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Long-Term Debt, Financing and Capital Lease Obligations
12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Long-term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt, Financing and Capital Lease Obligations
Long-Term Debt, Financing and Capital Lease Obligations
 
 
Interest Rates
 
Maturities
 
March 31,
2016
 
March 31,
2015
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(in millions)
Notes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Senior notes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sprint Corporation
7.13
-
7.88%
 
2021
-
2025
 
$
10,500

 
$
10,500

Sprint Communications, Inc.
6.00
-
11.50%
 
2016
-
2022
 
9,280

 
9,280

Sprint Capital Corporation
6.88
-
8.75%
 
2019
-
2032
 
6,204

 
6,204

Guaranteed notes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sprint Communications, Inc.
7.00
-
9.00%
 
2018
-
2020
 
4,000

 
4,000

Secured notes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Clearwire Communications LLC (1)
14.75%
 
2016
 
300

 
300

Exchangeable notes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Clearwire Communications LLC (1)
8.25%
 
2040
 
629

 
629

Credit facilities
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bank credit facility
3.94%
 
2018
 

 

Export Development Canada (EDC)
4.16
-
5.91%
 
2017
-
2019
 
550

 
800

Secured equipment credit facilities
2.02
-
2.75%
 
2017
-
2021
 
805

 
610

Financing obligations
2.02
-
6.10%
 
2017
-
2021
 
828

 
275

Capital lease obligations and other
2.35
-
10.52%
 
2016
-
2023
 
265

 
127

Net premiums and debt financing costs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
597

 
917

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
33,958


33,642

Less current portion
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
(4,690
)
 
(1,300
)
Long-term debt, financing and capital lease obligations
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
29,268


$
32,342


________ 
(1)
Notes of Clearwire Communications LLC are also direct obligations of Clearwire Finance, Inc. and are guaranteed by certain Clearwire subsidiaries.
As of March 31, 2016, Sprint Corporation, the parent corporation, had $10.5 billion in aggregate principal amount of senior notes outstanding. In addition, as of March 31, 2016, the outstanding principal amount of senior notes issued by Sprint Communications, Inc. and Sprint Capital Corporation, guaranteed notes issued by Sprint Communications, Inc., exchangeable notes issued by Clearwire Communications LLC, the EDC agreement, the secured equipment credit facilities and installment payment obligations, totaling $21.6 billion in principal amount of our long-term debt issued by 100% owned subsidiaries, was fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Sprint Corporation. The indenture governing the secured notes of Clearwire Communications LLC restricts the ability of it and its subsidiaries to distribute cash to its parent. Although certain financing agreements restrict the ability of Sprint Communications, Inc. and its subsidiaries to distribute cash to Sprint Corporation, the ability of the subsidiaries to distribute cash to their respective parents, including to Sprint Communications, Inc. is generally not restricted.
As of March 31, 2016, approximately $2.1 billion aggregate principal amount of our outstanding debt, comprised of certain notes, financing and capital lease obligations, was secured by $15.8 billion of property, plant and equipment and other assets, net. Cash interest payments, net of amounts capitalized of $51 million, $56 million, $13 million and $30 million, totaled $2.4 billion, $2.3 billion, $559 million, and $1.0 billion during the Successor years ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, the three-month transition period ended March 31, 2014 and year ended December 31, 2013, respectively. Cash interest payments, net of amounts capitalized of $29 million and $15 million, totaled $814 million and $305 million during the Predecessor 191-day period ended July 10, 2013 and unaudited three-month period ended March 31, 2013, respectively. Our weighted average effective interest rate related to our notes and credit facilities was 6.4%, 6.1%, 6.2%, and 6.4% for the Successor years ended March 31, 2016 and 2015, three-month transition period ended March 31, 2014, and year ended December 31, 2013, respectively, and 8.9% and 7.1% for the Predecessor 191-day period ended July 10, 2013 and unaudited three-month period ended March 31, 2013, respectively.
Notes
As of March 31, 2016, our outstanding notes consisted of senior notes, guaranteed notes, and exchangeable notes, all of which are unsecured, as well as secured notes of Clearwire Communications LLC, which are secured solely by assets of Clearwire Communications LLC and certain of its subsidiaries. Cash interest on all of the notes is generally payable semi-annually in arrears. As of March 31, 2016, $30.1 billion aggregate principal amount of the notes was redeemable at the Company's discretion at the then-applicable redemption prices plus accrued interest.
As of March 31, 2016, $21.6 billion aggregate principal amount of our senior notes and guaranteed notes provide holders with the right to require us to repurchase the notes if a change of control triggering event (as defined in the applicable indentures and supplemental indentures) occurs. As of March 31, 2016, $300 million aggregate principal amount of Clearwire Communications LLC notes provide holders with the right to require us to repurchase the notes if a change of control occurs (as defined in the applicable indentures and supplemental indentures). If we are required to make such a change of control offer, we will offer a cash payment equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest.
Upon the close of the Clearwire Acquisition, the Clearwire Communications, LLC 8.25% Exchangeable Notes due 2040 became exchangeable at any time, at the holder’s option, for a fixed amount of cash equal to $706.21 for each $1,000 principal amount of notes surrendered. As a result, $444 million, which is the total cash consideration payable upon an exchange of all $629 million principal amount of notes outstanding, is now classified as a current debt obligation. The remaining carrying value of these notes is classified as a long-term debt obligation.
Credit Facilities
Bank credit facility
The Company has a $3.3 billion unsecured revolving bank credit facility that expires in February 2018. Borrowings under the revolving bank credit facility bear interest at a rate equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) plus a spread that varies depending on the Company’s credit ratings. As of March 31, 2016, approximately $320 million in letters of credit were outstanding under this credit facility, including the letter of credit required by the Report and Order (see Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies). As a result of the outstanding letters of credit, which directly reduce the availability of borrowings, the Company had approximately $3.0 billion of borrowing capacity available under the revolving bank credit facility as of March 31, 2016. The required ratio (Leverage Ratio) of total indebtedness to trailing four quarters earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization and other non-recurring items, as defined by the credit facility (adjusted EBITDA), may not exceed 6.25 to 1.0 through the quarter ending December 31, 2016 and 6.0 to 1.0 each fiscal quarter ending thereafter through expiration of the facility. The facility allows us to reduce our total indebtedness for purposes of calculating the Leverage Ratio by subtracting from total indebtedness the amount of any cash contributed into a segregated reserve account, provided that, after such cash contribution, our cash remaining on hand for operations exceeds $2.0 billion. Upon transfer, the cash contribution will remain restricted until and to the extent it is no longer required for the Leverage Ratio to remain in compliance.
EDC agreement
The unsecured EDC agreement provides for covenant terms similar to those of the revolving bank credit facility. However, under the terms of the EDC agreement repayments of outstanding amounts cannot be re-drawn. In the quarter ended December 2015, we made a scheduled principal repayment of $500 million. At the time of the repayment, the EDC agreement was also amended to increase the facility by $250 million through the addition of a new tranche due December 2017, which was fully drawn. Accordingly, as of March 31, 2016, the total principal amount of our borrowings under the EDC facility was $550 million.
Secured equipment credit facilities
Eksportkreditnamnden (EKN)
The EKN secured equipment credit facility provides for covenant terms similar to those of the revolving bank credit facility. In 2013, we had fully drawn and began to repay the EKN secured equipment credit facility totaling $1.0 billion, which was used to finance certain network-related purchases from Ericsson. We made regularly scheduled principal repayments totaling $254 million during the year ended March 31, 2016. The balance outstanding at March 31, 2016 was $254 million.
Finnvera plc (Finnvera)
The Finnvera secured equipment credit facility provides us with the ability to borrow up to $800 million to finance network-related purchases from Nokia Solutions and Networks US LLC, USA. The facility, which initially could be drawn upon as many as three consecutive tranches, now has one tranche remaining and available for borrowing through October 2017. Such borrowings are contingent upon the amount and timing of Sprint's network-related purchases. During the year ended March 31, 2016, we drew $208 million on the facility, and we made principal repayments totaling $56 million, resulting in a total principal amount of $196 million outstanding at March 31, 2016.
K-sure
The K-sure equipment credit facility provides for the ability to borrow up to $750 million to finance network-related purchases from Samsung Telecommunications America, LLC. The facility can be divided in up to three consecutive tranches of varying size with borrowings available until May 2018, contingent upon the amount of network-related purchases made by Sprint. During the year ended March 31, 2016, we drew $266 million on the facility, resulting in a total principal amount of $323 million outstanding at March 31, 2016.
Delcredere | Ducroire (D/D)
The D/D secured equipment credit facility provides for the ability to borrow up to $250 million, to finance network equipment-related purchases from Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc. During the year ended March 31, 2016, we drew $32 million on the facility resulting in a total principal amount of $32 million outstanding at March 31, 2016.
Borrowings under the EKN, Finnvera, K-sure and D/D secured equipment credit facilities are each secured by liens on the respective equipment purchased pursuant to each facility's credit agreement. In addition, repayments of outstanding amounts borrowed under the secured equipment credit facilities cannot be redrawn. Each of these facilities is fully and unconditionally guaranteed by both Sprint Communications, Inc. and Sprint Corporation. The covenants under each of the four secured equipment credit facilities are similar to one another and to the covenants of our revolving bank credit facility and EDC agreement.
Financing, Capital Lease and Other Obligations
We have approximately 3,000 cell sites that we sold and subsequently leased back during 2008. Terms extend through 2021, with renewal options for an additional 20 years. These cell sites continue to be reported as part of our property, plant and equipment, net on our consolidated balance sheets due to our continued involvement with the property sold and the transaction is accounted for as a financing. Our capital lease and other obligations are primarily for the use of wireless network equipment.
In February and March 2016, we sold approximately $1.2 billion in total of future amounts due from customers who lease certain devices from us in exchange for cash proceeds of $600 million through our Accounts Receivable Facility (see Note 4. Funding Sources). The difference between the amount sold and the cash received represents additional collateral to the lender. The sale was accounted for as a financing and the $600 million cash proceeds were, accordingly, reflected as debt in our consolidated balance sheets. The associated leased devices continue to be reported as part of our property, plant and equipment, net on our consolidated balance sheets and continue to be depreciated over their estimated useful life.
Covenants
Certain indentures and other agreements also require compliance with various covenants, including covenants that limit the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to sell all or substantially all of its assets, limit the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to incur indebtedness and liens, and require that we maintain certain financial ratios, each as defined by the terms of the indentures, supplemental indentures and financing arrangements.
As of March 31, 2016, the Company was in compliance with all restrictive and financial covenants associated with its borrowings. A default under any of our borrowings could trigger defaults under certain of our other debt obligations, which in turn could result in the maturities being accelerated.
Under our revolving bank credit facility and certain other agreements, we are currently restricted from paying cash dividends because our ratio of total indebtedness to adjusted EBITDA (each as defined in the applicable agreements) exceeds 2.5 to 1.0.
Future Maturities of Long-Term Debt, Financing and Capital Lease Obligations
Aggregate amount of maturities for long-term debt, financing and capital lease obligations outstanding as of March 31, 2016, were as follows (in millions):
Fiscal year 2016
$
4,615

Fiscal year 2017
2,065

Fiscal year 2018
3,201

Fiscal year 2019
3,177

Fiscal year 2020
1,625

Fiscal year 2021 and thereafter
18,678

 
33,361

Net premiums and debt financing costs
597

 
$
33,958