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Debt |
(6) Debt Debt is summarized as follows:
Margin Loan Facility On June 26, 2024, a bankruptcy remote wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“SPV”) entered into Amendment No. 8 to Margin Loan Agreement (the “Eighth Amendment”), which amends SPV’s margin loan agreement, dated as of August 31, 2017 (as amended by the Eighth Amendment, the “Margin Loan Agreement”), with a group of lenders. The Margin Loan Agreement provides for (x) a term loan credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $1.15 billion (the “Term Loan Facility” and proceeds of such facility, the “Term Loans”), (y) a revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $1.15 billion (the “Revolving Loan Facility” and proceeds of such facility, the “Revolving Loans”; the Revolving Loans, collectively with the Term Loans, the “Loans”) and (z) an uncommitted incremental term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of up to $200 million (collectively, the “Margin Loan Facility”). No additional borrowings under the Margin Loan Agreement were made in connection with the Eighth Amendment. SPV’s obligations under the Margin Loan Facility are secured by shares of Charter owned by SPV. The Eighth Amendment provided for, among other things, the extension of the scheduled maturity date to June 30, 2027. Outstanding borrowings under the Margin Loan Agreement were $790 million as of both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024. As of March 31, 2025, SPV was permitted to borrow an additional $1,150 million under the Margin Loan Agreement, subject to certain funding conditions, which may be drawn until business days prior to the maturity date. The maturity date of the loans under the Margin Loan Agreement is June 30, 2027. The borrowings under the Margin Loan Agreement accrue interest at a rate equal to the three-month Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“ ”) plus a per annum spread of 1.875% (the “Base Spread”) (unless and until the replacement of such rate as provided for under the Margin Loan Agreement). The Margin Loan Agreement also has a commitment fee equal to 0.50% per annum on the daily unused amount of the Revolving Loans. The interest rates on the Margin Loan Facility were 6.2% and 7.2% at March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively.The Margin Loan Agreement contains various affirmative and negative covenants that restrict the activities of 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 does contain 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 pledged as collateral, 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 agreement. As of March 31, 2025, 19.1 million shares of Charter common stock with a value of $7.0 billion were held in collateral accounts related to the Margin Loan Agreement. Exchangeable Senior Debentures On February 28, 2023, the Company closed a private offering of $1,265 million aggregate original principal amount of its 3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2053 (the “3.125% Debentures due 2053”), including debentures with an aggregate original principal amount of $165 million issued pursuant to the exercise of an option granted to the initial purchasers. Upon an exchange of the 3.125% Debentures due 2053, the Company, at its election, may deliver shares of Charter Class A common stock, the value thereof in cash, or any combination of shares of Charter Class A common stock and cash. Initially, 1.8901 shares of Charter Class A common stock were attributable to each $1,000 original principal amount of 3.125% Debentures due 2053, representing an initial exchange price of approximately $529.07 for each share of Charter Class A common stock. A total of approximately 2.4 million shares of Charter Class A common stock were initially attributable to the 3.125% Debentures due 2053. Interest is payable quarterly on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year, commencing June 30, 2023. The 3.125% Debentures due 2053 may be redeemed by the Company, in whole or in part, on or after April 6, 2026 or, in whole but not in part, prior to April 6, 2026 if such redemption is due to the execution by the Company of an agreement which, if consummated, would result in a change in control (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Merger Agreement). Holders of the 3.125% Debentures due 2053 also have the right to require the Company to purchase their 3.125% Debentures due 2053 on April 6, 2026. The redemption and purchase price will generally equal 100% of the adjusted principal amount of the 3.125% Debentures due 2053 plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, plus any final period distribution. As of March 31, 2025, a holder of the 3.125% Debentures due 2053 does not have the ability to exchange their debentures and, accordingly, the 3.125% Debentures due 2053 have been classified as long-term debt within the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2025. On July 2, 2024, the Company closed a private offering of $860 million aggregate original principal amount of its 3.125% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2054 (the “3.125% Debentures due 2054”), including debentures with an aggregate original principal amount of $60 million issued pursuant to the exercise of an option granted to the initial purchasers. Upon an exchange of the 3.125% Debentures due 2054, pursuant to a supplemental indenture entered into in March 2025, the Company will deliver solely cash to satisfy its exchange obligations. Initially, 2.5442 shares of Charter Class A common stock are attributable to each $1,000 original principal amount of 3.125% Debentures due 2054, representing an initial exchange price of approximately $393.05 for each share of Charter Class A common stock. A total of approximately 2.2 million shares of Charter Class A common stock were initially attributable to the 3.125% Debentures due 2054. Interest is payable quarterly on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31 of each year, commencing December 31, 2024. The 3.125% Debentures due 2054 may be redeemed by the Company, in whole or in part, on or after December 15, 2028 or, in whole but not in part, prior to December 15, 2028 if such redemption is due to the execution by the Company of an agreement which, if consummated, would result in a change in control (including, for the avoidance of doubt, the Merger Agreement). Holders of the 3.125% Debentures due 2054 also have the right to require the Company to purchase their 3.125% Debentures due 2054 on December 15, 2028. The redemption and purchase price will generally equal 100% of the adjusted principal amount of the 3.125% Debentures due 2054 plus accrued and unpaid interest to the redemption date, plus any final period distribution. In connection with the closing of the private offering of the 3.125% Debentures due 2054, the Company repaid $540 million of borrowings under the Margin Loan Agreement and repurchased a total of $300 million in aggregate principal amount of the 3.125% Debentures due 2053 pursuant to individually privately negotiated transactions. After the repurchase, approximately 1.8 million shares of Charter Class A common stock are attributable to the 3.125% Debentures due 2053. In March 2025, at the request of Charter, Liberty Broadband called for redemption all of its 3.125% Debentures due 2054 for cash. A portion of the 3.125% Debentures due 2054 will be settled using corporate cash and restricted cash, while maintaining a minimum liquidity threshold of $50 million, and, accordingly, that portion, calculated as $366 million, has been classified as current debt within the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2025. The remaining portion is expected to be settled using proceeds from the Margin Loan Facility, and, accordingly, that portion has been classified as long-term debt within the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of March 31, 2025. The 3.125% Debentures due 2054 were either redeemed in April 2025 or exchanged in March 2025 (with such exchanges expected to be settled in May 2025). 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 Realized and unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments, net in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations. See note 3 for information related to unrealized gains (losses) on debt measured at fair value. 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. Under the Merger Agreement, Liberty Broadband must call for redemption of its 3.125% Debentures due 2053 for cash within 10 business days of a request by Charter, subject to Liberty Broadband having sufficient liquidity to satisfy the applicable redemption and/or exchange obligation and certain other terms and conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement. Senior Notes GCI, LLC is the issuer of $600 million aggregate principal amount of 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 indenture, and accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption. The Senior Notes are stated net of an aggregate unamortized premium of $18 million at March 31, 2025. Such premium is being amortized to interest expense in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations. Senior Credit Facility On March 25, 2025, GCI, LLC entered into the Ninth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended, the “Senior Credit Facility”), which refinanced in full and replaced the Prior Senior Credit Facility (as defined below) with (x) a new $450 million revolving credit facility, with a $35 million sublimit for letters of credit, that matures on March 25, 2030 (or, to the extent the Senior Notes remains outstanding, the date that is 91 days prior to the maturity date of the Senior Notes or the date that is 91 days prior to the maturity date of any indebtedness with a maturity date that is 91 days prior to March 25, 2030 that is used to refinance any of the Senior Notes) and (y) a $300 million Term Loan A (“Term Loan A”) that matures on March 25, 2031 (or, to the extent the Senior Notes remains outstanding, the date that is 91 days prior to the maturity date of the Senior Notes). The revolving credit facility borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility 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 1.25% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. The revolving credit facility borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility that are SOFR loans bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable SOFR plus a margin that varies between 1.50% and 2.25% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. Term Loan A 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 1.00% and 1.75% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. Term Loan A borrowings that are SOFR loans bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable SOFR plus a margin that varies between 2.00% and 2.75% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. Principal payments are due quarterly on the Term Loan A equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount, which may step up to 1.25% of the original principal amount of the Term Loan A depending on GCI, LLC’s secured leverage ratio. Each loan may be prepaid at any time and from time to time without penalty other than customary breakage costs. Any amounts prepaid on the revolving credit facility may be reborrowed. The Senior Credit Facility also has a commitment fee that accrues at a per annum rate between 0.300% and 0.375% on the daily unused amount of the revolving credit facility depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. The interest rate on the Senior Credit Facility was 6.2% at March 31, 2025. Prior to the amendment in March 2025, GCI, LLC was party to the Eighth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended by Amendment No. 1 to the Eighth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, the “Prior Senior Credit Facility”) which included a $550 million revolving credit facility, with a $25 million sublimit for standby letters of credit and a $250 million Term Loan A (the “Prior Term Loan A”). The revolving credit facility borrowings under the Prior Senior Credit Facility that were alternate base rate loans bore 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 under the Prior Senior Credit Facility that were SOFR loans bore interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable SOFR plus a Credit Spread Adjustment (as defined in the Prior Senior Credit Facility) plus a margin that varies between 1.50% and 2.75% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. Prior Term Loan A borrowings that were alternate base rate loans bore interest at a per annum rate equal to the alternate base rate plus a margin that varies between 1.00% and 2.25% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. Prior Term Loan A borrowings that were SOFR loans bore interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable SOFR plus a margin that varies between 2.00% and 3.25% depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. Principal payments were due quarterly on the Prior Term Loan A equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount, which could step up to 1.25% of the original principal amount of the Term Loan A depending on GCI, LLC’s secured leverage ratio. The Prior Senior Credit Facility also had a commitment fee that accrued at a per annum rate between 0.375% and 0.500% on the daily unused amount of the revolving credit facility depending on GCI, LLC’s total leverage ratio. The interest rate on the Prior Senior Credit Facility was 7.3% at March 31, 2024. GCI, LLC’s first lien leverage ratio 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, LLC and the subsidiary guarantors, as defined in the Senior Credit Facility, and on the stock of GCI Holdings. As of March 31, 2025, there was $299 million outstanding under the Term Loan A, $155 million outstanding under the revolving portion of the Senior Credit Facility and $3 million in letters of credit under the Senior Credit Facility, leaving $292 million available for borrowing. Wells Fargo Note Payable 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"). Outstanding borrowings on the Wells Fargo Note Payable were $4 million as of both March 31, 2025 and December 31, 2024. The interest rate is variable at SOFR plus 1.75%. The interest rates on the Wells Fargo Notes Payable were 6.1% and 7.1% at March 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. The Wells Fargo Note Payable is subject to similar affirmative and negative covenants as the Senior Credit Facility. The obligations under the Wells Fargo Note Payable are secured by a security interest and lien on the building purchased with the note. Fair Value of Debt The fair value of the Senior Notes was $557 million at March 31, 2025 (Level 2). 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, 2025. |