Lumen Technologies and its subsidiary Qwest Corporation launched exchange offers for two long-dated debt issues totaling $1.64 billion, while also seeking consent to amend the underlying indentures and remove the old notes from the New York Stock Exchange.
The exchange covers $977.5 million of Qwest’s 6.5% notes due 2056 and $660 million of its 6.75% notes due 2057. In both cases, holders who tender by the early participation date of May 8, 2026, will receive $25 principal amount of new notes for each $25 principal amount tendered, plus a $0.75 early participation premium and a $0.0625 cash early consent fee. Holders who tender after May 8 but before the May 26 expiration date will receive $24.25 principal amount of new notes per $25 tendered, with no premium or consent fee.
The consent solicitation is aimed at amending the old Qwest indentures. To approve the changes for either series, Qwest needs consents from holders of a majority of the outstanding principal amount of that series. Tendering holders are automatically deemed to have consented. The company said the consent threshold is not a condition to completing the exchange offers.
Qwest will also pay a $0.03 soliciting dealer fee per $25 principal amount to retail brokers on qualifying tenders by holders with $250,000 or less of principal.
The new notes will carry the same coupon and maturity as the old notes they replace: 6.500% notes due 2056 and 6.750% notes due 2057. Lumen said it has applied to list the new notes on the NYSE. At the same time, it plans to file for removal of the old notes from listing on or about April 30, 2026, with delisting expected to take effect around May 11, 2026.
If all conditions are met, the exchange offers expire at 5 p.m. ET on May 26, 2026, with the early participation window closing at 5 p.m. ET on May 8, 2026. Today the company's shares have moved -3.01% to a price of $6.76. Check out the company's full 8-K submission here.
