Note 10 - Debt

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Debt Disclosure [Text Block]

10. DEBT

Current and long-term debt and lease obligations consisted of the following at December 31, 2023 and 2022:

(in thousands)	December 31, 2023				December 31, 2022
	Current		Long-Term		Current		Long-Term
Borrowings under Credit Facility	$	-	$	11,579	$	-	$	-
Borrowings under the Draw Note		-		-		-		-
Revenue equipment installment notes; weighted average interest rate of 5.2% at December 31, 2023, and 4.7% December 31, 2022, due in monthly installments with final maturities at various dates ranging from April 2028 to December 2028, secured by related revenue equipment		46,357		167,509		17,656		71,267
Real estate notes; interest rate of 7.1% at December 31, 2023 and 5.8% at December 31, 2022 due in monthly installments with a fixed maturity at August 2035, secured by related real estate		1,294		17,806		1,241		19,100
Total debt		47,651		196,894		18,897		90,367
Principal portion of finance lease obligations, secured by related revenue equipment		781		5,296		5,326		432
Principal portion of operating lease obligations, secured by related equipment		11,950		30,892		18,179		46,428
Total debt and lease obligations	$	60,382	$	233,082	$	42,402	$	137,227

We and substantially all of our subsidiaries are parties to the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the "Credit Facility") with Bank of America, N.A., as agent (the "Agent") and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (together with the Agent, the "Lenders"). The Credit Facility is a $110.0 million revolving credit facility, with an uncommitted accordion feature that, so long as no event of default exists, allows us to request an increase in the revolving credit facility of up to $75.0 million subject to Lender acceptance of the additional funding commitment. The Credit Facility includes a letter of credit sub facility in an aggregate amount of $105.0 million and a swing line sub facility in an aggregate amount equal to the greater of $10.0 million or 10% of the Lenders' aggregate commitments under the Credit Facility from time-to-time. The Credit Facility matures in May 2027.

Borrowings under the Credit Facility are classified as either "base rate loans" or "SOFR loans." Base rate loans accrue interest at a base rate equal to the greater of the Agent’s prime rate, the federal funds rate plus 0.5%, or SOFR for a one month period as of such day, plus an applicable margin ranging from 0.25% to 0.75%; while SOFR loans accrued interest at SOFR, plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.25% to 1.75%. The applicable rates are adjusted quarterly based on average pricing availability. The unused line fee is the product of 0.25% times the average daily amount by which the Lenders' aggregate revolving commitments under the Credit Facility exceed the outstanding principal amount of revolver loans and the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding letters of credit issued under the Credit Facility. The obligations under the Credit Facility are guaranteed by us and secured by a pledge of substantially all of our assets, with the notable exclusion of any real estate, revenue equipment pledged under other financing agreements, including revenue equipment installment notes and finance leases, and revenue equipment that we do not designate as being included in the borrowing base.

Borrowings under the Credit Facility are subject to a borrowing base limited to the lesser of (A) $110.0 million, minus the sum of the stated amount of all outstanding letters of credit; or (B) the sum of (i) 87.5% of eligible accounts receivable, plus (ii) the least of (a) 85% of the appraised net orderly liquidation value of eligible revenue equipment, (b) 100% of the net book value of eligible revenue equipment, (c) 60.0% of the Lenders' aggregate revolving commitments under the Credit Facility, or (d) $65.0 million. We had $11.6 million borrowings outstanding under the Credit Facility as of December 31, 2023, undrawn letters of credit outstanding of approximately $21.8 million, and available borrowing capacity of $76.6 million. Based on availability as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, there was no fixed charge coverage requirement.

The Credit Facility includes usual and customary events of default for a facility of this nature and provides that, upon the occurrence and continuation of an event of default, payment of all amounts payable under the Credit Facility may be accelerated, and the Lenders' commitments may be terminated. If an event of default occurs under the Credit Facility and the Lenders cause, or have the ability to cause, all of the outstanding debt obligations under the Credit Facility to become due and payable, this could result in a default under other debt instruments that contain acceleration or cross-default provisions. The Credit Facility contains certain restrictions and covenants relating to, among other things, debt, dividends, liens, acquisitions and dispositions outside of the ordinary course of business, and affiliate transactions. Failure to comply with the covenants and restrictions set forth in the Credit Facility could result in an event of default.

Pricing for the revenue equipment installment notes is quoted by the respective financial affiliates of our primary revenue equipment suppliers and other lenders at the funding of each group of equipment acquired and include fixed annual rates for new equipment under retail installment contracts. The notes included in the funding are due in monthly installments with final maturities at various dates ranging from  April 2028 to  December 2028. The notes contain certain requirements regarding payment, insuring of collateral, and other matters, but do not have any financial or other material covenants or events of default except certain notes totaling $37.8 million are cross-defaulted with the Credit Facility. Additional borrowings from the financial affiliates of our primary revenue equipment suppliers and other lenders are expected to be available to fund new tractors expected to be delivered in 2024, while any other property and equipment purchases, including trailers, are expected to be funded with a combination of available cash, notes, operating leases, finance leases, and/or from the Credit Facility.

In August 2015, we financed a portion of the purchase of our corporate headquarters, a maintenance facility, and certain surrounding property in Chattanooga, Tennessee by entering into a $28.0 million variable rate note with a third-party lender. Concurrently with entering into the note, we entered into an interest rate swap to effectively fix the related interest rate to 4.2%. The note contains certain restrictions and covenants that are usual and customary for a note of this nature. Failure to comply with the covenants and restrictions set forth in the note could result in an event of default. We expect to be in compliance with our debt covenants for the next 12 months.

In connection with the settlement of a dispute related to the sale of TFS (the "TFS Settlement"), in September 2020, TBK Bank, SSB, as lender and agent for Triumph (“TBK Bank”), provided the Company with a $45 million line of credit (the “Draw Note”), the proceeds of which are to be used solely to satisfy our indemnification obligations under the TFS Settlement. We may borrow pursuant to the Draw Note until September 23, 2025.

As of December 31, 2023, the scheduled principal payments of debt, excluding finance leases for which future payments are discussed in Note 11 are as follows:

	(in thousands)
2024	$	47,650
2025		62,358
2026		37,746
2027		43,690
2028		41,054
Thereafter		12,047