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Line of Credit
9 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2011
Notes to Financial Statements  
Line of Credit

NOTE   9   - LINE OF CREDIT:

 

On February 17, 2009, the Company entered into a financing agreement with Sterling National Bank (“Sterling”) for a $5,000,000 credit facility.  The credit facility is a revolving $5,000,000 line of credit and the Company can draw on the line at an amount up to 85% of eligible accounts receivable and 25% of eligible inventory consisting of green coffee beans and finished coffee not to exceed $1,000,000.  Sterling shall have the right from time to time to adjust the foregoing percentages based upon, among other things, dilution, its sole determination of the value or likelihood of collection of eligible accounts receivables owed to the Company, considerations regarding inventory, and other factors.  The credit facility is payable monthly in arrears on the average unpaid balance of the line of credit at an interest rate equal to a per annum reference rate (5.00% at July 31, 2011 and 2010 plus 1.0%).  The initial term of the credit facility is three years, expiring February 17, 2012, and shall be automatically extended for successive periods of one year each unless one party shall have provided the other party with a written notice of termination at least ninety days prior to the expiration of the then current term.  The credit facility is secured by all tangible and intangible assets of the Company.

 

The credit facility contains covenants that place annual restrictions on the Company’s operations, including covenants relating to debt restrictions, capital expenditures, minimum deposit restrictions, tangible net worth, net profit, leverage, employee loan restrictions, distribution restrictions (common stock and preferred stock), dividend restrictions, and restrictions on intercompany transactions.  The credit facility also requires that the Company maintain a minimum working capital at all times.  The Company was in compliance with all required financial covenants at July 31, 2011 and October 31, 2010. The initial borrowings under the revolving credit facility were used to repay the outstanding principal and accrued interest under the $4,500,000 line of credit previously held with Merrill Lynch, which was terminated and replaced with the revolving line of credit, with the excess being available for working capital purposes.

 

On July 22, 2010, the credit facility was increased to $7,000,000.  In addition, OPTCO was added as a co-borrower and the inventory sublimit was raised from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000.  The term of the credit facility was extended to February 17, 2013.  Subsequent to July 31, 2010, $1,800,000 of the credit facility was allocated to OPTCO.  Additionally, the Company received a guarantee of $1,800,000 from the not-for-profit entity CORDAID.

 

CORDAID, a non-profit organization that supports development projects in developing countries, registered under the laws of the Netherlands, has agreed to make available $1,800,000 to be used as collateral for a loan facility from Sterling to the Company under a Guarantee Agreement.  The Company has agreed to pre-finance coffee from small coffee producer groups.  The Company pays a guarantee fee of 1.5% per year in advance.  In addition, the Company has a corporate Guarantee as security to CORDAID as to the first loss guarantee of 25% of the outstanding amount of the guarantee from CORDAID, up to a maximum of $350,000. The initial term of the Guarantee Agreement expired on March 31, 2011 and was extended to March 31, 2012 and reduced to $1,500,000.

 

As of July 31, 2011 and October 31, 2010, the outstanding balance under the bank line of credit was $6,712,086 and $2,306,749, respectively. 

 

On July 23, 2010, the Company amended its credit facility regarding the payment of dividends by the Company.  The credit facility agreement was changed to allow the payment of quarterly dividends of not more than $0.03 per share.

 

 On February 3, 2011, the Company amended their credit facility regarding the creation of a  sublimit within the revolving line of credit in the form of a $300,000 term loan for the benefit of their 60% owned subsidiary Generations Coffee Company, LLC.  The Company has provided a corporate guarantee to Sterling National Bank.

 

Triodos Bank is one of the world’s leading sustainable banks, with a mission to make money work for positive social, environmental and cultural change.  Triodos has offices in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, UK and Belgium.

 

The Company initiated a corporate guarantee on April 15, 2011 to Triodos Sustainable Trade Fund (“TSTF”) up to a maximum amount of $250,000.  TSTF provided financing to two coffee growing cooperatives for $1,000,000 based upon relationships established with OPTCO.