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Quarterly Distribution of Available Cash
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2021
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]  
Quarterly Distribution of Available Cash

4) Quarterly Distribution of Available Cash

The Company’s Partnership Agreement provides that beginning October 1, 2008, the minimum quarterly distributions on the common units will start accruing at the rate of $0.0675 per quarter ($0.27 on an annual basis).  

In general, the Company intends to distribute to its partners on a quarterly basis, all of its available cash, if any, in the manner described below. “Available cash” generally means, for any of its fiscal quarters, all cash on hand at the end of that quarter, less the amount of cash reserves that are necessary or appropriate in the reasonable discretion of the general partners to:

 

provide for the proper conduct of the Company’s business including acquisitions and debt payments;

 

comply with applicable law, any of its debt instruments or other agreements; or

 

provide funds for distributions to the common unitholders during the next four quarters, in some circumstances.

Available cash will generally be distributed as follows:

 

first, 100% to the common units, pro rata, until the Company distributes to each common unit the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.0675;

 

second, 100% to the common units, pro rata, until the Company distributes to each common unit any arrearages in payment of the minimum quarterly distribution on the common units for prior quarters;

 

third, 100% to the general partner units, pro rata, until the Company distributes to each general partner unit the minimum quarterly distribution of $0.0675;

 

fourth, 90% to the common units, pro rata, and 10% to the general partner units, pro rata (subject to the Management Incentive Plan), until the Company distributes to each common unit the first target distribution of $0.1125; and

 

thereafter, 80% to the common units, pro rata, and 20% to the general partner units, pro rata.

The Company is obligated to meet certain financial covenants under the fifth amended and restated credit agreement. The Company must maintain excess availability of at least 15.0% of the revolving commitment then in effect and a fixed charge coverage ratio of 1.15 in order to make any distributions to unitholders. (See Note 13—Long-Term Debt and Bank Facility Borrowings)

For fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, cash distributions declared per common unit were $0.550, $0.515, and $0.485, respectively.

For fiscal 2021, 2020, and 2019, $0.9 million, $0.8 million, and $0.7 million, respectively, of incentive distributions were paid to the general partner, exclusive of amounts paid subject to the Management Incentive Plan.