Debt

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Debt

11. Debt

As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company’s indebtedness was comprised as follows:

	December 31, 2022		December 31, 2021
Revolving credit facility	$	100,000	$	110,165
5.625% Notes	1,100,000		1,100,000
Debt issuance costs	(15,293)		(18,564)
Total long-term debt	$	1,184,707	$	1,191,601

Interest expense related to long-term debt included in Interest expense, net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020 was $73,788, $29,594, and $5,472, respectively.

The amortization of debt issuance costs included in Interest expense, net on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020 $2,358, $2,693, and $831, respectively.

Revolving Credit Agreement

On November 18, 2019, the Company entered into a debt agreement (“JPM Syndicated Facility”) with a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A (“JPM”). The JPM Syndicated Facility consisted of a five-year revolving credit facility of $265,000 (“JPM Revolver”) with the right to be increased by an additional $150,000. On March 18, 2020, the Company increased the commitments on the JPM Revolver by $60,000 to $325,000.

On August 2, 2021, in connection with the closing of the acquisition of MDC, the Company entered into an amended and restated credit agreement (as further amended on April 28, 2022 and December 14, 2022, the “Combined Credit Agreement”) with a syndicate of banks led by JPM to increase commitments on the existing JPM Revolver. The Combined Credit Agreement consists of a $500,000 senior secured revolving credit facility with a five-year maturity.

The Combined Credit Agreement contains sub-limits for revolving loans denominated in pounds and euros not to exceed U.S. dollar equivalent of $50,000 in pounds and $50,000 in euros and $100,000 in the aggregate. Additionally, the Combined Credit Agreement contains a $15,000 sub-limit for letters of credits denominated in pounds or euros. It also includes an accordion feature under which the Company may request, subject to lender approval and certain conditions, to increase the amount of the commitments to an aggregate amount not to exceed $650,000.

On April 28, 2022, the Company amended the Combined Credit Agreement. Among other things, this amendment replaced any references to LIBOR with references to SOFR. Borrowings pursuant to the Combined Credit Agreement, as amended, bear interest at a rate equal to, at the Company’s option, (i) the greatest of (a) the prime rate of interest in effect on such day, (b) the federal funds effective rate plus 0.50% and (c) SOFR plus 1% in each case, plus the applicable margin (calculated based on the Company’s Total Leverage Ratio, as defined in the Combined Credit Agreement) at that time. Additionally, the Combined Credit Agreement was amended to remove certain pre-commencement notice provisions for certain acquisitions under $50,000 in the aggregate, increased the amount permitted for certain investments allowed under the Combined Credit Agreement, and, subject to certain conditions, to allow for the repurchase of Stagwell Inc. stock in an amount not to exceed $100,000 in any fiscal year. All other substantive terms of the Combined Credit Agreement remain unchanged.

Prior to April 28, 2022, borrowings under the Combined Credit Agreement bore interest at a rate equal to, at the Company’s option, (i) the greatest of (a) the prime rate of interest announced from time to time by JPM, (b) the federal funds effective rate from time to time plus 0.50% and (c) the LIBOR rate plus 1%, in each case, plus the applicable margin (calculated based on the Company’s total leverage ratio) at that time or (ii) the LIBOR rate plus the applicable margin (calculated based on the Company’s total leverage ratio) at that time.

The Company transfers certain of its trade receivable assets to third parties under sales agreements. On December 14, 2022, the Company amended its Combined Credit Agreement to allow for the sale of accounts receivable with JPM. Refer to Note 2 of the Notes included herein for further detail of this agreement. All other substantive terms of the Combined Credit Agreement remained unchanged.

Advances under the Combined Credit Agreement may be prepaid in whole or in part from time to time without penalty or premium. The Combined Credit Agreement commitment may be reduced by the Company from time to time. Principal amounts outstanding under the Combined Credit Agreement are due and payable in full at maturity within five years of the date of the Combined Credit Agreement.

If an event of default occurs under the Combined Credit Agreement or any future secured indebtedness, the holders of such secured indebtedness will have a prior right to our assets securing such indebtedness, to the exclusion of the holders of the

5.625% Notes (as defined below), even if we are in default with respect to the 5.625% Notes. In that event, our assets securing such indebtedness would first be used to repay in full all indebtedness and other obligations secured by them (including all amounts outstanding under the Combined Credit Agreement), resulting in all or a portion of our assets being unavailable to satisfy the claims of the holders of the 5.625% Notes and other unsecured indebtedness.

The Combined Credit Agreement contains a number of financial and nonfinancial covenants and is guaranteed by substantially all of our present and future subsidiaries, subject to customary exceptions.

The Company was in compliance with all covenants at December 31, 2022.

A portion of the Combined Credit Agreement in an amount not to exceed $50,000 is available for the issuance of standby letters of credit. At December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the Company had issued undrawn outstanding letters of credit of $25,305 and $24,332, respectively.

Senior Notes

In August 2021, the Company issued $1,100,000 aggregate principal amount of 5.625% senior notes (“5.625% Notes”). A portion of the proceeds from the issuance of the 5.625% Notes was used to redeem $870,300 aggregate principal amount of the outstanding 7.50% Senior Notes due 2024 (the “Existing Notes”) for a price of $904,200. This price is equal to 101.625% of the outstanding principal amount of the Existing Notes being redeemed, plus, accrued, and unpaid interest on the principal amount of such Existing Notes. The Company did not recognize a gain or loss on redemption.

The 5.625% Notes are due August 15, 2029 and bear interest of 5.625% to be paid on February 15 and August 15 of each year, commencing on February 15, 2022.

The 5.625% Notes are guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by substantially all of the Company’s subsidiaries. The 5.625% Notes rank (i) equally in right of payment with all of the Company’s or any guarantor’s existing and future unsubordinated indebtedness, (ii) senior in right of payment to the Company’s or any guarantor’s existing and future subordinated indebtedness, (iii) effectively subordinated to any of the Company’s or any guarantor’s existing and future secured indebtedness to the extent of the collateral securing such indebtedness, including the Combined Credit Agreement, and (iv) structurally subordinated to all existing and future liabilities of the Company’s subsidiaries that are not guarantors.

Our obligations under the 5.625% Notes are unsecured and are effectively junior to our secured indebtedness to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such secured indebtedness. Borrowings under the Combined Credit Agreement are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Company, and any existing and future subsidiary guarantors, including all of the capital stock of each restricted subsidiary.

The Company may, at its option, redeem the 5.625% Notes in whole at any time or in part from time to time, on and after August 15, 2024 at a redemption price of 102.813% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on August 15, 2024, at a redemption price of 101.406% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed during the twelve-month period beginning on August 15, 2025 and at a redemption price of 100% of the principal amount thereof if redeemed on August 15, 2026 and thereafter. Prior to August 15, 2024, the Company may, at its option, redeem some or all of the 5.625% Notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 5.625% Notes plus a “make whole” premium and accrued and unpaid interest. The Company may also redeem, at its option, prior to August 15, 2024, up to 40% of the 5.625% Notes with the net proceeds from one or more equity offerings at a redemption price of 105.625% of the principal amount thereof.

If the Company experiences certain kinds of changes of control (as defined in the indenture), holders of the 5.625% Notes may require the Company to repurchase any 5.625% Notes held by them at a price equal to 101% of the principal amount of the 5.625% Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, if the Company sells assets under certain circumstances, it must offer to repurchase the 5.625% Notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 5.625% Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest.

The indenture includes covenants that, among other things, restrict the Company’s ability and the ability of its restricted subsidiaries (as defined in the indenture) to incur or guarantee additional indebtedness; pay dividends on or redeem or repurchase the capital stock of the Company; make certain types of investments; create restrictions on the payment of dividends or other amounts from the Company’s restricted subsidiaries; sell assets; enter into transactions with affiliates; create liens; enter into sale and leaseback transactions; and consolidate or merge with or into, or sell substantially all of the Company’s assets to, another person. These covenants are subject to a number of important limitations and exceptions. The 5.625% Notes are also subject to customary events of default, including cross-payment default and cross-acceleration provisions. The Company was in compliance with all covenants at December 31, 2022.