Note 2 - Long-term Debt

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2022

Notes to Financial Statements

Debt Disclosure [Text Block]

NOTE 2 – LONG-TERM DEBT

On June 28, 2021, an affiliate of BRS entered into an assignment and assumption agreement (“Assignment”) whereby it agreed to purchase all outstanding obligations under the Company’s then existing senior secured debt for $77.5 million. This Assignment closed on July 2, 2021.

On July 2, 2021, the Company entered into a new $50 million senior secured credit agreement (“Credit Agreement”) with Lenders and BRS, as administrative agent for the Lenders (“Senior Secured Debt”). The Senior Secured Debt will mature on July 2, 2024, unless the maturity is accelerated subject to the terms of the Credit Agreement. Interest is paid quarterly beginning on September 30, 2021 at a rate of seven percent per annum.  The obligations under the Senior Secured Debt are secured by substantially all of the Company’s assets on a first-priority basis (except as otherwise provided in the Credit Agreement). In connection with any repayment or prepayment of the debt, the Company is required to pay a repayment fee equal to the principal amount being repaid or prepaid, multiplied by (i) 2.0%, if such repayment or prepayment is made on or after the six-month anniversary of the closing of the debt and prior to the eighteen-month anniversary of the closing of the debt, (ii) 4.0%, if such repayment or prepayment is made on or after the eighteen-month anniversary of the closing of the debt and prior to the thirty-month anniversary of the closing of the debt, and (iii) 6.0%, if such repayment or prepayment is made at any time after the thirty-month anniversary of the closing of the debt. At any time, the Company will be permitted to prepay the principal of the debt, in whole or in part, provided that such prepayment is accompanied by any accrued interest on such principal amount being prepaid plus the applicable repayment fee described above.

In the event of certain asset sales, the incurrence of indebtedness or a casualty or condemnation event, in each case, under certain circumstances as described in the Credit Agreement, the Company will be required to use a portion of the proceeds to prepay amounts under the debt. In the event of any additional issuance of depositary receipts (“Depositary Receipts”) representing interests in shares of 8.875% Series A Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) by the Company, the Company will be required to, within five business days after the receipt of the net cash proceeds, apply 75% of the net cash proceeds to prepay amounts due under the debt (including the applicable repayment fee described above). 

The Credit Agreement includes customary affirmative and negative covenants, including delivery of financial statements and other reports. The negative covenants limit the ability of the Company to, among other things, incur debt, incur liens, make investments, sell assets, pay dividends and enter into transactions with affiliates. In addition, the Credit Agreement includes customary events of default and remedies.

While any amount remains outstanding under the debt, the Lenders will have the right to convert the outstanding principal, plus unpaid interest, on the debt into Depositary Receipts at the per share exchange price of $25.00, as follows:

● at any time after the 12-month anniversary of the closing of the debt, and on or before the 18-month anniversary of the closing of the debt, up to 50% of the principal and unpaid interest on the debt may be exchanged into Depositary Receipts;

● at any time after the 18-month anniversary of the closing of the debt, and on or before the 24-month anniversary of the closing of the debt, up to 75% of the principal and unpaid interest on the debt may be exchanged into Depositary Receipts; and

● at any time after the 24-month anniversary of the closing of the debt, up to 100% of the principal and unpaid interest on the debt may be exchanged for Depositary Receipts.

The proceeds of the Senior Secured Debt were used, together with the proceeds received from the Depositary Share Offering, (a) to repay all of the Company’s outstanding obligations under the then existing senior secured debt, (b) to deposit approximately $10.2 million into a segregated account, representing an amount sufficient to pre-fund eight quarterly dividend payments on the Series A Preferred Stock underlying the Depositary Shares issued in the Depositary Share Offering, and (c) to pay transaction related expenses. The remaining proceeds will be used for working capital needs and for general corporate purposes. In addition, the Company incurred approximately $2.9 million in legal and advisory fees which was recorded as additional debt discount and is being amortized over the term of the Senior Secured Debt.

In connection with the issuance of the Senior Secured Debt, on July 2, 2021 (the “Original Issue Date”) the Company issued to the Lenders two warrants (“A Warrants” and “B Warrants”), each granting an option to purchase 500,000 shares of our common stock (collectively, the “Warrants”). The A Warrants may be exercised any time prior to July 2, 2024 (the “Expiration Date”) and have an exercise price of $17.38 equal to 120% of the closing price per share of our common stock on the Original Issue Date. The B Warrants may be exercised in the period from 180 days after the Original Issue Date to the Expiration Date and have an exercise price of $21.72 equal to 150% of the closing price of our common stock on the Original Issue Date.

As a result of the issuance of the Warrants, which met the criteria for equity classification under applicable GAAP, the Company recorded additional paid-in capital in the amount of $1.9 million which was the fair value of the Warrants on the issuance date. In addition, the fair value of the Warrants was recorded as debt discount and is being amortized over the term of the Senior Secured Debt.  All of the Warrants remain outstanding as of September 30, 2022.