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Long-Term Debt
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt Long-Term Debt
Long-term debt at December 31, 2022 and 2021 consists of the following components:
20222021
 (In millions)
Series 2019-1 4.194% Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes, Class A-2-I
$653.0 $693.0 
Series 2019-1 4.723% Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes, Class A-2-II
594.0 594.0 
Series 2022-1 Variable Funding Class A-1, Variable Rate of 5.50% at December 31, 2022
100.0 — 
Debt issuance costs(5.1)(7.4)
Long-term debt, net of debt issuance costs1,341.9 1,279.6 
Current portion of long-term debt(100.0)— 
Long-term debt$1,241.9 $1,279.6 
Long-Term Debt
On June 5, 2019, Applebee’s Funding LLC and IHOP Funding LLC (the “Co-Issuers”), each a special purpose, wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Company, issued two tranches of fixed rate senior secured notes, the Series 2019-1 4.194% Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes, Class A-2-I (“Class A-2-I Notes”) in an initial aggregate principal amount of $700 million and the Series 2019-1 4.723% Fixed Rate Senior Secured Notes, Class A-2-II (“Class A-2-II Notes”) in an initial aggregate principal amount of $600 million (the “Class A-2-II Notes” and, together with the Class A-2-I Notes, the “2019 Class A-2 Notes”). The 2019 Class A-2 Notes were issued pursuant to an offering exempt from registration under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.
On August 12, 2022, the Co-Issuers established a new revolving financing facility, the 2022-1 Variable Funding Notes, Class A-1 (the “Credit Facility”), that allows for drawings up to $325 million of variable funding notes on a revolving basis and the issuance of letters of credit. In connection with this transaction, the Co-Issuers terminated their $225 million revolving financing facility, the 2019-1 Variable Funding Notes, Class A-1 (the “Previous Credit Facility”). The Credit Facility and the 2019 Class A-2 Notes are referred to collectively herein as the “Notes.” The Notes were issued in securitization transactions pursuant to which substantially all the domestic revenue-generating assets and domestic intellectual property held by the Co-Issuers and certain other special-purpose, wholly-owned indirect subsidiaries of the Company (the “Guarantors”) were pledged as collateral to secure the Notes.
The Notes were issued under a Base Indenture, dated as of September 30, 2014, and amended and restated as of June 5, 2019 (the “Base Indenture”). In addition, the 2019 Class A-2 Notes were issued under the related Series 2019-1 Supplement to the Base Indenture, dated June 5, 2019 (the “Series 2019-1 Supplement”), among the Co-Issuers and Citibank, N.A., as the trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”) and securities intermediary and the Credit Facility was issued under the related Series 2022-1 Supplement to the Base Indenture, dated August 12, 2022 (“Series 2022-1 Supplement”), among the Co-Issuers and Citibank, N.A., as Trustee and securities intermediary. The Base Indenture, Series 2019-1 Supplement and Series 2022-1 Supplement (collectively, the “Indenture”) will allow the Co-Issuers to issue additional series of notes in the future subject to certain conditions set forth therein.
2019 Class A-2 Notes
The legal final maturity of the 2019 Class A-2 Notes is in June 2049, but it is anticipated that, unless earlier prepaid to the extent permitted under the Indenture, the Class A-2-I Notes will be repaid in June 2024 (the “Class A-2-I Anticipated Repayment Date”) and the Class A-2-II Notes will be repaid in June 2026 (the “Class A-2-II Anticipated Repayment Date”). If the Co-Issuers have not repaid or refinanced the Class A-2-I Notes by the Class A-2-I Anticipated Repayment Date or the Class A-2-II Notes by the Class A-2-II Anticipated Repayment Date, then additional interest will accrue on the Class A-2-I Notes and the Class A-2-II Notes, as applicable, at the greater of: (A) 5.0% and (B) the amount, if any, by which the sum of the following exceeds the applicable Class A-2 Note interest rate: (x) the yield to maturity (adjusted to a quarterly bond-equivalent basis) on the applicable anticipated repayment date of the United States Treasury Security having a term closest to 10 years plus (y) 5.0%, plus (z) 2.15% for the Class A-2-I Notes and 2.64% for the Class A-2-II Notes.
While the 2019 Class A-2 Notes are outstanding, payment of principal and interest is required to be made on the 2019 Class A-2 Notes on a quarterly basis. The payment of principal on the 2019 Class A-2 Notes may be suspended when the leverage ratio for the Company and its subsidiaries is less than or equal to 5.25x. Exceeding the leverage ratio of 5.25x does not violate any covenant related to the Notes. In general, the leverage ratio is the Company's indebtedness (as defined in the
Indenture) divided by adjusted EBITDA (as defined in the Indenture) for the four preceding quarterly periods. The complete definitions of all calculation elements of the leverage ratio are contained in the Indenture.
As of December 31, 2022 the Company's leverage ratio was 4.4x. As a result, quarterly principal payments on the 2019 Class A-2 Notes of $3.25 million currently are not required. During fiscal 2021, the Company's leverage ratio exceeded 5.25x until the quarterly payment period ended September 30, 2021. Accordingly, the Company made three principal payments totaling $9.75 million in fiscal 2021.
The Company may voluntarily repay the 2019 Class A-2 Notes at any time; however, if the 2019 Class A-2 Notes are repaid prior to certain dates, the Company would be required to pay make-whole premiums. As of December 31, 2022, the make-whole premium associated with voluntary prepayment of the Class A-2-I Notes was zero and will remain as such. As of December 31, 2022, the make-whole premium associated with voluntary prepayment of the Class A-2-II Notes was approximately $0.5 million; this amount declines each quarter to zero in June 2024. The Company would also be subject to a make-whole premium in the event of a mandatory prepayment required following a Rapid Amortization Event (as defined in the Indenture) or certain asset dispositions. The mandatory make-whole premium requirements are considered derivatives embedded in the New Notes that must be bifurcated for separate valuation. The Company estimated the fair value of these derivatives to be immaterial as of December 31, 2022, based on the probability-weighted discounted cash flows associated with either event.
2019 Class A-1 Notes
The Previous Credit Facility allowed for drawings up to $225 million of variable funding notes on a revolving basis and the issuance of letters of credit. In March 2020, the Company borrowed $220.0 million against the Previous Credit Facility. The $220.0 million was repaid on March 5, 2021, and as of December 31, 2021, there were no outstanding borrowings under the Previous Credit Facility.
The interest rate for borrowings under the Previous Credit Facility was the three-month LIBOR rate plus 2.15% for 60% of the advances and the commercial paper funding rate of our conduit investor plus 2.15% for 40% of the advances. The weighted average interest rate for the period outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2021 was 2.42%.
2022 Class A-1 Notes
In August 2022, the Co-Issuers entered into the Credit Facility that allows for drawings up to $325 million of variable funding notes on a revolving basis and the issuance of letters of credit. The applicable interest rate under the Credit Facility depends on the type of borrowing by the Co-Issuers. The applicable interest rate for advances is generally calculated at a per annum rate equal to the commercial paper funding rate or one-, two-, three- or six-month Term SOFR Rate, in either case, plus 2.50%. The applicable interest rate for swingline advances and unreimbursed draws on outstanding letters of credit is a per annum base rate equal to the sum of (a) the greatest of (i) the Prime Rate in effect from time to time; (ii) the Federal Funds Rate in effect from time to time plus 0.50%; and (iii) Term SOFR for a one-month tenor in effect at such time plus 0.50% plus (b) 2.00%.
The legal final maturity of the Credit Facility is June 2052, but amortization will apply if there are outstanding amounts under the Credit Facility after June 2027 (the “Class A-1 Renewal Date”). The Class A-1 Renewal Date may be extended at the Co-Issuers’ election for up to two successive one-year periods if certain conditions are met. If the Co-Issuers have not repaid or refinanced the Credit Facility by the Class A-1 Renewal Date (after giving effect to any extensions), then interest will accrue on the Credit Facility at a rate equal to 5.00% in addition to the regular interest rate applicable to the Credit Facility.
In August 2022, the Company borrowed $100 million against the Credit Facility, all of which was outstanding at December 31, 2022. The amount of $3.4 million was pledged against the Credit Facility for outstanding letters of credit, leaving $221.6 million of the Credit Facility available for borrowing at December 31, 2022. It is anticipated that any principal and interest on the Credit Facility outstanding will be repaid in full on or prior to the quarterly payment date in June 2027, subject to two additional one-year extensions at the option of the Company upon the satisfaction of certain conditions. The letters of credit are used primarily to satisfy insurance-related collateral requirements. The weighted average interest rate for the period outstanding during the year ended December 31, 2022 was 3.64%.
Management Agreement
Under the terms of the Management Agreement, dated September 30, 2014, as amended and restated as of September 5, 2018, as further amended and restated as of June 5, 2019 and as amended by that certain Amendment No. 1 to Management Agreement dated November 21, 2019, among the Co-Issuers and the Guarantors (collectively, the “Securitization Entities”), the Company, Applebee’s Services, Inc., International House of Pancakes, LLC and the Trustee, the Company will act as the
manager with respect to substantially all of the assets of the Securitization Entities (the “Securitized Assets”). The primary responsibilities of the manager will be to perform certain franchising, distribution, intellectual property and operational functions on behalf of the Securitization Entities with respect to the Securitized Assets pursuant to the Management Agreement. The manager will be entitled to the payment of the weekly management fee, as set forth in the Management Agreement and will be subject to the liabilities set forth in the Management Agreement. The Company, as Manager, voluntarily began waiving its receipt of the weekly management fee in April 2020 and resumed its receiving the weekly management fee in July 2020.
Covenants and Restrictions
The New Notes are subject to a series of covenants and restrictions customary for transactions of this type, including: (i) that the Co-Issuers maintain specified reserve accounts to be used to make required payments in respect of the New Notes, (ii) provisions relating to optional and mandatory prepayments, and the related payment of specified amounts, including specified call redemption premiums in the case of Class A-2 Notes under certain circumstances; (iii) certain indemnification payments in the event, among other things, the transfers of the assets pledged as collateral for the New Notes are in stated ways defective or ineffective and (iv) covenants relating to recordkeeping, access to information and similar matters. The New Notes are subject to customary rapid amortization events provided for in the Indenture, including events tied to failure of the Securitization Entities to maintain the stated debt service coverage ratio (“DSCR”), the sum of domestic retail sales for all restaurants being below certain levels on certain measurement dates, certain manager termination events, certain events of default and the failure to repay or refinance the Class A-2 Notes on the anticipated repayment dates. The New Notes are also subject to certain customary events of default, including events relating to non-payment of required interest, principal or other amounts due on or with respect to the New Notes, failure of the Securitization Entities to maintain the stated DSCR, failure to comply with covenants within certain time frames, certain bankruptcy events, breaches of specified representations and warranties and certain judgments.
In general, the DSCR ratio is Net Cash Flow (as defined in the Indenture) for the four quarters preceding the calculation date divided by the total debt service payments (as defined in the Indenture) of the preceding four quarters. The complete definitions of the DSCR and all calculation elements are contained in the Indenture. Failure to maintain a prescribed DSCR can trigger a Cash Flow Sweeping Event, a Rapid Amortization Event, a Manager Termination Event or a Default Event as described below. In a Cash Flow Sweeping Event, the Trustee is required to retain 50% of excess Cash Flow (as defined in the Indenture) in a restricted account. In a Rapid Amortization Event, all excess Cash Flow is retained and used to retire principal amounts of debt. In a Manager Termination Event, the Company may be replaced as manager of the assets securitized under the Indenture. In a Default Event, the outstanding principal amount and any accrued but unpaid interest can be called to become immediately due and payable. Key DSCRs are as follows:
•DSCR less than 1.75x - Cash Flow Sweeping Event
•DSCR less than 1.20x - Rapid Amortization Event
•Interest-only DSCR less than 1.20x - Manager Termination Event
•Interest-only DSCR less than 1.10x - Default Event
The Company's DSCR for the reporting period ended December 31, 2022 was approximately 4.1x.
(Gain)/Loss on Extinguishment of Debt
In connection with the termination of the Previous Credit Facility during the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recognized a loss on extinguishment of debt of $1.2 million, representing the remaining unamortized debt issuance costs associated with the Previous Credit Facility. In addition, the Company purchased $40.0 million of its 2019 Class A-2 Notes under par and recognized a $1.4 million gain on extinguishment of debt during the three months ended December 31, 2022.
Debt Issuance Costs
2022 Class A-1 Notes
In August 2022, the Company incurred costs of approximately $6.3 million in connection with the issuance of the Credit Facility. These debt issuance costs are being amortized over the estimated life of the Credit Facility. Amortization of $0.4 million of these costs was included in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2022. Unamortized debt issuance costs of $5.9 million related to the Credit Facility are classified as other non-current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
2019 Class A-2 Notes
The Company incurred costs of approximately $12.9 million in connection with the issuance of the 2019 Class A-2 Notes. These debt issuance costs are being amortized using the effective interest method over estimated life of each tranche of the 2019 Class A-2 Notes. Amortization costs of $2.4 million, $2.2 million, and $2.1 million included in interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Unamortized debt issuance costs of $5.1 million are reported as a direct reduction of the Class A-2 Notes in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Amortization costs incurred in connection with the Previous Credit Facility of $0.4 million, $0.6 million, and $0.6 million were included in interest expense for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Total unamortized debt issuance costs of $1.5 million related to the Previous Credit Facility were classified as other long-term assets because there are no borrowings outstanding against the Credit Facility at December 31, 2021.
Maturities of Long-term Debt
•The legal final maturity of the Class A-2 Notes is in June 2049, but it is anticipated that, unless repaid earlier, the Class A-2-I Notes will be repaid in June 2024 and the Class A-2-II Notes will be repaid in June 2026.
•The renewal date of the Credit Facility is June 2027, subject to two additional one-year extensions at the option of the Company upon the satisfaction of certain conditions.
•Quarterly principal payments on the Class A-2-I and Class A-2-II Notes totaling $3.25 million ($13.0 million per annum) are required if the Company's leverage ratio is greater than 5.25x.