During the first six months of 2022, net cash provided by operating activities was $541.1 million. Net cash used by investing activities totaled $1,698.0 million, primarily due to a seasonal increase in wholesale receivables. The increase in wholesale receivables was funded primarily through external borrowings, with financing activities providing net cash of $1,111.7 million. Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash decreased $54.6 million during the first six months of 2022.
During the first six months of 2021, net cash provided by operating activities was $689.8 million. Net cash used by investing activities totaled $2,032.0 million, primarily due to the cost of Receivables acquired exceeding the collections of Receivables. The increase in Receivables was funded primarily through external borrowings, with financing activities providing net cash of $1,318.5 million. Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash decreased $15.0 million during the first six months of 2021.
The Company relies on its ability to raise substantial amounts of funds to finance its Receivable and Lease portfolios. The Company has access to most global markets at reasonable costs and expects to have sufficient sources of global funding and liquidity to meet its funding needs in the short term and long term. The Company’s ability to meet its debt obligations is supported in several ways. The assets of the Company are self-liquidating in nature. A solid equity position is available to absorb unusual losses on these assets and all commercial paper is backed by unsecured, committed borrowing lines from various banks. Liquidity is also provided by the Company’s ability to securitize these assets and through the issuance of term debt (both public and private markets). Additionally, liquidity may be provided through loans from John Deere. The Company’s commercial paper outstanding at May 1, 2022, October 31, 2021, and May 2, 2021 was $1,654.6 million, $662.9 million, and $1,168.9 million, respectively, while the total cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities position was $633.7 million, $679.1 million, and $669.0 million, respectively. The amount of cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities held by foreign subsidiaries was $138.4 million, $158.0 million, and $174.8 million at May 1, 2022, October 31, 2021, and May 2, 2021, respectively.
The Company has a revolving warehouse facility to utilize bank conduit facilities to securitize retail notes (see Note 5). The facility was renewed in November 2021 with an expiration in November 2022 and a reduction of the total capacity or “financing limit” from $2,000.0 million to $1,000.0 million. As a result of the reduced capacity, the Company repurchased $511.1 million of outstanding short-term securitization borrowings in November 2021, in addition to the normal monthly liquidations related to payments collected on the retail notes. At May 1, 2022, $759.9 million of securitization borrowings were outstanding under the facility. At the end of the contractual revolving period, unless the banks and the Company agree to renew, the Company would liquidate the secured borrowings over time as payments on the retail notes are collected.
During the first six months of 2022, the Company issued $3,658.0 million and retired $2,722.9 million of long-term external borrowings, which primarily consisted of medium-term notes. During the first six months of 2022, the Company also issued $1,223.9 million and retired $1,817.6 million of retail note securitization borrowings and maintained an average commercial paper balance of $1,165.7 million. At May 1, 2022, the Company’s funding profile included $1,731.5 million of commercial paper and other notes payable, $4,000.9 million of securitization borrowings, $5,276.4 million of notes payable to John Deere, $26,545.0 million of unsecured term debt, and $4,669.0 million of equity capital. The Company’s funding profile may be altered to reflect such factors as relative costs of funding sources, assets available for securitizations, and capital market accessibility.
In April 2022, the Company issued $600.0 million of sustainability-linked medium-term notes with an initial interest rate of 3.35 percent, which are due in 2029. This transaction supports John Deere’s commitment to environmental sustainability by linking financing to the achievement of its ambitious and comprehensive environmental, social, and governance targets. Failure to meet the stated sustainability performance target will result in a 25-basis point increase to the interest rate payable on the 2029 notes from and including April 2026.
Total interest-bearing indebtedness amounted to $37,553.8 million at May 1, 2022, compared with $37,319.9 million at October 31, 2021 and $36,499.7 million at May 2, 2021. Total external short-term indebtedness amounted to $11,886.1 million at May 1, 2022, compared with $11,093.2 million at October 31, 2021 and $10,964.3 million at May 2, 2021. Total external long-term indebtedness amounted to $20,391.3 million at May 1, 2022, compared with $20,607.3 million at October 31, 2021 and $19,783.0 million