At April 4, 2021, total debt was $3,243.3 million, compared with total debt of $778.5 million at January 3, 2021. The debt balance at April 4, 2021, includes the debt incurred to fund the cash portion of the consideration for the FLIR acquisition. At April 4, 2021, $125.0 million was outstanding under the $750.0 million credit facility with available borrowing capacity under the facility, which is reduced by borrowings and certain outstanding letters of credit, of $616.0 million.
Income Taxes
The effective tax rate for the first quarter of 2021 was 16.4% compared with 18.6%. The first quarter of 2021 reflected net discrete income tax benefits of $6.3 million, which included a $4.8 million income tax benefit related to share-based accounting. The first quarter of 2020 reflected net discrete income tax benefits of $4.2 million which included $4.7 million in income tax benefit related to share-based accounting. Excluding the net discrete income tax benefits in both periods, the effective tax rates would have been 22.6% for the first quarter of 2021 compared with 22.8%.
Other
Stock option expense was $4.2 million for the first quarter of 2021 compared with $7.4 million. Stock option expense for fiscal year 2021 is currently expected to be $20.8 million based on current options outstanding and stock options expected to be granted in the third quarter of 2021, compared with $24.7 million for fiscal year 2020. The decrease in stock option expense in the first quarter of 2021, reflects the absence of stock option grants in the first quarter of 2021. Non-service retirement benefit income was $2.8 million for the first quarter of 2021, compared with $2.5 million. Interest expense, net of interest income, increased to $35.7 million for the first quarter of 2021 compared with $4.1 million. The higher 2021 amount included $33.1 million in interest and debt expense in connection with the pending FLIR acquisition. Corporate expense increased to $19.4 million for the first quarter of 2021, compared with $15.4 million. The higher 2021 amount included $5.9 million of transaction costs related to the pending FLIR acquisition.
Outlook
Based on its current outlook, the company’s management believes that second quarter 2021 adjusted diluted earnings per share will be in the range of $2.85 to $2.95 and full year 2021 adjusted diluted earnings per share will be in the range of $12.00 to $12.20. This outlook does not reflect the pending acquisition of FLIR and related transaction and financing costs, which cannot be estimated at this time, but are expected to be significant, and the issuance of Teledyne common stock in the transaction as contemplated by the definitive merger agreement. The total year 2021 adjusted diluted earnings per share outlook is an increase from the prior outlook of $11.25 to $11.45. The company’s annual expected tax rate for 2021 is 22.6%, before discrete tax items. In addition, we currently expect less discrete tax items in 2021 compared with 2020.
Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
We report our financial results in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”). We supplement the reporting of our financial results determined under GAAP with certain non-GAAP financial measures. The non-GAAP financial measures presented provides management, analysts, and investors with additional useful information in evaluating the performance of the company. The non-GAAP financial measures should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. Further details on reasons that we use non-GAAP financial measures, a reconciliation of these measures to the most directly comparable GAAP measures, and other information relating to these measures are included following our GAAP financial statements.
Forward-Looking Statements Cautionary Notice
This earnings release contains forward-looking statements, as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, with respect to management’s beliefs about the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Teledyne in the future. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, are based on the current expectations of the management of Teledyne and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances.
The forward-looking statements contained herein may include statements about the expected effects on Teledyne of the proposed acquisition of FLIR and related financing, the anticipated timing and scope of the proposed transaction, anticipated earnings enhancements, estimated cost savings and other synergies related to the proposed transaction, costs to be incurred in achieving synergies, anticipated capital expenditures and product developments, and other strategic options. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “projects”, “intends”, “expects”, “anticipates”, “targets”, “estimates”, “will” and words of similar import that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. All statements made in this communication that are not historical in nature should be considered forward-looking. By its nature, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance or results and involves risks and uncertainties because it relates to events and depends on circumstances that will occur in the future.
Actual results could differ materially from these forward-looking statements. Many factors could change anticipated results, including ongoing challenges and uncertainties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic for businesses and governments around the world; the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the right of Teledyne or FLIR or both to terminate the Merger Agreement; the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against Teledyne or FLIR in connection with the Merger Agreement; the failure to obtain necessary regulatory approvals (and the risk that such approvals may result in the imposition of conditions that could adversely affect the combined company or the expected benefits of the transaction) or stockholder approvals or to satisfy any of the other conditions to the proposed transaction on a timely basis or at all; the inability to complete the acquisition and integration of FLIR successfully, to retain customers and key employees and to achieve operating synergies, including the possibility that the anticipated benefits of the proposed transaction are not realized when expected or at all, including as a result of the impact of, or problems arising from, the integration of the two companies or as a result of the strength of the economy and competitive factors in the areas where Teledyne and FLIR do business; the possibility that the proposed transaction may be more expensive to complete than anticipated, including as a result of unexpected factors or events; the parties’ ability to meet expectations regarding the timing, completion and accounting and tax treatments of the proposed transaction; dilution related to the issuance of Teledyne stock in the acquisition to the holders of FLIR stock, which will result in Teledyne stockholders having lower ownership and voting interests in Teledyne than they currently have and exercising less influence over management; changes in relevant tax and other laws; the inability to develop and market new competitive products; inherent uncertainties involved in the estimates and judgments used in the preparation of financial statements and the providing of estimates of financial measures, in accordance with U.S. GAAP and related standards; operating results of FLIR being lower than anticipated; disruptions in the global economy; the spread of the COVID-19 virus resulting in production, supply, contractual and other disruptions, including facility closures and furloughs and travel restrictions; customer and supplier bankruptcies; changes in demand for products sold to the defense electronics, instrumentation, digital imaging, energy exploration and production, commercial aviation, semiconductor and communications markets; funding, continuation and award of government programs; cuts to defense spending resulting from existing and future deficit reduction measures or changes to U.S. and foreign government spending and budget priorities triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic; impacts from the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union; uncertainties related to the policies of the new U.S. Presidential Administration; the imposition and expansion of, and responses to, trade sanctions and tariffs; escalating economic and diplomatic tension between China and the United States; and threats to the security of our confidential and proprietary information, including cyber security threats. Lower oil and natural gas prices, as well as instability in the Middle East or other oil producing regions, and new regulations or restrictions relating to energy production, including with respect to hydraulic fracturing, could further negatively affect our businesses that supply the oil and gas industry. Continued weakness in the commercial aerospace industry will negatively affect the markets of our commercial aviation businesses. In addition, financial market fluctuations affect the value of the company’s pension assets.
Changes in the policies of U.S. and foreign governments, including economic sanctions, could result, over time, in reductions or realignment in defense or other government spending and further changes in programs in which the company participates.
Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described above can be found in Teledyne’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 3, 2021, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, all of which are on file with the SEC and available in the “Investors” section of Teledyne’s website, teledyne.com, under the heading “Investor Information” and in other documents Teledyne files with the SEC, and in FLIR’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, all of which are on file with the SEC and available on the “Investor Relations” page of FLIR’s website, flir.com, under the heading “Filings and Financials” and in other documents FLIR files with the SEC.
