LONG-TERM DEBT |
8. LONG-TERM DEBT Long-term debt, presented net of unamortized discounts, consisted of the following: | | | | | | | | | | | June 30, | | December 31, | | | (In thousands) | | 2024 | | 2023 | | | Senior secured credit facility: | | | | | | | | | Term loans, net of discounts of $6,148 and $7,017 at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively | | $ | 993,727 | | $ | 992,858 | | | Revolving loans | | | 130,000 | | | — | | | 6.50% Senior notes due 2028 | | | 750,000 | | | 750,000 | | | 5.00% Senior notes due 2028 | | | 400,000 | | | 400,000 | | | Finance leases | | | 42,155 | | | 39,240 | | | | | | 2,315,882 | | | 2,182,098 | | | Less: current portion of long-term debt and finance leases | | | (20,601) | | | (18,425) | | | Less: deferred debt issuance costs | | | (26,618) | | | (28,757) | | | Total long-term debt | | $ | 2,268,663 | | $ | 2,134,916 | | |
Credit Agreement On October 2, 2020, the Company, through certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, entered into a Credit Agreement with various financial institutions (as amended, the “Credit Agreement”) to replace the Company’s previous credit agreement in its entirety. The Credit Agreement consisted of term loans in an original aggregate amount of $1,250.0 million (the “Term Loans”) and a revolving loan facility of $250.0 million. The Credit Agreement also includes an incremental loan facility which provides the ability to borrow, subject to certain terms and conditions, incremental loans in an aggregate amount of up to the greater of (a) $300.0 million plus (b) an amount which would not cause its senior secured leverage ratio not to exceed 3.70:1.00 (the “Incremental Facility”). Borrowings under the Credit Agreement are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries, subject to certain exceptions. The Term Loans have a maturity date of October 2, 2027 and bear interest at a rate of 3.50% plus Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) (subject to a 0.75% SOFR floor) plus a SOFR adjustment. As part of the replacement to SOFR-benchmark rates in 2023, borrowings will include an adjustment of 0.11%, 0.26% and 0.43% for borrowings of one, three and six month loans, respectively. On March 18, 2021, the Company repaid $397.0 million of the then outstanding Term Loans with the net proceeds received from the issuance of $400.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.00% senior secured notes due 2028 (the “5.00% Senior Notes”), as described below. The repayment of the Term Loans was applied to the remaining principal payments in direct order of maturity, thereby eliminating the required quarterly principal payments through the remaining term of the loan. The revolving credit facility has a maturity date of October 2, 2027 (subject to springing maturity on April 2, 2027 if the Term Loans, as of April 1, 2027, are scheduled to mature earlier than March 31, 2028) and an applicable margin (at our election) of 4.00% for SOFR-based borrowings or 3.00% for alternate base rate borrowings, with a 0.25% reduction in each case if the consolidated first lien leverage ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement, does not exceed 3.20 to 1.00. As of June 30, 2024, borrowings of $130.0 million were outstanding under our revolving credit facility. At December 31, 2023, there were no borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility. Stand-by letters of credit of $44.8 million were outstanding under our revolving credit facility as of June 30, 2024. The stand-by letters of credit are renewable annually and reduce the borrowing availability under the revolving credit facility. As of June 30, 2024, $75.2 million was available for borrowing under the revolving credit facility, subject to certain covenants. As allowed for under the credit agreement under permitted indebtedness, on March 29, 2024 and June 24, 2024, the Company entered into term sheets to facilitate loans of up to an aggregate amount of $140.0 million, contingent upon satisfaction of certain conditions including a successful fund raising by the lender. The weighted-average interest rate on outstanding borrowings under our credit facility was 9.00% and 8.96% as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. Interest is payable at least quarterly. Credit Agreement Covenant Compliance The Credit Agreement contains various provisions and covenants, including, among other items, restrictions on the ability to pay dividends, incur additional indebtedness, and issue certain capital stock. We have agreed to maintain certain financial ratios, including a maximum consolidated first lien leverage ratio, as defined in the Credit Agreement. Among other things, it will be an event of default, with respect to the revolving credit facility only, if our consolidated first lien leverage ratio is greater than 7.75:1.00 as of the end of any fiscal quarter, if on such date the testing threshold is met. The testing threshold is met if the aggregate amount of our borrowings outstanding under the revolving credit facility exceeds 35%. As of June 30, 2024, the testing threshold was met and our consolidated first lien leverage ratio under the Credit Agreement was below 7.75:1.00. As of June 30, 2024, we were in compliance with the Credit Agreement covenants. On October 15, 2023, the Company entered into Amendment No. 5 to the Credit Agreement (the “Fifth Amendment”) to, among other things, increase the maximum consolidated first lien leverage ratio (the “Step-Up”) permitted under the Credit Agreement to (i) 7.75 to 1.00, from October 15, 2023 to and including December 31, 2024, (ii) 7.50 to 1.00, from and including January 1, 2025 to and including March 31, 2025, (iii) 7.25 to 1.00, from and including April 1, 2025 to and including June 30, 2025, (iv) 7.00 to 1.00, from and including July 1, 2025 to and including September 30, 2025, (v) 6.75 to 1.00 from and including October 1, 2025 to and including December 31, 2025, (vi) 6.50 to 1.00, from and including January 1, 2026 to and including March 31, 2026, (vii) 6.25 to 1.00, from and including April 1, 2026 to and including June 30, 2026, (viii) 6.00 to 1.00, from and including July 1, 2026 to and including September 30, 2026, and (ix) 5.85 to 1.00 from and including October 1, 2026 and thereafter (the “Step-Up Period”). While the Step-Up is in effect, the Company will be subject to additional restrictions on its ability to make certain investments and restricted payments (the “Restrictions”). The Step-Up Period and the Restrictions will end and the maximum Consolidated First Lien Leverage Ratio will revert to the levels set forth in the Credit Agreement on the earlier of (a) the Company’s election and (b) August 1, 2025, to the extent $300.0 million in cash proceeds have not been received by the Company from equity contributed to its capital by such date. If the proposed Merger is not completed by August 1, 2025, the increase in the maximum consolidated first lien leverage ratio as permitted in the Fifth Amendment to the Credit Agreement to provide interim financial covenant relief will end and the maximum consolidated first lien leverage ratio will revert to 5.85 to 1.00. Searchlight Term Loan On March 21, 2024, the Company, through certain of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, and Searchlight, as lender entered into a Term Loan Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”), which consists of delayed draw term loans in the aggregate amount of $80.0 million (the “Loan”). The Loan Agreement provides us with the ability to borrow on the Loan in the event either (a) the aggregate amount of available loans to be drawn under the revolving credit facility is less than $25.0 million or (b) drawing under the revolving credit facility would trigger the financial maintenance covenant thereunder and we would not be in compliance with such covenant on a pro forma basis, in each case subject to the satisfaction of certain other customary conditions. In the event the Loan is ever drawn, we intend to apply the proceeds from the Loan to directly or indirectly fund capital expenditures for our fiber broadband expansion plan. The Loan Agreement is unsecured and the Loan will mature on April 2, 2027. Drawn amounts on the Loan bear interest at a rate per annum equal to an applicable rate ranging from 12.0% per annum, which applies prior to the date that is 18 months after the initial borrowing date (unless the Merger Agreement is terminated pursuant to the Company’s breach thereof), to the amount required for Searchlight to realize a multiple on invested capital of 1.75x on the Loan, which applies on and after the earlier of (i) the date that the Merger Agreement is terminated pursuant to the Company’s breach thereof and (ii) the date that is 18 months after the initial borrowing date. The Loan Agreement contains various affirmative, negative, and financial covenants consistent with the Company’s existing credit agreement. The Loan Agreement requires, in the event the Merger Agreement is terminated and any amounts in respect of the Loan remain outstanding, for the Company to maintain a maximum consolidated first lien leverage ratio. The Loan Agreement also contains customary events of default, including, but not limited to, nonpayment, material inaccuracy of representations and warranties, violations of covenants, nonpayment of other material debts, certain bankruptcy and liquidations, certain material judgments, and certain events related to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. Senior Notes On October 2, 2020, we completed an offering of $750.0 million aggregate principal amount of 6.50% unsubordinated secured notes due 2028 (the “6.50% Senior Notes”). The 6.50% Senior Notes were priced at par and bear interest at a rate of 6.50%, payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 of each year. The 6.50% Senior Notes mature on October 1, 2028. On March 18, 2021, we issued $400.0 million aggregate principal amount 5.00% Senior Notes, together with the 6.50% Senior Notes (the “Senior Notes”). The 5.00% Senior Notes were priced at par and bear interest at a rate of 5.00% per year, payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1 of each year, beginning on October 1, 2021. The 5.00% Senior Notes mature on October 1, 2028. The net proceeds from the issuance of the 5.00% Senior Notes were used to repay $397.0 million of the Term Loans outstanding under the Credit Agreement. The Senior Notes are unsubordinated secured obligations of the Company, secured by a first priority lien on the collateral that secures the Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement. The Senior Notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a first priority secured basis by the Company and the majority of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. The offerings of the Senior Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended or any state securities laws. Senior Notes Covenant Compliance Subject to certain exceptions and qualifications, the indentures governing the Senior Notes contain customary covenants that, among other things, limits the Company and its restricted subsidiaries’ ability to: incur additional debt or issue certain preferred stock; pay dividends or make other distributions on capital stock or prepay subordinated indebtedness; purchase or redeem any equity interests; make investments; create liens; sell assets; enter into agreements that restrict dividends or other payments by restricted subsidiaries; consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of its assets; engage in transactions with its affiliates; or enter into any sale and leaseback transactions. The indentures also contain customary events of default. As of June 30, 2024, the Company was in compliance with all terms, conditions and covenants under the indentures governing the Senior Notes.
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