Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt

v3.21.1
Debt
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Debt  
Debt

(7) Debt

Debt is summarized as follows:

    

Outstanding

    

    

    

    

 

principal

Carrying value

 

March 31,

March 31,

December 31,

 

        

2021

    

2021

        

2020

 

 

amounts in thousands

Margin Loan Facility

$

2,000,000

 

2,000,000

 

2,000,000

2.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2050

 

575,000

 

588,064

 

608,804

1.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2050

825,000

811,536

836,971

1.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046

14,536

24,741

26,350

Senior notes

 

600,000

 

634,697

 

635,683

Senior credit facility

 

523,000

 

523,000

 

704,000

Wells Fargo note payable

 

6,273

 

6,273

 

6,442

Deferred financing costs

 

 

(1,714)

 

(2,017)

Total debt

$

4,543,809

 

4,586,597

 

4,816,233

Debt classified as current

 

 

(29,425)

 

(31,026)

Total long-term debt

$

4,557,172

 

4,785,207

Margin Loan Facility

On August 12, 2020, a bankruptcy remote wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“SPV”), entered into Amendment No. 3 to its multi-draw margin loan credit facility and Amendment No. 2 to its Collateral Account Control Agreement (the “Third Amendment”), which amends SPV’s margin loan agreement, dated as of August 31, 2017 (as amended by Amendment No. 1 to Margin Loan Agreement, dated as of August 24, 2018, and as further amended by Amendment No. 2 to Margin Loan Agreement and Amendment No. 1 to Collateral Account Control Agreement, dated August 19, 2019, the

“Existing Margin Loan Agreement”; the Existing Margin Loan Agreement, as amended by the Third Amendment, the “Margin Loan Agreement”), with Wilmington Trust, National Association, as the administrative agent, BNP Paribas, as the calculation agent, and the lenders party thereto.  The Margin Loan Agreement provides for, among other things, a multi-draw term loan credit facility (the “Margin Loan Facility”) in an aggregate principal amount of up to $2.3 billion, including the Incremental Facility (as defined below).  SPV’s obligations under the Margin Loan Facility are secured by first priority liens on the shares of Charter owned by SPV.

SPV drew down an additional $25 million on July 31, 2020 and an additional $100 million on August 20, 2020 on the Margin Loan Facility.  Upon the completion of the Combination on December 18, 2020, SPV borrowed an additional $1.3 billion on the Margin Loan Facility in order to repay an existing margin loan at GCI Liberty (the “Incremental Facility”).  Outstanding borrowings under the Margin Loan Facility were $2.0 billion at both March 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020. As of March 31, 2021, SPV was permitted to borrow an additional $300.0 million, subject to certain funding conditions, which may be drawn through August 12, 2021. The maturity date of the loans under the Margin Loan Agreement is August 24, 2022 (except for any additional loans incurred thereunder to the extent SPV and the incremental lenders agree to a later maturity date). Prior to the completion of the Combination, borrowings under the Margin Loan Agreement bore interest at the three-month LIBOR rate plus a per annum spread of 1.5%, which increased to a per annum spread of 1.85% from and after the completion of the Combination. The Margin Loan Agreement also provides for customary LIBOR replacement provisions.

The Margin Loan Agreement contains various affirmative and negative covenants that restrict the activities of the SPV (and, in some cases, the Company and its subsidiaries with respect to shares of Charter owned by the Company and its subsidiaries). The Margin Loan Agreement does not include any financial covenants.  The Margin Loan Agreement also contains restrictions related to additional indebtedness and events of default customary for margin loans of this type.

SPV’s obligations under the Margin Loan Agreement are secured by first priority liens on a portion of the Company’s ownership interest in Charter, sufficient for SPV to meet the loan to value requirements under the Margin Loan Agreement. The Margin Loan Agreement indicates that no lender party shall have any voting rights with respect to the shares transferred, except to the extent that a lender party buys any shares in a sale or other disposition made pursuant to the terms of the loan agreements. As of March 31, 2021, 12.3 million shares of Charter with a value of $7.6 billion were pledged as collateral pursuant to the Margin Loan Agreement.

Exchangeable Senior Debentures

The Company has elected to account for all of its exchangeable senior debentures at fair value in its condensed consolidated financial statements.  Accordingly, changes in the fair value of these instruments are recognized in unrealized gains (losses) in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.  See note 4 for information related to unrealized gains (losses) on debt measured at fair value.  As of March 31, 2021, a holder of the Company’s 2.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2050 (the “2.75% Debentures”) or a holder of the Company’s 1.25% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2050 (the “1.25% Debentures) does not have the ability to exchange and, accordingly, the 2.75% Debentures and 1.25% Debentures are classified as long-term debt in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.  As of March 31, 2021, the holders of the 1.75% exchangeable senior debentures due 2046 (the “1.75% Debentures), which were issued by GCI Liberty and assumed in connection with the closing of the Combination, will have the ability to exchange their debentures for the period from April 1, 2021 through June 30, 2021 given that the trading value of the reference shares exceeded 130% of the par value for twenty of the last thirty trading days in the fourth quarter of 2020.  Given the holders’ ability to exchange the debentures within a one-year period from the balance sheet date and the Company’s option to settle any exchange in cash, shares of Charter Class A common stock, or a combination of cash and shares of Charter Class A common stock, the 1.75% Debentures have been classified as current within the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of March 31, 2021. The Company reviews the terms of all the debentures on a quarterly basis to determine whether an event has occurred to require current classification on the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

Senior Notes

In connection with the closing of the Combination on December 18, 2020, GCI, LLC became an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.  GCI, LLC is the issuer of $600.0 million 4.75% senior notes due 2028 (the “Senior Notes”).  The Senior Notes were issued by GCI, LLC on October 7, 2020 and are unsecured.  Interest on the Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears. The Senior Notes are redeemable at the Company’s option, in whole or in part, at a redemption price defined in the respective indentures, and accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption. The Senior Notes are stated net of an aggregate unamortized premium of $34.7 million at March 31, 2021. Such premium is being amortized to interest expense in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Senior Credit Facility

In connection with the closing of the Combination on December 18, 2020, GCI, LLC became an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.  GCI, LLC is the borrower under the Senior Credit Facility (as defined below).

On October 15, 2020, GCI, LLC entered into a Seventh Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Senior Credit Facility”), which includes a $550.0 million revolving credit facility, with a $25 million sub-limit for standby letters of credit, and a $400.0 million Term Loan B. The borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility bear interest at either the alternate base rate or LIBOR (based on an interest period selected by GCI, LLC of one month, two months, three months or six months) at the election of GCI, LLC in each case plus a margin. The revolving credit facility borrowings that are alternate base rate loans bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the alternate base rate plus a margin that varies between 0.50% and 1.75% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. The revolving credit facility borrowings that are LIBOR loans bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable LIBOR plus a margin that varies between 1.50% and 2.75% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. Term Loan B borrowings that are alternate base rate loans bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the alternate base rate plus a margin of 1.75%. Term Loan B borrowings that are LIBOR loans bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable LIBOR plus a margin of 2.75% with a LIBOR floor of 0.75%.

The borrowings under the revolving credit facility and the Term Loan B are scheduled to mature on October 15, 2025; provided that, if the Term Loan B is not refinanced or repaid in full prior to April 15, 2025, then the borrowings under the revolving credit facility will mature on April 15, 2025. Principal payments are due quarterly on the Term Loan B equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount. The loans are subject to customary mandatory prepayment provisions. Each loan may be prepaid at any time and from time to time without penalty other than customary breakage costs and, in the case of the Term Loan B, subject to a customary six month “soft call.” Any amounts prepaid on the revolving credit facility may be reborrowed.

GCI, LLC’s Senior Credit Facility Total Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Senior Credit Facility) may not exceed 6.50 to 1.00, the Secured Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Senior Credit Facility) may not exceed 4.50 to 1.00 and the First Lien Leverage Ratio (as defined in the Senior Credit Facility) may not exceed 4.00 to 1.00.

The terms of the Senior Credit Facility include customary representations and warranties, customary affirmative and negative covenants and customary events of default. At any time after the occurrence of an event of default under the Senior Credit Facility, the lenders may, among other options, declare any amounts outstanding under the Senior Credit Facility immediately due and payable and terminate any commitment to make further loans under the Senior Credit Facility. The obligations under the Senior Credit Facility are secured by a security interest on substantially all of the assets of GCI Holdings and the subsidiary guarantors, as defined in the Senior Credit Facility, and on the stock of GCI Holdings.

As of March 31, 2021, there was $398.0 million outstanding under the Term Loan B, $125.0 million outstanding under the revolving portion of the Senior Credit Facility and $3.2 million in letters of credit under the Senior Credit Facility, leaving $421.8 million available for borrowing.

During the three months ended March 31, 2021, GCI, LLC repaid $180 million on its revolving credit facility and completed an internal restructuring whereby GCI, LLC transferred the subsidiary that holds the Charter shares formerly beneficially owned by GCI Liberty to Liberty Broadband parent.

Wells Fargo Note Payable

In connection with the closing of the Combination on December 18, 2020, the Company assumed GCI Holdings’ outstanding $6.4 million under its Wells Fargo Note Payable (as defined below).

GCI Holdings issued a note to Wells Fargo that matures on July 15, 2029 and is payable in monthly installments of principal and interest (the "Wells Fargo Note Payable"). The interest rate is variable at one month LIBOR plus 2.25%.

The note is subject to similar affirmative and negative covenants as the Senior Credit Facility. The obligations under the note are secured by a security interest and lien on the building purchased with the note.

Debt Covenants

GCI, LLC is subject to covenants and restrictions under its Senior Notes and Senior Credit Facility. The Company and GCI, LLC are in compliance with all debt maintenance covenants as of March 31, 2021.

Fair Value of Debt

The fair value of the Senior Notes was $531.1 million at March 31, 2021.

Due to the variable rate nature of the Margin Loan, Senior Credit Facility and Wells Fargo Note Payable, the Company believes that the carrying amount approximates fair value at March 31, 2021.