To: Mr. John Alexander, Jr.
From: Allan Ketchi
Re: Proposed Production Project in Japan
Date: March 10, 1995
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This Memorandum is in response to your request for our recommendations
concerning the financial aspects of the proposed production base
in Japan. As you know, from a financial point of view, Japan is
not necessarily the best location for the Asian production base
since costs there are very high because of the relative strength
of the Japanese Yen. On the other hand, since domestic sales will
be denominated in Yen, we should be able to hedge some of the
Yen costs with Yen revenues.
Finance estimates that the cost of the proposed manufacturing
plant and joint venture offices will be approximately $250,000,000.
Of this we could expect to finance $100,000,000 with equity capital
and $150,000,000 with Yen (or possibly Dollar) denominated debt
(which would be serviced by revenues from the joint venture).
Unfortunately, as you are aware, we do not have sufficient cash
resources from retained earnings to fund our proposed 50% share
of the joint venture capital ($50,000,000). The maximum we could
free up prior to the establishment of the joint venture would
be $25,000,000 without borrowing from banks.
Unfortunately, we are fully extended on our existing lines of
credit with our banks and it may be difficult to once again request
that we extend these lines. Under the terms of our loan agreements
with certain of these banks, we require their consent before opening
new lines with other banks. Capital market sources of funds (Eurobonds,
NIFs, etc.) would similarly be constrained by these agreements.
Finance also has a concern that if we add more debt now, the
rating agencies could lower our rating from AA- to A+ (or even
A) and this change could accelerate certain lines (and our relatively
cheap 1992 Eurodollar debt). A ratings change would also cost
us as much as 20 basis points on certain other lines. The impact
would be to increase our debt cost by as much as $20,000,000 a
year substantially reducing the amount of cash payable to stockholders
as dividends.
From the point of view of finance, the optimal structure for
raising the $250,000,000 required to establish the joint venture
would be to have the joint venture borrow $150,000,000 on a project
basis (i.e., with no credit support from UT so that it does not
appear on our balance sheet or affect our credit rating). This
debt would be serviced by revenues from the joint venture and
raised in the Japanese market (perhaps Yasuda can help us here).
Of the remaining $100,000,000 of equity required, UT would put
up $25 million with Yasuda putting in $75 million (or its equivalent
in non-cash assets). Of course, the big challenge here will be
how to persuade Yasuda to keep it a 50-50 joint venture when they
are putting in 75% of the equity.
Putting in more than $25,000,000 of equity will require major
renegotiation of our credit lines and probably significantly increase
our borrowing cost thus depressing our profits and financial performance.
We have to do our best to progress this joint venture using not
more that $25,000,000 million from finance.
Allan