Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Long-Term Debt (Tables)

v3.3.1.900
Long-Term Debt (Tables)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Schedule of Long-term Debt Instruments
Long-term debt consists of the following at December 31, 2015 and 2014 (amounts in thousands):
 
2015
 
2014
Senior Credit Facility (a)
$
512,937

 
279,000

2025 Notes (b)
450,000

 

2021 Notes (c)
325,000

 
325,000

Searchlight Note (d)
75,000

 

Wells Fargo note payable (e)
9,176

 
9,767

2019 Notes (b)

 
425,000

Rural Utilities Service ("RUS") debt (f)

 
29

Debt
1,372,113

 
1,038,796

Less unamortized discount on Searchlight Note
20,190

 

Less unamortized discount paid on the 2025 Notes
3,817

 

Less unamortized discount paid on the 2019 Notes

 
2,118

Less current portion of long-term debt
3,342

 
622

Long-term debt, net
$
1,344,764

 
1,036,056



(a)
On February 2, 2015, GCI Holdings, Inc. ("GCI Holdings"), our wholly owned subsidiary, entered into a Fourth Amended and Restated Credit and Guarantee Agreement with MUFG Union Bank, N.A., Suntrust Bank, Bank of America, N.A., as documentation agent, and Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, as administrative agent ("Senior Credit Facility"). The Senior Credit Facility provides a $275.0 million Term B loan, up to $240.0 million in delayed draw term loans and a $150.0 million revolving credit facility. The Senior Credit Facility was subsequently amended on August 3, 2015 ("First Amendment").

Under the Senior Credit Facility and First Amendment, the interest rate for the Term B loan is London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") plus 3.25%, with a 0.75% LIBOR floor. The interest rate on our delayed draw term loans and revolving credit facility is LIBOR plus the following Applicable Margin set forth opposite each applicable Total Leverage Ratio below.
Total Leverage Ratio (as defined)
Applicable Margin
>=5.5
3.00%
>=5.0 but <5.5
2.75%
>=4.5 but <5.0
2.50%
>=4.0 but <4.5
2.25%
<4.0
2.00%


The Term B loan requires principal payments of 0.25% of the original principal amount on the last day of each calendar quarter with the full amount maturing on February 2, 2022 or December 3, 2020 if our Senior Notes due 2021 are not refinanced prior to such date. The full principal amount of our delayed draw term loans and revolving credit facility included in the Senior Credit Facility will mature on April 30, 2018.

Borrowings under the Senior Credit Facility are subject to certain financial covenants and restrictions on indebtedness.  Our Senior Credit Facility Total Leverage Ratio (as defined) may not exceed 5.95 to one; the Senior Leverage Ratio (as defined) may not exceed 3.00 to one; and our Interest Coverage Ratio (as defined) must not be less than 2.50 to one at any time.

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.

In connection with the Senior Credit Facility and First Amendment, we paid loan fees and other expenses of $0.3 million that were expensed immediately in our Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2015 and $6.2 million that were deferred and are being amortized over the life of the Senior Credit Facility.

We have outstanding $272.9 million under the Term B loan, $240.0 million under the delayed draw term loan, $0.0 million under the revolving portion of the Senior Credit Facility and $22.5 million in letters of credit under the Senior Credit Facility at December 31, 2015, which leaves $127.5 million available for borrowing as of December 31, 2015.

(b)
On April 1, 2015 (“Closing Date”), GCI, Inc. completed an offering of $450.0 million in aggregate principal amount of 6.875% Senior Notes due 2025 (“2025 Notes”) at an issue price of 99.105%. We used the net proceeds from this offering to repay and retire all $425.0 million of our outstanding senior unsecured notes due 2019 (“2019 Notes”).

At any time before April 15, 2020, the 2025 Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, on not less than thirty nor more than sixty days’ notice, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 2025 Notes, plus a premium calculated as defined in the 2025 Notes agreement, and accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption.

At any time on or after April 15, 2020, the 2025 Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, on not less than thirty nor more than sixty days’ notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption:
If redeemed during the twelve month period commencing April 15 of the year indicated:
Redemption Price
2020
103.438
%
2021
102.292
%
2022
101.146
%
2023 and thereafter
100.000
%


The 2025 Notes mature on April 15, 2025. Semi-annual interest payments are payable on April 15 and October 15.

The 2025 Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of April 1, 2015, between us and MUFG Union Bank, N.A., as trustee.

We are not required to make mandatory sinking fund payments with respect to the 2025 Notes.

Upon the occurrence of a change of control, each holder of the 2025 Notes will have the right to require us to purchase all or any part of such holder’s 2025 Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of such 2021 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such 2025 Notes, if any.  If we or certain of our subsidiaries engage in asset sales, we must generally either invest the net cash proceeds from such sales in our business within a period of time, prepay debt under any outstanding credit facility, or make an offer to purchase a principal amount of the 2025 Notes equal to the excess net cash proceeds, with the purchase price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.

The 2025 Notes are senior unsecured obligations which rank equally in right of payment with our existing and future senior unsecured debt, including our 6.75% Senior Notes due 2021, and senior in right of payment to all future subordinated indebtedness.

The covenants in the indenture restrict GCI, Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries from incurring additional debt or entering into sale and leaseback transactions; paying dividends or distributions on capital stock or repurchase capital stock; issuing stock of subsidiaries; making certain investments; creating liens on assets to secure debt; entering into transactions with affiliates; merging or consolidating with another company; and transferring and selling assets. These covenants are subject to a number of limitations and exceptions, as further described in the 2025 Notes indenture.

At any time after the occurrence and during the continuation of an event of default under the Indenture, the trustee or holders of not less than 30% in aggregate principal amount of the 2025 Notes may, among other options, declare the 2025 Notes immediately due and payable.

We paid closing costs totaling $7.9 million in connection with the offering, which were recorded as deferred loan costs and are being amortized over the term of the 2025 Notes. We recorded a $27.7 million loss on extinguishment of debt in our Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended December 31, 2015. Included in the loss was $20.2 million in call premium payments to redeem our 2019 Notes, $5.4 million in unamortized 2019 Notes deferred loan costs, and $2.1 million for the unamortized portion of the 2019 Notes original issue discount.

We were in compliance with all 2025 Notes loan covenants at December 31, 2015.

(c)
We pay interest of 6.75% on notes that are due in 2021 ("2021 Notes"). The 2021 Notes are senior unsecured obligations which rank equally in right of payment with our existing and future senior unsecured debt, including our 2025 Notes, and senior in right of payment to all future subordinated indebtedness.

The 2021 Notes are not redeemable prior to June 1, 2016.  At any time on or after June 1, 2016, the 2021 Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, on not less than thirty nor more than sixty days’ notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption:
If redeemed during the twelve month period commencing June 1 of the year indicated:
Redemption Price
2016
103.375
%
2017
102.250
%
2018
101.125
%
2019 and thereafter
100.000
%


The 2021 Notes mature on June 1, 2021.  Semi-annual interest payments are payable on June 1 and December 1.

The 2021 Notes were issued pursuant to an Indenture, dated as of May 20, 2011, between us and Union Bank, N.A., as trustee.

We are not required to make mandatory sinking fund payments with respect to the 2021 Notes.

Upon the occurrence of a change of control, each holder of the 2021 Notes will have the right to require us to purchase all or any part (equal to $1,000 or an integral multiple thereof, except that no 2021 Note will be purchased in part if the remaining portion thereof would not be at least $2,000) of such holder’s 2021 Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the principal amount of such 2021 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such 2021 Notes, if any.  If we or certain of our subsidiaries engage in asset sales, we must generally either invest the net cash proceeds from such sales in our business within a period of time, prepay debt under any outstanding credit facility, or make an offer to purchase a principal amount of the 2021 Notes equal to the excess net cash proceeds, with the purchase price equal to 100% of their principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.

The terms of the Indenture include customary affirmative and negative covenants and customary events of default. At any time after the occurrence and during the continuation of an event of default under the Indenture, the trustee or holders of not less than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the 2021 Notes may, among other options, declare the 2021 Notes immediately due and payable.

We paid closing costs totaling $3.6 million in connection with the offering, which were recorded as deferred loan costs and are being amortized over the term of the 2021 Notes.

We were in compliance with all 2021 Notes loan covenants at December 31, 2015.

(d)
On February 2, 2015, we sold an unsecured promissory note to an affiliate of Searchlight Capital, L.P. ("Searchlight") in the principal amount of $75.0 million at an issue price of 100% that will mature on February 2, 2023 and bears interest at a rate of 7.5% per year ("Searchlight Note"). We may not prepay the Searchlight Note prior to February 2, 2019. Searchlight became a related party as of February 2, 2015, see Note 11 of this Form 10-K for additional information.

In conjunction with the Searchlight Note, we entered into a stock appreciation rights agreement pursuant to which we issued to Searchlight three million stock appreciation rights which entitles Searchlight to receive, upon exercise, an amount payable at our election in either cash or shares of GCI's Class A common stock equal in value to the excess of the fair market value of a share of GCI Class A common stock on the date of exercise over the price of $13.00. We allocated the $75.0 million in total proceeds received to the stock appreciation rights based on the fair value of the stock appreciation rights on the day of issuance with the remainder allocated to the Searchlight Note. The allocation resulted in a $21.7 million discount for the Searchlight Note that will be amortized over the term of the note using the effective interest method. See Note 8 of this Form 10-K for additional information on the stock appreciation rights.

We have the option to pay the annual interest obligation on the Searchlight Note in cash or by capitalizing such interest and adding it to the outstanding principal amount of the note. If we elect to capitalize interest in a given year, we are also required to issue additional stock appreciation rights in the amount of four hundredths of a stock appreciation right for each dollar of interest being capitalized.

(e)
GCI Holdings, entered into a $10.0 million loan agreement with Wells Fargo Bank on June 30, 2014 to finance the purchase of a building.  The note matures on July 15, 2029 and is due in monthly installments of principal and interest.  The interest rate is variable at one month LIBOR plus 2.25%.

The note is subject to similar affirmative and negative covenants as our Senior Credit Facility. The obligations under the note are secured by a security interest and lien on the purchased building. In connection with the note issuance, we paid loan fees of $0.1 million that were deferred and are being amortized over the life of the note.

(f)
UUI, our wholly owned subsidiary, has entered into various loans with the RUS. We repaid substantially all amounts owed to the RUS in 2014 and the remainder of amounts owed in 2015.
Interest Margin
The interest rate on our delayed draw term loans and revolving credit facility is LIBOR plus the following Applicable Margin set forth opposite each applicable Total Leverage Ratio below.
Total Leverage Ratio (as defined)
Applicable Margin
>=5.5
3.00%
>=5.0 but <5.5
2.75%
>=4.5 but <5.0
2.50%
>=4.0 but <4.5
2.25%
<4.0
2.00%
Debt Instrument Redemption
At any time on or after April 15, 2020, the 2025 Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, on not less than thirty nor more than sixty days’ notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption:
If redeemed during the twelve month period commencing April 15 of the year indicated:
Redemption Price
2020
103.438
%
2021
102.292
%
2022
101.146
%
2023 and thereafter
100.000
%
The 2021 Notes are not redeemable prior to June 1, 2016.  At any time on or after June 1, 2016, the 2021 Notes are redeemable at our option, in whole or in part, on not less than thirty nor more than sixty days’ notice, at the following redemption prices (expressed as percentages of principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest (if any) to the date of redemption:
If redeemed during the twelve month period commencing June 1 of the year indicated:
Redemption Price
2016
103.375
%
2017
102.250
%
2018
101.125
%
2019 and thereafter
100.000
%
Schedule of Maturities of Long-term Debt
Maturities of long-term debt as of December 31, 2015 are as follows (amounts in thousands):
Years ending December 31,
 
2016
$
3,342

2017
3,358

2018
243,374

2019
3,391

2020
3,407

2021 and thereafter
1,115,241

Total debt
1,372,113

Less unamortized discount on Searchlight Note
20,190

Less unamortized discount paid on 2025 Notes
3,817

Less current portion of long-term debt
3,342

Long-term debt, net
$
1,344,764