Long-Term Debt and Bank Facility Borrowings

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Long-Term Debt and Bank Facility Borrowings

11) Long-Term Debt and Bank Facility Borrowings

The Company’s debt is as follows (in thousands):

	March 31,				September 30,
	2022				2021
	Carrying Amount		Fair Value (a)		Carrying Amount		Fair Value (a)
Revolving Credit Facility Borrowings	$	185,723	$	185,723	$	8,618	$	8,618
Senior Secured Term Loan (b)		98,734		99,135		110,006		110,500
Total debt	$	284,457	$	284,858	$	118,624	$	119,118
Total short-term portion of debt	$	198,723	$	198,723	$	26,239	$	26,239
Total long-term portion of debt	$	85,734	$	86,135	$	92,385	$	92,879

(a) The face amount of the Company’s variable rate long-term debt approximates fair value.

(b) Carrying amounts are net of unamortized debt issuance costs of $0.4 million as of March 31, 2022 and $0.5 million as of September 30, 2021.

On December 4, 2019, the Company refinanced its five-year term loan and the revolving credit facility with the execution of the fifth amended and restated revolving credit facility agreement with a bank syndicate comprised of eleven participants, which enables the Company to borrow up to $300 million ($450 million during the heating season of December through April of each year) on a revolving credit facility for working capital purposes (subject to certain borrowing base limitations and coverage ratios), provides for a $130 million five-year senior secured term loan (the “Term Loan”), allows for the issuance of up to $25 million in letters of credit, and has a maturity date of December 4, 2024. The agreement permits the Company to increase the borrowing limit up to $450 million upon request during the heating season.  During the quarter ended March 31, 2022, the Company increased the revolving credit facility by $100 million to a total of $400 million.

The Company can increase the revolving credit facility size by an additional $200 million without the consent of the bank group. However, the bank group is not obligated to fund the $200 million increase. If the bank group elects not to fund the increase, the Company can add additional lenders to the group, with the consent of the Agent (as defined in the credit agreement), which shall not be unreasonably withheld. Obligations under the fifth amended and restated credit facility are guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiaries and are secured by liens on substantially all of the Company’s assets, including accounts receivable, inventory, general intangibles, real property, fixtures and equipment.

All amounts outstanding under the fifth amended and restated revolving credit facility become due and payable on the facility termination date of December 4, 2024. The Term Loan is repayable in quarterly payments of $3.25 million, the first of which was made on April 1, 2020, plus an annual payment equal to 25% of the annual Excess Cash Flow as defined in the credit agreement (an amount not to exceed $12 million annually), less certain voluntary prepayments made during the year, with final payment at maturity.  In fiscal 2022 the Company repaid $4.9 million of additional loan repayments due to Excess Cash Flow related to fiscal 2021. In the first quarter of fiscal 2021 the banks waived the Excess Cash Flow requirement related to fiscal 2020.

The interest rate on the fifth amended and restated revolving credit facility and the Term Loan is based on a margin over LIBOR or a base rate. At March 31, 2022, the effective interest rate on the Term Loan was approximately 4.3% and the effective interest rate on revolving credit facility borrowings was approximately 2.3%. At September 30, 2021, the effective interest rate on the term loan and revolving credit facility borrowings was approximately 4.3% and 2.5%, respectively.

The commitment fee on the unused portion of the revolving credit facility is 0.30% from December through April, and 0.20% from May through November.

The fifth amended and restated credit agreement requires the Company to meet certain financial covenants, including a Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio (as defined in the credit agreement) of not less than 1.1 as long as the Term Loan is outstanding or revolving credit facility availability is less than 12.5% of the facility size. In addition, as long as the Term Loan is outstanding, a senior secured leverage ratio cannot be more than 3.0 as calculated as of the quarters ending June or September, and no more than 4.5 as calculated as of the quarters ending December or March.

Certain restrictions are also imposed by the credit agreement, including restrictions on the Company’s ability to incur additional indebtedness, to pay distributions to unitholders, to pay certain inter-company dividends or distributions, repurchase units, make investments, grant liens, sell assets, make acquisitions and engage in certain other activities.

At March 31, 2022, $99.1 million of the Term Loan was outstanding, $185.7 million amount was outstanding under the revolving credit facility, no hedge positions were secured under the credit agreement, and $5.1 million of letters of credit were issued and outstanding. At September 30, 2021, $110.5 million of the Term Loan was outstanding, $8.6 million was outstanding under the revolving credit facility, no hedge positions were secured under the credit agreement, and $3.1 million of letters of credit were issued and outstanding.

At March 31, 2022, availability was $146.7 million, and the Company was in compliance with the fixed charge coverage ratio and the senior secured leverage ratio. At September 30, 2021, availability was $171.5 million, and the Company was in compliance with the fixed charge coverage ratio and the senior secured leverage ratio.