ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
In addition to the other information set forth elsewhere in this annual report, the following factors should be carefully considered when evaluating Nabors. The risks described below are not the only ones we face. Additional risks not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations.
Risk Factors Summary
The following is a summary of the principal risks included in this annual report that we believe could adversely affect our business, operations, and financial results.
Business and Operational Risks
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● We must renew customer contracts to remain competitive.
Financial Risks
● Our ability to access capital markets could be limited.
Technology Risks
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Legal and Regulatory Risks
● We may be subject to changes in tax laws and have additional tax liabilities.
Share Capital and Corporate Structure Risks
● Our common share price has been and may continue to be volatile.
General Risks
● Our business is subject to cybersecurity risks.
For a more complete discussion of the risks facing our business, see below.
Business and Operational Risks
Fluctuations in oil and natural gas prices could adversely affect drilling activity and our revenues, cash flows and profitability.
Our operations, demand for our services, and the rates we are able to charge for such services depend on the level of spending by oil and gas companies for exploration, development and production activities. Both short-term and long-
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term trends in oil and natural gas prices affect these activity levels. Oil and natural gas prices, as well as the level of drilling, exploration and production activity, have been highly volatile for several years and are expected to continue to be volatile for the foreseeable future. Declines in oil prices are primarily caused by, among other things, an excess of supply of crude oil in relation to demand, in addition to significant shocks to regional and global economies such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia invasion of Ukraine. Worldwide military, political, public health, and economic events, including initiatives by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (“OPEC”) and OPEC+, uncertainty in capital and commodities markets, and the ability of oil and natural gas producers to access capital, and the extent to which they are willing or able to deploy capital, affect both the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas. In addition, weather conditions, governmental regulation (both in the United States and elsewhere) related to the development/production and use of oil and natural gas, levels of consumer demand for oil and natural gas, general and global economic conditions, oil and gas production levels by non-OPEC countries, decisions by oil and gas producers to continue producing oil and gas despite excess supply, the availability and demand for drilling equipment and pipeline capacity, availability and pricing of alternative energy sources, as well as governmental programs that incentivize the use of alternative energy, and other factors beyond our control may also affect the supply of and demand for oil and natural gas, and thereby affect the price of oil and natural gas.
Lower oil and natural gas prices also could adversely affect our cash forecast models used to determine whether the carrying values of our long-lived assets exceed our future cash flows, which could result in future impairment to our long-lived assets. Lower oil and natural gas prices also could affect our ability to retain skilled rig personnel and affect our ability to access capital to finance and grow our business. There can be no assurances as to the future level of demand for our services or future conditions in the oil and natural gas and oilfield services industries.
Our customers and thereby our business and profitability could be adversely affected by low oil prices and/or turmoil in the global economy.
Changes in general economic and political conditions may negatively affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows. As a result of the volatility of oil and natural gas prices, we are unable to fully predict the level of exploration, drilling and production activities of our customers and whether our customers and/or suppliers will be able to sustain their operations and fulfill their commitments and obligations. If oil prices decrease and/or global economic conditions deteriorate, there could be a material adverse effect on the liquidity and operations of our customers, vendors and other worldwide business partners, which in turn could have a material effect on our utilization, dayrates, results of operations and liquidity. Furthermore, these conditions may result in certain of our customers being unable to pay vendors, including us. In addition, we may experience difficulties forecasting future capital expenditures by our customers, which in turn could lead to either over capacity in deployable assets or, in the event of further recovery in oil prices and the worldwide economy, under capacity, either of which could adversely affect our operations. There can be no assurance that the global economic environment will not deteriorate in the future due to one or more factors.
We operate in a highly competitive industry with excess drilling capacity, which may adversely affect our results of operations.
The oilfield services industry is very competitive with a significant amount of excess capacity. The competitive nature of the business is exacerbated in low oil price environments such as the one we have generally experienced over the last decade. Contract drilling companies compete primarily on a regional basis, and competition may vary significantly from region to region at any particular time. Rigs and drilling-related equipment can be moved from one region to another in response to changes in levels of activity and market conditions, which may result in an oversupply of such rigs and drilling-related equipment in certain areas, and accordingly, increased price competition. In addition, an important factor in determining job awards is our ability to maintain a strong safety record. If we are unable to remain competitive based on these and/or other competitive factors, we may be unable to increase or even maintain our market share, utilization rates and/or dayrates for our services, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
We must renew customer contracts to remain competitive.
In addition to our performance, our ability to renew existing customer contracts, or obtain new contracts, and the terms of any such contracts depends on market conditions and our customers’ future drilling plans, which are subject to change. Due to the highly competitive nature of the industry, which can be exacerbated during periods of depressed
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market conditions, we may not be able to renew or replace expiring contracts or, if we are able to, we may not be able to secure or improve existing dayrates or other material terms, which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The nature of our operations presents inherent risks of loss, including weather-related risks, that could adversely affect our results of operations.
Our operations are subject to many hazards inherent in the drilling industry, including environmental pollution, blowouts, cratering, explosions, fires, loss of well control, loss of or damage to the wellbore or underground reservoir, damaged or lost drilling equipment and damage or loss from inclement weather or natural disasters. Any of these hazards could result in personal injury or death, damage to or destruction of equipment and facilities, suspension of operations, environmental and natural resources damage, reputational harm and damage to the property of others. Our offshore operations involve the additional hazards of marine operations including pollution of coastal waters, damage to wildlife and natural habitats, capsizing, grounding, collision, damage from hurricanes and heavy weather or sea conditions, such as sea level rise, coastal storm surge, inland flooding, and unsound ocean bottom conditions.
Accidents may occur, we may be unable to obtain desired contractual indemnities, and our insurance may prove inadequate in certain cases. The occurrence of an event for which we are not sufficiently insured or indemnified, or the failure or inability of a customer or insurer to meet its indemnification or insurance obligations, could result in substantial losses that could adversely affect our business, financial condition and liquidity. In addition, insurance may not be available to cover certain risks. Our insurance also may not cover losses associated with pandemics such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if available, insurance may be inadequate or insurance premiums or other costs may increase significantly in the future, making insurance prohibitively expensive. We expect to continue facing upward pressure in our insurance renewals, our premiums and deductibles may be higher, and some insurance coverage may either be unavailable or more expensive than it has been in the past. Moreover, our insurance coverage generally provides that we assume a portion of the risk in the form of a deductible or self-insured retention. We may choose to increase the levels of deductibles (and thus assume a greater degree of risk) from time to time in order to minimize our overall costs, which could exacerbate the effect of our losses on our financial condition and liquidity. In addition, our safety record is a competitive advantage for us and if one or more incidents were to occur it could significantly affect this advantage.
Our drilling contracts may in certain instances be renegotiated, suspended or terminated without an early termination payment.
Most of our multi-well and term drilling contracts require that an early termination payment be made to us if a contract is terminated by the customer prior to its expiration. However, such payments may not fully compensate us for the loss of a contract. In certain circumstances, including but not limited to, non-performance caused by significant operational or equipment issues (such as destruction of a drilling rig that is not replaced within a specified period of time), sustained periods of downtime due to a force majeure event, or other events beyond our control or some other breach of our contractual obligations, our customers may not be obligated to make an early termination payment to us at all. In addition, some contracts may be suspended, rather than terminated early, for an extended period of time, in some cases without adequate, or any, compensation. Many of these contracts could be terminated or suspended on short notice further exacerbating the effects on our results. The early termination or suspension of a contract may result in a rig being idle for an extended period of time, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
During periods of depressed market conditions, we may be subject to an increased risk of our customers, including government-controlled entities, seeking to renegotiate, repudiate or terminate their contracts and/or to otherwise exert commercial influence to our disadvantage. Downturns in the oil price environment may result in downward pricing pressure and decreased demand for our drilling services with existing customers, renegotiations of pricing and other terms in our drilling contracts with certain customers and early termination of contracts by others. Our customers’ ability to perform their obligations under the contracts, including their ability to pay us or fulfill their indemnity obligations, may also be affected by an economic or industry downturn or other adverse conditions in the oil and gas industry. If we were to sustain a loss and our customers were unable to honor their indemnification and/or payment obligations, it could adversely affect our liquidity. If our customers cancel some of our contracts, and we are unable to secure new contracts on a timely basis and/or on substantially similar terms, or if contracts are suspended for an extended period of time with
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or without adequate compensation or renegotiated with pricing or other terms less favorable to us, it could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
The loss of one or a number of our large customers could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In 2022, 2021 and 2020, we received approximately 36%, 44% and 49%, respectively, of our consolidated operating revenues from our three largest contract drilling customers (including their affiliates), with our largest customer and partner in our SANAD joint venture, Saudi Aramco, representing 26%, 31% and 29% of our consolidated operating revenues, respectively, for these periods. Replacing significant customers is difficult. The loss of one or more of our larger customers would have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and ability to meet our obligations. In addition, if a significant customer experiences liquidity constraints or other financial difficulties it may be unable to make required payments to us or seek to renegotiate contracts, which could adversely affect our liquidity and profitability. Financial difficulties experienced by customers could also adversely affect our utilization rates in the affected market and may cause our counterparties to seek modifications to our contracts with them. Furthermore, potential consolidation among oil and natural gas exploration and production companies may reduce the number of available customers.
The profitability of our operations could be adversely affected by war, civil disturbance, terrorist activity or other political or economic instability, fluctuation in currency exchange rates and local import and export controls.
We derive a significant portion of our business from global markets, including operations in the Middle East, South America, the Far East, North Africa, central and southern Asia and Russia. These operations are subject to various risks, including war, civil disturbances, labor strikes, nationalization, terrorist activity and governmental actions that may limit or disrupt markets, restrict the movement of funds or result in limits or restrictions in our ability to operate or compete, the deprivation of contractual rights or the taking of property without fair compensation, particularly in respect of contracts with state-owned oil companies. In some countries, our operations may be subject to the additional risk of fluctuating currency values and exchange controls. We also are subject to various laws and regulations that govern the operation and taxation of our business and the import and export of our equipment from country to country, the imposition, application and interpretation of which can prove to be uncertain.
The initiation of conflicts in certain regions or by certain agitators, such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, may also lead to the imposition of regulatory sanctions that could limit our ability to operate in a specific region or country. See, for example, “—Our business may be affected by changes in applicable sanctions or export controls laws and regulations, including those targeting Russia.”
The future occurrence of one or more international events arising from the types of risks described above could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We rely on third-party suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to secure equipment, components and parts used in rig operations, conversions, upgrades and construction.
Our reliance on third-party suppliers, manufacturers and service providers to provide equipment and services exposes us to volatility in the quality, price and availability of such items. Certain components, parts and equipment that we use in our operations may be available only from a small number of suppliers, manufacturers or service providers. The failure of one or more third-party suppliers, manufacturers or service providers to provide equipment, components, parts or services, whether due to capacity constraints, labor shortages or other labor-related difficulties, production or delivery disruptions, price increases, quality control issues, recalls or other decreased availability of parts and equipment, is beyond our control and could materially disrupt our operations or result in the delay, renegotiation or cancellation of drilling contracts, thereby causing a loss of contract drilling backlog and/or revenues to us, as well as an increase in operating costs.
Additionally, our suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers could be negatively affected by changes in industry conditions or global economic conditions. If certain of our suppliers, manufacturers or service providers were to curtail or discontinue their business as a result of such conditions, it could result in a reduction or interruption in supplies or equipment available to us and/or a significant increase in the price of such supplies and equipment, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, issues with the global supply
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chain whether caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine/Russia conflict or other reasons could make it more difficult for our suppliers to meet our requirements in a timely manner, if at all, which could ultimately result in an adverse effect on our operations.
Our contracts with state-owned energy companies may expose us to greater risks than we normally assume in contracts with non-governmental customers.
We currently own and operate rigs and rig-related equipment under contracts with state-owned energy companies (“NOCs”). In the future, we may expand our international solutions operations and enter into additional, significant contracts with NOCs. The terms of these contracts may contain non-negotiable provisions and may expose us to greater commercial, political, operational and other risks than we assume in other contracts. These contracts may expose us to materially greater environmental liability and other claims for damages (including consequential damages) and personal injury related to our operations, or the risk that the contract may be terminated by our customer without cause on short-term notice, contractually or by governmental action, or under certain conditions that may not provide us with an early termination payment. We can provide no assurance that increased risk exposure will not have an adverse effect on our future operations or that we will not increase the number of rigs contracted, or the amount of technology deployed, to NOCs with commensurate additional contractual risks. Risks that accompany contracts with NOCs could ultimately have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Control of oil and natural gas reserves by NOCs may affect the demand for our services and products and create additional risks in our operations.
Much of the world’s oil and natural gas reserves are controlled by NOCs, which may require their contractors to meet local content requirements or other local standards, such as conducting our operations through joint ventures with local partners that could be difficult or undesirable for us to meet. The failure to meet the local content requirements and other local standards may adversely affect our operations in those countries. In addition, while we do not control the actions of our joint venture partners, their actions could have an effect on our investment in the joint ventures and more generally our overall reputation. In addition, our ability to work with NOCs is subject to our ability to negotiate and agree upon acceptable contract terms.
Our operating expense includes fixed costs that may not decline in proportion to decreases in rig utilization and dayrates.
Our operating expense includes all direct and indirect costs associated with the operation, maintenance and support of our drilling and related equipment, many of which are not affected by changes in dayrates and some of which are not affected by utilization. During periods of reduced revenues and/or activity, certain of our fixed costs (such as depreciation) may not decline and often we may incur additional costs. During times of reduced utilization, reductions in costs may not be immediate as we may not be able to fully reduce the cost of our support operations in a particular geographic region due to the need to support the remaining drilling rigs in that region. Accordingly, a decline in revenues due to lower dayrates and/or utilization may not be offset by a corresponding decrease in drilling services and solutions expense, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Actions of and disputes with our joint venture partners could have a material adverse effect on the business and results of operations of our joint ventures and, in turn, our business and consolidated results of operations.
We conduct some operations through joint ventures. As with any joint venture arrangement, differences in views among the joint venture participants may result in delayed decisions, the joint venture operating in a manner that is contrary to our preference or in failures to agree on major issues. We also cannot control the actions of our joint venture partners, including any non-performance, default, or bankruptcy of our joint venture partners. Certain of these actions could have adverse consequences for us, legal or regulators issues in the region and/or reputational harm, including our attractiveness as a partner in other regions. These factors could have a material adverse effect on the business and results of operations of our joint ventures and, in turn, our business and consolidated results of operations.
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Failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions, divestitures, investments, joint ventures and other strategic transactions may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial position.
We undertake from time to time acquisitions, divestitures, investments, joint ventures, alliances and other strategic transactions that we expect to further our business objectives. For example, in October 2016, we announced an agreement to form a new joint venture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which commenced operations in December 2017. The long-term success of the Saudi joint venture depends, to a large degree, on the satisfactory performance of our joint venture partner’s obligations, including contributions of capital, drilling rigs and related equipment, and our ability to maintain an effective, working relationship with our joint venture partner.
We also completed the acquisition of Tesco in December 2017. We have been unable to obtain regulatory approvals to recognize our acquisition of the Tesco subsidiary in Russia.
The anticipated benefits of the Saudi joint venture, the Tesco acquisition, and other strategic transactions may not be fully realized, or may be realized more slowly than expected, and may result in operational and financial consequences, including, but not limited to, the loss of key customers, suppliers or employees, or the disposition of certain assets or operations, which may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Decisions by internet service, cloud host service and related providers to restrict or ban our ability to use their platforms could adversely affect our ability to promote and conduct our business and inform investors.
We utilize the internet to provide services and to promote our business and services to current and potential customers and to provide information and updates to our investors. Internet service providers, cloud hosting services, social media companies and website providers that currently allow us to utilize their platforms to communicate with customers and the public may decide that our business or the industry in which we operate negatively affects their business or may make business decisions or changes to their policies that negatively affect us. Such actions could include placing restrictions on our use of their platforms or banning us from utilizing their services altogether. Our inability to use these platforms may have a negative effect on the way we are perceived in the industry or in the media and may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Failure to effectively and timely address the energy transition could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and share price.
Our long-term success depends on our ability to effectively address the energy transition, which will require adapting our business to potentially changing government requirements and customer and investor preferences, as well as engaging with our customers to develop solutions to decarbonize oil and gas operations. If the energy transition occurs faster than anticipated or in a manner that we do not anticipate, demand for our products and services could be adversely affected. Furthermore, if we fail or are perceived to not effectively implement an energy transition strategy, or if investors or financial institutions shift funding away from companies in fossil fuel-related industries, our access to capital or the market for our securities could be negatively impacted.
Our aspirations, goals and initiatives related to sustainability and emissions reduction, and our public statements and disclosures regarding them, expose us to risks.
We have developed, and will continue to develop and set, goals, targets, or other objectives related to sustainability matters. Statements related to these goals, targets and objectives reflect our current plans and do not constitute a guarantee that they will be achieved. Our efforts to research, establish, accomplish, and accurately report on these goals, targets, and objectives expose us to numerous operational, reputational, financial, legal, and other risks. Our ability to achieve any stated goal, target, or objective, including with respect to emissions reduction, is subject to numerous factors and conditions, some of which are outside of our control. Some factors include, but are not limited to, (i) the extent to which our customers' decisions directly impact, relate to, or influence the use of our equipment that creates the emissions we report, (ii) the availability and cost of low- or non-carbon-based energy sources and technologies, (ii) evolving regulatory requirements affecting sustainability standards or disclosures, and (iv) the availability of suppliers that can meet our sustainability and other standards. In addition, standards for tracking and reporting on sustainability matters, including climate-related matters, have not been harmonized and continue to evolve. Our processes and controls for reporting sustainability matters may not always comply with evolving and disparate standards for identifying, measuring, and reporting such metrics, including sustainability-related disclosures that may be required of public
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companies by the SEC, and such standards may change over time, which could result in significant revisions to our current goals, reported progress in achieving such goals, or ability to achieve such goals in the future. Our business may also face increased scrutiny from investors and other stakeholders related to our sustainability activities, including the goals, targets, and objectives that we announce, and our methodologies and timelines for pursuing them. If our sustainability practices do not meet investor or other stakeholder expectations and standards, which continue to evolve, our reputation, our ability to attract or retain employees, and our attractiveness as an investment or business partner could be negatively affected. Similarly, our failure or perceived failure to pursue or fulfill our sustainability-focused goals, targets, and objectives, to comply with ethical, environmental, or other standards, regulations, or expectations, or to satisfy various reporting standards with respect to these matters, within the timelines we announce, or at all, could adversely affect our business or reputation, as well as expose us to government enforcement actions and private litigation.
We will be subject to a number of uncertainties during the timeframe when Nabors Energy Transition Corporation (NETC) pursues a business combination, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and share price.
If NETC is unable to consummate a suitable business transaction during the prescribed time period set forth in the terms of the initial public offering, we may experience negative reactions from the financial markets and from our shareholders. In addition, in the event that NETC is able to find a suitable business combination, or if the business combination is unsuccessful, there is no assurance that we will realize the anticipated value from such transaction.
Financial Risks
We may record additional losses or impairment charges related to sold or idle drilling rigs and other assets.
In 2021 and 2020, we recognized impairment charges of $60.5 million and $390.0 million, respectively, related to tangible assets and equipment. Prolonged periods of low utilization or low dayrates, the cold stacking of idle assets, the sale of assets below their then-carrying value or the decline in market value of our assets may cause us to experience further losses. If future cash flow estimates, based upon information available to management at the time, including oil and gas prices and expected utilization levels, indicate that the carrying value of any of our rigs may not be recoverable or if we sell assets for less than their then carrying value, we may recognize additional impairment charges on our fleet, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our financial and operating flexibility could be affected by our long-term debt and other financial commitments.
The 2022 Credit Agreement (as defined) is secured with a first lien security interest on all land drilling rigs and related equipment, spare parts and inventory in the contiguous U.S. Under the facility, we are required to maintain an “interest coverage ratio” of no less than 1.75:1.00 as of the last day of the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2022, with such ratio periodically increasing in increments of 0.125:1.00 to a minimum interest coverage ratio of 2.75:1.00 as of the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2024. We are also required to maintain a “minimum guarantor value” of no less than 90% at all times. The interest coverage ratio is defined to mean the ratio of (i) EBITDA for the latest four fiscal quarters for which financial statements are required to have been delivered to (ii) the interest expense for the latest four fiscal quarters for which financial statements are required to have been delivered. The minimum guarantor value is defined to mean the percentage of book value of, minus depreciation and amortization on, property, plant and equipment owned by Nabors and its subsidiaries, that is directly or indirectly owned by the guarantors of the 2022 Credit Agreement (other than Nabors) and their wholly owned subsidiaries. The interest coverage ratio and the minimum guarantor value requirement are not measures of operating performance or liquidity defined by U.S. GAAP and may not be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies.
As of December 31, 2022, our consolidated total outstanding indebtedness was $2.5 billion. We also have various financial commitments, such as leases, contracts and purchase commitments. Our ability to service our debt and other financial obligations depends in large part upon the level of cash flows generated by our operating subsidiaries’ operations, our ability to monetize and/or divest non-core assets, availability under the 2022 Credit Agreement and our ability to access the capital markets and/or other sources of financing. Our amount of indebtedness may make it more difficult to borrow funds in the future. In addition, if we cannot repay or refinance our debt as it becomes due, we may be forced to sell assets or reduce funding in the future for working capital, capital expenditures and general corporate purposes, any of which could negatively affect our stock price or financial condition.
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Volatility in prices of goods and services and interest rates could expose us to risks in managing our operating and capital costs.
In 2022, inflationary pressures resulting from COVID-19 relief and aid programs, supply chain constraints and generally improved economic conditions increased our costs for commodities, labor, energy and other components necessary to operate our business. We expect these inflationary pressures to continue to impact our margins and more generally, our business in 2023.
After almost 10 years of low interest rate environments, inflationary pressures and efforts in the U.S. and around the world to combat inflation have resulted in increased interest rates by central banks globally. As a result, to the extent we incur additional indebtedness the interest rates we are charged may be significantly higher than our interest rates in prior years, which increases our cost to operate our business. In addition, the 2022 Credit Agreement bears interest at a floating rate and, to the extent we have borrowing outstanding under the facility, the borrowing will bear interest at increased rates compared to our historical rates. Further, the increased interest rates could affect our clients’ businesses and borrowing costs, which in turn could impact their ability to make payments to us.
Our attempts to offset these increasing costs, such as increases in our dayrates and operational improvements, may not be successful. To the extent that our offsetting measures are not sufficient to offset these higher costs, our results of operations may be adversely affected.
Our ability to access capital markets could be limited.
From time to time, we may need to access capital markets to obtain long-term and short-term financing. However, our ability to access capital markets could be limited or adversely affected by, among other things, oil and gas prices, our existing capital structure, our credit ratings, interest rates and the health or market perceptions of the drilling and overall oil and gas industry and the global economy. In addition, many of the factors that affect our ability to access capital markets, including the liquidity of the overall capital markets and the state of the economy and/or the oil and gas industry, among others, are outside of our control. There have also been efforts in recent years aimed at the investment community, including investment advisors, sovereign wealth funds, public pension funds, universities and other groups, promoting the divestment of fossil fuel equities as well as pressuring lenders and other financial services companies to limit or curtail activities with companies engaged in the extraction of fossil fuel reserves, which, if successful, could limit our ability to access capital markets. No assurance can be given that we will be able to access capital markets on terms acceptable to us when required to do so, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
A downgrade in our credit rating could negatively affect our cost of and ability to access capital markets or other financing sources.
Our ability to access capital markets or to otherwise obtain sufficient financing may be affected by our senior unsecured debt ratings as provided by major U.S. credit rating agencies. Credit rating agencies continually revise their ratings for companies they follow. Any adverse developments in our business and operations could lead to a ratings downgrade to our senior unsecured debt that currently has a non-investment grade rating. Factors that may affect our credit ratings include debt levels, asset purchases or sales, as well as near-term and long-term growth opportunities and industry conditions. Liquidity, asset quality, cost structure, market diversity, and commodity pricing levels and other factors, are also considered by the rating agencies. Any fluctuation in our credit rating, could affect our cost of capital and ability to access capital markets or other financing sources in the future, any of which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Technology Risks
New technologies may cause our drilling methods and equipment to become less competitive and it may become necessary to incur higher levels of operating and capital expenditures in order to keep pace with the disruptive trends in the drilling industry. Growth through the building of new drilling rigs and improvement of existing rigs is not assured.
The market for our services is characterized by continual technological developments that have resulted in, and will likely continue to result in, substantial improvements in the functionality and performance of rigs and equipment. Our customers increasingly demand the services of newer, higher specification drilling rigs and related equipment.
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Accordingly, we may have to allocate a higher proportion of our capital expenditures to improve the technological aspects of our existing rigs and other equipment, purchase and construct newer, higher specification drilling rigs and other equipment to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of our customers and develop new and improved technology and data analytics.
Although a component of our strategy is to develop and use advanced oil and natural gas drilling technology, changes in technology or improvements on existing technology by competitors could make our equipment less competitive. There can be no assurance that we will:
● successfully deploy idle, stacked, new or upgraded drilling rigs;
● effectively manage the size or growth of our organization and drilling fleet;
● develop competitive technologies or choose the right technologies to develop;
● maintain crews necessary to operate existing or additional drilling rigs; or
In the event that we are successful in developing new technologies for use in our business, there is no guarantee of future demand for those technologies. Customers may be financial incapable or otherwise reluctant or unwilling to adopt our new technologies or may choose competing technologies. We may also have difficulty negotiating satisfactory terms for our technology services or may be unable to secure prices sufficient to obtain expected returns on our investment in the research and development of new technologies.
Development of new technology is critical to maintaining our competitiveness. There can be no assurance that we will be able to successfully develop technology that our customers demand. If we are not successful keeping pace with technological advances and trends (including trends in favor of emissions-reducing technologies) or if we fail to deliver such technologies to our customers in a timely and cost-effective manner suitable to their needs, demand for our services could decline and we could lose market share. Furthermore, if our equipment or proprietary technologies become obsolete, the value of our intellectual property may be reduced, or one or more technologies that we may implement in the future may not work as we expect and our business, financial condition, results of operations and reputation could be adversely affected as a result. If competing technologies are viewed as superior to ours it could affect our competitiveness. Additionally, new technologies, services or standards could render some of our services, drilling rigs or equipment obsolete, which could reduce our competitiveness and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Limitations on our ability to obtain, maintain, protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, including our trade secrets, could cause a loss in revenues and any competitive advantage we hold.
There can be no assurance that the steps we take to obtain, maintain, protect and enforce our intellectual property rights will be adequate. Some of our products or services, and the processes we use to produce or provide them, have been granted patent protection, have patent applications pending, or are trade secrets. Our business may be adversely affected when our patents are unenforceable, the claims allowed under our patents are not sufficient to protect our technology, our patent applications are denied, or our trade secrets are not adequately protected. Patent protection on some types of technology, such as software or machine learning processes, may not be available in certain countries in which we operate. Our competitors may also be able to develop technology independently that is similar to ours without infringing on our patents or gaining access to our trade secrets, which could adversely affect our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
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Technology disputes could negatively affect our operations or increase our costs.
Our services and products use proprietary technology and equipment, which can involve potential infringement of a third party’s rights, or a third party’s infringement of our rights, including patent rights. The majority of the intellectual property rights relating to our drilling rigs and related services are owned by us or certain of our supplying vendors. However, in the event that we or one of our customers or supplying vendors becomes involved in a dispute over infringement of intellectual property rights relating to equipment or technology owned or used by us, services performed by us or products provided by us, we may lose access to important equipment or technology or our ability to provide services or products, or we could be required to cease use of some equipment or technology or be forced to invest or develop replacement technologies to enhance our equipment, technology, services or products. We could also be required to pay license fees or royalties for the use of equipment or technology or provision of services or products. In addition, we may lose a competitive advantage in the event we are unsuccessful in enforcing our rights against third parties. Regardless of the merits, any such claims generally result in significant legal and other costs, including reputational harm, and may distract management from running our business. Technology disputes involving us or our customers or supplying vendors could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations.
Improvements in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
Since our business depends on the level of activity in the oil and natural gas industry, any improvement in or new discoveries of alternative energy technologies that increase the effectiveness (economic or otherwise), use or availability of alternative forms of energy and reduce the demand for oil and natural gas could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Legal and Regulatory Risks
Our international business exposes us to additional risks, including risks related to geopolitical and economic factors, international laws and regulations, and compliance obligations under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other applicable anti-corruption laws.
Our international business (including our participation in joint ventures, requirements for local content, and our global supply chain) is subject to numerous political and economic factors, legal requirements, cross-cultural considerations and other risks associated with doing business globally. Our international business is generally subject to both U.S. and foreign laws and regulations, including, without limitation, laws and regulations relating to export/import controls, sanctions, technology transfers, government contracts and procurement, data privacy and protection, investment, exchange rates and controls, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (the “FCPA”), the Bermuda Bribery Act (2016) and other anti-corruption laws, anti-boycott provisions, securities laws, labor and employment, works councils and other labor groups, anti-human trafficking, taxes, environment, immunity, security restrictions and intellectual property. The SEC and U.S. Department of Justice have continued to focus on enforcement activities with respect to the FCPA. While our employees and agents are required to comply with applicable anti-corruption laws, and we have adopted policies and procedures and related training programs designed to promote and achieve compliance, we cannot ensure that our internal policies, procedures and programs will always protect us from risks associated with unlawful acts carried out by our employees or agents.
Failure by us, our employees, affiliates, partners or others with whom we work to comply with applicable laws and regulations could result in administrative, civil, commercial or criminal liabilities, including suspension or debarment from government contracts or suspension of export/import privileges. Any such penalty could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, our ability to compete for other contracts and our financial position, results of operations and/or cash flows.
Our international operations also subject us to other risks, including potential asset seizure, terrorist acts, piracy, kidnapping, nationalization of assets, currency restrictions, import or export quotas, tariffs and other forms of public and government regulation, all of which are beyond our control. Economic sanctions or an oil embargo, for example, could have significant impact on activity in the oil and natural gas industry and, correspondingly, us should we operate in an
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area subject to any sanctions or embargo, or in the surrounding region to the extent any sanctions or embargo disrupts its operations.
Changes to, or noncompliance with laws and regulations regarding environmental matters or exposure to environmental liabilities, could adversely affect our results of operations.
Drilling of oil and natural gas wells is subject to various laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we operate, including comprehensive and frequently changing laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment and human health, such as those regulating the spill, release, transport, storage, use, treatment, disposal and remediation of, and exposure to, hazardous and solid wastes and materials. Our costs to comply with these laws and regulations may be substantial. Violation of environmental laws or regulations could lead to the imposition of administrative, civil or criminal penalties, capital expenditures, delays in the permitting or performance of projects, and in some cases injunctive relief. Violations may also result in liabilities for personal injuries, property and natural resource damage and other costs and claims. We are not able to allocate all risks of environmental liabilities to customers, and it is possible that customers who assume the risks will be financially unable to bear any resulting costs.
In addition, U.S. federal laws and the laws of other jurisdictions regulate the prevention of oil spills and the release of hazardous substances and may impose liability for removal costs and natural resource, real or personal property and certain economic damages arising from any spills. Some of these laws may impose strict and/or joint and several liability for clean-up costs and damages without regard to the conduct of the parties. As an owner and operator of onshore and offshore rigs and other equipment, we may be deemed to be a responsible party under federal law. In addition, we are subject to various laws governing the containment and disposal of hazardous substances, oilfield waste and other waste materials and the use of underground storage tanks.
Changes in environmental laws and regulations may also negatively affect the operations of oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, which in turn could have an adverse effect on us. Future or more stringent federal or state regulation could dramatically increase operating costs for oil and natural gas companies, curtail production and demand for oil and natural gas in areas of the world where our customers operate, and reduce the market for our services by making wells and/or oilfields uneconomical to operate, which may in turn adversely affect results of operations.
The physical effects of climate change and the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change could have a negative effect on our business.
There has been an increasing focus of international, national, state, regional and local regulatory bodies on greenhouse gas (“GHG”), including carbon dioxide and methane, emissions and climate change issues. Future regulation could require industries to meet stringent standards to substantially reduce GHG emissions. Legislation to regulate GHG emissions has periodically been introduced in the U.S. Congress. In addition, the current administration has taken steps to further regulate GHG emissions. Those reductions could be costly and difficult to implement.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (the “EPA”) has published findings that GHG emissions present an endangerment to public health and the environment. The EPA has also issued rules requiring monitoring and reporting of GHG emissions from the oil and natural gas sector, including onshore and offshore production activities. In November 2021, the EPA proposed new rules aimed at sharply reducing methane and other emissions from new and existing sources in the oil and gas industry. The Bureau of Land Management also issued a rule in November 2016 requiring reductions in methane emissions from venting, flaring, and leaking activities on public lands.
The United States is a member of the Paris Agreement, a climate accord reached at the Conference of the Parties (“COP 21”) in Paris, that set many new goals, and many related policies are still emerging. The Paris Agreement requires set GHG emission reduction goals every five years beginning in 2020. Stronger GHG emission targets were set at the Conference of Parties in Glasgow (“COP 26”) in November 2021.
It is not possible to predict the timing and effect of climate change or whether additional GHG regulations will be adopted. However, more aggressive efforts by governments and non-governmental organizations to reduce GHG emissions appear likely, and any such future regulations could result in increased compliance costs, additional operating restrictions or affect the demand for our customers’ products and, accordingly, our services.
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In addition, there have been efforts in recent years aimed at the investment community promoting the divestment of fossil fuel equities as well as to pressure lenders and other financial services companies to limit or curtail activities with companies engaged in the extraction of fossil fuel reserves. Further, members of the investment community have increased their focus on sustainability practices with regard to the oil and gas industry, including practices related to GHGs and climate change, and an increasing number of our customers consider sustainability factors in awarding work. These developments, and public perception relating to climate change, may curtail production and demand for oil and natural gas by shifting demand towards lower carbon energy sources such as wind, solar and other renewables. If these efforts are successful, our ability and the ability of our customers to access capital markets may be limited and our stock price may be negatively affected.
Further, the federal government and certain state governments have enacted, and are expected to continue to enact, laws and regulations that mandate or provide economic incentives for the development of technologies and sources of energy other than oil and gas, such as wind and solar. Such legislation incentivizes the development, use and investment in these technologies and alternative energy sources and could accelerate the shift away from traditional oil and gas. For example, the Inflation Reduction Act ("IRA") of 2022 contains tax inducements and other provisions that incentivize investment, development, and deployment of alternative energy sources and technologies. Also, in 2022, California mandated that all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the state be electric vehicles or other emissions-free models by 2035. If these future laws and regulations result in customers reducing their production of oil and gas, they could ultimately have an adverse effect on our business and prospects.
Beyond financial and regulatory effects, the projected severe effects of climate change have the potential to directly affect our facilities and operations and those of our customers.
We are subject to complex and evolving laws and regulations regarding data privacy and security.
Governments around the world have implemented, and continue to implement, laws and regulations regarding data privacy and security, including with respect to the protection and processing of personal data. These laws and regulations vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and we are obligated to comply in all jurisdictions in which we conduct business. Failure to comply with these laws and regulations could subject us to significant liability, including fines, penalties, and potential criminal sanctions.
Legal proceedings and governmental investigations could affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We are subject to legal proceedings and governmental investigations from time to time that include employment, tort, intellectual property and other claims, and purported class action and shareholder derivative actions. We are also subject to complaints and allegations from former, current or prospective employees from time to time, alleging violations of employment-related laws or other whistle blower-related matters. Lawsuits or claims could result in decisions against us that could have an adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. See “Item 3—Legal Proceedings” for a discussion of certain existing legal proceedings.
Our business may be affected by changes in applicable sanctions or export controls laws and regulations, including those targeting Russia.
Our international operations expose us to compliance obligations and risks under applicable economic sanctions, export controls and trade embargoes, such as those imposed, administered and enforced by the United States and the United Kingdom and other relevant sanctions authorities (collectively, “Sanctions”). In response to ongoing military hostilities between Russia and Ukraine, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, and other jurisdictions imposed new and additional economic sanctions, export controls and other trade restrictions (“collectively, “Sanctions Measures”) targeting Russia, Belarus and certain regions of Ukraine, including Sanctions Measures that impose: (i) restrictions on engaging in specified activities or transactions, or any and all activities and transactions, with, involving or for the benefit of certain designated Russian and Belarusian entities or individuals (collectively, “Sanctions Targets”); (ii) a specific prohibition on new investment in the Russian energy sector, broadly defined to include the procurement, exploration, extraction, drilling, mining, harvesting, production, refinement, liquefaction, gasification, regasification, conversion, enrichment, fabrication or transport of petroleum, natural gas, liquified natural gas, natural gas liquids, or petroleum products or other products capable of producing energy; and (iii) a broad prohibition on new investment in Russia.
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Pursuant to applicable Sanctions, we may be obliged to limit our business activities, may incur costs in order to implement and maintain compliance programs, and may be subject to investigations, enforcement actions or penalties relating to actual or alleged instances of noncompliance with the Sanctions Measures. It may also be necessary for us to take certain actions, including suspending or winding down our operations in Russia, in order to maintain compliance with, or satisfy obligations under, applicable Sanctions.
We are committed to compliance with all applicable Sanctions and have implemented and maintain dedicated policies and procedures that we believe to be customary and appropriate to promote and maintain our compliance with applicable Sanctions. However, we can provide no assurances that these policies and procedures will always be effective in identifying Sanctions Targets and their property interests or in preventing violations of applicable Sanctions by us or employees, agents or other persons acting on our behalf.
The full scale of the impact of the Sanctions Measures and Russia’s responses to the Sanctions Measures (such as counter-sanctions and the potential nationalization of assets in Russia) is currently unclear but such developments could adversely affect our operations and the oil and gas sector generally, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flow. In addition, U.S. and other governments have increased their oversight and enforcement activities with respect to Sanctions laws and regulations and it is expected that the relevant agencies will continue to increase these investigative and enforcement activities. A violation of Sanctions could result in severe criminal or civil penalties and reputational harm, which could separately adversely affect our business and results of operations.
We may be subject to changes in tax laws and have additional tax liabilities.
We operate through various subsidiaries in numerous countries throughout the world. Consequently, we are subject to changes in tax laws, treaties or regulations and the interpretation or enforcement thereof in the United States and in jurisdictions in which we or any of our subsidiaries operate or are organized, and any such changes could have a material effect on our results of operations in the periods in which such laws and regulations become effective as well as in future periods. In October 2021, the Group of 20 endorsed a new global minimum tax rate for large multinational companies, which also has the support of a large number of countries and territories responsible for the overwhelming majority of global economic output. To take effect, the minimum tax would need to be implemented by each jurisdiction. It is not yet clear how such a minimum tax would impact our business.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“Tax Reform Act”) adopted sweeping changes to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code which also could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. In addition to lowering the U.S. corporate income tax rate and numerous other changes, the law imposes more stringent limitations on the deductibility of interest expense and net operating losses and imposes a type of minimum tax designed to reduce the benefits derived from intercompany transactions and payments that result in base erosion. Tax laws, treaties and regulations are highly complex and subject to interpretation. Our income tax expense is based upon our interpretation of the tax laws in effect in various countries at the time that the expense is incurred. Although the Tax Reform Act has not had a material effect on our financial statements to date, if these tax laws, treaties or regulations change or any tax authority successfully challenges our assessment of the effects of such laws, treaties and regulations in any country, including our operational structure, intercompany pricing policies or the taxable presence of our subsidiaries in certain countries, this could have a material adverse effect on us, resulting in a higher effective tax rate on our consolidated earnings or a reclassification of the tax effects of our significant corporate restructuring transactions.
On August 16, 2022, the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) was signed into law in the United States. Among other provisions, the IRA includes a 15% corporate minimum tax rate applied to certain large corporations and a 1% excise tax on corporate stock repurchases made after December 31, 2022. We do not expect the IRA to have a material impact to the Company.
The Company’s ability to use its net operating loss carryforwards, and possibly other tax attributes, to offset future taxable income for U.S. federal income tax purposes may be significantly limited due to various circumstances, including future transactions involving the sale or issuance of Company equity securities, or if taxable income does not reach sufficient levels.
As of December 31, 2022, the Company reported consolidated federal net operating loss (“NOL”) carryforwards of approximately $727.1 million and certain other favorable federal income tax attributes. The Company’s ability to use its
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NOL carryforwards and certain other attributes may be limited if it experiences an “ownership change” as defined in Section 382 (“Section 382”) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). An ownership change generally occurs if there is a more than 50 percentage point increase in the aggregate equity ownership of the Company by one or more “5 percent shareholders” (as that term is defined for purposes of Sections 382 and 383 of the Code) in any testing period, which is generally the three-year period preceding any potential ownership change, measured against their lowest percentage ownership at any time during such period.
There is no assurance that the Company will not experience an ownership change under Section 382 as a result of future actions that may significantly limit or possibly eliminate its ability to use its NOL carryforwards and potentially certain other tax attributes. Potential future transactions involving the sale, issuance, redemption or other disposition of common or preferred shares or other equity-based securities, the exercise of conversion or exchange options under the terms of any convertible or exchangeable debt, the repurchase of any such debt with Company shares, in each case, by a person owning, or treated as owning, 5% or more of the Company’s shares, or a combination of such transactions, may cause or increase the possibility that the Company will experience an ownership change under Section 382. Under Section 382, an ownership change would subject the Company to an annual limitation that applies to the amount of pre-ownership change NOLs (and possibly certain other tax attributes) that may be used to offset post-ownership change taxable income. If a Section 382 limitation applies, the limitation could cause the Company’s U.S. federal income taxes to be greater, or to be paid earlier, than they otherwise would be, and could cause a portion of the Company’s tax attributes to expire unused. Similar rules and limitations may apply for state income tax purposes. The Company’s ability to use its NOL carryforwards will also depend on the amount of taxable income it generates in future periods.
Share Capital and Corporate Structure Risks
Significant issuances of common shares could adversely affect the market price of our common shares.
As of February 6, 2023, we had 32,000,000 authorized common shares, of which 10,546,387 shares were outstanding and entitled to vote, including 1,090,003 million held by our subsidiaries. In addition, 493,601 common shares were reserved for issuance pursuant to stock option and employee benefit plans and 3,937,659 shares are reserved for issuance upon exercise of outstanding warrants. The sale, or availability for sale, of substantial amounts of our common shares in the public market, whether directly by us or resulting from the exercise of options or warrants (and, where applicable, sales pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act) or the exchange of our 0.75% Exchangeable Notes due 2024, would be dilutive to existing shareholders, could adversely affect the prevailing market price of our common shares and could impair our ability to raise additional capital through the sale of equity securities.
Our common share price has been and may continue to be volatile.
The trading price of our common shares has fluctuated in the past and is subject to significant fluctuations in response to the following factors, some of which are beyond our control:
● variations in quarterly operating results;
● deviations in our earnings from publicly disclosed forward-looking guidance;
● variability in our revenues;
● general conditions in and market perceptions of the oil and gas industry;
● uncertainty about current global economic conditions;
● investor sentiment about our company and industry;
● fluctuations in stock market price and volume; and
● other general economic conditions.
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The trading market for our common stock is influenced by the research and reports that industry or securities analysts may publish about us, our business, our markets or our competitors. We do not have any control over these analysts, and we cannot provide any assurance that analysts will cover us or provide favorable coverage. If any of the analysts who may cover us adversely change their recommendation regarding our stock, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, our stock price could materially decline. If any analyst who may cover us were to cease coverage of our Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause our stock price or trading volume to materially decline.
During 2022, our stock price on the NYSE ranged from a high of $200.02 per common share to a low of $90.95 per common share. In recent years, the stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have affected the market price for many companies in industries similar to ours. Some of these fluctuations have been unrelated to the operating performance of the affected companies. These market fluctuations may decrease the market price of our common shares in the future.
Provisions in our organizational documents may be insufficient to thwart a coercive hostile takeover attempt; conversely, these provisions and those in our outstanding debt and Saudi joint venture documents may deter a change of control transaction and decrease the likelihood of a shareholder receiving a change of control premium.
Companies generally seek to prevent coercive takeovers by parties unwilling to pay fair value for the enterprise they acquire. Provisions in our organizational documents that are meant to help us avoid a coercive takeover include:
Certain actions taken by us could make it easier for another party to acquire control of the Company. For instance, in June 2012 we adopted an amendment to our bye-laws to declassify the Board and in 2017, as recommended by our shareholders, we amended our policy regarding nomination and proxy access for director candidates. Conversely, the provisions designed to prevent hostile takeovers, or protect holders of our debt instruments and our joint venture partner, may deter transactions in which shareholders would receive a change of control premium. For example, certain change of control transactions could accelerate the principal amounts outstanding, and require premiums payments, under our debt instruments, or trigger a call option to purchase our interest in SANAD, our joint venture with Saudi Aramco.
As a holding company, we depend on our operating subsidiaries and investments to meet our financial obligations.
We are a holding company with no significant assets other than the stock of our subsidiaries. In order to meet our financial needs and obligations, we rely exclusively on repayments of interest and principal on intercompany loans that we have made to operating subsidiaries, and income from dividends and other cash flow from such subsidiaries. There can be no assurance that such operating subsidiaries will generate sufficient net income to pay dividends or sufficient cash flow to make payments of interest and principal to us in respect of intercompany loans. In addition, from time to time, such operating subsidiaries may enter into financing arrangements that contractually restrict or prohibit these types of upstream payments. Our debt instruments do not contain covenants prohibiting any such contractual restrictions. There may also be adverse tax consequences associated with such operating subsidiaries paying dividends. Finally, the ability of our subsidiaries to make distributions to us may be restricted by the laws of the applicable subsidiaries’ jurisdictions of organization and other laws and regulations. If subsidiaries are unable to distribute or otherwise make
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payments to us, we may not be able to pay interest or principal on obligations when due, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain the necessary funds from other sources.
General Risks
Investor sentiment and public perception related to the fossil fuels industry and to ESG initiatives could affect the demand for our services, increase our costs of capital, our reporting requirement, and our operations, which could negatively affect our stock price.
Regulators, investor advocacy groups, investment funds, and other stakeholders are increasingly focused on environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) matters and have placed increasing importance on the non-financial impacts of their investments. Investor sentiment and the public perception of fossil fuels have led to calls to limit investment and lending to businesses in our industry. As a service provider to energy companies in the fossil fuel industry, if any of these efforts continue or increase, our ability to raise capital could be negatively affected, which could lead to a reduction in our stock price.
Similarly, there are calls by certain investors for companies to increase their ESG initiatives, and for more robust reporting on such initiatives. The European Union has implemented ESG reporting requirements on EU market participants, and similar regulations are pending in various states in the United States. Standards for tracking and reporting ESG matters continue to evolve, and our business may be impacted by new laws and regulations or investor criteria in the U.S., the European Union, and around the world, related to ESG. Members of the investment community and lenders have also begun establishing standards required of companies in which they invest or to which they provide credit. Certain of our institutional investors use third-party benchmarks or scores to measure a company’s ESG practices in an increasingly broad set of matters including but not limited to, environmental sustainability (including climate change), human capital, labor, product certification and risk oversight. Such scoring and examination may expand the nature, scope and complexity of matters that we are required to control, assess and report. In addition to potential impacts on our operations, the cost of complying with such scrutiny by institutional investors, as well as any new laws and regulations, including building appropriate compliance and reporting functions within our company, could be significant and may increase our costs of operations and thereby negatively affect our financial condition. In addition, if we are unable to meet the requirements of our investors or our lenders, our cost of capital may increase and our stock price may be negatively affected.
We intend to set certain ESG-related initiatives, goals, and/or commitments regarding environmental matters, diversity, and other matters. Our intention to set certain ESG-related initiatives and goals reflect our current plans and aspirations and are not guarantees that we will be able to achieve them. These initiatives, goals, or commitments could result in unexpected expenses, changes in our relationships with strategic partners, distributors and third-party service providers, loss of revenue or business disruption. We could fail to achieve, or may be perceived to fail to achieve, ESG-related initiatives, goals, or commitments and we may be criticized for the timing, scope or nature of these initiatives, goals, or commitments, or for any revisions to them. Our actual or perceived failure to achieve our ESG-related initiatives, goals, or commitments could negatively impact our reputation or otherwise materially harm our business.
Our business, results of operations and financial condition have been and may continue to be adversely affected by global public health epidemics, including the strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19, and future adverse effects could be material and difficult to predict.
The global spread of the strain of coronavirus known as COVID-19 and its variants, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, impacted our operations and the operations of our customers and suppliers. The outbreak triggered a sharp sell-off in energy commodities markets during the first quarter of 2020, as economic activity tumbled as a result of government impositions of mandatory closures, quarantines and other restrictions on, or advisories with respect to, travel, business operations and public gatherings or interactions. Other effects of the pandemic included, and may continue to include, significant volatility and disruption of the global financial markets; adverse revenue and net income effects; disruptions to our operations, including suspension or deferral of drilling activities; customer shutdowns of oil and gas exploration and production; downward revisions to customer budgets; supply chain disruptions; inflation and other decreases in purchasing power, limitations on access to raw materials; employee impacts from illness, school closures and other community response measures; and temporary closures of our facilities or the facilities of our customers and suppliers. The pandemic is continuously evolving, and the extent to which our operating and financial results will continue to be affected will depend on various factors beyond our
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control, such as the ultimate duration, severity and sustained geographic resurgence of the virus; the emergence of new variants and strains of the virus; and the success of actions to contain the virus and its variants, or treat its impact, such as the availability and acceptance of vaccines. COVID-19, and the volatile regional and global economic conditions stemming from the pandemic, could also aggravate our other risk factors described in this Form 10-K.
Our business is subject to cybersecurity risks.
Our operations are increasingly dependent on information technologies and services. Threats to information technology systems associated with cybersecurity risks and cyber incidents or attacks continue to grow, and include, among other things, storms and natural disasters, terrorist attacks, utility outages, theft, viruses, phishing, malware, design defects, human error, and complications encountered as existing systems are maintained, repaired, replaced, or upgraded. Risks associated with these threats include, among other things:
● theft or misappropriation of funds;
● damage to our reputation with our customers and the market;
● the perception of our products or services as having security vulnerabilities;
● exposure to litigation and legal and regulatory costs;
● loss or damage to our worksite data delivery systems; and
● increased costs to prevent, respond to or mitigate cybersecurity events.
Although we utilize various procedures and controls to mitigate our exposure to such risk, cybersecurity attacks and other cyber events are evolving and unpredictable. Moreover, we have no control over the information technology systems of our customers, suppliers, and others with which our systems may connect and communicate. As a result, the occurrence of a cyber incident could go unnoticed for a period time.
We do not presently maintain insurance coverage to protect against cybersecurity risks. If we procure such coverage in the future, we cannot ensure that it will be sufficient to cover any particular losses we may experience as a result of such cyberattacks. Any cyber incident could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
The loss of key executives or inability to attract and retain experienced technical professionals and talented personnel could reduce our competitiveness and harm prospects for future success.
The successful execution of our business strategies depends, in part, on the continued service of certain key executive officers and employees. We have employment agreements with some of our key personnel within the company, but no assurance can be given that any employee will remain with us, whether or not they have entered into an employment agreement. We do not carry key man insurance. In addition, our operations depend, in part, on our ability to attract and retain experienced technical professionals and talented personnel. Competition for such professionals is intense, and as the business environment improves, competition for personnel generally intensifies. The loss of key executive officers and/or our inability to retain or attract experienced technical professionals and talented personnel, could reduce our competitiveness and harm prospects for future success, which may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
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ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Nabors’ principal executive offices are located in Hamilton, Bermuda. We own or lease executive and administrative office space in Houston, Texas; Anchorage, Alaska; Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Bogota, Colombia; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; and Sandnes, Norway. Our principal physical properties are drilling rigs, which are more fully described in Part I, Item 1.—Business.
Many of the international drilling rigs and some of the Alaska rigs in our fleet are supported by mobile camps which house the drilling crews and a significant inventory of spare parts and supplies. In addition, we own various trucks, forklifts, cranes, earth-moving and other construction and transportation equipment, which are used to support our operations. We also own or lease a number of facilities and storage yards used in support of operations in each of our geographic markets.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
Nabors and its subsidiaries are defendants or otherwise involved in a number of lawsuits in the ordinary course of business. We estimate the range of our liability related to pending litigation when we believe the amount and range of loss can be estimated. We record our best estimate of a loss when the loss is considered probable. When a liability is probable and there is a range of estimated loss with no best estimate in the range, we record the minimum estimated liability related to the lawsuits or claims. As additional information becomes available, we assess the potential liability related to our pending litigation and claims and revise our estimates. Due to uncertainties related to the resolution of lawsuits and claims, the ultimate outcome may differ from our estimates. For matters where an unfavorable outcome is reasonably possible and significant, we disclose the nature of the matter and a range of potential exposure, unless an estimate cannot be made at the time of disclosure.
In the opinion of management and based on liability accruals provided, our ultimate exposure with respect to these pending lawsuits and claims is not expected to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position or cash flows, although they could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations for a particular reporting period. See Note 15—Commitments and Contingencies in Part II, Item 8.—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data for a description of such proceedings.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET PRICE OF AND DIVIDENDS ON THE REGISTRANT’S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED SHAREHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Information.
Our common shares, par value $0.05 per share, are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) under the symbol “NBR”.
On February 6, 2023, the closing price of our common shares as reported on the NYSE was $170.43.
Holders.
On February 6, 2023, there were approximately 1,678 shareholders of record of our common shares.
Dividends.
The declaration and payment of future dividends will be at the discretion of the Board and will depend, among other things, on future earnings, general financial condition and liquidity, success in business activities, capital requirements and general business conditions in addition to legal requirements.
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See Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors—As a holding company, we depend on our operating subsidiaries and investments to meet our financial obligations.
Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities.
The following table provides information relating to our repurchase of common shares during the three months ended December 31, 2022:
Approximated
Total Number Dollar Value of
of Shares Shares that May
Total Average Purchased as Yet Be
Number of Price Part of Publicly Purchased
Period Shares Paid per Announced Under the
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Performance Graph
The following graph illustrates comparisons of five-year cumulative total returns among Nabors, the S&P 500 Index, S&P SmallCap 600 Index, Russell 3000 Index and Dow Jones Oil Equipment and Services Index. We present all these indices. Total return assumes $100 invested on December 31, 2017 in shares of Nabors and in the aforementioned indices noted above assuming reinvestment of dividends at the end of each calendar year, presented in the table below.
As of December 31,
The foregoing graph is based on historical data and is not necessarily indicative of future performance. This graph shall not be deemed to be “soliciting material” or “filed” with the SEC or subject to Regulations 14A or 14C under the Exchange Act or to the liabilities of Section 18 under the Exchange Act.
Related Shareholder Matters
Bermuda has exchange controls which apply to residents in respect of the Bermuda dollar. As an exempted company, Nabors is designated as non-resident for Bermuda exchange control purposes by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. Pursuant to our non-resident status, there are no Bermuda restrictions on our ability to transfer funds (other than funds denominated in Bermuda dollars) in and out of Bermuda or to pay dividends to non-residents who are holders of our common shares in all other currencies, including currency of the United States.
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There is no reciprocal tax treaty between Bermuda and the United States. Under current Bermuda law, there is no Bermuda withholding tax on dividends or other distributions, nor any Bermuda tax computed on profit or income payable by Nabors or its operations. Furthermore, no Bermuda tax is levied on the sale or transfer (including by gift and/or on the death of the shareholder) of Nabors common shares (other than by shareholders resident in Bermuda). Nabors has received an undertaking from the Minister of Finance in Bermuda that, in the event of any taxes being imposed, Nabors will be exempt from taxation in Bermuda until March 31, 2035.
ITEM 6. [Reserved]
Removed and reserved.
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ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on, and should be read in conjunction with, our consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included under Part II, Item 8.—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data. This discussion and analysis contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain factors, including those set forth under Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors and elsewhere in this annual report. See “Forward-Looking Statements.”
Management Overview
We are a leading provider of advanced technology for the energy industry. With operations in over 15 countries, Nabors has established a global network of people, technology and equipment to deploy solutions that deliver safe, efficient and sustainable energy production. By leveraging its core competencies, particularly in drilling, engineering, automation, data science and manufacturing, Nabors aims to innovate the future of energy and enable the transition to a lower carbon world.
Outlook
The demand for our services and products is a function of the level of spending by oil and gas companies for exploration, development and production activities. The level of exploration, development and production activities is to a large extent tied to the prices of oil and natural gas, which fluctuate significantly and tend to be highly sensitive to supply and demand cycles. Additionally, some oil and gas companies may limit their capital spending to a percentage of their operating cash flows.
During 2020, global oil markets experienced unprecedented volatility primarily as a result of the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, we experienced a significant reduction in demand for our services throughout 2020 and into 2021, both in the US and in many international markets. The US drilling rig market began to stabilize during the second half of 2020 and has improved at a measured rate since 2020 through 2022. We expect continued modest increases in activity throughout 2023 for the US market. In our International markets since 2020, we have seen a substantial resumption of overall activity to near pre-COVID-19 levels. In certain key markets, activity has been restored to pre-COVID levels.
More recently, several global commodity markets, including oil and gas, have been impacted by the effects of the war in Ukraine. These consequences include severe economic sanctions against the Russian government as well as certain Russian businesses and individuals, in addition to a reorientation of the global sources of oil and gas supply and a significant increase in the related commodity prices. Government actions, as well as those by large producers, also continue to impact energy markets. The ultimate outcome of these events and the impact on our business remains uncertain.
Recent Developments
2022 Credit Agreement
On January 21, 2022, we entered into a revolving credit agreement between Nabors Delaware, the guarantors from time to time party thereto, the issuing banks (the “Issuing Banks”) and other lenders party thereto (the “Lenders”) and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent (the “2022 Credit Agreement”). The 2022 Credit Agreement replaced the 2018 Revolving Credit Facility. Under the 2022 Credit Agreement, the Lenders have committed to provide up to an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not in excess of $350.0 million (with an accordion feature for an additional $100.0 million subject to lender consent) to Nabors Delaware under a secured revolving credit facility, including sub-facilities provided by certain of the Lenders for letters of credit in an aggregate principal amount at any time outstanding not in excess of $100.0 million. The facility matures on the earlier of (a) January 21, 2026 and (b) (i) to the extent any principal amount of Nabors Delaware’s existing 5.5% senior notes due 2023 and 5.75% senior notes due 2025 remains outstanding on the date that is 90 days prior to the applicable maturity date for such indebtedness, then such 90th day or (ii) to the extent 50% or more of the outstanding (as of the closing date) aggregate principal amount of the 0.75% senior
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exchangeable notes due 2024 remains outstanding and not refinanced or defeased on the date that is 90 days prior to the maturity date for such indebtedness, then such 90th day.
Financial Results
Comparison of the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
Operating revenues in 2022 totaled $2.7 billion, representing an increase of $636.2 million, or 32%, from 2021. All of our operating segments, with the exception of Canada Drilling due to its sale in 2021, experienced an increase in operating revenues over this period. For a more detailed description of operating results see “—Segment Results of Operations,” below.
Net loss from continuing operations attributable to Nabors common shareholders totaled $350.3 million for 2022 ($40.52 per diluted share) compared to a net loss from continuing operations attributable to Nabors common shareholders of $572.9 million ($76.58 per diluted share) in 2021, or a $222.7 million decrease in the net loss. The majority of the decrease in net loss is attributable to improved market conditions, which has resulted in a $255.8 million improvement in adjusted operating income from the prior year. Results from 2022 included approximately $95.9 million in mark-to-market losses on warrants, which was offset by the absence of any impairments or purchase of technology, both of which negatively impacted 2021 by approximately $81.5 million.
General and administrative expenses in 2022 totaled $228.4 million, representing an increase of $14.9 million, or 7% from 2021. This is reflective of increases in workforce costs and general operating costs as market conditions have improved and operating levels have increased.
Research and engineering expenses in 2022 totaled $49.9 million, representing an increase of $14.8 million, or 42%, from 2021. This is primarily reflective of an increase in research and development activities, along with increased engineering support costs for the higher general operating activity levels, as market conditions have improved.
Depreciation and amortization expense in 2022 was $665.1 million, representing a decrease of $28.3 million, or 4%, from 2021. The decrease is attributable to the combination of (a) a reduction in depreciation as a result of the many assets that have recently reached the end of their useful lives, (b) limited capital expenditures over recent years, and (c) the sale of Canada Drilling assets in July 2021.
Segment Results of Operations
Our business consists of five reportable segments: U.S. Drilling, Canada Drilling, International Drilling, Drilling Solutions and Rig Technologies.
Management evaluates the performance of our reportable segments using adjusted operating income (loss), which is our segment performance measure, because we believe that this financial measure reflects our ongoing profitability and performance. In addition, securities analysts and investors use this measure as one of the metrics on which they analyze our performance. Adjusted operating income (loss) represents income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes, interest expense, earnings (losses) from unconsolidated affiliates, investment income (loss), (gain)/loss on debt buybacks and exchanges, impairments and other charges and other, net. A reconciliation of adjusted operating income to net income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes can be found in Note 18—Segment Information in Part II, Item 8.—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data.
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The following tables set forth certain information with respect to our reportable segments and rig activity:
Year Ended December 31, Increase/(Decrease)
(In thousands, except percentages and rig activity)
U.S. Drilling
Canada Drilling
Adjusted operating income (loss) (1) $ 13 $ 2,893 $ (2,880) (100) %
Average rigs working (2) — 6.5 (6.5) (100) %
International Drilling
Average rigs working (2) 74.2 67.9 6.3 9 %
Drilling Solutions
Rig Technologies
U.S. Drilling
Operating revenues increased by $431.0 million or 64% in 2022 compared to 2021. This increase was due to a 37% increase in the average rigs working, reflecting increased drilling activity as market conditions and demand for our drilling services have rebounded and increased since the prior year. The increase is also attributable to an increase in day rates, as pricing for our services has improved during 2022.
Canada Drilling
We had no operating revenues in Canada Drilling in 2022 due to the sale of the Canada Drilling assets in July 2021. In 2021, Canada Drilling revenues were $39.3 million.
International Drilling
Operating revenues increased by $156.1 million or 15% in 2022 compared to 2021. This increase was due to a 9% increase in the average rigs working, reflecting increased drilling activity as market conditions and demand for our drilling services have rebounded and increased since the prior year. The increase is also partially attributable to an increase in day rates, as pricing for our services has improved.
Drilling Solutions
Operating revenues increased by $70.9 million or 41% in 2022 compared to 2021 as market conditions and demand for our services have rebounded and drilling activity has increased since the prior year.
Rig Technologies
Operating revenues increased by $45.9 million or 31% in 2022 compared to 2021 as market conditions and demand for our services have improved since the prior year.
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Other Financial Information
Interest expense
Interest expense for 2022 was $177.9 million, representing an increase of $6.4 million, or 4%, compared to 2021. The increase was primarily due to the issuance in November 2021 of $700 million in 7.375% senior priority guaranteed notes due May 2027, partially offset by a reduction of over $400 million to our overall debt levels since December 31, 2020.
Gain on debt buybacks and exchanges
Gain on debt buybacks and exchanges in 2022 was $4.6 million, representing a decrease of $8.8 million compared to 2021. The decrease is primarily attributable to fewer open market purchases of debt in 2022, as the debt discount levels have reduced.
Impairments and other charges
During the year ended December 31, 2021, we recognized impairments and other charges of approximately $66.7 million. The charges was primarily due to $58.5 million of impairments recognized in 2021 attributable to the sale of our Canada drilling assets. Also, we recognized $6.2 million in severance and transaction related costs in 2021 as the company was responding to the challenging industry environment.
Other, net
Other, net for the year ended December 31, 2022 was a loss of $131.7 million, compared to $53.4 million of loss during 2021. The increase was primarily due to an additional $101.0 million of loss recognized in 2022 related to common stock warrant valuation (see Note 12 — Shareholders’ Equity in Part II, Item 8.—Financial Statements and Supplementary Data for discussion of the common stock warrants). This was offset by a decrease of $16.5 million in losses from sales and retirements of assets recognized between 2021 and 2022.
Income taxes
Our worldwide income tax expense for 2022 was $61.5 million compared to $55.6 million for 2021. The increase in tax expense was primarily attributable to changes in the operating income and the geographic mix of our pre-tax earnings (losses) in the jurisdictions in which we operate, partially offset by tax expense recorded in 2021 attributable to a liability for uncertain tax positions of $26.3 million.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Financial Condition and Sources of Liquidity
Our primary sources of liquidity are cash and investments, availability under the 2022 Credit Agreement and cash generated from operations. As of December 31, 2022, we had cash and short-term investments of $452.3 million and working capital of $404.2 million. As of December 31, 2021, we had cash and short-term investments of $991.5 million and working capital of $1.0 billion.
At December 31, 2022, we had no borrowings outstanding under the 2022 Credit Agreement, which has a total borrowing capacity of $350.0 million.
The 2022 Credit Agreement requires us to maintain an interest coverage ratio (EBITDA/interest expense), which increases on a quarterly basis, and a minimum guarantor value, requiring the guarantors (other than the Company) and their subsidiaries to own at least 90% of the consolidated property, plant and equipment of the Company. Additionally, the Company is subject to certain covenants (which are subject to certain exceptions) and include, among others, (a) a covenant restricting our ability to incur liens (subject to the additional liens basket of up to $150.0 million), (b) a covenant restricting our ability to pay dividends or make other distributions with respect to its capital stock and to repurchase certain indebtedness, and (c) a covenant restricting the ability of the Company’s subsidiaries to incur debt
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(subject to the grower basket of up to $100.0 million). We had $66.2 million of letters of credit outstanding under the 2022 Credit Agreement.
As of the date of this report, we were in compliance with all covenants under the 2022 Credit Agreement. If we fail to perform our obligations under the covenants, the revolving credit commitments under the 2022 Credit Agreement could be terminated, and any outstanding borrowings under the facilities could be declared immediately due and payable. If necessary, we have the ability to manage our covenant compliance by taking certain actions including reductions in discretionary capital or other types of controllable expenditures, monetization of assets, amending or renegotiating the revolving credit agreement, accessing capital markets through a variety of alternative methods, or any combination of these alternatives. We expect to remain in compliance with all covenants under the 2022 Credit Agreement during the twelve month period following the date of this report based on our current operational and financial projections. However, we can make no assurance of continued compliance if our current projections or material underlying assumptions prove to be incorrect. If we fail to comply with the covenants, the revolving credit commitment could be terminated, and any outstanding borrowings under the facility could be declared immediately due and payable.
Our ability to access capital markets or to otherwise obtain sufficient financing may be affected by our senior unsecured debt ratings as provided by the major credit rating agencies in the United States and our historical ability to access these markets as needed. While there can be no assurances that we will be able to access these markets in the future, we believe that we will be able to access capital markets or otherwise obtain financing in order to satisfy any payment obligation that might arise upon maturity, exchange or purchase of our notes and our debt facilities, loss of availability of our revolving credit facilities and our A/R Agreements (see—Accounts Receivable Purchase and Sales Agreements, below), and that any cash payment due, in addition to our other cash obligations, would not ultimately have a material adverse impact on our liquidity or financial position. The major U.S. credit rating agencies have previously downgraded our senior unsecured debt rating to non-investment grade. These and any further ratings downgrades could adversely impact our ability to access debt markets in the future, increase the cost of future debt, and potentially require us to post letters of credit for certain obligations.See Part I, Item 1A.—Risk Factors—A downgrade in our credit rating could negatively impact our cost of and ability to access capital markets or other financing sources.
We had 18 letter-of-credit facilities with various banks outstanding as of December 31, 2022. Availability under these facilities was as follows:
December 31,
(In thousands)
Remaining availability $ 515,471
We are a holding company and therefore rely exclusively on repayments of interest and principal on intercompany loans that we have made to our operating subsidiaries and income from dividends and other cash flows from our operating subsidiaries. There can be no assurance that our operating subsidiaries will generate sufficient net income to pay us dividends or sufficient cash flows to make payments of interest and principal to us. See Part I., Item 1A.—Risk Factors—As a holding company, we depend on our operating subsidiaries and investments to meet our financial obligations.
Accounts Receivable Purchase and Sales Agreements
On September 13, 2019, we entered into an accounts receivables sales agreement (the “A/R Sales Agreement”) and an accounts receivables purchase agreement (the “A/R Purchase Agreement” and, together with the A/R Sales Agreement, the “A/R Agreements”), whereby the originators, all of whom are our subsidiaries, sold or contributed, and will on an ongoing basis continue to sell or contribute, certain of their domestic trade accounts receivables to a wholly-owned, bankruptcy-remote special purpose entity (“SPE”). The SPE in turn, sells, transfers, conveys and assigns to third-party financial institutions (“Purchasers”), all the rights, title and interest in and to its pool of eligible receivables.
On July 13, 2021, we entered into the First Amendment to the A/R Purchase Agreement which, among other things, reduced the commitments of the third-party financial institutions (the “Purchasers”) from $250 million to $150 million.
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