Note 9 - Notes Payable and Long-term Debt

9 Months Ended

Jun. 27, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Debt Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 9. Notes Payable and Long-Term Debt

Cadence Credit Facility

The Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries (the “Subsidiaries”) maintain an amended and restated credit agreement with Cadence Bank (“Cadence”) pursuant to which, Cadence agreed to loan the Company up to $8,000,000, has a maturity date of April 20, 2028 (the “Cadence Credit Facility”). The Cadence Credit Facility amended and restated the Company’s prior credit facility with Cadence in its entirety. The Cadence Credit Facility accrues commitment fees on the daily unused balance of the facility at a rate of 0.25%. The loans may from time to time consist of a mixture of SOFR Rate Loans and Base Rate Loans with differing interest rates based upon varying additions to the Federal Funds Rate, the Cadence prime rate or Term SOFR. Interest is due at the end of each calendar quarter if the Company selects to pay interest based on the base rate and at the end of each LIBOR period if it selects to pay interest based on LIBOR. The Cadence Credit Facility includes provisions for the Administrative Agent of the facility to amend the facility to replace LIBOR with an alternate benchmark rate, which may be (but is not required to be) SOFR, at such point in time when appliable LIBOR rates are no longer available or no longer reliable. Each of the Subsidiaries are guarantors of the Cadence Credit Facility.

Proceeds from the Cadence Credit Facility, if and when drawn, may be used (i) to fund new restaurant development, (ii) to finance the buyout of non-controlling partners in certain restaurants, (iii) to finance the redemption, purchase or other acquisition of equity interests in the Company and (iv) for working capital and other general corporate purposes.

The Cadence Credit Facility includes customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default. The Cadence Credit Facility also requires the Company to maintain various financial condition ratios, including minimum liquidity, an amended maximum leverage ratio and an amended minimum fixed charge coverage ratio. In addition, to the extent the aggregate outstanding balance under the Revolver exceeds $4.0 million, the Company is required to meet a new specified leverage ratio, on a pro forma basis, before making further borrowings as well as certain restricted payments, investments and growth capital expenditures.

In connection with the Cadence Credit Facility, the Company and the Subsidiaries entered into an Amended and Restated Security and Pledge Agreement (the “Security Agreement”) with Cadence. Under the Security Agreement, the Cadence Credit Facility is secured by a first priority security interest in substantially all the assets of the Company and the Subsidiaries.

As of June 27, 2023, the interest rate that would have been applicable to borrowings under the Cadence Credit Facility would have been 8.07%.