5.Debt

Long-term debt, net consists of the following (in thousands):


		September 24,		December 25,
		2017		2016
Outstanding debt	$	400,000	$	300,575
Unamortized debt issuance costs		(1,452)		(755)
Current portion of long-term debt		(20,000)		-
Total long term debt, less current portion, net	$	378,548	$	299,820

Our outstanding debt of $300.6 million at December 25, 2016 represented amounts outstanding under a $500 million unsecured revolving line of credit (“previous Credit Facility”) with an expiration date of October 31, 2019. The interest rate charged on outstanding balances was LIBOR plus 75 to 175 basis points. The commitment fee on the unused balance ranged from 15 to 25 basis points.

On August 30, 2017, we entered into a new Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”) replacing the previous Credit Facility. This Credit Agreement provides for an unsecured revolving credit facility in an aggregate principal amount of $600.0 million (the “Revolving Facility”) and an unsecured term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of $400.0 million (the “Term Loan Facility” and together with the Revolving Facility, the “Facilities”). Additionally, we have the option to increase the Revolving Facility or the Term Loan Facility in an aggregate amount of up to $300.0 million, subject to certain conditions. Our outstanding debt as of September 24, 2017 under the Facilities was $400.0 million, which was comprised entirely of principal amounts due under the Term Loan Facility. Including outstanding letters of credit, the remaining availability under the Facilities was approximately $569.2 million as of September 24, 2017. In connection with the Credit Agreement, the Company capitalized $3.2 million of debt issuance costs, which are being amortized into interest expense, over the term of the Facilities. Debt issuance costs attributable to the Term Loan of approximately $1.5 million were netted against debt and the remaining amounts attributable to the Revolving Facility were reported in other long term assets.

Loans under the Facilities accrue interest at a per annum rate equal to, at the Company’s election, either a LIBOR rate plus a margin ranging from 75 to 200 basis points or a base rate (generally determined by a prime rate, federal funds rate or a LIBOR rate plus 1.00%) plus a margin ranging from 0 to 100 basis points. In each case, the actual margin is determined according to a ratio of the Company’s total indebtedness to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA“) for the then most recently ended four quarter period (the “Leverage Ratio”). An unused commitment fee at a rate ranging from 15 to 30 basis points per annum, determined according to the Leverage Ratio, applies to the unutilized commitments under the Revolving Facility. Loans outstanding under the Credit Agreement may be prepaid at any time without premium or penalty, subject to customary breakage costs in the case of borrowings for which a LIBOR rate election is in effect. Up to $35.0 million of the Revolving Facility may be advanced in certain agreed foreign currencies, including Euros, Pounds Sterling, Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, and Mexican Pesos.

The Facilities mature on August 30, 2022. Quarterly amortization payments are required to be made on the Term Loan Facility in the amount of $5.0 million beginning in the fourth quarter of 2017. The obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by certain direct and indirect material subsidiaries of the Company.

The Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including financial covenants requiring the maintenance of specified fixed charges and leverage ratios. At September 24, 2017, we were in compliance with these covenants.

We attempt to minimize interest risk exposure by fixing our rate through the utilization of interest rate swaps, which are derivative financial instruments. Our swaps are entered into with financial institutions that participate in our Credit Agreement. By using a derivative instrument to hedge exposures to changes in interest rates, we expose ourselves to credit risk. Credit risk is due to the possible failure of the counterparty to perform under the terms of the derivative contract.

As of September 24, 2017, we have the following interest rate swap agreements, including three forward starting swaps executed in 2015 that become effective in 2018 upon expiration of the two existing swaps for $125 million:


Effective Dates	Floating Rate Debt			Fixed Rates
July 30, 2013 through April 30, 2018	$	75	million	1.42	%
December 30, 2014 through April 30, 2018	$	50	million	1.36	%
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023	$	55	million	2.33	%
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023	$	35	million	2.36	%
April 30, 2018 through April 30, 2023	$	35	million	2.34	%

Subsequent to the end of the third quarter, in October 2017, we executed the following additional interest rate swaps for $275 million, which are forward starting swaps that become effective in 2018.

Effective Dates	Floating Rate Debt			Fixed Rates
January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022	$	100	million	1.99	%
January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022	$	75	million	1.99	%
January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022	$	75	million	2.00	%
January 30, 2018 through August 30, 2022	$	25	million	1.99	%

The weighted average interest rates on our debt, including the impact of the interest rate swap agreements, were 2.7% and 2.4% for the three and nine months ended September 24, 2017, respectively, and 2.1% for both the three and nine months ended September 25, 2016. Interest paid, including payments made or received under the swaps, was $2.0 million and $1.9 million for the three months ended September 24, 2017 and September 25, 2016, respectively, and $5.9 million and $5.3 million for the nine months ended September 24, 2017 and September 25, 2016, respectively. As of September 24, 2017, the portion of the aggregate $2.5 million interest rate swap liability that would be reclassified into earnings during the next twelve months as interest expense approximates $210,000.