(6) Debt

Amended 2017 Margin Loan Facility

On August 24, 2018, a bankruptcy remote wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“SPV”), entered into Amendment No. 1 to its multi-draw margin loan credit facility (the “Amended 2017 Margin Loan Facility” and, the credit agreement governing such facility, the “Amended 2017 Margin Loan Agreement”) with Wilmington Trust, National Association as the successor administrative agent, BNP Paribas, Dublin Branch, as the successor calculation agent, and the lenders thereunder. SPV is permitted, subject to certain funding conditions, to borrow term loans up to an aggregate principal amount equal to $1.0 billion. SPV will also have the ability from time to time to request additional loans in an aggregate principal amount of up to $1.0 billion on an uncommitted basis subject to certain conditions. On April 4, 2018, SPV borrowed $25 million against the Amended 2017 Margin Loan Facility. SPV had borrowed $525 million and $500 million as of September 30, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. SPV had $475 million available to be drawn until August 27, 2019. The maturity date of the loans under the Amended 2017 Margin Loan Agreement is August 24, 2020 (except for any incremental loans incurred thereunder to the extent SPV and the incremental lenders agree to a later maturity date). Accordingly, the debt is classified as noncurrent as of September 30, 2018. Borrowings under the Amended 2017 Margin Loan Agreement bear interest at the three-month LIBOR rate plus a per annum spread of 1.5%, unless it is unlawful for the applicable lender to fund or maintain loans based on LIBOR or there are material restrictions on the applicable lender to do so, in which case borrowings under the Amended 2017 Margin Loan Agreement will either (a) bear interest at 0.5% plus the higher of (i) the federal funds rate plus ½ of 1%, (ii) the prime rate and (iii) LIBOR plus 1% for each day during such period or (b) be prepaid. Borrowings outstanding under this margin loan bore interest at a rate of 3.83% per annum at September 30, 2018. Interest is payable quarterly in arrears beginning on September 29, 2017. SPV used available cash and a portion of the proceeds of the loans under the Amended 2017 Margin Loan Facility to repay the two margin loan agreements entered into by a wholly-owned special purpose subsidiary of the Company on October 30, 2014 and two margin loan agreements entered into by another wholly-owned special purpose subsidiary of the Company on March 21, 2016. Borrowings may also be used for distribution as a dividend or a return of capital, for the purchase of margin stock and for general corporate purposes.  

The Amended 2017 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 Amended 2017 Margin Loan Agreement does not include any financial covenants.  The Amended 2017 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 Amended 2017 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 Amended 2017 Margin Loan Agreement. The Amended 2017 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 September 30, 2018, 6.8 million shares of Charter with a value of $2.2 billion were pledged as collateral pursuant to the Amended 2017 Margin Loan Agreement.