Long-Term Debt

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2024

Long-Term Debt:

Long-term debt at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 consisted of the following (in thousands):


	June 30,		December 31,
	2024		2023
1.125% notes due 2025	$	402,661	$	416,501
1.625% notes due 2028	533,850		552,200

3.45% Senior notes due 2029	171,612		171,612

4.65% Senior notes due 2027	650,000		650,000
5.05% Senior notes due 2032	600,000		600,000
5.45% Senior notes due 2044	350,000		350,000
5.65% Senior notes due 2052	450,000		450,000


Commercial paper notes	—		620,000

Interest-free loan	300,000		300,000
Variable-rate foreign bank loans	26,832		30,197

Finance lease obligations	113,100		110,245
Other	22,000		22,000
Unamortized discount and debt issuance costs	(97,338)		(105,992)
Total long-term debt	3,522,717		4,166,763
Less amounts due within one year	3,213		625,761
Long-term debt, less current portion	$	3,519,504	$	3,541,002

During the six months ended June 30, 2024, we repaid a net amount of $620.0 million of commercial paper notes using the net proceeds received from the issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock. See Note 7, “Equity,” for additional information.

Given the economic conditions, specifically around the market pricing of lithium, and the related anticipated impact on the Company’s future earnings, on February 9, 2024 we amended our revolving, unsecured amended and restated credit agreement dated October 28, 2022 (the “2022 Credit Agreement”), which provides for borrowings of up to $1.5 billion and matures on October 28, 2027. Borrowings under the 2022 Credit Agreement bear interest at variable rates based on a benchmark rate depending on the currency in which the loans are denominated, plus an applicable margin which ranges from 0.910% to 1.375%, depending on the Company’s credit rating from Standard & Poor’s Rating Services LLC, Moody’s Investors Services, Inc. and Fitch Ratings, Inc. With respect to loans denominated in U.S. dollars, interest is calculated using the term Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) plus a term SOFR adjustment of 0.10%, plus the applicable margin. The applicable margin on the facility was 1.125% as of June 30, 2024. There were no borrowings outstanding under the 2022 Credit Agreement as of June 30, 2024.

Borrowings under the 2022 Credit Agreement are conditioned upon satisfaction of certain customary conditions precedent, including the absence of defaults. The February 2024 amendment was entered into to modify the financial covenants under the 2022 Credit Agreement to avoid a potential covenant violation over the following 18 months given the market pricing of lithium. Following the February 2024 amendment, the 2022 Credit Agreement subjects the Company to two financial covenants, as well as customary affirmative and negative covenants. The first financial covenant requires that the ratio of (a) the Company’s consolidated net funded debt plus a proportionate amount of Windfield’s net funded debt to (b) consolidated Windfield-Adjusted EBITDA (as such terms are defined in the 2022 Credit Agreement) be less than or equal to (i) 3.50:1 prior to the second quarter of 2024, (ii) 5.00:1 for the second quarter of 2024, (iii) 5.50:1 for the third quarter of 2024, (iv) 4.00:1 for the fourth quarter of 2024, (v) 3.75:1 for the first and second quarters of 2025 and (vi) 3.50:1 after the second quarter of 2025. The maximum permitted leverage ratios described above are subject to adjustment in accordance with the terms of the 2022 Credit Agreement upon the consummation of an acquisition after June 30, 2025 if the consideration includes cash proceeds from issuance of funded debt in excess of $500 million.

The second financial covenant requires that, beginning in the fourth quarter of 2024, the ratio of the Company’s consolidated EBITDA to consolidated interest charges (as such terms are defined in the 2022 Credit Agreement) be no less than 2.00:1 for fiscal quarters through June 30, 2025, and no less than 3.00:1 for all fiscal quarters thereafter. The 2022 Credit

Agreement also contains customary default provisions, including defaults for non-payment, breach of representations and warranties, insolvency, non-performance of covenants and cross-defaults to other material indebtedness. The occurrence of an event of default under the 2022 Credit Agreement could result in all loans and other obligations becoming immediately due and payable and the commitments under the 2022 Credit Agreement being terminated. Following the $2.2 billion issuance of mandatory convertible preferred stock in March 2024 and the amendments to the financial covenants, the Company expects to maintain compliance with the amended financial covenants in the near future. However, a significant and extended downturn in lithium market prices or demand could impact the Company’s ability to maintain compliance with its amended financial covenants and it could require the Company to seek additional amendments to the 2022 Credit Agreement and/or issue debt or equity securities to fund its activities and maintain financial flexibility. If the Company were unable to obtain such necessary additional amendments, this could lead to an event of default and its lenders could require the Company to repay its outstanding debt. In that situation, the Company may not be able to raise sufficient debt or equity capital, or divest assets, to refinance or repay the lenders.