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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

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Item 7A. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

Our primary exposures to market risks are related to changes in interest rates, which may adversely affect our results of operations and financial position. We seek to manage exposure to changes in interest rates where economically prudent to do so by utilizing fixed rate debt. As of December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 we had no interest rate swaps.

Interest Rate Risk

Our interest rate risk as of December 31, 2024 relates primarily to the impact of interest rate movements on the following:

  • the potential refinancing of our $24.1 billion in existing debt, compared to $22.9 billion as of December 31, 2023;

  • our $2.5 billion of floating rate debt, compared to $1.8 billion as of December 31, 2023, representing approximately 10% and 8% of total debt respectively; potential future borrowings of incremental debt, including borrowings under our 2016 Credit Facility and issuances under our CP Program; and

  • potential future borrowings of incremental debt, including borrowings under our 2016 Credit Facility and issuances under our CP Program.

From March 2022 until recently, the Federal Reserve repeatedly raised the federal funds rate, which adversely impacted the interest rates on our variable rate debt and refinancings of fixed rate debt. Recently, the Federal Reserve has started to loosen its monetary policy by lowering the federal funds rate; however, any prolonged period of elevated interest rates or further increases to interest rates could increase our costs of borrowing. See also "Item 1a. Risk Factors" for a further discussion of risks stemming from interest rate increases.

Sensitivity Analysis. We manage our exposure to market interest rates on our existing debt by controlling the mix of fixed and floating rate debt. As of December 31, 2024, we had $2.5 billion of floating rate debt. A hypothetical unfavorable fluctuation in market interest rates on our existing floating rate debt of 1/4 of a percent point over a 12-month period would increase our interest expense by approximately $6 million.

Potential Future Borrowings of Incremental Debt. We typically do not hedge our exposure to interest rates on potential future borrowings of incremental debt for a substantial period prior to issuance. See "Item 7. MD&A—Liquidity and Capital Resources" regarding our liquidity strategy.

Potential Refinancing of Existing Debt. Our contractual debt maturities over the next 12 months consist of Commercial Paper Notes that may be outstanding from time to time, the 1.350% Senior Notes and principal payments on certain outstanding debt. We currently expect to refinance the Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2015-2 on or prior to the anticipated repayment date of May 15, 2025. See below for additional discussion as well as a tabular presentation of our scheduled contractual debt maturities as of December 31, 2024.

Future Principal Payments and Interest Rates

The following table provides information about our market risk related to changes in interest rates. The future principal payments and weighted-average interest rates are presented as of December 31, 2024. These debt maturities reflect final maturity dates, and do not consider the impact of the principal payments that will commence following the anticipated repayment dates of certain debt (see footnotes (b) and (d)). The information presented below regarding the variable rate debt is supplementary to our sensitivity analysis regarding the impact of changes in the interest rates. See note 7 to our consolidated financial statements for additional information regarding our debt.

Future Principal Payments and Interest Rates by the Debt Instruments' Contractual Year of Maturity
(In millions of dollars)20252026202720282029ThereafterTotalFair Value**(a)**
Fixed rate debt(b)$550$2,696$2,292$2,635$2,478$11,130$21,781$19,940
Average interest rate(b)(c)(d)1.6%3.0%3.5%4.5%4.6%3.7%3.7%
Variable rate debt(e)$1,401(f)$91$966$—$—$—$2,458$2,458
Average interest rate(e)5.0%5.3%5.1%—%—%—%5.1%

(a)The fair value of our debt is based on indicative quotes, non-binding quotes from brokers that require judgment to interpret market information, including implied credit spreads for similar borrowings on recent trades or bid/ask offers. These fair values are not necessarily indicative of the amount, which could be realized in a current market exchange.

(b)The impact of principal payments that will commence following the anticipated repayment dates is not considered (see footnote (d) below). The Tower Revenue Notes, Series 2015-2 and Series 2018-2 have principal amounts of $700 million and $750 million, with anticipated repayment dates in 2025 and 2028, respectively.

(c)The average interest rate represents the weighted-average stated coupon rate (see also footnote (d)).

(d) If the Tower Revenue Notes are not repaid in full by the applicable anticipated repayment dates, the applicable interest rate increases by approximately 5% per annum and monthly principal payments commence using the Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the indenture governing the applicable Tower Revenue Notes) of the issuers of the Tower Revenue Notes. The Tower Revenue Notes are presented based on their contractual maturity dates ranging from 2045 to 2048 and include the impact of an assumed 5% increase in interest rate that would occur following the anticipated repayment dates but exclude the impact of monthly principal payments that would commence using Excess Cash Flow of the issuers of the Tower Revenue Notes. The full year 2024 Excess Cash Flow of the issuers of the Tower Revenue Notes was approximately $1.0 billion. We currently expect to refinance these notes on or prior to the respective anticipated repayment dates.

(e) Predominately consists of our senior unsecured term loan A facility ("2016 Term Loan A"), which matures in 2027. See note 7 to our consolidated financial statements for information regarding potential upward or downward adjustments to the interest rate spread and unused commitment fee percentage on our 2016 Credit Facility if we achieve specified annual sustainability targets or fail to meet annual sustainability thresholds. Each annual period presented assumes the downward adjustments in the interest rate spread and unused commitment fee percentage on our 2016 Credit Facility.

(f) Predominately consists of outstanding indebtedness under our CP Program. Such amounts may be issued, repaid or re-issued from time to time.

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