Long-Term Debt:

Long-term debt as of March 27, 2016, December 31, 2015, and March 29, 2015:



($'s in thousands)	March 27, 2016		December 31, 2015		March 29, 2015

Revolving credit facility (due 2018)	$	65,000	$	—	$	57,000
Term debt ⁽¹⁾
March 2013 U.S. term loan averaging 3.25% (due 2013-2020)	608,850		608,850		608,850
Notes
June 2014 U.S. fixed rate note at 5.375% (due 2024)	450,000		450,000		450,000
March 2013 U.S. fixed rate note at 5.25% (due 2021)	500,000		500,000		500,000
	1,623,850		1,558,850		1,615,850
Less: current portion	4,050		2,475		—
	1,619,800		1,556,375		1,615,850
Less: deferred financing fees	18,949		19,699		23,016
	$	1,600,851	$	1,536,676	$	1,592,834

⁽¹⁾The average interest rate does not reflect the effect of interest rate swap agreements (see Note 6).

In June of 2014, the Partnership issued $450 million of 5.375% senior unsecured notes ("June 2014 notes"), maturing in 2024. The net proceeds from the offering of the June 2014 notes were used to redeem in full all of the Partnership’s $405 million of 9.125% July 2010 senior unsecured notes that were scheduled to mature in 2018 (and which included $5.6 million of Original Issue Discount ("OID") to yield 9.375%), to satisfy and discharge the indenture governing the notes that were redeemed and for general corporate purposes.

The Partnership's June 2014 notes pay interest semi-annually in June and December, with the principal due in full on June 1, 2024. Prior to June 1, 2017, up to 35% of the notes may be redeemed with the net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings at a price equal to 105.375% together with accrued and unpaid interest. The notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time prior to June 1, 2019 at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed plus a “make-whole” premium together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date. Thereafter, the notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at various prices depending on the date redeemed.

In March 2013, the Partnership issued $500 million of 5.25% senior unsecured notes ("March 2013 notes"), maturing in 2021. The Partnership's March 2013 notes pay interest semi-annually in March and September, with the principal due in full on March 15, 2021. The notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time prior to March 15, 2017 at a price equal to 103.938% of the principal amount of the notes redeemed, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the redemption date. The notes may be redeemed after this date, in whole or in part, at various prices depending on the date redeemed.

Concurrently with this offering, the Partnership entered into a new $885 million credit agreement (the "2013 Credit Agreement"), which included a $630 million senior secured term loan facility and a $255 million senior secured revolving credit facility. The terms of the senior secured term loan facility include a maturity date of March 6, 2020 and an interest rate of LIBOR ("London InterBank Offering Rate") plus 250 bps with a LIBOR floor of 75 bps. The term loan amortizes at $6.3 million annually and allows interest to be paid on a 30-, 60-, or 90-day basis. The Partnership is currently paying interest on a 30-day basis. The net proceeds from the notes and borrowings under the 2013 Credit Agreement were used to repay in full all amounts outstanding under the previous credit facilities. The facilities provided under the 2013 Credit Agreement are collateralized by substantially all of the assets of the Partnership.

Terms of the 2013 Credit Agreement include a revolving credit facility of a combined $255 million. Under the 2013 Credit Agreement, the Canadian portion of the revolving credit facility has a sub-limit of $15 million. U.S. denominated and Canadian denominated loans made under the revolving credit facility bear interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 225 bps (with no LIBOR floor). The revolving credit facility is scheduled to mature in March 2018 and also provides for the issuance of documentary and standby letters of credit. The 2013 Credit Agreement requires the Partnership to pay a commitment fee of 38 bps per annum on the unused portion of the credit facilities.

The 2013 Credit Agreement includes two Financial Condition Covenants, which if breached for any reason and not cured, could result in an event of default. At the end of the first quarter of 2016, the first of these, the Consolidated Leverage Ratio, was set at a maximum of 5.75x consolidated total debt (excluding the revolving debt)-to-consolidated EBITDA. This required ratio decreased by 0.25x at the beginning of the second quarter of 2015 and will decrease each second quarter until it reaches 5.25x. The second of these required ratios, the Consolidated Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio, is set at a minimum of 1.1x (consolidated total fixed charges-to-consolidated EBITDA). As of March 27, 2016, the Partnership was in compliance with these Financial Condition Covenants and all other covenants under the 2013 Credit Agreement.

The Partnership is allowed to make Restricted Payments, as defined in the 2013 Credit Agreement, of up to $60 million annually, so long as no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing and so long as the Partnership would be in compliance with certain financial ratios after giving effect to the payments. Additional Restricted Payments are allowed to be made based on an Excess-Cash-Flow formula, should the Partnership’s pro-forma Consolidated Leverage Ratio be less than or equal to 5.00x. Pursuant to the terms of the indentures governing the Partnership's June 2014 and March 2013 notes, the Partnership can make Restricted Payments of $60 million annually so long as no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing, and our ability to make additional Restricted Payments in 2016 and beyond is permitted should the Partnership's pro forma Total-Indebtedness-to-Consolidated-Cash-Flow Ratio be less than or equal to 5.00x.

As market conditions warrant, the Partnership may from time to time repurchase debt securities issued by the Partnership, in privately negotiated or open market transactions, by tender offer, exchange offer or otherwise.