3M may request an increase of up to $500 million, bringing the total facility up to $2 billion (at the lenders’ discretion). This facility was undrawn at December 31, 2012. In August 2012, 3M entered into a $150 million, one-year committed letter of credit facility with HSBC Bank USA, which replaced the one-year $200 million committed credit facility that was entered into in August 2011. As of December 31, 2012, 3M letters of credit issued under this $150 million committed facility totaled $121 million. In December 2012, 3M entered into a three-year 66 million British Pound (approximately $106 million) committed credit agreement with JP Morgan Chase Bank, which is fully drawn as of December 31, 2012. Apart from the committed facilities, an additional $100 million in stand-alone letters of credit are also issued and outstanding at December 31, 2012. The Company also utilized $37 million in international lines of credit and $6 million in U.S. lines of credit with other banking partners as of December 31, 2012. These letters of credit are utilized in connection with normal business activities. Under both the $1.5 billion and $150 million credit agreements, the Company is required to maintain its EBITDA to Interest Ratio as of the end of each fiscal quarter at not less than 3.0 to 1. This is calculated (as defined in the agreement) as the ratio of consolidated total EBITDA for the four consecutive quarters then ended to total interest expense on all funded debt for the same period. At December 31, 2012, this ratio was approximately 45 to 1. Debt covenants do not restrict the payment of dividends.

 

The Company has a “well-known seasoned issuer” shelf registration statement, effective August 5, 2011, which registers an indeterminate amount of debt or equity securities for future sales. In September 2011, in connection with this August 5, 2011 shelf registration statement, 3M established a $3 billion medium-term notes program (Series F), from which 3M issued $1 billion aggregate principal amount of five-year fixed rate medium-term notes with a coupon rate of 1.375%. In June 2012, 3M issued $650 million aggregate principal amount of five-year fixed rate medium-notes due 2017 with a coupon rate of 1.000% and $600 million aggregate principal amount of ten-year fixed rate medium-term notes due 2022 with a coupon rate of 2.000%, which were both issued from this $3 billion medium-term notes program (Series F). The designated use of these proceeds is for general corporate purposes.

 

3M’s cash and cash equivalents balance at December 31, 2012 totaled $2.883 billion, with an additional $2.810 billion in current and long-term marketable securities. 3M’s strong balance sheet and liquidity provide the Company with significant flexibility to take advantage of numerous opportunities going forward. The Company will continue to invest in its operations to drive growth, including continual review of acquisition opportunities. 3M paid dividends of $1.635 billion in 2012, and has a long history of dividend increases. In February 2013, 3M’s Board of Directors increased the quarterly dividend on 3M common stock by 7.6 percent to 63.5 cents per share, equivalent