Favorable corporate financing news which will allow for lower borrowing rates and along with market rate reductions will bode well for WCP. This will further seperate the company from some of the other mid range producers
Corporate Update
Whitecap is pleased to announce a public investment grade credit rating of BBB (low), with a stable trend, by DBRS Limited ("Morningstar DBRS"). We have had a private investment grade credit rating of BBB (low) since December 2022 and the now public rating further validates our strong financial position and reflects our balanced portfolio of opportunities along with asset duration. Whitecap remains committed to maintaining low leverage and ample liquidity while efficiently developing our multi-decade drilling inventory and generating increased profitability through commodity price cycles.
Concurrent with the release of our public investment grade credit rating, Whitecap entered into a new $2 billion unsecured covenant-based credit facility (the "New Facility") with our syndicate of banks which replaces Whitecap's existing secured credit and term loan facilities. The New Facility has a total debt to EBITDA2 covenant of not greater than 4.0 times, an EBITDA to interest expense2 covenant of not less than 3.5 times and a debt to capitalization covenant2 of not greater than 60%. At June 30, 2024, our debt to EBITDA ratio was 0.6 times, our EBITDA to interest expense ratio was 27.6 times and our debt to capitalization was 18%. The existing $195 million of senior secured notes, which mature December 2026 with a coupon of 3.9%, will be amended to make conforming changes to the New Facility agreement and to reflect an investment grade credit rating structure.
The New Facility along with our investment grade credit rating allows us to access the investment grade bond market to diversify our debt structure into a deeper market that provides for longer tenors and a lower cost of funding for Whitecap. We view the investment grade bond market as an important part of our capital structure going forward.