(c) | TELUS Corporation commercial paper |
TELUS Corporation has an unsecured commercial paper program, which is backstopped by our revolving $2.75 billion syndicated credit facility (see (d)) and is to be used for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures and investments. This program enables us to issue commercial paper, subject to conditions related to debt ratings, up to a maximum aggregate equivalent amount at any one time of $2.1 billion (US$1.5 billion maximum). Foreign currency forward contracts are used to manage currency risk arising from issuing commercial paper denominated in U.S. dollars. Commercial paper debt is due within one year and is classified as a current portion of long-term debt, as the amounts are fully supported, and we expect that they will continue to be supported, by the revolving credit facility, which has no repayment requirements within the next year. As at June 30, 2024, we had $1.8 billion (December 31, 2023 - $1.0 billion) of commercial paper outstanding, all of which was denominated in U.S. dollars (US$1.3 billion; December 31, 2023 - US$0.8 billion), with an effective average interest rate of 5.6%, maturing through December 2024.
(d) | TELUS Corporation credit facilities |
As at June 30, 2024, TELUS Corporation had an unsecured revolving $2.75 billion bank credit facility, expiring on July 14, 2028 (unchanged from December 31, 2023), with a syndicate of financial institutions, which is to be used for general corporate purposes, including the backstopping of commercial paper.
As at June 30, 2024, TELUS Corporation had repaid an unsecured, non-revolving, syndicated $1.1 billion bank credit facility, which was to be used for general corporate purposes and that was to mature July 9, 2024; as at December 31, 2023, we had drawn $1.1 billion on the facility.
The TELUS Corporation credit facilities bear interest at prime rate, U.S. Dollar Base Rate, Canadian Overnight Repo Rate Average (CORRA) or term secured overnight financing rate (SOFR) (as such terms are used or defined in the credit facilities), plus applicable margins. The credit facilities contain customary representations, warranties and covenants, including two financial quarter-end ratio tests. These tests are that our leverage ratio must not exceed 4.25:1.00 and our operating cash flow to interest expense ratio must not be less than 2.00:1.00, all as defined in the credit facilities.
Continued access to the TELUS Corporation credit facilities is not contingent upon TELUS Corporation maintaining a specific credit rating.
| | | | | | |
| | June 30, | | December 31, |
As at (millions) | | 2024 | | 2023 |
Net available | | $ | 990 | | $ | 1,729 |
Backstop of commercial paper | | | 1,760 | | | 1,021 |
Gross available revolving $2.75 billion bank credit facility | | $ | 2,750 | | $ | 2,750 |
We had $61 million of letters of credit outstanding as at June 30, 2024 (December 31, 2023 – $60 million), issued under various uncommitted facilities; such letter of credit facilities are in addition to the ability to provide letters of credit pursuant to our committed revolving bank credit facility. Further, we had arranged $338 million of incremental letters of credit to allow us to participate in the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 3800 MHz band spectrum auction that was held in October-November 2023, as discussed further in Note 18(a). Concurrent with funding the purchase of the spectrum licences, these incremental letters of credit were extinguished.
(e) | TELUS International (Cda) Inc. credit facility |
As at June 30, 2024, and December 31, 2023, TELUS International (Cda) Inc. had a credit facility, secured by its assets, expiring on January 3, 2028, with a syndicate of financial institutions, including TELUS Corporation. The credit facility is comprised of revolving components totalling US$800 million, with TELUS Corporation as approximately 7.2% lender, and amortizing term loan components totalling US$1.2 billion, with TELUS Corporation as approximately 7.2% lender. The credit facility is non-recourse to TELUS Corporation. The outstanding revolving components and term loan components had a weighted average interest rate of 7.4% as at June 30, 2024.