Long-Term Debt

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Long-term Debt

Note 5 — Long-Term Debt

Scheduled maturities of our long-term debt outstanding as of March 31, 2024 are as follows (in thousands):

	MARAD		2029
	Debt		Notes		Total
Less than one year	$	8,965	$	—	$	8,965
One to two years		9,412		—		9,412
Two to three years		9,881		—		9,881
Three to four years		—		—		—
Four to five years		—		—		—
Over five years		—		300,000		300,000
Gross debt		28,258		300,000		328,258
Unamortized debt discount (1)		—		(1,351)		(1,351)
Unamortized debt issuance costs (1)		(1,463)		(7,280)		(8,743)
Total debt		26,795		291,369		318,164
Less current maturities		(8,965)		—		(8,965)
Long-term debt	$	17,830	$	291,369	$	309,199

(1) Debt discount and debt issuance costs are amortized to interest expense over the term of the applicable debt agreement.

Below is a summary of our indebtedness:

Credit Agreement

On September 30, 2021 we entered into an asset-based credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A. (“Bank of America”), Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Zions Bancorporation and subsequently we entered into amendments to the credit agreement on July 1, 2022, June 23, 2023 and November 15, 2023 (collectively, the “Amended ABL Facility”). The Amended ABL Facility provides a $120 million asset-based revolving credit facility, which matures on September 30, 2026, with a springing maturity 91 days prior to the maturity of any outstanding indebtedness with a principal amount in excess of $50 million. The Amended ABL Facility also permits us to request an increase of the facility by up to $30 million, subject to certain conditions.

Commitments under the Amended ABL Facility are comprised of separate U.S. and U.K. revolving credit facility commitments of $85 million and $35 million, respectively. The Amended ABL Facility provides funding based on a borrowing base calculation that includes eligible U.S. and U.K. customer accounts receivable and cash, and provides for a $20 million sub-limit for the issuance of letters of credit. As of March 31, 2024, we had no borrowings under the Amended ABL Facility, and our available borrowing capacity, based on the borrowing base, totaled $95.6 million, net of $3.4 million of letters of credit issued.

We and certain of our U.S. and U.K. subsidiaries are the current borrowers under the Amended ABL Facility, whose obligations under the Amended ABL Facility are guaranteed by those borrowers and certain other U.S. and U.K. subsidiaries, excluding Cal Dive I – Title XI, Inc. (“CDI Title XI”), Helix Offshore Services Limited and certain other enumerated subsidiaries. Other subsidiaries may be added as guarantors of the facility in the future. The Amended ABL Facility is secured by all accounts receivable and designated deposit accounts of the U.S. borrowers and guarantors, and by substantially all of the assets of the U.K. borrowers and guarantors.

U.S. borrowings under the Amended ABL Facility bear interest at the Term SOFR rate (also known as CME Term SOFR as administered by CME Group, Inc.) plus a margin of 1.50% to 2.00% or at a base rate plus a margin of 0.50% to 1.00%. U.K. borrowings under the Amended ABL Facility denominated in U.S. dollars bear interest at the Term SOFR rate with SOFR adjustment of 0.10% and U.K. borrowings denominated in the British pound bear interest at the SONIA daily rate, each plus a margin of 1.50% to 2.00%. We also pay a commitment fee of 0.375% to 0.50% per annum on the unused portion of the facility.

The Amended ABL Facility includes certain limitations on our ability to incur additional indebtedness, grant liens on assets, pay dividends and make distributions on equity interests, dispose of assets, make investments, repay certain indebtedness, engage in mergers, and other matters, in each case subject to certain exceptions. The Amended ABL Facility contains customary default provisions which, if triggered, could result in acceleration of all amounts then outstanding. The Amended ABL Facility requires us to satisfy and maintain a fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 if availability is less than the greater of 10% of the borrowing base or $12 million.

The Amended ABL Facility also (i) limits the amount of permitted debt for the deferred purchase price of property not to exceed $50 million, and (ii) provides for potential ESG-related pricing adjustments based on specific metrics and performance targets determined by us and Bank of America, as agent with respect to the Amended ABL Facility.

MARAD Debt

In 2005, Helix’s subsidiary CDI – Title XI issued its U.S. Government Guaranteed Ship Financing Bonds, Q4000 Series, to refinance the construction financing originally granted in 2002 of the Q4000 vessel (the “MARAD Debt”). The MARAD Debt is guaranteed by the U.S. government pursuant to Title XI of the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, administered by the Maritime Administration (“MARAD”). The obligation of CDI Title XI to reimburse MARAD in the event CDI Title XI fails to repay the MARAD Debt is collateralized by the Q4000 and is guaranteed 50% by us. In addition, we have agreed to bareboat charter the Q4000 from CDI Title XI for so long as the MARAD Debt remains outstanding. The MARAD Debt is payable in equal semi-annual installments through February 2027 and bears interest at a rate of 4.93%. We believe the agreements relating to the bonds and the terms and conditions of our obligations to MARAD in respect of the MARAD Debt were typical for U.S. government-guaranteed ship financing transactions when they were entered into, including customary restrictions on incurring additional liens on the Q4000 and trading restrictions with respect to the vessel as well as working capital requirements.

Senior Notes Due 2029 (“2029 Notes”)

On December 1, 2023, we issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of the 2029 Notes. The net proceeds from the issuance of the 2029 Notes were approximately $291.1 million, after deducting the purchasers’ discount and debt issuance costs. We used cash proceeds from the offering to retire the Convertible Senior Notes due 2026 (the “2026 Notes”). See details regarding the 2026 Notes below.

The 2029 Notes bear interest at a coupon interest rate of 9.75% per annum payable semi-annually in arrears on March 1 and September 1 of each year, beginning on March 1, 2024. The 2029 Notes mature on March 1, 2029 unless earlier redeemed or repurchased by us.

Prior to March 1, 2026, we may, at our option, redeem the 2029 Notes, in whole or in part, at a price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus a make-whole premium and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. On or after March 1, 2026, we may, at our option, redeem the 2029 Notes, in whole or in part, at the redemption prices (expressed as percentages of the principal amount of the notes to be redeemed) set forth below, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date. Prior to March 1, 2026, following certain equity offerings we may, at our option, on any one or more occasions, redeem up to 40% of the 2029 Notes at a price equal to 109.750% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes to be redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but excluding, the redemption date, in an amount not exceeding the proceeds of such equity offerings.

	Redemption
Year	Price
2026	104.875%
2027	102.438%
2028 and thereafter	100.000%

Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event, as defined in the indenture governing the 2029 Notes, we may be required to make an offer to repurchase all of the notes then outstanding at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the repurchase date.

The indenture governing the 2029 Notes contains customary terms and covenants, including limitations on additional indebtedness, restricted payments, liens, asset sales, transactions with affiliates, mergers and consolidations, designation of unrestricted subsidiaries, and dividend and other restrictions affecting restricted subsidiaries.

The 2029 Notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by the subsidiaries that guarantee the Amended ABL Facility, as well as certain future subsidiaries that may guarantee certain of our indebtedness, including the Amended ABL Facility. The 2029 Notes are junior in right of payment to all our existing and future secured indebtedness and obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all our existing and future senior unsecured indebtedness. The 2029 Notes rank senior in right of payment to any of our future subordinated indebtedness and are fully and unconditionally guaranteed by the guarantors described above on a senior basis.

2026 Notes

During December 2023 and the first quarter 2024, we retired the 2026 Notes through various transactions using proceeds from the 2029 Notes as well as the issuance of our common stock.

In December 2023, we entered into privately negotiated agreements with certain holders of the 2026 Notes to repurchase $159.8 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes (the “2026 Notes Repurchases”) for 1.5 million shares of our common stock and aggregate cash payments of $229.7 million, plus accrued and unpaid cash interest of $3.8 million. We recognized pre-tax inducement charges of $37.4 million for the 2026 Notes Repurchases in the fourth quarter 2023, representing the total settlement value in excess of the total conversion value of the 2026 Notes Repurchases when the final negotiated offers were accepted. The conversion value paid in excess of the carrying amount of the 2026 Notes Repurchases is reflected in “Common stock” in the shareholders’ equity section of the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets.

In December 2023, $0.2 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes was tendered for conversion. We settled the conversions for $0.3 million cash in March 2024. The conversion value paid in excess of the $0.2 million carrying amount of the 2026 Notes that were tentered for conversion is reflected in “Common stock” in the shareholders’ equity section of the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet.

In January 2024, we issued a notice for the redemption of the remaining $40.0 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes to be settled in March 2024 (the “2026 Notes Redemptions”). The redemption price consisted of the principal amount and the make-whole premium, plus accrued and unpaid interest. Our redemption notice enabled holders of $39.7 million aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes to tender their notes for conversion prior to the redemption date, with the remaining $0.3 million aggregate principal amount of the notes redeemed. We settled both the conversions and redemptions for an aggregate $60.2 million cash in March 2024 and recognized pre-tax losses of $20.9 million. These losses are reflected in “Losses related to convertible senior notes” in the accompanying condensed consolidated statement of operations.

The 2026 Notes had a coupon interest rate of 6.75% per annum and an effective interest rate of 7.6%. For the three-month periods ended March 31, 2024 and 2023, total interest expense related to the 2026 Notes was $0.4 million and $3.7 million, respectively, with coupon interest expense of $0.3 million and $3.4 million, respectively, and the amortization of debt issuance costs of $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively.

2026 Capped Calls

In connection with the 2026 Notes offering, we had entered into capped call transactions (the “2026 Capped Calls”) with three separate counterparties to hedge the dilution risk of the 2026 Notes. Concurrently with the 2026 Notes Repurchases in December 2023, we terminated a proportionate amount of the 2026 Capped Calls and received $15.6 million in cash, recognizing an increase to “Common stock” of $14.2 million and a $1.4 million gain. Concurrent with the settlement of the 2026 Notes Redemptions in March 2024, we terminated the remaining 2026 Capped Calls and received $4.4 million in cash, recognizing an increase to “Common stock” in the shareholders’ equity section of the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet.

Other

In accordance with the Amended ABL Facility, the MARAD Debt and the 2029 Notes, we are required to comply with certain covenants, including minimum liquidity and a springing fixed charge coverage ratio (applicable under certain conditions that are currently not applicable) with respect to the Amended ABL Facility and the maintenance of net worth, working capital and debt-to-equity requirements with respect to the MARAD Debt. As of March 31, 2024, we were in compliance with these covenants.

The Convertible Senior Notes due 2023 (the “2023 Notes”) matured on September 15, 2023. Upon maturity of the 2023 Notes, we paid $29.6 million in cash to settle the conversion of $29.2 million aggregate principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest. We recorded the conversion value in excess of such principal amount converted to “Common stock” in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Notes representing the remaining $0.8 million aggregate principal amount of the 2023 Notes were redeemed at par, plus accrued and unpaid interest. The 2023 Notes had a coupon interest rate of 4.125% per annum and an effective interest rate of 4.8%. For the three-month period ended March 31, 2023, total interest expense related to the 2023 Notes was $0.4 million, primarily from coupon interest expense.

The following table details the components of our net interest expense (in thousands):

	Three Months Ended
	March 31,
	2024		2023
Interest expense	$	8,778	$	4,869
Interest income		(3,301)		(682)
Net interest expense	$	5,477	$	4,187