DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 24, 2010 – Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F)
announced today the results of conversion offers that will reduce the
company’s Automotive debt by more than $1.9 billion, further
strengthening its balance sheet and lowering annualized interest costs
by about $180 million.
Including the conversion offers, the recent $3.6 billion prepayment
on VEBA Note B and net debt reductions over the first nine months of
2010, Ford has reduced its Automotive debt by $12.8 billion this year,
lowering its annualized interest costs by nearly $1 billion.
“These successful conversion offers represent another significant
step toward our goal of reducing our Automotive debt and improving our
balance sheet,” said Lewis Booth, Ford executive vice president and
chief financial officer. “We had previously said that even without the
conversion offers, we expected our Automotive cash to be about equal to
Automotive debt by the end of this year, well ahead of our earlier
expectations. With the conversion offers, we will be clearly net cash
positive by year-end 2010.”
Ford launched the conversion offers Oct. 26, 2010, offering to pay a
premium in cash to induce the holders of any and all of its outstanding
4.25% Senior Convertible Notes due December 15, 2036 (the “2036
Convertible Notes”) and 4.25% Senior Convertible Notes due November 15,
2016 (the “2016 Convertible Notes” and, together with the 2036
Convertible Notes, the “Convertible Notes”) to convert their Convertible
Notes into shares of Ford’s common stock.
The conversion offers each expired at midnight, New York City time,
Nov. 23, 2010, (the “Expiration Date”). As of the Expiration Date, $554
million principal amount of the 2036 Convertible Notes and $1.992
billion principal amount of the 2016 Convertible Notes were validly
tendered and accepted for purchase, according to information provided by
Computershare, Inc., the Exchange Agent with respect to the conversion
offers. The carrying values of the tendered notes on Sept. 30, 2010 were
$399 million and $1.544 billion for the 2036 and 2016 Convertible
Notes, respectively.
This will result in the issuance of an aggregate of 274 million
shares of Ford’s common stock and the payment of an aggregate of $534
million in cash premiums on the expected settlement date of Nov. 30,
2010. The cash premiums reflect in large part the present value of the
interest payments that would have been made on the tendered 2036 and
2016 Convertible Notes to the first date (Dec. 20, 2013, and Nov. 20,
2014, respectively) on which Ford could have terminated holders'
conversion rights under the Convertible Notes. The shares of Ford common
stock to be issued on the settlement date with respect to the
conversion offers have been included in Ford’s calculation of diluted
earnings per share since the beginning of the year. In addition to the
shares of Ford common stock and cash premiums, Ford will pay accrued and
unpaid interest on tendered Convertible Notes for the period from the
last interest payment date to (but excluding) the settlement date, which
will total $14 million.
Upon settlement of the conversion offers, $25 million principal
amount and $883 million principal amount of the 2036 and 2016
Convertible Notes, respectively, will remain outstanding. After
settlement, the carrying values of the remaining notes outstanding will
be $18 million and $688 million for the 2036 and 2016 Convertible Notes,
respectively.
Holders of the 2036 Convertible Notes who validly tendered and did
not withdraw their Convertible Notes by midnight, New York City time, on
the Expiration Date and whose Convertible Notes were accepted for
purchase will receive, for each $1,000 principal amount of the 2036
Convertible Notes converted, 108.6957 shares of Ford’s common stock,
plus $190 in cash, plus the applicable accrued and unpaid interest.
Holders of the 2016 Convertible Notes who validly tendered and did
not withdraw their Convertible Notes by midnight, New York City time, on
the Expiration Date and whose Convertible Notes were accepted for
purchase will receive, for each $1,000 principal amount of the 2016
Convertible Notes converted, 107.5269 shares of Ford’s common stock,
plus $215 in cash, plus the applicable accrued and unpaid interest.
The conversion offers will result in a fourth quarter 2010 special
item charge of approximately $960 million reflecting the cash premiums
and non-cash losses (reflecting the difference between the carrying and
fair values of the debt) for the tendered 2036 and 2016 Convertible
Notes.
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