UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
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Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§ 230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§ 240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement.
On January 22, 2024, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. entered into an amendment (the “Amendment”) for its existing first lien term loan facility under that certain Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of August 25, 2021 (and as amended on June 9, 2022 and June 12, 2023), among SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”), SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc., the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent.
After giving effect to the Amendment, including the incurrence of an aggregate principal amount of approximately $1.173 million of Term B-2 Loans under the Credit Agreement (the “New Term Loans”) to refinance the existing Term B Loans under the Credit Agreement (the “Term B Loans”), the New Term Loans will be subject to the same affirmative and negative covenants and events of default as the Term B Loans.
Borrowings under the New Term Loans bear interest at a fluctuating rate per annum equal to, at the Borrower’s option, (i) ABR (provided that in no event shall such ABR rate with respect to the New Term Loans be less than 1.50% per annum) plus an applicable margin equal to 1.50% or (ii) Adjusted Term SOFR (provided that in no event shall such Adjusted Term SOFR rate with respect to the New Term Loans be less than 0.50%) plus an applicable margin equal to 2.50%.
The New Term Loans require scheduled amortization payments on the term loans in quarterly amounts equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount of the New Term Loans, payable quarterly, with the balance to be paid at maturity on August 25, 2028.
The lenders under the New Term Loans and their respective affiliates have in the past engaged, and may in the future engage, in transactions with and perform services, including commercial banking, financial advisory and investment banking services, for the Company and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business for which they have received or will receive customary fees and expenses.
This summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Amendment, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Current Report”) and incorporated herein by reference.
Item 2.03 Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
The information provided in Item 1.01 of this Current Report is incorporated by reference herein.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits.
(d) Exhibits
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Description |
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10.1 |
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104 |
Cover page interactive data filed (embedded within the Inline XBRL document). |
Forward Looking Statements
This report contains statements relating to future results (including certain projections and business trends) that are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws. The Company generally uses the words such as “might,” “will,” “may,” “should,” “estimates,” “expects,” “continues,” “contemplates,” “anticipates,” “projects,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “intends,” “believes,” “forecasts,” “future,” “targeted,” “goal” and variations of such words or similar expressions in this report and any attachment to identify forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical facts included in this report, including statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, expectations, beliefs, business strategies, future events, business conditions, results of operations, financial position, business outlook, earnings guidance, business trends and other information are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon the Company’s current expectations, beliefs, estimates and projections, and various assumptions, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond management’s control.
All expectations, beliefs, estimates and projections are expressed in good faith and the Company believes there is a reasonable basis for them. However, there can be no assurance that management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates and projections will result or be achieved and actual results may vary materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements.
These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other important factors, many of which are beyond management’s control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in this report, including among others: a decline in discretionary consumer spending or consumer confidence, including any unfavorable impacts from Federal Reserve interest rate actions and inflation which may influence discretionary spending, unemployment or the
overall economy; various factors beyond the Company’s control adversely affecting attendance and guest spending at its theme parks, including, but not limited to, weather, natural disasters, labor shortages, inflationary pressures, supply chain delays or shortages, foreign exchange rates, consumer confidence, the potential spread of travel-related health concerns including pandemics and epidemics, travel related concerns, adverse general economic related factors including increasing interest rates, economic uncertainty, and recent geopolitical events outside of the United States, and governmental actions; failure to hire and/or retain employees; increased labor costs, including minimum wage increases, and employee health and welfare benefit costs; complex federal and state regulations governing the treatment of animals, which can change, and claims and lawsuits by activist groups before government regulators and in the courts; activist and other third-party groups and/or media can pressure governmental agencies, vendors, partners, guests and/or regulators, bring action in the courts or create negative publicity about us; incidents or adverse publicity concerning the Company’s theme parks, the theme park industry and/or zoological facilities; a significant portion of the Company’s revenues have historically been generated in the States of Florida, California and Virginia, and any risks affecting such markets, such as natural disasters, closures due to pandemics, severe weather and travel-related disruptions or incidents; technology interruptions or failures that impair access to the Company’s websites and/or information technology systems; cyber security risks to the Company or the Company third-party service providers, failure to maintain or protect the integrity of internal, employee or guest data, and/or failure to abide by the evolving cyber security regulatory environment; inability to compete effectively in the highly competitive theme park industry; interactions between animals and the Company’s employees and it’s guests at attractions at the Company’s theme parks; animal exposure to infectious disease; high fixed cost structure of theme park operations; seasonal fluctuations in operating results; changing consumer tastes and preferences; inability to remediate an identified material weakness on a timely basis; inability to grow the Company’s business or fund theme park capital expenditures; inability to realize the benefits of developments, restructurings, acquisitions or other strategic initiatives, and the impact of the costs associated with such activities; the effects of the global Coronavirus pandemic, or any related mutations of the virus on the Company’s business and the economy in general; adverse litigation judgments or settlements; inability to protect the Company’s intellectual property or the infringement on intellectual property rights of others; the loss of licenses and permits required to exhibit animals or the violation of laws and regulations; unionization activities and/or labor disputes; inability to maintain certain commercial licenses; restrictions in the Company’s debt agreements limiting flexibility in operating the Company’s business; inability to retain the Company’s current credit ratings; the Company’s leverage and interest rate risk; the ability of Hill Path Capital LP and its affiliates to significantly influence the Company’s decisions and their interests may conflict with the Company or yours in the future; inadequate insurance coverage; inability to purchase or contract with third party manufacturers for rides and attractions, construction delays or impacts of supply chain disruptions on existing or new rides and attractions; environmental regulations, expenditures and liabilities; suspension or termination of any of the Company’s business licenses, including by legislation at federal, state or local levels; delays, restrictions or inability to obtain or maintain permits; financial distress of strategic partners or other counterparties; tariffs or other trade restrictions; actions of activist stockholders; the policies of the U.S. President and his administration or any changes to tax laws; changes or declines in the Company’s stock price, as well as the risk that securities analysts could downgrade the Company’s stock or the Company’s sector; risks associated with the Company’s capital allocation plans and share repurchases, including the risk that the Company’s share repurchase program could increase volatility and fail to enhance stockholder value and other risks, uncertainties and factors set forth in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s most recently available Annual Report on Form 10-K, as such risks, uncertainties and factors may be updated in the Company’s periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Company believes that these statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it cannot guarantee future results and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s opinions only as of the date of this report.
There can be no assurance that (i) the Company has correctly measured or identified all of the factors affecting its business or the extent of these factors’ likely impact, (ii) the available information with respect to these factors on which such analysis is based is complete or accurate, (iii) such analysis is correct or (iv) the Company’s strategy, which is based in part on this analysis, will be successful. Except as required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
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SEAWORLD ENTERTAINMENT, INC. |
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Date: |
January 26, 2024 |
By: |
/s/ G. Anthony (Tony) Taylor |
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Name: Title: |
G. Anthony (Tony) Taylor |