Tupperware signed a Euro-CP shelf yesterday, October 26. Goldman Sachs is the arranger and only dealer. The US manufacturer famous for selling its plastic lunch boxes at parties, already has a domestic US CP facility. The US and the Euro-CP programmes have a combined debt limit of $300 million. This is due to the issuer's single back-up facility whereby $300 million is the limit agreed by the rating agencies. Eighty-five percent of Tupperware's sales are outside the US. The Euro-CP shelf can raise debt in euros, Swiss francs, yen and dollar. The issuer previously raised debt in US dollar and then swapped out into the required currency, but FASB rule 133 will change accountancy rules in January 2001. Many US borrowers will not be able to hedge their investments by swapping out and for some US issuers with only domestic US debt instruments, it is necessary to set up a Euro facility. It is the ninth US corporate to sign a Euro-CP programme this year. It is rated A-2 by Standard & Poor's and P-2 by Moody's.
October 27, 2000