BALL Corp Debt Disclosure
15. Debt and Interest Costs
Long-term debt and interest rates in effect consisted of the following:
December 31, | ||||||
($ in millions) |
| 2023 |
| 2022 | ||
Senior Notes | ||||||
4.00% due November 2023 | $ | — | $ | 1,000 | ||
0.875%, euro denominated, due March 2024 | 828 | 803 | ||||
5.25% due July 2025 | 1,000 | 1,000 | ||||
4.875% due March 2026 | 750 | 750 | ||||
1.50%, euro denominated, due March 2027 | 607 | 589 | ||||
6.875% due March 2028 | 750 | 750 | ||||
6.00% due June 2029 | 1,000 | — | ||||
2.875% due August 2030 | 1,300 | 1,300 | ||||
3.125% due September 2031 | 850 | 850 | ||||
Senior Credit Facility (at variable rates) | ||||||
U.S. dollar revolver due June 2027 | — | 200 | ||||
Term A loan due June 2027 (6.71% - 2023) | 1,325 | 1,350 | ||||
10 | 12 | |||||
Other (including debt issuance costs) | (60) | (61) | ||||
8,360 | 8,543 | |||||
Less: Current portion | (856) | (1,003) | ||||
$ | 7,504 | $ | 7,540 | |||
The company’s senior credit facilities include long-term multi-currency revolving facilities that mature in June 2027, which provide the company with up to the U.S. dollar equivalent of $1.75 billion. At December 31, 2023, $1.69 billion was available under these revolving credit facilities. In addition to these facilities, the company had $196 million of committed short-term loans outstanding. The company also had approximately $964 million of short-term uncommitted credit facilities available at December 31, 2023, of which $13 million was outstanding and due on demand. At December 31, 2022, the company had $293 million of committed short-term loans outstanding and $112 million outstanding under short-term uncommitted credit facilities. The weighted average interest rate of the outstanding short-term facilities was 19.95 percent at December 31, 2023, and 6.71 percent at December 31, 2022.
In November 2023, Ball redeemed the outstanding 4.00% senior notes due in the amount of $1.00 billion. In May 2023, Ball issued $1.00 billion of 6.00% senior notes due in 2029, and repaid the outstanding U.S. dollar revolving credit facility due in 2027 in the amount of $800 million.
The fair value of Ball’s long-term debt was estimated to be $8.07 billion and $7.99 billion at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively, compared to its carrying value of $8.36 billion and $8.54 billion in 2023 and 2022, respectively. The fair value reflects the market rates at each period end for debt with credit ratings similar to the company’s ratings and is classified as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy. Rates currently available to the company for loans with similar terms and maturities are used to estimate the fair value of long-term debt, based on discounted cash flows.
Long-term debt obligations outstanding at December 31, 2023, have maturities (excluding unamortized debt issuance costs of $62 million) of $858 million, $1.05 billion, $819 million, $1.79 billion and $751 million in the years ending 2024 through 2028, respectively, and $3.15 billion thereafter.
Letters of credit outstanding at December 31, 2023 and 2022, were $57 million and $59 million, respectively.
Total interest expense was $459 million, $330 million and $283 million, which included cash interest payments of $378 million, $312 million and $276 million, net of capitalized interest of $25 million, $10 million and $17 million and noncash financing fees of $17 million, $16 million and $13 million in 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The company’s senior notes and senior credit facilities are guaranteed on a full and unconditional, joint and several basis by certain of its material subsidiaries. Each of the guarantor subsidiaries is 100 percent owned by Ball Corporation. These guarantees are required in support of these notes and credit facilities, are coterminous with the terms of the respective note indentures and would require performance upon certain events of default referenced in the respective guarantees. Note 23 provides further details about the company’s debt guarantees of the company’s senior notes and the subsidiaries that guarantee the notes (the obligor group).
The U.S. note agreements and bank credit agreement contain certain restrictions relating to dividend payments, share repurchases, investments, financial ratios, guarantees and the incurrence of additional indebtedness. The company’s most restrictive debt covenant requires it to maintain a leverage ratio (as defined) of no greater than 5.0 times, which will change to 4.5 times as of September 30, 2025. Ball was in compliance with the leverage ratio requirement at December 31, 2023 and 2022.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Feb 20, 2024 | Showing above |
| 2022 | Feb 21, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 16, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 17, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 19, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 22, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Mar 1, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Mar 2, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 16, 2016 | |
About Debt Disclosures
Debt disclosures detail a company's borrowing structure — the types of instruments, interest rates, maturity schedule, and covenant restrictions that define its financial obligations and flexibility. This section is essential for assessing refinancing risk, interest rate exposure, and the margin of safety against financial distress.
Key signals: the maturity schedule reveals concentration risk — large maturities within 1-2 years during tight credit markets can force dilutive refinancing or asset sales. Compare the fair value of debt against carrying amount to gauge whether the market views the company's credit risk differently than the balance sheet suggests. Watch covenant compliance disclosures for tightening cushions, especially leverage and interest coverage ratios. Variable-rate debt exposure quantifies sensitivity to interest rate changes. Secured versus unsecured mix affects recovery rates and future borrowing capacity. Compare net debt-to-EBITDA against industry peers and covenant limits to assess financial health.