Bank Note Payable, Term Note Payable and Private Placements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Bank Note Payable, Term Note Payable and Private Placements

Bank Note Payable, Term Note Payable and Senior Notes

3.  Bank Note Payable, Term Loans Payable and Senior Notes

JPM Term Loan

On August 2, 2018, the Company entered into an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and lender (“JPMorgan”), and the other lending institutions party thereto (the “JPM Credit Agreement”), which provided a single unsecured bridge loan in the aggregate principal amount of $150 million (the “JPM Term Loan”). On December 24, 2020, the Company repaid a $50 million portion of the JPM Term Loan with a portion of the proceeds from the December 23, 2020 sale of its Durham, North Carolina property, and $100 million remained fully advanced and outstanding under the JPM Term Loan. On June 4, 2021, the Company repaid the remaining $100 million outstanding on the loan, which had been scheduled to mature on November 30, 2021, and incurred a loss on extinguishment of debt of $0.1 million related to unamortized deferred financing costs.

Although the interest rate on the JPM Term Loan was variable under the JPM Credit Agreement, the Company fixed the LIBOR-based rate on a portion of the JPM Term Loan by entering into interest rate swap transactions. On March 7, 2019, the Company entered into ISDA Master Agreements with various financial institutions to hedge a $100 million portion of the future LIBOR-based rate risk under the JPM Credit Agreement. Effective March 29, 2019, the Company fixed the LIBOR-based rate at 2.44% per annum on a $100 million portion of the JPM Term Loan until November 30, 2021. On June 4, 2021, the Company paid approximately $1.2 million to terminate the interest rate swap, which was scheduled to mature on November 30, 2021.

BMO Term Loan

On September 27, 2018, the Company entered into a Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with the lending institutions party thereto and Bank of Montreal (“BMO”), as administrative agent (the “BMO Credit Agreement”). The BMO Credit Agreement provides for a single, unsecured term loan borrowing in the initial amount of $220 million (the “BMO Term Loan”), of which $165 million remains fully advanced and outstanding. The BMO Term Loan initially consisted of a $55 million tranche A term loan and a $165 million tranche B term loan. On June 4, 2021, the Company repaid the tranche A term loan that was scheduled to mature on November 30, 2021, and incurred a loss on extinguishment of debt of $0.1 million related to unamortized deferred financing costs. The $165 million tranche B term loan matures on January 31, 2024. The BMO Credit Agreement also includes an accordion feature that allows up to $100 million of additional loans, subject to receipt of lender commitments and satisfaction of certain customary conditions. The BMO Term Loan was previously evidenced by an Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated October 29, 2014, among the Company, BMO, as administrative agent and lender, and the other lending institutions party thereto, as amended by a First Amendment, dated July 21, 2016, and a Second Amendment, dated October 18, 2017.

The BMO Term Loan bears interest at either (i) a number of basis points over LIBOR depending on the Company’s credit rating (165 basis points over LIBOR at March 31, 2022) or (ii) a number of basis points over the base rate depending on the Company’s credit rating (65 basis points over the base rate at March 31, 2022).

Although the interest rate on the BMO Term Loan is variable under the BMO Credit Agreement, the Company fixed the base LIBOR interest rate by entering into interest rate swap transactions. On August 26, 2013, the Company entered into an ISDA Master Agreement with BMO that fixed the base LIBOR interest rate on the BMO Term Loan at 2.32% per annum, which matured on August 26, 2020. On February 20, 2019, the Company entered into ISDA Master Agreements with a group of banks that fixed the base LIBOR interest rate on the BMO Term Loan at 2.39% per annum for the period beginning on August 26, 2020 and ending January 31, 2024. Accordingly, based upon the Company’s credit rating, as of March 31, 2022, the effective interest rate on the BMO Term Loan was 4.04% per annum. On June 4, 2021, the Company paid approximately $0.6 million to terminate the portion of the interest rate swap on the tranche A term loan, which was scheduled to mature on November 30, 2021.

The BMO Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including limitations with respect to indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers and acquisitions, disposition of assets, changes in business, certain restricted payments, the requirement to have subsidiaries provide a guaranty in the event that they incur recourse indebtedness and transactions with affiliates. The BMO Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants that require the Company to maintain a minimum tangible net worth, a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, a maximum unencumbered leverage ratio, and minimum unsecured interest coverage. The BMO Credit Agreement provides for customary events of default with corresponding grace periods, including failure to pay any principal or interest when due, certain cross defaults and a change in control of the Company (as defined in the BMO Credit Agreement). In the event of a default by the Company, the administrative agent may, and at the request of the requisite number of lenders shall, declare all obligations under the BMO Credit Agreement immediately due and payable, terminate the lenders’ commitments to make loans under the BMO Credit Agreement, and enforce any and all rights of the lenders or the administrative agent under the BMO Credit Agreement and related documents. For certain events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency, and receivership, the commitments of lenders will be automatically terminated and all outstanding obligations of the Company will become immediately due and payable. The Company was in compliance with the BMO Term Loan financial covenants as of March 31, 2022.

BofA Revolver

On January 10, 2022, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement (the “BofA Credit Agreement”) with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, a letter of credit issuer and a lender (“BofA”), and the other lending institutions party thereto, for a new revolving line of credit for borrowings, at the Company’s election, of up to $217.5 million (the “BofA Revolver”). On February 10, 2022, the Company increased its BofA Revolver availability by $20.0 million to $237.5 million as part of the accordion feature that is available to increase borrowing capacity. Borrowings made under the BofA Revolver may be revolving loans or letters of credit, the combined sum of which may not exceed $237.5 million outstanding at any time. As of March 31, 2022, there were borrowings of $40.0 million drawn and outstanding under the BofA Revolver. Borrowings made pursuant to the BofA Revolver may be borrowed, repaid and reborrowed from time to time until the maturity date on January 12, 2024. The Company has the right to request an extension of the maturity date, subject to acceptance by the lenders and satisfaction of certain other customary conditions. The BofA Revolver includes an accordion feature that allows the Company to request an increase in borrowing capacity to an amount not exceeding $750 million in the aggregate, subject to receipt of lender commitments and satisfaction of certain customary conditions.

Borrowings under the BofA Revolver bear interest at a margin over either (i) the daily simple Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”), plus an adjustment of 0.11448%, or (ii) one, three or six month term SOFR, plus a corresponding adjustment of 0.11448%, 0.26161% or 0.42826%, respectively. In addition, under certain circumstances, such as if SOFR is not able to be determined, the BofA Revolver will instead bear interest at a margin over a specified base rate. The margin over SOFR or, if applicable, the base rate varies depending on the Company’s leverage ratio (1.650% over SOFR and 0.650% over the base rate at March 31, 2022). The Company is also obligated to pay an annual facility fee and, if applicable, letter of credit fees in amounts that are also based on the Company’s leverage ratio. The facility fee is assessed against the aggregate amount of lender commitments regardless of usage (0.30% at March 31, 2022).

Based upon the Company’s credit rating, as of March 31, 2022, the interest rate on the BofA Revolver was 2.06% per annum. The weighted average variable interest rate on all amounts outstanding under the BofA Revolver through March 31, 2022 was approximately 2.04% per annum.

The BofA Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including limitations with respect to indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers and acquisitions, disposition of assets, changes in business, certain restricted payments, the requirement to have subsidiaries provide a guaranty in the event that they incur recourse indebtedness and transactions with affiliates. The BofA Credit Agreement also contains financial covenants that require the Company to maintain a minimum tangible net worth, a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, a maximum unencumbered leverage ratio and a minimum unsecured interest coverage ratio. The BofA Credit Agreement also restricts the Company’s ability to make dividend distributions that exceed 95% of the Company’s good faith estimate of projected funds from operations for the applicable fiscal year; provided, however, that notwithstanding such restriction, the Company is permitted to make dividend distributions based on the Company’s good faith estimate of projected or estimated taxable income or otherwise as necessary to retain the Company’s status as a real estate investment trust, to meet the distribution requirements of Section 857 of the Internal Revenue Code or to eliminate any income or excise taxes to which the Company would otherwise be subject. The Company was in compliance with the BofA Revolver financial covenants as of March 31, 2022.

The BofA Credit Agreement provides for customary events of default with corresponding grace periods, including failure to pay any principal or interest when due, failure to comply with the provisions of the BofA Credit Agreement, certain cross defaults and a change in control of the Company (as defined in the BofA Credit Agreement). In the event of a default by the Company, BofA, in its capacity as administrative agent, may, and at the request of the requisite number of lenders shall, declare all obligations under the BofA Credit Agreement immediately due and payable and enforce any and all rights of the lenders or BofA under the BofA Credit Agreement and related documents. For certain events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency, and receivership, all outstanding obligations of the Company will become immediately due and payable.

The Company may use the net proceeds of the BofA Revolver to finance the acquisition of real properties and for other permitted investments; to finance investments associated with Sponsored REITs, to refinance or retire indebtedness and for working capital and other general business purposes, in each case to the extent permitted under the BofA Credit Agreement.

BofA Credit Facility

On July 21, 2016, the Company entered into a First Amendment (the “BofA First Amendment”), and on October 18, 2017, the Company entered into a Second Amendment (the “BofA Second Amendment”), to the Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated October 29, 2014 among the Company, the lending institutions party thereto and BofA, as administrative agent, L/C Issuer and Swing Line Lender (as amended by the BofA First Amendment and the BofA Second Amendment, the “BofA Credit Facility”) that continued an existing unsecured revolving line of credit (the “Former BofA Revolver”) and an existing term loan (the “BofA Term Loan”). Effective simultaneously with the closing of the BofA Revolver on January 10, 2022, the Company delivered a notice to BofA terminating the aggregate lender commitments under the Former BofA Revolver in their entirety. There were no amounts drawn on the Former BofA Revolver as of December 31, 2021 and January 10, 2022.

BofA Term Loan Highlights

● The original principal amount of the BofA Term Loan was $400 million. On September 30, 2021, the Company repaid a $90 million portion and on October 25, 2021, the Company repaid a $200 million portion of the BofA Term Loan and incurred a loss on extinguishment of debt of $0.7 million related to unamortized deferred financing costs. As of March 31, 2022, $110 million remained outstanding under the BofA Term Loan.

● The BofA Term Loan matures on January 12, 2023.

● The BofA Credit Facility includes an accordion feature that allows for an aggregate amount of up to $500 million of additional borrowing capacity applicable to the BofA Term Loan, subject to receipt of lender commitments and satisfaction of certain customary conditions.

The BofA Term Loan bears interest at either (i) a margin over LIBOR depending on the Company’s credit rating (1.75% over LIBOR at March 31, 2022) or (ii) a margin over the base rate depending on the Company’s credit rating (0.75% over the base rate at March 31, 2022).

The interest rate on the BofA Term Loan was variable at March 31, 2022. Previously the Company had fixed the base LIBOR interest rate on the BofA Term Loan by entering into interest rate swap transactions. On July 22, 2016, the Company entered into ISDA Master Agreements with a group of banks that fixed the base LIBOR interest rate on the BofA Term Loan at 1.12% per annum for the period beginning on September 27, 2017 and ended on September 27, 2021. Based upon the Company’s credit rating, as of March 31, 2022, the interest rate on the BofA Term Loan was 2.20% per annum. The weighted average variable interest rate on all amounts outstanding under the BofA Term Loan through March 31, 2022, was approximately 1.90% per annum.

BofA Credit Facility General Information

The BofA Credit Facility contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including limitations with respect to indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers and acquisitions, disposition of assets, changes in business, certain restricted payments, the requirement to have subsidiaries provide a guaranty in the event that they incur recourse indebtedness and transactions with affiliates. The BofA Credit Facility also contains financial covenants that require the Company to maintain a minimum tangible net worth, a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, a maximum unencumbered leverage ratio, and minimum unsecured interest coverage. The BofA Credit Facility provides for customary events of default with corresponding grace periods, including failure to pay any principal or interest when due, certain cross defaults and a change in control of the Company (as defined in the BofA Credit Facility). In the event of a default by the Company, the administrative agent may, and at the request of the requisite number of lenders shall, declare all obligations under the BofA Credit Facility immediately due and payable, terminate the lenders’ commitments to make loans under the BofA Credit Facility, and enforce any and all rights of the lenders or administrative agent under the BofA Credit Facility and related documents. For certain events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency, and receivership, the commitments of lenders will be automatically terminated and all outstanding obligations of the Company will become immediately due and payable. The Company was in compliance with the BofA Credit Facility financial covenants as of March 31, 2022.

The Company may use the proceeds of the loans under the BofA Credit Facility to finance the acquisition of real properties and for other permitted investments; to finance investments associated with Sponsored REITs, to refinance or retire indebtedness and for working capital and other general business purposes, in each case to the extent permitted under the BofA Credit Facility.

Senior Notes

On October 24, 2017, the Company entered into a note purchase agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with the various purchasers named therein (the “Purchasers”) in connection with a private placement of senior unsecured notes. Under the Note Purchase Agreement, the Company agreed to sell to the Purchasers an aggregate principal amount of $200 million of senior unsecured notes consisting of (i) Series A Senior Notes due December 20, 2024 in an aggregate principal amount of $116 million (the “Series A Notes”) and (ii) Series B Senior Notes due December 20, 2027 in an aggregate principal amount of $84 million (the “Series B Notes” and, together with the Series A Notes, the “Senior Notes”). On December 20, 2017, the Senior Notes were funded and the proceeds were used to reduce the outstanding balance of the Former BofA Revolver.

The Senior Notes bear interest depending on the Company’s credit rating. As of March 31, 2022, the Series A Notes bear interest at 4.49% per annum and the Series B Notes bear interest at 4.76% per annum.

The Note Purchase Agreement contains customary financial covenants, including a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, and a maximum unencumbered leverage ratio. The Note Purchase Agreement also contains restrictive covenants that, among other things, restrict the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to enter into transactions with affiliates, merge, consolidate, create liens, make certain restricted payments, enter into certain agreements or prepay certain indebtedness. Such financial and restrictive covenants are substantially similar to

the corresponding covenants contained in the BofA Credit Facility, the BMO Credit Agreement and the JPM Credit Agreement. The Senior Notes financial covenants require, among other things, the maintenance of a fixed charge coverage ratio of at least 1.50; a maximum leverage ratio and an unsecured leverage ratio of no more than 60% (65% if there were a significant acquisition for a short period of time). In addition, the Note Purchase Agreement provides that the Note Purchase Agreement will automatically incorporate additional financial and other specified covenants (such as limitations on investments and distributions) that are effective from time to time under the existing credit agreements, other material indebtedness or certain other private placements of debt of the Company and its subsidiaries. The Note Purchase Agreement contains customary events of default, including payment defaults, cross defaults with certain other indebtedness, breaches of covenants and bankruptcy events. In the case of an event of default, the Purchasers may, among other remedies, accelerate the payment of all obligations. The Company was in compliance with the Senior Notes financial covenants as of March 31, 2022.