Long-Term Debt

3 Months Ended

Mar. 26, 2023

Long-Term Debt:

Long-term debt as of March 26, 2023, December 31, 2022, and March 27, 2022 consisted of the following:


(In thousands)	March 26, 2023		December 31, 2022		March 27, 2022

Revolving credit facility	$	170,000	$	—	$	125,000
U.S. term loan averaging 2.56% in 2022; 1.88% YTD 2022 (1)	—		—		264,250
Notes
2025 U.S. fixed rate senior secured notes at 5.500%	1,000,000		1,000,000		1,000,000
2027 U.S. fixed rate senior unsecured notes at 5.375%	500,000		500,000		500,000
2028 U.S. fixed rate senior unsecured notes at 6.500%	300,000		300,000		300,000
2029 U.S. fixed rate senior unsecured notes at 5.250%	500,000		500,000		500,000
	2,470,000		2,300,000		2,689,250
Less current portion	—		—		—
	2,470,000		2,300,000		2,689,250
Less debt issuance costs and original issue discount	(31,725)		(31,845)		(42,174)
	$	2,438,275	$	2,268,155	$	2,647,076

(1) The average interest rates do not reflect the effect of interest rate swap agreements; see Note 7. The full year 2022 interest rate reflects borrowings prior to full repayment of the term loan facility during the third quarter of 2022.

Term Debt and Revolving Credit Facilities

In April 2017, we amended and restated our credit agreement (the "2017 Credit Agreement") which includes our senior secured revolving credit facility and which included a senior secured term loan facility.

As of March 26, 2023, our total senior secured revolving credit facility capacity under the 2017 Credit Agreement, as amended, was $300 million with a Canadian sub-limit of $15 million. The senior secured revolving credit facility bears interest at Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") plus 350 basis points ("bps") with a SOFR adjustment of 10 bps per annum and a floor of zero, requires the payment of a 62.5 bps commitment fee per annum on the unused portion of the revolving credit facility, in each case without any step-downs, and is collateralized by substantially all of the assets of the Partnership. The senior secured revolving credit facility matures on February 10, 2028, provided that the maturity date will be (x) January 30, 2025 if at least $200 million of the 2025 senior notes remain outstanding as of that date, or (y) January 14, 2027 if at least $200 million of the 2027 senior notes remain outstanding as of that date. Prior to an amendment entered into on February 10, 2023, borrowings under the senior secured revolving credit facility bore interest at London InterBank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") plus 350 bps or Canadian Dollar Offered Rate ("CDOR") plus 250 bps and matured in December 2023. The maximum outstanding revolving credit facility balance during the first three months of 2023 was $170.0 million, and there was $170.0 million outstanding under the revolving credit facility as of March 26, 2023. The 2017 Credit Agreement, as amended, also provides for the issuance of documentary and standby letters of credit. After letters of credit of $19.9 million, we had $110.1 million of availability under our revolving credit facility as of March 26, 2023.

In April 2022, $75 million of the senior secured revolving credit facility capacity under the 2017 Credit Agreement matured, and the outstanding borrowings were repaid. While such $75 million of senior secured revolving credit facility capacity was available, borrowings under this portion of the revolver capacity bore interest at LIBOR plus 300 bps or CDOR plus 200 bps, and the unused portion of this revolving credit facility capacity required the payment of a 37.5 bps commitment fee per annum.

During 2022, we made the remaining $264.3 million of principal payments on the senior secured term loan facility, fully repaying the term loan facility. Prior to repayment, the term loan facility was scheduled to mature on April 15, 2024 and bore interest at LIBOR plus 175 bps.

Notes

In April 2020, as a result of the anticipated effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we issued $1.0 billion of 5.500% senior secured notes due 2025 ("2025 senior notes") in a private placement. The 2025 senior notes and the related guarantees are secured by first-priority liens on the issuers' and the guarantors' assets that secure all the obligations under our credit facilities. The net proceeds from the offering of the 2025 senior notes were used to repay $463.3 million of our then-outstanding senior secured term loan facility. The remaining amount was for general corporate and working capital purposes, including fees and expenses related to the transaction. The 2025 senior notes pay interest semi-annually in May and November, with the principal due in full on May 1, 2025. The 2025 senior notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at various prices depending on the date redeemed.

In April 2017, we issued $500 million of 5.375% senior unsecured notes due 2027 ("2027 senior notes"). The 2027 senior notes pay interest semi-annually in April and October, with the principal due in full on April 15, 2027. The 2027 senior notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at various prices depending on the date redeemed.

In June 2019, we issued $500 million of 5.250% senior unsecured notes due 2029 ("2029 senior notes"). The 2029 senior notes pay interest semi-annually in January and July, with the principal due in full on July 15, 2029. The 2029 senior notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time prior to July 15, 2024 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 and additional interest, if any, to the redemption date. Thereafter, the 2029 senior notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at various prices depending on the date redeemed.

In October 2020, in response to the continuing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we issued $300 million of 6.500% senior unsecured notes due 2028 ("2028 senior notes"). The net proceeds from the offering of the 2028 senior notes were for general corporate and working capital purposes, including fees and expenses related to the transaction. The 2028 senior notes pay interest semi-annually in April and October with the principal due in full on October 1, 2028. Prior to October 1, 2023, up to 35% of the 2028 senior notes may be redeemed with the net cash proceeds of certain equity offerings at a price equal to 106.500% of the principal amount thereof, together with accrued and unpaid interest, if any. The 2028 senior notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at any time prior to October 1, 2023 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 and additional interest, if any, to the redemption date. Thereafter, the 2028 senior notes may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at various prices depending on the date redeemed.

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

Covenants

The 2017 Credit Agreement, as amended, includes a Senior Secured Leverage Ratio calculated as Total First Lien Senior Secured Debt-to-Consolidated EBITDA. The ratio was set at 4.50x through the first quarter of 2023. The ratio will step down to 4.00x for the second quarter of 2023 and will step down further to 3.75x for the third quarter of 2023 and future quarters. This financial covenant is only required to be tested at the end of any fiscal quarter in which revolving credit facility borrowings are outstanding. We were in compliance with the applicable financial covenants under our credit agreement during the three months ended March 26, 2023.

Our credit agreement and fixed rate note agreements include Restricted Payment provisions, which could limit our ability to pay partnership distributions. Pursuant to the terms of the indenture governing the 2027 senior notes, which includes the most restrictive of these Restricted Payments provisions, if our pro forma Total-Indebtedness-to-Consolidated-Cash-Flow Ratio is greater than 5.25x, we can still make Restricted Payments of $100 million annually so long as no default or event of default has occurred and is continuing. If our pro forma Total-Indebtedness-to-Consolidated-Cash-Flow Ratio is less than or equal to 5.25x, we can make Restricted Payments up to our Restricted Payment pool. Our pro forma Total-Indebtedness-to-Consolidated-Cash-Flow Ratio was less than 5.25x as of March 26, 2023.