Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations
LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES
Summary of Sources and Uses of Cash
Cash and short-term investments as of September 28, 2019 increased $9 million to $1,539 million from December 31, 2018. Cash from operating activities decreased $96 million for the nine months ended September 28, 2019 compared to the same period in 2018, primarily due to lower adjusted earnings for unrealized gains on short-term investments, partially offset by decreased cash for working capital needs.
Capital Expenditures, Acquisitions and Other Investing Activities
During the nine months ended September 28, 2019, Seaboard Corporation and its subsidiaries (“Seaboard”) invested $261 million in property, plant and equipment, of which $127 million was in the Pork segment, $18 million in the Commodity Trading and Milling (“CT&M”) segment, $20 million in the Marine segment, $13 million in the Sugar & Alcohol segment and $83 million in the Power segment. The Pork segment expenditures were primarily for the expansion of the Guymon pork processing plant and the purchase and modifications of an idle ethanol plant and all of its related assets in Hugoton, Kansas. The CT&M segment expenditures were primarily for milling assets. The Sugar & Alcohol expenditures were primarily for alcohol fermentation expansion. The Power segment expenditures were primarily for its new power barge under construction. All other capital expenditures were primarily of a normal recurring nature such as replacements of machinery and equipment and general facility modernizations and upgrades.
For the remainder of 2019, management has budgeted capital expenditures totaling $108 million. The Pork segment budgeted $43 million primarily for modifications to convert the recently purchased idle ethanol plant to a renewable diesel production facility and expansion of the Guymon pork processing plant that is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020. The Marine segment budgeted $30 million primarily for additional cargo carrying and handling equipment. The Sugar & Alcohol segment budgeted $7 million primarily for alcohol fermentation expansion. The Power segment budgeted $18 million primarily for its new power barge. The balance planned to be spent is primarily for normal upgrades to existing operations. Management anticipates paying for these capital expenditures from a combination of available cash, the use of available short-term investments and Seaboard’s available borrowing capacity.
In the second quarter of 2019, Seaboard contributed $10 million to Seaboard Triumph Foods, LLC, a non-consolidated affiliate of the Pork segment, for working capital needs. In the third quarter of 2019, Seaboard provided approximately $8 million in loans to Butterball, LLC (“Butterball”). From time to time, Seaboard may fund capital calls and borrowings for its equity method investments based on the specific facts and circumstances.
Financing Activities and Debt
As of September 28, 2019, Seaboard had short-term uncommitted lines of credit totaling $606 million and a committed line totaling $100 million. There was $210 million borrowed under the uncommitted lines of credit as of September 28, 2019. Seaboard’s borrowing capacity under its uncommitted lines of credit was further reduced by letters of credit totaling $18 million. As of September 28, 2019, Seaboard had an unsecured term loan, which matures in 2028, with a balance of $695 million and foreign subsidiary debt, denominated in U.S. dollars and euros, of $97 million.
As of September 28, 2019, Seaboard had cash and short-term investments of $1,539 million and additional total net working capital of $598 million. Accordingly, management believes Seaboard’s combination of internally generated cash, liquidity, capital resources and borrowing capabilities will be adequate for its existing operations and any currently known potential plans for expansion of existing operations or business segments for the next 12 months. Management intends to continue seeking opportunities for expansion in the industries in which Seaboard operates, utilizing existing liquidity, available borrowing capacity and other financing alternatives. The terms and availability of such financing may be impacted by economic and financial market conditions, as well as Seaboard’s financial condition and results of operations at the time Seaboard seeks such financing, and there can be no assurances that Seaboard will be able to obtain such financing on terms that will be acceptable or advantageous.
As of September 28, 2019, $173 million of the $1,539 million of cash and short-term investments were held by Seaboard’s foreign subsidiaries. Historically, Seaboard has considered substantially all foreign profits as being permanently invested in its foreign operations, including all cash and short-term investments held by foreign subsidiaries. Seaboard intends to continue permanently reinvesting the majority of these funds outside the U.S. as current plans do not demonstrate a need to repatriate them to fund Seaboard’s U.S. operations. For any planned repatriation to the U.S., Seaboard would record applicable deferred taxes for state or foreign withholding taxes.