millions)
	Shares	Aggregate liquidation preference		Dividend rate		2017		2016		2015		2017		2016		2015
Series A	11,500	$	287.5	5.625	%	$	1.41	$	1.41	$	1.41	$	16	$	16	$	16
Series C	15,400	385.0		6.750	%	1.69		1.69		1.69		26		26		26
Series D	5,400	135.0		6.625	%	1.66		1.66		1.66		9		9		9
Series E	29,900	747.5		6.625	%	1.66		1.66		1.66		49		49		49
Series F	10,000	250.0		6.250	%	1.56		1.56		1.56		16		16		16
Total	72,200	$	1,805									$	116	$	116	$	116

The preferred stock ranks senior to the Company’s common stock with respect to the payment of dividends and liquidation rights. The Company will pay dividends on the preferred stock on a noncumulative basis only when, as and if declared by the Company’s board of directors (or a duly authorized committee of the board) and to the extent that the Company has legally available funds to pay dividends. If dividends are declared on the preferred stock, they will be payable quarterly in arrears at an annual fixed rate. Dividends on the preferred stock are not cumulative. Accordingly, in the event dividends are not declared on the preferred stock for payment on any dividend payment date, then those dividends will cease to be payable. If the Company has not declared a dividend before the dividend payment date for any dividend period, the Company has no obligation to pay dividends for that dividend period, whether or not dividends are declared for any future dividend period. No dividends may be paid or declared on the Company’s common stock and no shares of the Company’s common stock may be repurchased unless the full dividends for the latest completed dividend period on the preferred stock have been declared and paid or provided for.

The Company is prohibited from declaring or paying dividends on preferred stock in excess of the amount of net proceeds from an issuance of common stock taking place within 90 days before a dividend declaration date if, on that dividend declaration date, either: (1) the risk-based capital ratios of the largest U.S. property-casualty insurance subsidiaries that collectively account for 80% or more of the net written premiums of U.S. property-casualty insurance business on a weighted average basis were less than 175% of their company action level risk-based capital as of the end of the most recent year; or (2) consolidated net income for the four-quarter period ending on the preliminary quarter end test date (the quarter that is two quarters prior to the most recently completed quarter) is zero or negative and consolidated shareholders’ equity (excluding AOCI, and subject to certain other adjustments relating to changes in U.S. GAAP) as of each of the preliminary quarter test date and the most recently completed quarter has declined by 20% or more from its level as measured at the end of the benchmark quarter (the date that is ten quarters prior to the most recently completed quarter). If the Company fails to satisfy either of these tests on any dividend declaration date, the restrictions on dividends will continue until the Company is able again to satisfy the test on a dividend declaration date. In addition, in the case of a restriction arising under (2) above, the restrictions on dividends will continue until consolidated shareholders’ equity (excluding AOCI, and subject to certain other adjustments relating to changes in U.S. GAAP) has increased, or has declined by less than 20%, in either case as compared to its level at the end of the benchmark quarter for each dividend payment date as to which dividend restrictions were imposed.

The preferred stock does not have voting rights except with respect to certain changes in the terms of the preferred stock, in the case of certain dividend nonpayments, certain other fundamental corporate events, mergers or consolidations and as otherwise provided by law. If and when dividends have not been declared and paid in full for at least six quarterly dividend periods or their equivalent (whether or not consecutive), the authorized number of directors then constituting our board of directors will be increased by two. The holders of the preferred stock, together with the holders of all other affected classes and series of voting parity stock, voting as a single class, will be entitled to elect the two additional members of the board of directors of the Company, subject to certain conditions. The board of directors shall at no time have more than two preferred stock directors.

The preferred stock is perpetual and has no maturity date. The preferred stock is redeemable at the Company’s option in whole or in part, on or after June 15, 2018 for Series A, October 15, 2018 for Series C, April 15, 2019 for Series D and E, and October 15, 2019 for Series F, at a redemption price of $25,000 per share of preferred stock, plus declared and unpaid dividends. Prior to June 15, 2018 for Series A, October 15, 2018 for Series C, April 15, 2019 for Series D and E, and October 15, 2019 for Series F, the preferred stock is redeemable at the Company’s option, in whole but not in part, within 90 days of the occurrence of certain rating agency events at a redemption price equal to $25,000 per share or, if greater, a make-whole redemption price, plus declared and unpaid dividends.