The revolving credit facility requires maintenance of a financial leverage ratio, measured as of the last day of each of our fiscal quarters, of 3.50 or less. The leverage ratio is the ratio of (a) interest-bearing debt minus unrestricted cash in excess of $50.0 million (but not exceeding $500.0 million) to (b) earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, adjusted for non-cash stock-based compensation and non-cash charges or gains that are non-recurring in nature, subject to certain limitations (“Adjusted EBITDA”). The leverage ratio is permitted to increase from 3.50 to 3.75 for the four consecutive fiscal quarters after certain material acquisitions.
The revolving credit facility also contains customary affirmative and negative covenants or credit facilities of this type, including, among others, limitations on us and our subsidiaries with respect to indebtedness, liens, mergers and acquisitions, investments, dispositions of assets, restricted payments, transactions with affiliates, and prepayments of indebtedness. The revolving credit facility also provides for the acceleration of the obligations thereunder and the exercise of other enforcement remedies upon the occurrence of customary events of default (subject to customary grace periods, as applicable).
As of September 28, 2024, we were in compliance with all covenants related to these debt agreements.
The calculations of Adjusted EBITDA and the leverage ratio are presented in “Selected Financial Measures”.
Cash Uses
Our principal cash requirements include working capital, capital expenditures, payments of principal and interest on our debt, payments of taxes, contributions to the pension plan, and, if market conditions warrant, occasional investments in, or acquisitions of, business ventures. In addition, we regularly evaluate our ability to pay dividends or repurchase stock, all consistent with the terms of our debt agreements.
Our businesses are cyclical, but we have diversity in our markets from a product, customer, and geographical standpoint. We have demonstrated the ability to effectively manage through business cycles and maintain liquidity. We have consistently generated operating cash flows in excess of our capital expenditures. Based on our available credit facilities, our senior unsecured notes, and our history of positive operational cash flows, we believe that we have adequate liquidity to meet our needs for fiscal 2024 and beyond.
We had cash balances of $200.5 million as of September 28, 2024 with approximately $155.8 million held in our non-U.S. subsidiaries. If we distributed our foreign cash balances, certain taxes would be applicable. As of September 28, 2024, we had a liability for foreign withholding taxes and U.S. state income taxes of $1.7 million and $0.6 million, respectively.
Cash Flows
The following table includes a summary of our cash flow information for the thirty-nine weeks ended September 28, 2024 and September 30, 2023:
| | | | | | |
| | Thirty-nine weeks ended |
| | September 28, | | September 30, |
Dollars in thousands | | 2024 | | 2023 |
Net cash flows from operating activities | | $ | 379,264 | | $ | 190,868 |
Net cash flows from investing activities | | | (55,099) | | | (89,266) |
Net cash flows from financing activities | | | (325,877) | | | (111,491) |
Operating Cash Flows and Working Capital – Cash provided by operating activities totaled $379.3 million in the first three quarters of fiscal 2024, as compared to $190.9 million in the same period of fiscal 2023. The change in operating cash flows was primarily the result of favorable changes in working capital mainly driven by increased customer receipts including a $69.0 million order down payment received in the third quarter of fiscal 2024. This was partially offset by severance payments related to the Realignment Program totaling $11.8 million in the first three quarters of fiscal 2024.
Investing Cash Flows – Cash used in investing activities totaled $55.1 million in the first three quarters of fiscal 2024, as compared to $89.3 million in the same period of fiscal 2023. Investing activities in the first three quarters of fiscal 2024 primarily included capital spending of $53.8 million. Investing activities in the first three quarters of fiscal 2023 primarily included capital spending of $71.2 million and the acquisition of HR Products, net of cash acquired, of $31.8 million, partially offset by proceeds from a divestiture, net of cash divested, of $6.4 million and proceeds from property