v3.22.2.2
DEBT
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
DEBT DEBT
The components of debt are as follows:
 September 30,
 20222021
Credit Facilities:
Revolving loans$300.5 $— 
Term loans975.0 670.0 
Senior Notes due 2031 – 4.000%
500.0 500.0 
Senior Notes due 2032 – 4.375%
400.0 400.0 
Senior Notes due 2029 – 4.500%
450.0 450.0 
Senior Notes due 2026 – 5.250%
250.0 250.0 
Receivables facility75.0 — 
Finance lease obligations28.9 33.4 
Other12.7 11.9 
Total debt2,992.1 2,315.3 
Less current portions144.3 57.8 
Less unamortized debt issuance costs21.6 20.8 
Long-term debt$2,826.2 $2,236.7 
The Company’s aggregate scheduled maturities of debt, excluding finance lease obligations, are as follows:
2023$137.7 
202450.0 
202550.0 
202650.0 
20271,325.5 
Thereafter1,350.0 
$2,963.2 
Credit Facilities
On July 5, 2018, the Company entered into a fifth amended and restated credit agreement (the “Fifth A&R Credit Agreement”), which provided the Company and certain of its subsidiaries with five-year senior secured loan facilities in the aggregate principal amount of $2,300.0, comprised of a revolving credit facility of $1,500.0 and a term loan in the original principal amount of $800.0 (the “Fifth A&R Credit Facilities”). Under the Fifth A&R Credit Facilities, the Company had the ability to obtain letters of credit up to $75.0.
On April 8, 2022, the Company entered into a sixth amended and restated credit agreement (the “Sixth A&R Credit Agreement”), providing the Company and certain of its subsidiaries with five-year senior secured loan facilities in the aggregate principal amount of $2,500.0, comprised of a revolving credit facility of $1,500.0 and a term loan in the original principal amount of $1,000.0 (the “Sixth A&R Credit Facilities”). The Sixth A&R Credit Agreement also provides the Company with
the right to seek additional committed credit under the agreement in an aggregate amount of up to $500.0 plus an unlimited additional amount, subject to certain specified financial and other conditions. The Sixth A&R Credit Agreement replaced the Fifth A&R Credit Agreement and will terminate on April 8, 2027. The Sixth A&R Credit Facilities are available for the issuance of letters of credit up to $100.0. The terms of the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement include customary representations and warranties, affirmative and negative covenants, financial covenants, and events of default.
Under the terms of the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement, loans bear interest, at the Company’s election, at a rate per annum equal to either (i) the Alternate Base Rate plus the Applicable Spread (each, as defined in the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement) or (ii) the Adjusted Term SOFR Rate for the Interest Period in effect for such borrowing plus the Applicable Spread (all as defined in the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement). Swingline Loans bear interest at the applicable Swingline Rate set forth in the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement. Interest rates for other select non-U.S. dollar borrowings, including borrowings denominated in euro, Pounds Sterling and Canadian dollars, are based on separate interest rate indices, as set forth in the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement. The Sixth A&R Credit Agreement is secured by (i) a perfected first priority security interest in all of the accounts receivable, inventory and equipment of Scotts Miracle-Gro and certain of its domestic subsidiaries and (ii) the pledge of all of the capital stock of certain of Scotts Miracle-Gro’s domestic subsidiaries and a portion of the capital stock of certain of its foreign subsidiaries. The collateral does not include any of the Company’s intellectual property.
On June 8, 2022, the Company entered into Amendment No. 1 (the “Amendment”) to the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement. The Amendment increases the maximum permitted leverage ratio for the quarterly leverage covenant effective for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 until the earlier of (i) April 1, 2024 and (ii) subject to certain conditions specified in the Amendment, the termination by the Company of such increase (such period, the “Leverage Adjustment Period”). The Amendment also increases the interest rate applicable to borrowings under the revolving credit facility by 35 bps and the term loan facility by 50 bps, and increases the annual facility fee rate on the revolving credit facility by 15 bps, in each case, when the Company’s quarterly-tested leverage ratio exceeds 4.75. Additionally, the Amendment limits the Company’s ability to declare or pay any discretionary dividends, distributions or other restricted payments during the Leverage Adjustment Period to only the payment of (i) regularly scheduled cash dividends to holders of its Common Shares in an aggregate amount not to exceed $225.0 per fiscal year and (ii) other dividends, distributions or other restricted payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed $25.0. The Amendment also requires pro forma compliance with certain leverage levels specified in the Amendment with respect to the Company’s ability to consummate certain acquisitions and incur debt.
At September 30, 2022, the Company had letters of credit outstanding in the aggregate principal amount of $14.1, and had $1,185.5 of borrowing availability under the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement. The weighted average interest rates on average borrowings under the Fifth A&R Credit Agreement and Sixth A&R Credit Agreement were 2.8%, 1.9% and 3.3% for fiscal 2022, fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2020, respectively.
The Sixth A&R Credit Agreement contains, among other obligations, an affirmative covenant regarding the Company’s leverage ratio determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters calculated as average total indebtedness, divided by the Company’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, as adjusted pursuant to the terms of the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement (“Adjusted EBITDA”). Pursuant to the Amendment, the maximum permitted leverage ratio is (i) 6.25 for the third quarter of fiscal 2022 through the first quarter of fiscal 2023, (ii) 6.50 for the second and third quarters of fiscal 2023, (iii) 6.25 for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 and the first quarter of fiscal 2024, (iv) 5.50 for the second quarter of fiscal 2024, and (v) 4.50 for the third quarter of fiscal 2024 and thereafter. The Company’s leverage ratio was 6.01 at September 30, 2022. The Sixth A&R Credit Agreement also contains an affirmative covenant regarding the Company’s interest coverage ratio determined as of the end of each of its fiscal quarters. The interest coverage ratio is calculated as Adjusted EBITDA divided by interest expense, as described in the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement, and excludes costs related to refinancings. The minimum required interest coverage ratio is 3.00, which is unchanged from the Fifth A&R Credit Agreement. The Company’s interest coverage ratio was 4.83 for the twelve months ended September 30, 2022.
As of September 30, 2022, the Company was in compliance with all applicable covenants in the agreements governing its debt. Based on the Company’s projections of its financial performance for the twelve-month period subsequent to the date of the filing of the financial statements on Form 10-K, the Company expects to remain in compliance with the financial covenants under the Company’s Sixth A&R Credit Agreement. However, the Company’s assessment of its ability to meet its future obligations is inherently subjective, judgment-based, and susceptible to change based on future events. A covenant violation may result in an event of default. Such a default would allow the lender under the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement to accelerate the maturity of the debt and would also implicate cross-default provisions under the Senior Notes, as defined below, making them due and payable at that time. As of September 30, 2022, the Company’s indebtedness under the Sixth A&R Credit Agreement and Senior Notes was $2,875.5. The Company does not have sufficient cash on hand or available liquidity that can be utilized to repay these outstanding amounts in the event of default.
As part of its contingency planning to address potential future circumstances that could result in noncompliance, the Company has contemplated alternative plans including additional restructuring activities to reduce operating expenses and certain cash management strategies that are within the Company’s control. Additionally, the Company has contemplated alternative plans that are subject to market conditions and not in the Company’s control, including, among others, discussions with its lender to amend the terms of its financial covenant under the debt instrument and generating cash by completing other financing transactions, which may include issuing equity. There is no assurance that the Company will be successful in implementing these alternative plans.
Senior Notes
On December 15, 2016, Scotts Miracle-Gro issued $250.0 aggregate principal amount of 5.250% Senior Notes due 2026 (the “5.250% Senior Notes”). The 5.250% Senior Notes represent general unsecured senior obligations and rank equal in right of payment with the Company’s existing and future unsecured senior debt. The 5.250% Senior Notes have interest payment dates of June 15 and December 15 of each year.
On October 22, 2019, Scotts Miracle-Gro issued $450.0 aggregate principal amount of 4.500% Senior Notes due 2029 (the “4.500% Senior Notes”). The 4.500% Senior Notes represent general unsecured senior obligations and rank equal in right of payment with the Company’s existing and future unsecured senior debt. The 4.500% Senior Notes have interest payment dates of April 15 and October 15 of each year.
On October 23, 2019, Scotts Miracle-Gro redeemed all of its outstanding 6.000% Senior Notes due 2023 (the “6.000% Senior Notes”) for a redemption price of $412.5, comprised of $0.5 of accrued and unpaid interest, $12.0 of redemption premium, and $400.0 for outstanding principal amount. The $12.0 redemption premium was recognized in the “Costs related to refinancing” line on the Consolidated Statements of Operations during the first quarter of fiscal 2020. Additionally, the Company had $3.1 in unamortized bond issuance costs associated with the 6.000% Senior Notes, which were written-off during the first quarter of fiscal 2020 and were recognized in the “Costs related to refinancing” line in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
On March 17, 2021, Scotts Miracle-Gro issued $500.0 aggregate principal amount of 4.000% Senior Notes due 2031 (the “4.000% Senior Notes”). The 4.000% Senior Notes represent general unsecured senior obligations and rank equal in right of payment with the Company’s existing and future unsecured senior debt. The 4.000% Senior Notes have interest payment dates of April 1 and October 1 of each year.
On August 13, 2021, Scotts Miracle-Gro issued $400.0 aggregate principal amount of 4.375% Senior Notes due 2032 (the “4.375% Senior Notes”). The 4.375% Senior Notes represent general unsecured senior obligations and rank equal in right of payment with the Company’s existing and future unsecured senior debt. The 4.375% Senior Notes have interest payment dates of February 1 and August 1 of each year.
Substantially all of Scotts Miracle-Gro’s directly and indirectly owned domestic subsidiaries serve as guarantors of the 5.250% Senior Notes, the 4.500% Senior Notes, the 4.000% Senior Notes and the 4.375% Senior Notes.
Receivables Facility
On April 7, 2017, the Company entered into a Master Repurchase Agreement (including the annexes thereto, the “Repurchase Agreement”) and a Master Framework Agreement, as amended (the “Framework Agreement” and, together with the Repurchase Agreement, the “Receivables Facility”). Under the Receivables Facility, the Company may sell a portfolio of available and eligible outstanding customer accounts receivable to the purchasers and simultaneously agree to repurchase the receivables on a weekly basis. The eligible accounts receivable consist of accounts receivable generated by sales to three specified customers. The eligible amount of customer accounts receivables which may be sold under the Receivables Facility is $400.0 and the commitment amount during the seasonal commitment period beginning on February 24, 2023 and ending on June 16, 2023 is $160.0. The Receivables Facility expires on August 18, 2023.
The Company accounts for the sale of receivables under the Receivables Facility as short-term debt and continues to carry the receivables on its Consolidated Balance Sheets, primarily as a result of the Company’s requirement to repurchase receivables sold. As of September 30, 2022 and 2021, there were $75.0 and zero, respectively, in borrowings on receivables pledged as collateral under the Receivables Facility, and the carrying value of the receivables pledged as collateral was $79.8 and zero, respectively.
Interest Rate Swap Agreements
The Company enters into interest rate swap agreements with major financial institutions that effectively convert a portion of the Company’s variable-rate debt to a fixed rate. Interest payments made between the effective date and expiration date are hedged by the swap agreements. Swap agreements that were hedging interest payments as of September 30, 2022 and 2021 had a maximum total U.S. dollar equivalent notional amount of $800.0 and $600.0, respectively. The notional amount, effective date, expiration date and rate of each of the swap agreements outstanding at September 30, 2022 are shown in the table below:
Notional Amount Effective
Date (a)		Expiration
Date		Fixed
Rate
100 12/21/20206/20/20231.36 %
300 (b)1/7/20216/7/20231.34 %
200 

10/7/20216/7/20231.37 %
200 (b)1/20/20226/20/20240.58 %
200 6/7/20236/8/20260.85 %
(a)The effective date refers to the date on which interest payments are first hedged by the applicable swap agreement.
(b)Notional amount adjusts in accordance with a specified seasonal schedule. This represents the maximum notional amount at any point in time.
Weighted Average Interest Rate
The weighted average interest rates on the Company’s debt were 3.6%, 3.7% and 4.3% for fiscal 2022, fiscal 2021 and fiscal 2020, respectively.