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Secured Credit Facility
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Secured Credit Facility [Abstract]  
Secured Credit Facility [TextBlock]

Note 4 Secured Credit Facility


We have a credit facility with CoBank. Under the credit facility, we entered into a master loan agreement (MLA) and a series of supplements to the respective MLA.


NU Telecom and its respective subsidiaries also have entered into security agreements under which substantially all the assets of NU Telecom and its respective subsidiaries have been pledged to CoBank as collateral. In addition, NU Telecom and its respective subsidiaries have guaranteed all the obligations under the credit facility. These mortgage notes are required to be paid in quarterly installments covering principal and interest, beginning in the year of issue and maturing on December 31, 2021.  


On December 31, 2014, NU Telecom entered into an Amended and Restated MLA with CoBank. The MLA refinanced and replaced the existing credit facility between CoBank and NU Telecom and the subsidiaries of NU Telecom. There are two loans under the MLA, which include a $35 million term loan and a $9 million revolver loan. Also, under the MLA, NU Telecom has the ability to either increase the amount of the commitment under the revolver loan by up to $6 million in a single increase, or add an incremental term loan up to $6 million.


As part of the Amended and Restated MLA with CoBank, NU Telecom needed to enter into an interest rate protection agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to CoBank so as to fix or limit interest rates payable by NU Telecom at all times to at least 40% of the outstanding principal balance of the $35 million term loan for an initial average weighted life of at least three years.


Our loan agreements include restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends to our stockholders. However, we are allowed to pay dividends (a) (i) in an amount up to $2,100,000 in any year if our “Total Leverage Ratio,” that is, the ratio of our “Indebtedness” to “EBITDA” (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization – as defined in the loan documents) is greater than 2.50 to 1.00, and (ii) in any amount if our Total Leverage Ratio is less than 2.50 to 1.00, and (b) in either case, if we are not in default or potential default under the loan agreements. On March 31, 2016 our Total Leverage Ratio fell below 2.50, thus eliminating any restrictions on our ability to pay cash dividends to our stockholders. Our current Total Leverage Ratio at March 31, 2017 is 1.86.  


Our credit facility requires us to comply with specified financial ratios. These financial ratios include total leverage ratio, debt service coverage ratio, equity to total assets ratio and fixed coverage ratio. At March 31, 2017 we were in compliance with all the stipulated financial ratios in our loan agreements.


There are security and loan agreements underlying our current CoBank credit facility that contain restrictions on our distributions to stockholders and investment in, or loans, to others. Also, our credit facility contains restrictions that, among other things, limits or restricts our ability to enter into guarantees and contingent liabilities, incur additional debt, issue stock, transact asset sales, transfers or dispositions, and engage in mergers and acquisitions, without CoBank approval.   


As described in Note 5 – “Interest Rate Swaps,” we have entered into an IRSA that effectively fixed our interest rates and cover $14.0 million at a weighted average rate of 4.22%, as of March 31, 2017. The remaining debt of $23.9 million ($8.6 million available under the revolving credit facilities and $15.3 million currently outstanding) remains subject to variable interest rates at an effective weighted average interest rate of 3.99%, as of March 31, 2017.