Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

DEBT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS

v2.4.0.6
DEBT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
DEBT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
DEBT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS
The following table sets forth the principal amount, maturity or range of maturities, as well as the carrying value of our debt obligations, as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 (in millions). The carrying value of these debt obligations can differ from the principal amount due to the impact of unamortized discounts or premiums and valuation adjustments resulting from interest rate swap hedging relationships.
 
 
Principal
 
 
 
Carrying Value
 
Amount
 
Maturity
 
2012
 
2011
Commercial paper
$

 

 
$

 
$

Fixed-rate senior notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
4.50% senior notes
1,750

 
2013
 
1,751

 
1,778

3.875% senior notes
1,000

 
2014
 
1,033

 
1,050

1.125% senior notes
375

 
2017
 
373

 

5.50% senior notes
750

 
2018
 
851

 
841

5.125% senior notes
1,000

 
2019
 
1,140

 
1,119

3.125% senior notes
1,500

 
2021
 
1,655

 
1,641

2.45% senior notes
1,000

 
2022
 
996

 

6.20% senior notes
1,500

 
2038
 
1,480

 
1,480

4.875% senior notes
500

 
2040
 
489

 
489

3.625% senior notes
375

 
2042
 
367

 

8.375% Debentures:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
8.375% debentures
424

 
2020
 
512

 
504

8.375% debentures
276

 
2030
 
284

 
284

Pound Sterling Notes:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     5.50% notes
107

 
2031
 
103

 
99

     5.13% notes
734

 
2050
 
699

 
678

Floating rate senior notes
378

 
2049 – 2053
 
374

 
376

Capital lease obligations
440

 
2013 – 3004
 
440

 
469

Facility notes and bonds
320

 
2015 – 2036
 
320

 
320

Other debt
3

 
2013 - 2022
 
3

 

Total debt
$
12,432

 
 
 
12,870

 
11,128

Less: current maturities
 
 
 
 
(1,781
)
 
(33
)
Long-term debt
 
 
 
 
$
11,089

 
$
11,095


Commercial Paper
We are authorized to borrow up to $10.0 billion under our U.S. commercial paper program. We also maintain a European commercial paper program under which we are authorized to borrow up to €1.0 billion in a variety of currencies. No amounts were outstanding under these programs as of December 31, 2012. The amount of commercial paper outstanding under these programs in 2013 is expected to fluctuate.
Fixed Rate Senior Notes
We have completed several offerings of fixed rate senior notes. All of the notes pay interest semiannually, and allow for redemption of the notes by UPS at any time by paying the greater of the principal amount or a “make-whole” amount, plus accrued interest. We subsequently entered into interest rate swaps on several of these notes, which effectively converted the fixed interest rates on the notes to variable LIBOR-based interest rates. The average interest rate payable on these notes, including the impact of the interest rate swaps, for 2012 and 2011, respectively, were as follows:

 
Principal
 
 
 
Average Effective Interest Rate
 
Value
 
Maturity
 
2012
 
2011
4.50% senior notes
1,750

 
2013
 
2.51
%
 
2.39
%
3.875% senior notes
1,000

 
2014
 
1.14
%
 
0.99
%
1.125% senior notes
375

 
2017
 
0.57
%
 
%
5.50% senior notes
750

 
2018
 
2.71
%
 
2.53
%
5.125% senior notes
1,000

 
2019
 
2.20
%
 
2.04
%
3.125% senior notes
1,500

 
2021
 
1.28
%
 
0.52
%
2.45% senior notes
1,000

 
2022
 
0.86
%
 
%

8.375% Debentures
The 8.375% debentures consist of two separate tranches, as follows:
$276 million of the debentures have a maturity of April 1, 2030. These debentures have an 8.375% interest rate until April 1, 2020, and, thereafter, the interest rate will be 7.62% for the final 10 years. These debentures are redeemable in whole or in part at our option at any time. The redemption price is equal to the greater of 100% of the principal amount and accrued interest or the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payout of principal and interest thereon discounted to the date of redemption at a benchmark treasury yield plus five basis points plus accrued interest.
$424 million of the debentures have a maturity of April 1, 2020. These debentures are not subject to redemption prior to maturity.
Interest is payable semiannually on the first of April and October for both debentures and neither debenture is subject to sinking fund requirements. We subsequently entered into interest rate swaps on the 2020 notes, which effectively converted the fixed interest rates on the notes to variable LIBOR-based interest rates. The average interest rate payable on the 2020 notes, including the impact of the interest rate swaps, for 2012 and 2011 was 5.73% and 5.97%, respectively.
Floating Rate Senior Notes
The floating rate senior notes bear interest at one-month LIBOR less 45 basis points. The average interest rate for 2012 and 2011 was 0.00% for both years. These notes are callable at various times after 30 years at a stated percentage of par value, and putable by the note holders at various times after 10 years at a stated percentage of par value. The notes have maturities ranging from 2049 through 2053. In 2012 and 2011, we redeemed notes with a principal value of $2 and $10 million, respectively, after put options were exercised by the note holders.

Capital Lease Obligations
We have certain property, plant and equipment subject to capital leases. Some of the obligations associated with these capital leases have been legally defeased. The recorded value of our property, plant and equipment subject to capital leases is as follows as of December 31 (in millions):
 
 
2012
 
2011
Vehicles
$
63

 
$
35

Aircraft
2,282

 
2,282

Buildings
65

 
24

Plant Equipment
2

 
2

Technology Equipment
3

 
1

Accumulated amortization
(611
)
 
(457
)
 
$
1,804

 
$
1,887


These capital lease obligations have principal payments due at various dates from 2013 through 3004.
Facility Notes and Bonds
We have entered into agreements with certain municipalities to finance the construction of, or improvements to, facilities that support our U.S. Domestic Package and Supply Chain & Freight operations in the United States. These facilities are located around airport properties in Louisville, Kentucky; Dallas, Texas; and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Under these arrangements, we enter into a lease or loan agreement that covers the debt service obligations on the bonds issued by the municipalities, as follows:
Bonds with a principal balance of $149 million issued by the Louisville Regional Airport Authority associated with our Worldport facility in Louisville, Kentucky. The bonds, which are due in January 2029, bear interest at a variable rate, and the average interest rates for 2012 and 2011 were 0.15% and 0.11%, respectively.
Bonds with a principal balance of $42 million and due in November 2036 issued by the Louisville Regional Airport Authority associated with our air freight facility in Louisville, Kentucky. The bonds bear interest at a variable rate, and the average interest rates for 2012 and 2011 were 0.15% and 0.11%, respectively.
Bonds with a principal balance of $29 million issued by the Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport Facility Improvement Corporation associated with our Dallas, Texas airport facilities. The bonds are due in May 2032 and bear interest at a variable rate, however the variable cash flows on the obligation have been swapped to a fixed 5.11%.
Bonds with a principal balance of $100 million issued by the Delaware County, Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority associated with our Philadelphia, Pennsylvania airport facilities. The bonds, which are due in December 2015, bear interest at a variable rate, and the average interest rates for 2012 and 2011 were 0.13% and 0.11%, respectively.
Pound Sterling Notes
The Pound Sterling notes consist of two separate tranches, as follows:
Notes with a principal amount of £66 million accrue interest at a 5.50% fixed rate, and are due in February 2031. These notes are not callable.
Notes with a principal amount of £455 million accrue interest at a 5.13% fixed rate, and are due in February 2050. These notes are callable at our option at a redemption price equal to the greater of 100% of the principal amount and accrued interest, or the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payout of principal and interest thereon discounted to the date of redemption at a benchmark U.K. government bond yield plus 15 basis points and accrued interest.
We maintain cross-currency interest rate swaps to hedge the foreign currency risk associated with the bond cash flows for both tranches of these bonds. The average fixed interest rate payable on the swaps is 5.72%.
Contractual Commitments
We lease certain aircraft, facilities, land, equipment and vehicles under operating leases, which expire at various dates through 2038. Certain of the leases contain escalation clauses and renewal or purchase options. Rent expense related to our operating leases was $619, $629 and $615 million for 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
The following table sets forth the aggregate minimum lease payments under capital and operating leases, the aggregate annual principal payments due under our long-term debt, and the aggregate amounts expected to be spent for purchase commitments (in millions).
Year
Capital
Leases
 
Operating
Leases
 
Debt
Principal
 
Purchase
Commitments
2013
$
55

 
$
342

 
$
1,750

 
$
629

2014
52

 
271

 
1,000

 
103

2015
50

 
203

 
101

 
22

2016
49

 
145

 
1

 
14

2017
48

 
118

 
375

 
7

After 2017
426

 
358

 
8,765

 

Total
680

 
$
1,437

 
$
11,992

 
$
775

Less: imputed interest
(240
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Present value of minimum capitalized lease payments
440

 
 
 
 
 
 
Less: current portion
(31
)
 
 
 
 
 
 
Long-term capitalized lease obligations
$
409

 
 
 
 
 
 

As of December 31, 2012, we had outstanding letters of credit totaling approximately $1.369 billion issued in connection with our self-insurance reserves and other routine business requirements. We also issue surety bonds as an alternative to letters of credit in certain instances, and as of December 31, 2012, we had $584 million of surety bonds written.
Available Credit
We maintain two credit agreements with a consortium of banks. One of these agreements provides revolving credit facilities of $1.5 billion, and expires on April 11, 2013. Generally, amounts outstanding under this facility bear interest at a periodic fixed rate equal to LIBOR for the applicable interest period and currency denomination, plus an applicable margin. Alternatively, a fluctuating rate of interest equal to Citibank’s publicly announced base rate, plus an applicable margin, may be used at our discretion. In each case, the applicable margin for advances bearing interest based on LIBOR is a percentage determined by quotations from Markit Group Ltd. for our 1-year credit default swap spread, subject to a minimum rate of 0.10% and a maximum rate of 0.75%. The applicable margin for advances bearing interest based on the base rate is 1.00% below the applicable margin for LIBOR advances (but not lower than 0.00%). We are also able to request advances under this facility based on competitive bids for the applicable interest rate. There were no amounts outstanding under this facility as of December 31, 2012.
The second agreement provides revolving credit facilities of $1.0 billion, and expires on April 12, 2017. Generally, amounts outstanding under this facility bear interest at a periodic fixed rate equal to LIBOR for the applicable interest period and currency denomination, plus an applicable margin. Alternatively, a fluctuating rate of interest equal to Citibank’s publicly announced base rate, plus an applicable margin, may be used at our discretion. In each case, the applicable margin for advances bearing interest based on LIBOR is a percentage determined by quotations from Markit Group Ltd. for our credit default swap spread, interpolated for a period from the date of determination of such credit default swap spread in connection with a new interest period until the latest maturity date of this facility then in effect (but not less than a period of one year). The applicable margin is subject to certain minimum rates and maximum rates based on our public debt ratings from Standard & Poor’s Rating Service and Moody’s Investors Service. The minimum applicable margin rates range from 0.100% to 0.375%, and the maximum applicable margin rates range from 0.750% to 1.250%. The applicable margin for advances bearing interest based on the base rate is 1.00% below the applicable margin for LIBOR advances (but not less than 0.00%). We are also able to request advances under this facility based on competitive bids. There were no amounts outstanding under this facility as of December 31, 2012.
Debt Covenants
Our existing debt instruments and credit facilities subject us to certain financial covenants. As of December 31, 2012 and for all prior periods presented, we have satisfied these financial covenants. These covenants limit the amount of secured indebtedness that we may incur, and limit the amount of attributable debt in sale-leaseback transactions, to 10% of net tangible assets. As of December 31, 2012, 10% of net tangible assets is equivalent to $2.770 billion; however, we have no covered sale-leaseback transactions or secured indebtedness outstanding. Additionally, we are required to maintain a minimum net worth, as defined, of $5.0 billion on a quarterly basis. As of December 31, 2012, our net worth, as defined, was equivalent to $8.007 billion. We do not expect these covenants to have a material impact on our financial condition or liquidity.
Fair Value of Debt
Based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Company for long-term debt with similar terms and maturities, the fair value of long-term debt, including current maturities, is approximately $14.658 and $12.035 billion as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. We utilized Level 2 inputs in the fair value hierarchy of valuation techniques to determine the fair value of all of our debt instruments.