Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

DEBT AND CREDIT FACILITIES

v3.20.1
DEBT AND CREDIT FACILITIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
DEBT AND CREDIT FACILITIES
The following represents a summary of our long-term debt:
(In Millions)
March 31, 2020
Debt Instrument
 
Issuer1
 
Annual Effective
Interest Rate
 
Total Principal Amount
 
Debt Issuance Costs
 
Unamortized Premiums (Discounts)
 
Total Debt
Senior Secured Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.875% 2024 Senior Secured Notes
 
Cliffs
 
5.00%
 
$
400.0

 
$
(4.3
)
 
$
(1.7
)
 
$
394.0

6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes
 
Cliffs
 
7.00%
 
725.0

 
(20.3
)
 
(8.8
)
 
695.9

Senior Unsecured Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7.625% 2021 AK Senior Notes
 
AK Steel
 
7.33%
 
33.5

 

 
0.1

 
33.6

7.50% 2023 AK Senior Notes
 
AK Steel
 
6.17%
 
12.8

 

 
0.5

 
13.3

6.375% 2025 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
8.11%
 
231.8

 
(0.9
)
 
(17.9
)
 
213.0

6.375% 2025 AK Senior Notes
 
AK Steel
 
8.11%
 
38.4

 

 
(3.0
)
 
35.4

1.50% 2025 Convertible Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.26%
 
316.3

 
(4.4
)
 
(62.2
)
 
249.7

5.75% 2025 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.01%
 
473.3

 
(3.5
)
 
(5.3
)
 
464.5

7.00% 2027 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
9.24%
 
335.4

 
(1.3
)
 
(38.4
)
 
295.7

7.00% 2027 AK Senior Notes
 
AK Steel
 
9.24%
 
56.3

 

 
(6.4
)
 
49.9

5.875% 2027 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.49%
 
750.0

 
(6.2
)
 
(26.6
)
 
717.2

6.25% 2040 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.34%
 
298.4

 
(2.1
)
 
(3.2
)
 
293.1

IRBs due 2020 to 2028
 
AK Steel
 
Various
 
99.3

 

 
2.5

 
101.8

ABL Facility
 
Cliffs2
 
2.33%
 
2,000.0

 

 

 
800.0

Total long-term debt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
4,357.1

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 Unless otherwise noted, references in this column to "Cliffs" are to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., and references to "AK Steel" are to AK Steel Corporation.
2 Refers to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. as borrower under our ABL Facility.
(In Millions)
December 31, 2019
Debt Instrument
 
Issuer1
 
Annual Effective
Interest Rate
 
Total Principal Amount
 
Debt Issuance Costs
 
Unamortized Discounts
 
Total Debt
Senior Secured Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.875% 2024 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
5.00%
 
$
400.0

 
$
(4.6
)
 
$
(1.8
)
 
$
393.6

Senior Unsecured Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.50% 2025 Convertible Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.26%
 
316.3

 
(4.6
)
 
(65.0
)
 
246.7

5.75% 2025 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.01%
 
473.3

 
(3.6
)
 
(5.5
)
 
464.2

5.875% 2027 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.49%
 
750.0

 
(6.3
)
 
(27.3
)
 
716.4

6.25% 2040 Senior Notes
 
Cliffs
 
6.34%
 
298.4

 
(2.2
)
 
(3.3
)
 
292.9

Former ABL Facility
 
Cliffs2
 
N/A
 
450.0

 
N/A

 
N/A

 

Total long-term debt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
2,113.8

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 Unless otherwise noted, references in this column to "Cliffs" are to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc.
2 Refers to Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries as borrowers under our Former ABL Facility.

$725 Million 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes Offering
On March 13, 2020, we entered into an indenture among Cliffs, the guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee and notes collateral agent, relating to the issuance of $725 million aggregate principal amount of 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes. The 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes were issued at 98.783% of face value. The 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes were issued in a private placement transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.
The 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes bear interest at a rate of 6.75% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing on September 15, 2020. The 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes mature on March 15, 2026.
The 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes are jointly and severally and fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior secured basis by substantially all of our material domestic subsidiaries and are secured (subject in each case to certain exceptions and permitted liens) by (i) a first-priority lien, on an equal ranking with the 4.875% 2024 Senior Secured Notes, on substantially all of our assets and the assets of the guarantors, and (ii) a second-priority lien on the ABL Collateral (as defined below), which is junior to a first-priority lien for the benefit of the lenders under our ABL Facility and pari passu with the 4.875% 2024 Senior Secured Notes.
The 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time at our option upon not less than 30, and not more than 60, days' prior notice sent to the holders of the 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes. The following is a summary of redemption prices for our 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes:
Redemption Period
 
Redemption Price1
 
Restricted Amount
Prior to March 15, 2022 - using proceeds of equity issuance
 
106.750
%
 
Up to 35% of original aggregate principal
Prior to March 15, 20222
 
100.000
 
 
 
Beginning on March 15, 2022
 
105.063
 
 
 
Beginning on March 15, 2023
 
103.375
 
 
 
Beginning on March 15, 2024
 
101.688
 
 
 
Beginning on March 15, 2025 and thereafter
 
100.000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1  Plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to, but excluding, the redemption date.
2  Plus a "make-whole" premium.

In addition, if a change in control triggering event, as defined in the indenture, occurs with respect to the 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes, we will be required to offer to purchase the notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of purchase.
The terms of the 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes contain certain customary covenants; however, there are no financial covenants.
Debt issuance costs of $20.5 million were incurred related to the offering of the 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes and are included in Long-term debt in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Position.
Cliffs Senior Notes exchanged for AK Steel Corporation Senior Notes
On March 16, 2020, we entered into indentures, in each case among Cliffs, the guarantors party thereto and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee, relating to the issuance by Cliffs of $231.8 million aggregate principal amount of 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes and $335.4 million aggregate principal amount of 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes. The new notes were issued in exchange for equal aggregate principal amounts of 6.375% 2025 AK Senior Notes and 7.00% 2027 AK Senior Notes, respectively. The 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes and 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes were issued pursuant to exchange offers made by Cliffs in private placement transactions exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. Pursuant to the registration rights agreements executed in connection with the issuance of the new notes, we agreed to file registration statements with the SEC with respect to registered offers to exchange the 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes and 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes for publicly registered notes within 365 days of the closing date, with all significant terms and conditions remaining the same.
The 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes and 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes are unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of our existing and future unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. The notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by our material direct and indirect wholly owned domestic subsidiaries and, therefore, are structurally senior to any of our existing and future indebtedness that is not guaranteed by such guarantors and are structurally subordinated to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries that do not guarantee the notes.
In addition, if a change in control triggering event, as defined in the indentures, occurs with respect to the 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes or 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes, we will be required to offer to purchase the notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the date of purchase.
The terms of the 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes and 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes contain certain customary covenants; however, there are no financial covenants.
6.375% 2025 Senior Notes
The 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of 6.375% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing on April 15, 2020. The 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes mature on October 15, 2025.
The 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time at our option upon not less than 30, and not more than 60, days' prior notice sent to the holders of the 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes. The following is a summary of redemption prices for our 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes:
Redemption Period
 
Redemption Price1
 
Restricted Amount
Prior to October 15, 2020 - using proceeds of equity issuance
 
106.375
%
 
Up to 35% of original aggregate principal
Prior to October 15, 20202
 
100.000
 
 
 
Beginning on October 15, 2020
 
103.188
 
 
 
Beginning on October 15, 2021
 
101.594
 
 
 
Beginning on October 15, 2022 and thereafter
 
100.000
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1  Plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the redemption date.
2  Plus a "make-whole" premium.

Debt issuance costs of $0.9 million were incurred in connection with the issuance of the 6.375% 2025 Senior Notes and are included in Long-term debt in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Position.
7.00% 2027 Senior Notes
The 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes bear interest at a rate of 7.00% per annum, payable semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15 of each year, commencing on April 15, 2020. The 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes mature on October 15, 2025.
The 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time at our option upon not less than 30, and not more than 60, days' prior notice sent to the holders of the 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes. The following is a summary of redemption prices for our 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes:
Redemption Period
 
Redemption Price1
Prior to March 15, 20222
 
100.000
%
Beginning on March 15, 2022
 
103.500
 
Beginning on March 15, 2023
 
102.333
 
Beginning on March 15, 2024
 
101.167
 
Beginning on March 15, 2025 and thereafter
 
100.000
 
 
 
 
 
1  Plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the redemption date.
2  Plus a "make-whole" premium.

Debt issuance costs of $1.3 million were incurred in connection with the issuance of the 7.00% 2027 Senior Notes and are included in Long-term debt in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Position.
AK Steel Corporation Senior Unsecured Notes
As of March 31, 2020, AK Steel Corporation had outstanding a total of $141.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7.625% 2021 AK Senior Notes, 7.50% 2023 AK Senior Notes, 6.375% 2025 AK Senior Notes and 7.00% 2027 AK Senior Notes. These senior notes are unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with AK Steel Corporation's guarantees of Cliffs' unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. These notes contain certain customary covenants; however, there are no financial covenants.
We may redeem the 7.625% 2021 AK Senior Notes at 100.000% of their principal amount, together with all accrued and unpaid interest to the date of redemption.
The following is a summary of redemption prices for the 7.50% 2023 AK Senior Notes:
Redemption Period
 
Redemption Price1
Prior to July 15, 2020
 
103.750
%
Beginning on July 15, 2020
 
101.875
 
Beginning on July 15, 2021 and thereafter
 
100.000
 
 
 
 
 
1  Plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the redemption date.

The following is a summary of redemption prices for the 6.375% 2025 AK Senior Notes:
Redemption Period
 
Redemption Price1
Prior to October 15, 20202
 
100.000
%
Beginning on October 15, 2020
 
103.188
 
Beginning on October 15, 2021
 
101.594
 
Beginning on October 15, 2022 and thereafter
 
100.000
 
 
 
 
 
1  Plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the redemption date.
2  Plus a "make-whole" premium.

The following is a summary of redemption prices for the 7.00% 2027 AK Senior Notes:
Redemption Period
 
Redemption Price1
Prior to March 15, 20222
 
100.000
%
Beginning on March 15, 2022
 
103.500
 
Beginning on March 15, 2023
 
102.333
 
Beginning on March 15, 2024
 
101.167
 
Beginning on March 15, 2025 and thereafter
 
100.000
 
 
 
 
 
1  Plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the redemption date.
2  Plus a "make-whole" premium.

Industrial Revenue Bonds
AK Steel Corporation had an outstanding $73.3 million aggregate principal amount of fixed-rate, tax-exempt IRBs as of March 31, 2020. The weighted-average fixed rate of the unsecured IRBs is 6.80%. The IRBs are unsecured senior debt obligations that are equal in ranking with AK Steel Corporation's senior unsecured notes and AK Steel Corporation's guarantees of Cliffs' unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness. In addition, AK Steel Corporation had outstanding $26.0 million aggregate principal amount of variable-rate IRBs as of March 31, 2020 that is backed by a letter of credit. These IRBs contain certain customary covenants; however, there are no financial covenants.
Debt Extinguishments - 2020
On March 13, 2020, in connection with the Merger, we purchased $364.2 million aggregate principal amount of 7.625% 2021 AK Senior Notes and $310.7 million aggregate principal amount of 7.50% 2023 AK Senior Notes upon early settlement of tender offers made by Cliffs. The net proceeds from the offering of 6.75% 2026 Senior Secured Notes, along with a portion of the ABL Facility borrowings, were used to fund such purchases. As the 7.625% 2021 AK Senior Notes and 7.50% 2023 AK Senior Notes were recorded at fair value just prior to being purchased, there was no gain or loss on extinguishment.
Additionally, in connection with the final settlement of the tender offers, on March 27, 2020, we purchased $8.5 million aggregate principal amount of the 7.625% 2021 AK Senior Notes and $56.5 million aggregate principal amount of the 7.50% 2023 AK Senior Notes with cash on hand.
The following is a summary of the debt extinguished and the respective gain on extinguishment:
 
 
(In Millions)
 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31, 2020
Debt Instrument
 
Debt Extinguished
 
Gain on Extinguishment1
7.625% 2021 AK Senior Notes
 
$
372.7

 
$
0.4

7.50% 2023 AK Senior Notes
 
367.2

 
2.8

 
 
$
739.9

 
$
3.2

 
 
 
 
 
1 The gain on extinguishment relates to the March 27, 2020 purchases.

Subsequent to the period ended March 31, 2020, we issued $400 million aggregate principal amount of 9.875% 2025 Senior Secured Notes in a private placement transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, including to strengthen our balance sheet and increase our liquidity. We also issued an additional $555.2 million aggregate principal amount of 9.875% 2025 Senior Secured Notes in a subsequent private placement transaction exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act. We used the net proceeds from the offering of the additional 9.875% 2025 Senior Secured Notes to repurchase approximately $736.4 million aggregate principal amount of our outstanding senior notes, which resulted in a principal debt reduction of approximately $181.3 million. Refer to NOTE 21 - SUBSEQUENT EVENTS for further information.
Debt Extinguishments - 2019
The following is a summary of the debt extinguished with cash and the respective loss on extinguishment:
 
 
(In Millions)
 
 
Three Months Ended
March 31, 2019
Debt Instrument
 
Debt Extinguished
 
(Loss) on Extinguishment
4.875% 2021 Senior Notes
 
$
10.0

 
$
(0.3
)
 
 
$
10.0

 
$
(0.3
)

ABL Facility
On March 13, 2020, in connection with the Merger, we entered into a new ABL Facility with various financial institutions to replace and refinance Cliffs’ Former ABL Facility and AK Steel Corporation’s former revolving credit facility. The ABL Facility will mature upon the earlier of March 13, 2025 or 91 days prior to the maturity of certain other material debt and provides for up to $2.0 billion in borrowings, including a $555.0 million sublimit for the issuance of letters of credit and a $125.0 million sublimit for swingline loans. Availability under the ABL Facility is limited to an eligible borrowing base, as applicable, determined by applying customary advance rates to eligible accounts receivable, inventory and certain mobile equipment.
The ABL Facility and certain bank products and hedge obligations are guaranteed by us and certain of our existing wholly owned U.S. subsidiaries and are required to be guaranteed by certain of our future U.S. subsidiaries. Amounts outstanding under the ABL Facility are secured by (i) a first-priority security interest in the accounts receivable and other rights to payment, inventory, as-extracted collateral, certain investment property, deposit accounts, securities accounts, certain general intangibles and commercial tort claims, certain mobile equipment, commodities accounts and other related assets of ours, the other borrowers and the guarantors, and proceeds and products of each of the foregoing (collectively, the “ABL Collateral”) and (ii) a second-priority security interest in substantially all of our assets and the assets of the other borrowers and the guarantors other than the ABL Collateral.
Borrowings under the ABL Facility bear interest, at our option, at a base rate or, if certain conditions are met, a LIBOR rate, in each case plus an applicable margin. We may amend this agreement to replace the LIBOR rate with one or more secured overnight financing based rates or an alternative benchmark rate, giving consideration to any evolving or then existing convention for similar dollar denominated syndicated credit facilities for such alternative benchmarks.
The ABL Facility contains customary representations and warranties and affirmative and negative covenants including, among others, covenants regarding the maintenance of certain financial ratios if certain conditions are triggered, covenants relating to financial reporting, covenants relating to the payment of dividends on, or purchase or redemption of, our capital stock, covenants relating to the incurrence or prepayment of certain debt, covenants relating to the incurrence of liens or encumbrances, covenants relating to compliance with laws, covenants relating to transactions with affiliates, covenants relating to mergers and sales of all or substantially all of our assets and limitations on changes in the nature of our business.
The ABL Facility provides for customary events of default, including, among other things, the event of nonpayment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts, a representation or warranty proving to have been materially incorrect when made, failure to perform or observe certain covenants within a specified period of time, a cross-default to certain material indebtedness, the bankruptcy or insolvency of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries, monetary judgment defaults of a specified amount, invalidity of any loan documentation, a change of control of the Company, and ERISA defaults resulting in liability of a specified amount. If an event of default exists (beyond any applicable grace or cure period), the administrative agent may, and at the direction of the requisite number of lenders shall, declare all amounts owing under the ABL Facility immediately due and payable, terminate such lenders’ commitments to make loans under the ABL Facility and/or exercise any and all remedies and other rights under the ABL Facility. For certain events of default related to insolvency and receivership, the commitments of the lenders will be automatically terminated and all outstanding loans and other amounts will become immediately due and payable.
On March 27, 2020, the ABL Facility was amended, by and among Cliffs, the lenders and the administrative agent. The amendment modified the ABL Facility to, among other things, provide for a new first-in, last-out tranche of
commitments in the aggregate amount of $150 million by exchanging existing commitments under the ABL Facility. The total commitments under the ABL Facility after giving effect to the amendment remain at $2.0 billion. The terms and conditions (other than the pricing) that apply to the first-in, last-out tranche are substantially the same as the terms and conditions that apply to the tranche A facility of the ABL Facility immediately prior to the amendment.
As of March 31, 2020, we were in compliance with the ABL Facility liquidity requirements and, therefore, the springing financial covenant requiring a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.0 to 1.0 was not applicable.
The following represents a summary of our borrowing capacity under the ABL Facility:
 
 
(In Millions)
 
 
March 31,
2020
Available borrowing base on ABL Facility1
 
$
1,789.3

Borrowings
 
(800.0
)
Letter of credit obligations2
 
(199.3
)
Borrowing capacity available
 
$
790.0


1 As of March 31, 2020, the ABL Facility has a maximum borrowing base of $2 billion. The available borrowing base is determined by applying customary advance rates to eligible accounts receivable, inventory and certain mobile equipment.
2 We issued standby letters of credit with certain financial institutions in order to support business obligations including, but not limited to, workers' compensation, employee severance, IRBs and environmental obligations.
Debt Maturities
The following represents a summary of our maturities of debt instruments based on the principal amounts outstanding at March 31, 2020:
 
 
(In Millions)
 
 
Maturities of Debt
2020 (remaining period of year)1
 
$
7.3

2021
 
33.5

2022
 

2023
 
12.8

2024
 
462.0

Thereafter
 
4,054.9

Total maturities of debt
 
$
4,570.5

 
 
 
1 Amounts maturing in 2020 are classified as Long-term debt based on our ability and intent to refinance on a long-term basis.