Long-Term Debt

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

7. Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt consisted of the following:


	September 30,			December 31,
	2011			2010
U.S. credit agreement — revolving credit line	$	120,000		$	—
U.S. credit agreement — term loan		134,000			134,000
U.K. credit agreement — revolving credit line		67,020			54,597
U.K. credit agreement — term loan		—			5,505
U.K. credit agreement — overdraft line of credit		5,012			7,116
7.75% senior subordinated notes due 2016		375,000			375,000
3.5% senior subordinated convertible notes due 2026, net of debt discount		63,324			148,884
Mortgage facilities		77,914			46,052
Other		9,299			8,724

Total long-term debt		851,569			779,878
Less: current portion		(9,642	)		(10,593	)

Net long-term debt	$	841,927		$	769,285

U.S. Credit Agreement

The Company is party to a credit agreement with Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC and Toyota Motor Credit Corporation, as amended (the “U.S. Credit Agreement”), which provides for up to $375,000 in revolving loans for working capital, acquisitions, capital expenditures, investments and other general corporate purposes, a non-amortizing term loan with a remaining balance of $134,000, and for an additional $10,000 of availability for letters of credit. The term of the credit agreement was extended on September 20, 2011, by one year through September 30, 2014. In addition, the U.S. Credit Agreement was amended to, among other things, increase the revolving loan availability to up to $375,000 and to reduce the rate for collateralized revolving loan borrowings from LIBOR plus 2.75% to LIBOR plus 2.50%. The revolving loans now bear interest at a defined LIBOR plus 2.50%, subject to an incremental 1.0% for uncollateralized borrowings in excess of a defined borrowing base. The term loan, which bears interest at defined LIBOR plus 2.50%, may be prepaid at any time, but then may not be re-borrowed.

The U.S. Credit Agreement is fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis by the Company’s domestic subsidiaries and contains a number of significant covenants that, among other things, restrict the Company’s ability to dispose of assets, incur additional indebtedness, repay other indebtedness, pay dividends, create liens on assets, make investments or acquisitions and engage in mergers or consolidations. The Company is also required to comply with defined financial and other tests and ratios, including: a ratio of current assets to current liabilities, a fixed charge coverage ratio, a ratio of debt to stockholders’ equity and a ratio of debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”). A breach of these requirements would give rise to certain remedies under the agreement, the most severe of which is the termination of the agreement and acceleration of the amounts owed. As of September 30, 2011, the Company was in compliance with all covenants under the U.S. Credit Agreement.

The U.S. Credit Agreement also contains typical events of default, including change of control, non-payment of obligations and cross-defaults to the Company’s other material indebtedness. Substantially all of the Company’s domestic assets are subject to security interests granted to lenders under the U.S. Credit Agreement. As of September 30, 2011, $134,000 of term loans, $1,250 of letters of credit, and $120,000 of revolver borrowings were outstanding under the U.S. Credit Agreement.

U.K. Credit Agreement

The Company’s subsidiaries in the U.K. (the “U.K. Subsidiaries”) are party to an agreement with the Royal Bank of Scotland plc, as agent for National Westminster Bank plc, which provides for a funded term loan, a revolving credit agreement and a demand overdraft line of credit (collectively, the “U.K. Credit Agreement”) to be used for working capital, acquisitions, capital expenditures, investments and general corporate purposes. The U.K. Credit Agreement provides for (1) up to £92,000 in revolving loans through August 31, 2013, which bear interest between a defined LIBOR plus 1.1% and defined LIBOR plus 3.0%, and (2) a demand overdraft line of credit for up to £10,000 that bears interest at the Bank of England Base Rate plus 1.75%.

The U.K. Credit Agreement is fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several basis by the U.K. Subsidiaries, and contains a number of significant covenants that, among other things, restrict the ability of the U.K. Subsidiaries to pay dividends, dispose of assets, incur additional indebtedness, repay other indebtedness, create liens on assets, make investments or acquisitions and engage in mergers or consolidations. In addition, the U.K. Subsidiaries are required to comply with defined ratios and tests, including: a ratio of earnings before interest, taxes, amortization, and rental payments (“EBITAR”) to interest plus rental payments, a measurement of maximum capital expenditures, and a debt to EBITDA ratio. A breach of these requirements would give rise to certain remedies under the agreement, the most severe of which is the termination of the agreement and acceleration of the amounts owed. As of September 30, 2011, the U.K. Subsidiaries were in compliance with all covenants under the U.K. Credit Agreement.

The U.K. Credit Agreement also contains typical events of default, including change of control and non-payment of obligations and cross-defaults to other material indebtedness of the U.K. Subsidiaries. Substantially all of the U.K. Subsidiaries’ assets are subject to security interests granted to lenders under the U.K. Credit Agreement. As of September 30, 2011, outstanding loans under the U.K. Credit Agreement amounted to £46,216 ($72,032).

7.75% Senior Subordinated Notes

In December 2006, the Company issued $375,000 aggregate principal amount of 7.75% senior subordinated notes (the “7.75% Notes”) due 2016. The 7.75% Notes are unsecured senior subordinated notes and are subordinate to all existing and future senior debt, including debt under the Company’s credit agreements, mortgages and floor plan indebtedness. The 7.75% Notes are guaranteed by substantially all of the Company’s wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries on an unsecured senior subordinated basis. Those guarantees are full and unconditional and joint and several. The Company can redeem all or some of the 7.75% Notes at its option beginning in December 2011 at specified redemption prices, or prior to December 2011 at 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus a defined “make-whole” premium. Upon certain sales of assets or specific kinds of changes of control the Company is required to make an offer to purchase the 7.75% Notes. The 7.75% Notes also contain customary negative covenants and events of default. As of September 30, 2011, the Company was in compliance with all negative covenants and there were no events of default.

Senior Subordinated Convertible Notes

Holders of the Convertible Notes had the right to require the Company to purchase their Convertible Notes on April 1, 2011. Of the Convertible Notes outstanding on April 1, 2011, $87,278 were validly tendered to the Company. As a result, $63,324 of the Convertible Notes remained outstanding as of September 30, 2011. Remaining holders of the Convertible Notes may require the Company to purchase all or a portion of their Convertible Notes for cash on each of April 1, 2016 or April 1, 2021 at a purchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be purchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to the applicable purchase date.

The remaining Convertible Notes mature on April 1, 2026, unless earlier converted, redeemed or purchased by the Company, as discussed below. The Convertible Notes are unsecured senior subordinated obligations and are subordinate to all future and existing debt under the Company’s credit agreements, mortgages and floor plan indebtedness. The Convertible Notes are guaranteed on an unsecured senior subordinated basis by substantially all of the Company’s wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries. The guarantees are full and unconditional and joint and several. The Convertible Notes also contain customary negative covenants and events of default. As of September 30, 2011, the Company was in compliance with all negative covenants and there were no events of default.

Holders of the Convertible Notes may convert them based on a conversion rate of 42.7796 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of the Convertible Notes (which is equal to a conversion price of approximately $23.38 per share), subject to adjustment, only under the following circumstances: (1) in any quarterly period, if the closing price of our common stock for twenty of the last thirty trading days in the prior quarter exceeds $28.05 (subject to adjustment), (2) for specified periods, if the trading price of the Convertible Notes falls below specific thresholds, (3) if the Convertible Notes are called for redemption, (4) if specified distributions to holders of our common stock are made or specified corporate transactions occur, (5) if a fundamental change (as defined) occurs, or (6) during the ten trading days prior to, but excluding, the maturity date.

Upon conversion of the Convertible Notes, for each $1,000 principal amount of the Convertible Notes, a holder will receive an amount in cash, equal to the lesser of (i) $1,000 or (ii) the conversion value, determined in the manner set forth in the indenture covering the Convertible Notes, of the number of shares of common stock equal to the conversion rate. If the conversion value exceeds $1,000, the Company will also deliver, at its election, cash, common stock or a combination of cash and common stock with respect to the remaining value deliverable upon conversion. The Company will pay additional cash interest commencing with six-month periods beginning on April 1, 2011, if the average trading price of a Convertible Note for certain periods in the prior six-month period equals 120% or more of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes.

The Company may redeem the Convertible Notes, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, for cash at a redemption price of 100% of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be redeemed, plus any accrued and unpaid interest to the applicable redemption date, plus any applicable conversion premium.

On issuance of the Convertible Notes, the Company recorded a debt discount which was amortized as additional interest expense through March 31, 2011. The annual effective interest rate on the liability component was 8.25% through March 31, 2011. Beginning April 1, 2011, the annual effective interest rate was 3.5%.

Mortgage Facilities

The Company is party to several mortgages which bear interest at defined rates and require monthly principal and interest payments. These mortgage facilities also contain typical events of default, including non-payment of obligations, cross-defaults to the Company’s other material indebtedness, certain change of control events, and the loss or sale of certain franchises operated at the properties. Substantially all of the buildings and improvements on the properties financed pursuant to the mortgage facilities are subject to security interests granted to the lender. As of September 30, 2011, we owed $77,914 of principal under our mortgage facilities.