UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 8-K
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): August 6, 2019
WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
(Exact name of registrant as Specified in Charter)
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| Delaware | | 1-3932 | | 38-1490038 |
| (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation) | | (Commission File Number) | | (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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| 2000 North M-63, | | | | |
| Benton Harbor, | Michigan | | | | 49022-2692 |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | | | | (Zip Code) |
Registrant’s telephone number, including area code (269) 923-5000
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions: |
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| ☐ | Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| ☐ | Soliciting material pursuant to rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| ☐ | Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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| Title of each class | | Trading symbol(s) | | Name of each exchange on which registered |
| Common stock, par value $1.00 per share | | WHR | | Chicago Stock Exchange | and | New York Stock Exchange |
| 0.625% Senior Notes due 2020 | | WHR 20 | | New York Stock Exchange |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company ☐
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01. Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On August 6, 2019, Whirlpool Corporation (the “Company”) entered into a Fourth Amended and Restated Long-Term Credit Agreement (the “Amended Long-Term Facility”) by and among the Company, certain other borrowers, the lenders referred to therein, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Administrative Agent, and Citibank, N.A., as Syndication Agent. BNP Paribas, Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association acted as Documentation Agents. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., BNP Paribas Securities Corp., Citibank, N.A., Mizuho Bank, Ltd. and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners for the Amended Long-Term Facility. The Amended Long-Term Facility provides aggregate borrowing capacity of $3.5 billion, an increase of $500 million from the Company’s prior amended and restated credit agreement. On August 5, 2019, the Company terminated a €250 million European revolving credit facility that it entered into in July 2015.
The interest and fee rates payable with respect to the Amended Long-Term Facility based on the Company’s current debt rating are as follows: (1) the spread over EURIBOR is 1.125%; (2) the spread over prime is 0.125%; and (3) the ticking fee is 0.100%, as of the date hereof.
The Amended Long-Term Facility contains customary covenants and warranties including, among other things, a debt to capitalization ratio of less than or equal to 0.65 to 1.00 as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, and a rolling twelve month interest coverage ratio required to be greater than or equal to 3.0 to 1.0 for each fiscal quarter. In addition, the covenants limit the Company’s ability to (or to permit any subsidiaries to), subject to various exceptions and limitations: (i) merge with other companies; (ii) create liens on its property; and (iii) incur debt at the subsidiary level.
Many of the lenders have in the past performed, and may in the future from time to time perform, investment banking, financial advisory, lending and/or commercial banking services, or other services for Whirlpool Corporation and its subsidiaries, for which they have received, and may in the future receive, customary compensation and expense reimbursement.
The description of the Amended Long-Term Facility in this Current Report on Form 8-K is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Amended Long-Term Facility, a copy of which will be filed as an exhibit to the Company’s quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ending September 30, 2019.
Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information regarding the Company’s entry into the Amended Long-Term Facility provided under Item 1.01 above is hereby incorporated by reference.
Item 8.01. Other Events.
On August 9, 2019, the Company repaid $1.0 billion pursuant to the Company’s April 23, 2018 Term Loan Agreement by and among the Company, Citibank, N.A., as Administrative Agent, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. as Syndication Agent, and certain other financial institutions, representing full repayment of amounts borrowed under the term loan. As previously disclosed, the Company agreed to repay this outstanding term loan amount with the net cash proceeds received from the sale of its Embraco business unit to Nidec Corporation, which sale closed on July 1, 2019.
Website Disclosure
We routinely post important information for investors on our website, whirlpoolcorp.com, in the "Investors" section. We also intend to update the Hot Topics Q&A portion of this webpage as a means of disclosing material, non-public information and for complying with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Accordingly, investors should monitor the Investors section of our website, in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, presentations and webcasts. The information contained on, or that may be accessed through, our webpage is not incorporated by reference into, and is not a part of, this document.
SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
Date: August 9, 2019 WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION
By: /s/ BRIDGET K. QUINN
Name: Bridget K. Quinn
Title: Assistant General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
