Woodward, Inc. Debt Disclosure
Note 15. Credit facilities, short-term borrowings, and long-term debt
As of September 30, 2025, Woodward’s short-term borrowings and availability under its various short-term credit facilities follows:
|
|
Total availability |
|
|
Outstanding |
|
|
Banker acceptance notes issued |
|
|
Outstanding |
|
|
Remaining |
|
|||||
Revolving credit facility |
|
$ |
1,000,000 |
|
|
$ |
(7,872 |
) |
|
$ |
— |
|
|
$ |
(122,300 |
) |
|
$ |
869,828 |
|
Lines of credit and overdraft facilities |
|
|
25,000 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
(824 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
24,176 |
|
Foreign performance guarantee facilities |
|
|
88 |
|
|
|
(52 |
) |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
36 |
|
|
|
$ |
1,025,088 |
|
|
$ |
(7,924 |
) |
|
$ |
(824 |
) |
|
$ |
(122,300 |
) |
|
$ |
894,040 |
|
Revolving credit facility
Woodward maintains a $1,000,000 revolving credit facility established under a revolving credit agreement among Woodward, a syndicate of lenders and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as administrative agent, which provides for the option to increase available borrowings up to $1,500,000, subject to lenders' participation (as amended in October 2022, the "Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement"). Borrowings under the Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement can be made by Woodward and certain of its foreign subsidiaries in U.S. dollars or in foreign currencies other than the U.S. dollar and generally bear interest at the Euro Interbank Offered Rate ("Euribor"), Sterling Overnight Index Average ("SONIA"), Tokyo Interbank Offered Rate ("TIBOR"), and Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") base rates plus 0.875% to 1.75%. The Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement matures on October 21, 2027. Under the Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement, there were $122,300 in principal borrowings outstanding as of September 30, 2025, at an effective interest rate of 5.41%, compared to $217,000 borrowings outstanding as of September 30, 2024, at an effective interest rate of 5.82%
The Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement contains certain covenants customary with such agreements, which are generally consistent with the covenants applicable to Woodward’s long-term debt agreements, and contains customary events of default, including certain cross-default provisions related to Woodward’s other outstanding material debt arrangements, the occurrence of which would permit the lenders to accelerate the amounts due thereunder. In addition, the Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement includes the following financial covenants: (i) a maximum permitted leverage ratio of consolidated net debt to consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, stock-based compensation, and amortization, plus any unusual non-cash charges to the extent deducted in computing net income and transaction costs associated with permitted acquisitions (incurred within six months of the permitted acquisition), minus any unusual non-cash gains to the extent added in computing net income (“Leverage Ratio”) for Woodward and its consolidated subsidiaries of 3.5 to 1.0, which ratio, subject to certain restrictions, may increase to 4.0 to 1.0 for each period of four consecutive quarters during which a permitted acquisition occurs, and (ii) a minimum consolidated net worth of $1,156,000 plus (a) 50% of Woodward’s positive net income for the prior fiscal year and (b) 50% of Woodward’s net cash proceeds resulting from certain issuances of stock, subject to certain adjustments.
The obligations of Woodward and from time-to-time certain of Woodward’s foreign subsidiaries, under the Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement are guaranteed by Woodward MPC, Inc., Woodward HRT, Inc., or in case of obligations with any foreign subsidiaries of Woodward that are borrowers thereunder, Woodward L’Orange GmbH, each of which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Woodward.
Short-term borrowings
Woodward has other foreign lines of credit and foreign overdraft facilities at various financial institutions, which are generally reviewed annually for renewal and are subject to the usual terms and conditions applied by the financial
institutions. Pursuant to the terms of the related facility agreements, Woodward’s foreign performance guarantee facilities are limited in use to providing performance guarantees to third parties.
Consistent with common business practice in China, Woodward's Chinese subsidiaries have issued bankers' acceptance notes ("Bank drafts") to Chinese suppliers in settlement of certain customer accounts payable. Bank drafts are financial instruments issued by Chinese financial institutions as part of financing arrangements between the financial institution and a customer of the financial institution. Bank drafts represent a commitment by the issuing financial institution to pay a certain amount of money at a specified future maturity date to the legal owner of the bankers' acceptance note as of the maturity date. Woodward has elected to adopt the practical expedient to not adjust the promised amounts of consideration at contract inception as the financing component associated with issuing bank drafts has a duration of less than one year. There were no borrowings outstanding on Woodward’s foreign lines of credit and foreign overdraft facilities as of both September 30, 2025 and September 30, 2024.
Long-term debt
|
|
September 30, 2025 |
|
|
September 30, 2024 |
|
||
Series I notes – 4.18%, due November 15, 2025; unsecured |
|
$ |
25,000 |
|
|
$ |
25,000 |
|
Series L notes – 4.18%, due November 15, 2025; unsecured |
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
Series M notes – 1.12% due September 23, 2026; unsecured |
|
|
46,903 |
|
|
|
44,656 |
|
Series N notes – 1.31% due September 23, 2028; unsecured |
|
|
90,289 |
|
|
|
85,963 |
|
Series O notes – 1.57% due September 23, 2031; unsecured |
|
|
50,421 |
|
|
|
48,005 |
|
Series P notes – 4.27% due May 30, 2025; unsecured |
|
|
— |
|
|
|
85,000 |
|
Series Q notes – 4.35% due May 30, 2027; unsecured |
|
|
85,000 |
|
|
|
85,000 |
|
Series R notes – 4.41% due May 30, 2029; unsecured |
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
Series S notes – 4.46% due May 30, 2030; unsecured |
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
Series T notes – 4.61% due May 30, 2033; unsecured |
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
Finance leases (Note 5) |
|
|
2,934 |
|
|
|
2,736 |
|
Unamortized debt issuance costs |
|
|
(645 |
) |
|
|
(890 |
) |
Total long-term debt |
|
|
579,902 |
|
|
|
655,470 |
|
Less: Current portion of long-term debt |
|
|
122,934 |
|
|
|
85,719 |
|
Long-term debt, less current portion |
|
$ |
456,968 |
|
|
$ |
569,751 |
|
The Notes
On October 1, 2013, Woodward entered into a note purchase agreement relating to the sale by Woodward of an aggregate principal amount of $250,000 of its senior unsecured notes in a series of private placement transactions. Woodward issued the Series I Notes (the “First Closing Notes”) on October 1, 2013. Woodward issued the Series L Notes (the “Second Closing Notes” and with the First Closing Notes, collectively the “USD Notes”) on November 15, 2013. On November 17, 2025, Woodward paid the entire principal balance of $75,000 on the Series I and L Notes using proceeds from borrowings under its existing revolving credit facility.
On September 23, 2016, Woodward and the BV Subsidiary each entered into note purchase agreements (the “2016 Note Purchase Agreements”) relating to the sale by Woodward and the BV Subsidiary of an aggregate principal amount of €160,000 of senior unsecured notes in a series of private placement transactions. Woodward issued €40,000 Series M Notes. The BV Subsidiary issued (a) €77,000 aggregate principal amount of the BV Subsidiary’s Series N Senior Notes (the “Series N Notes”) and (b) €43,000 aggregate principal amount of the BV Subsidiary’s Series O Senior Notes (the “Series O Notes” and together with the Series M Notes and the Series N Notes, the “2016 Notes”).
On May 31, 2018, Woodward entered into a note purchase agreement (the “2018 Note Purchase Agreement”) relating to the sale by Woodward of an aggregate principal amount of $400,000 of senior unsecured notes comprised of (a) $85,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series P Senior Notes (the “Series P Notes”), (b) $85,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series Q Senior Notes (the “Series Q Notes”), (c) $75,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series R Senior Notes (the “Series R Notes”), (d) $75,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series S Senior Notes (the “Series S Notes”), and (e) $80,000 aggregate principal amount of its Series T Senior Notes (the “Series T Notes”, and together with the Series P Notes, the Series Q Notes, the Series R Notes, and the Series S Notes, the “2018 Notes,” and, together with the USD Notes and 2016 Notes, the “Notes”), in a series of private placement transactions.
In connection with the issuance of the 2018 Notes, the Company entered into cross-currency swap transactions in respect of each tranche of the 2018 Notes, which effectively reduced the interest rates on the Series P Notes to 1.82% per annum, the Series Q Notes to 2.15% per annum, the Series R Notes to 2.42% per annum, the Series S Notes to 2.55% per
annum and the Series T Notes to 2.90% per annum. The Company entered into the 2020 Floating-Rate Cross-Currency Swap and 2020 Fixed-Rate Cross-Currency Swaps, which effectively resulted in the interest rates on the Series P Notes being 3.44% per annum, the Series Q Notes to 3.44% per annum, the Series R Notes to 3.45% per annum, the Series S Notes to 3.50% per annum and the Series T Notes to 3.62% per annum (see Note 8, Derivative instruments and hedging activities).
Interest on the USD Notes are payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 of each year until all principal is paid. Interest on the 2016 Notes is payable semi-annually on March 23 and September 23 of each year, until all principal is paid.
On May 30, 2025, Woodward paid the entire principal balance of $85,000 on the Series P Notes using proceeds from borrowings under its existing revolving credit facility.
None of the Notes were registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and they may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. Holders of the Notes do not have any registration rights. All of the issued Notes are held by multiple institutions.
Woodward’s payment and performance obligations under the Notes, including without limitation the obligations for payment of all principal, interest, and any applicable prepayment compensation amount, are guaranteed by (i) Woodward FST, Inc., Woodward MPC, Inc., and Woodward HRT, Inc., each of which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Woodward, and (ii) in the case of the BV Subsidiary’s Series N and O Notes, by Woodward. Woodward’s obligations under the Notes rank equal in right of payment with all of Woodward’s other unsecured unsubordinated debt, including its outstanding debt under its revolving credit facility.
The Notes contain restrictive covenants customary for such financings, including among other things, covenants that place limits on Woodward’s ability to incur liens on assets, incur additional debt (including a leverage or coverage-based maintenance test), transfer or sell Woodward’s assets, merge or consolidate with other persons and enter into material transactions with affiliates. Under the financial covenants contained in the note purchase agreement governing each series of the Notes as of fiscal year 2024, Woodward’s priority debt may not exceed, at any time, 15% of its consolidated net worth. Woodward’s Leverage Ratio cannot exceed 4.0 to 1.0 during any material acquisition period, or 3.5 to 1.0 at any other time on a rolling four quarter basis. In the event that Woodward’s Leverage Ratio exceeds 3.5 to 1.0 during any material acquisition period, the interest rate on each series of Notes will increase. The minimum consolidated net worth, prior year positive net income, and net cash proceeds resulting from certain issuances of stock for satisfaction of Woodward’s leverage ratio are consistent between the Notes and Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement.
On October 23, 2025, Woodward and its subsidiaries entered into an amendment on the Notes to provide for changes to, among other things, replace a consolidated net worth covenant with an interest coverage covenant, such that the Company will not permit, as of the end of each fiscal quarter, beginning with the fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2025, the ratio of (a) EBITDA to (b) interest expense, in each case for the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters ending on the end of such fiscal quarter, to be less than 2.00 to 1.00.
Required future principal payments of the Notes and financing leases as of September 30, 2025 are as follows:
Year Ending September 30: |
|
|
|
|
2026 |
|
$ |
122,934 |
|
2027 |
|
|
86,143 |
|
2028 |
|
|
90,844 |
|
2029 |
|
|
75,204 |
|
2030 |
|
|
75,000 |
|
Thereafter |
|
|
130,422 |
|
|
|
$ |
580,547 |
|
Certain financial and other covenants under Woodward’s debt agreements contain customary restrictions on the operation of its business. Management believes that Woodward was in compliance with the covenants under the long-term debt agreements at September 30, 2025.
Debt Issuance Costs
In connection with the Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement, Woodward incurred $2,236 in debt issuance costs, which are deferred and are being amortized using the straight-line method over the life of the agreement. Amounts recognized as interest expense from the amortization of debt issuance costs were $918 in fiscal year 2025, $929 in fiscal year 2024, and $963 in fiscal year 2023. Unamortized debt issuance costs associated with the Notes of
$645 as of September 30, 2025 and $890 as of September 30, 2024 were recorded as a reduction in “Long-term debt, less current portion” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Unamortized debt issuance costs associated with Woodward’s Second Amended and Restated Revolving Credit Agreement of $1,318 as of September 30, 2025 and $1,977 as of September 30, 2024 were recorded as “Other assets” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Amortization of debt issuance costs is included in operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Nov 25, 2025 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Nov 26, 2024 | |
| 2023 | Nov 17, 2023 | |
| 2022 | Nov 18, 2022 | |
| 2021 | Nov 19, 2021 | |
| 2020 | Nov 20, 2020 | |
| 2019 | Nov 25, 2019 | |
| 2018 | Nov 13, 2018 | |
| 2017 | Nov 13, 2017 | |
| 2016 | Nov 16, 2016 | |
| 2015 | Nov 12, 2015 | |
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.