DEBT

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2024

DEBT

9.DEBT

Debt outstanding consists of the following (in thousands):

	December 31,
	2024			2023
Revolving Credit Facility maturing October 2028.     Interest payable periodically at variable interest rates.	$	—		$	—
Term Loan maturing October 2028. Interest payable periodically at variable interest rates. The rate at December 31, 2024 and 2023     was 7.2% and 8.7%, respectively. Unamortized debt issuance costs     amounted to $1.1 million and $1.5 million at December 31, 2024     and 2023, respectively.		118,750			125,000
4.75% Senior Notes maturing October 2027. Unamortized debt     issuance costs amounted to $1.1 million and $1.5 million at     December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.		238,468			243,068
8.25% Senior Notes maturing April 2026. Unamortized debt     issuance costs amounted to $5.8 million at December 31, 2023.     The 8.25% Senior Notes were redeemed on April 15, 2024,     as further described below.		—			593,113
8.25% Senior Notes maturing April 2029. Unamortized debt     issuance costs amounted to $7.5 million at December 31, 2024.		500,000			—
4.43% Lansing Correctional Center Non-Recourse Mortgage Note     maturing January 2040. Unamortized debt issuance costs amounted     to $2.5 million and $2.6 million at December 31, 2024     and 2023, respectively.		140,162			145,510
Total debt		997,380			1,106,691
Unamortized debt issuance costs		(12,234	)		(12,052	)
Net unamortized original issue premium		—			434
Current portion of long-term debt		(12,073	)		(11,597	)
Long-term debt, net	$	973,073		$	1,083,476

Bank Credit Facility. On October 11, 2023, CoreCivic entered into a Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (referred to herein as the "Bank Credit Facility") in an aggregate principal amount of $400.0 million, consisting of a $125.0 million term loan (the "Term Loan") and a revolving credit facility with a borrowing capacity of $275.0 million (the "Revolving Credit Facility"). The Bank Credit Facility has a maturity of October 2028. The Bank Credit Facility includes an option to increase the availability under the Revolving Credit Facility and to request additional term loans from the lenders in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (a) $200.0 million and (b) 50% of consolidated EBITDA for the most recently ended four-quarter period, subject to, among other things, the receipt of commitments for the increased amount. At CoreCivic's option, interest on outstanding borrowings under the Bank Credit Facility is based on either a base rate plus a margin ranging from 1.75% to 3.5% based upon the Company’s then-current total leverage ratio, or at Term SOFR (as defined in the Bank Credit Facility), which is a forward-looking term rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate ("SOFR") plus a margin ranging from 2.75% to 4.5% based on the Company’s then-current total leverage ratio. The Revolving Credit Facility includes a $25.0 million sublimit for swing line loans that enables CoreCivic to borrow at the base rate plus the applicable margin from the Administrative Agent (as defined in the Bank Credit Facility) on same-day notice.

Based on the Company's total leverage ratio, as of December 31, 2024, interest on loans under the Bank Credit Facility, was at a base rate plus a margin of 1.75% or at the Term SOFR plus a margin of 2.75%, and a commitment fee equal to 0.35% of the unfunded balance of the Revolving Credit Facility. The Revolving Credit Facility also has a $100.0 million sublimit for the issuance of standby letters of credit. As of December 31, 2024, CoreCivic had no borrowings outstanding under the Revolving Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2024, CoreCivic had $18.0 million in letters of credit outstanding, resulting in $257.0 million available under the Revolving Credit Facility. The Term Loan, which had an outstanding principal balance of $118.8 million as of December 31, 2024, requires scheduled quarterly principal payments through October 2028, and is pre-payable without penalty.

The Bank Credit Facility requires CoreCivic to meet certain financial covenants, including, without limitation, a total leverage ratio of not more than 4.50 to 1.00, a secured leverage ratio of not more than 2.50 to 1.00, and a fixed charge coverage ratio of not less than 1.75 to 1.00. As of December 31, 2024, CoreCivic was in compliance with all such covenants. The Bank Credit Facility is secured by a pledge of all of the capital stock (or other ownership interests) of CoreCivic's domestic restricted subsidiaries, 65% of the capital stock (or other ownership interests) of CoreCivic's "first-tier" foreign subsidiaries, all of the accounts receivable of the Company and its domestic restricted subsidiaries, and substantially all of the deposit accounts of the Company and its domestic restricted subsidiaries. In the event that (a) the consolidated total leverage equals or exceeds 4.25 to 1.00 or (b) the Company incurs certain debt above a specified threshold, each known as a "springing lien" event, certain intangible assets and unencumbered real estate assets that meet a 50% loan-to-value requirement are required to be added as collateral. In addition, the Bank Credit Facility contains certain covenants that, among other things, limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness, payment of dividends and other customary restricted payments, permitted investments, transactions with affiliates, asset sales, mergers and consolidations, liquidations, prepayments and modifications of other indebtedness, liens and other encumbrances and other matters customarily restricted in such agreements, and in each case subject to customary carveouts. The Bank Credit Facility is subject to cross-default provisions with respect to the terms of certain of CoreCivic's other material indebtedness and is subject to acceleration upon the occurrence of a change of control.

Senior Notes. Interest on the $238.5 million remaining aggregate principal amount of CoreCivic's 4.75% senior unsecured notes issued in October 2017 with an original principal amount of $250.0 million (the "4.75% Senior Notes") accrues at the stated rate and is payable in April and October of each year. The 4.75% Senior Notes are scheduled to mature on October 15, 2027. During 2024 and 2023, the Company purchased $4.6 million and $6.9 million, respectively, principal amount of the 4.75% Senior Notes through open market purchases, reducing the outstanding balance of the 4.75% Senior Notes to $238.5 million as of December 31, 2024. Interest on the aggregate principal amount of CoreCivic's 8.25% senior unsecured notes issued in April and September 2021, with an original principal amount of $675.0 million (the "Old 8.25% Senior Notes"), accrued at the stated rate and was payable in April and October of each year. The Old 8.25% Senior Notes were scheduled to mature on April 15, 2026. During 2022 and 2023, the Company purchased $81.9 million principal amount of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes through open market purchases reducing the outstanding balance of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes to $593.1 million as of December 31, 2023.

On March 4, 2024, the Company commenced a cash tender offer (the "Tender Offer") for any and all of the $593.1 million outstanding principal amount of its outstanding Old 8.25% Senior Notes. As a result of the Tender Offer, $494.3 million aggregate principal amount of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes, or approximately 83.3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes outstanding, had been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. The Company accepted for purchase and paid for all of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes that were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. Holders of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes who validly tendered received in cash $1,043.75 per $1,000 principal amount of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes validly tendered, plus accrued and unpaid interest from the October 15, 2023 interest payment date for the Old 8.25% Senior Notes up to, but not including, the settlement date, March 12, 2024. On March 15, 2024, the Company announced that it delivered an irrevocable notice to the holders of all CoreCivic's Old 8.25% Senior Notes that had not been validly tendered or had been validly withdrawn in the Tender Offer, that CoreCivic had elected to redeem in full the Old 8.25% Senior Notes that remained outstanding on April 15, 2024. The remaining principal amount of the outstanding Old 8.25% Senior Notes, which amounted to $98.8 million, was redeemed on April 15, 2024, at a redemption price equal to 104.125% of the principal amount of the outstanding Old 8.25% Senior Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest on such Old 8.25% Senior Notes to, but not including, April 15, 2024.

In connection with the Tender Offer, on March 12, 2024, the Company completed an underwritten registered public offering of $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 8.25% senior unsecured notes due 2029 (the "New 8.25% Senior Notes"), which are guaranteed by all the Company's subsidiaries that guarantee the Bank Credit Facility, the 4.75% Senior Notes, and the Old 8.25% Senior Notes (until their repayment and satisfaction on April 15, 2024). The New 8.25% Senior Notes were offered pursuant to CoreCivic's shelf registration statement on Form S-3, which became effective upon filing with the SEC on March 4, 2024. The net proceeds from the issuance of the New 8.25% Senior Notes totaled approximately $490.3 million, after deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses. The Company used the net proceeds from the offering of the New 8.25% Senior Notes, together with borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility and cash on hand, to fund the Tender Offer, and to redeem the remaining outstanding balance of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes on April 15, 2024. CoreCivic recorded charges totaling $31.3 million during the first and second quarters of 2024 associated with the Tender Offer and redemption of the Old 8.25% Senior Notes, including the non-cash write-off of unamortized loan issuance costs and original issue premium.

The 4.75% Senior Notes and the New 8.25% Senior Notes (collectively, the "Senior Notes") are senior unsecured obligations of the Company and are guaranteed by all of the Company's existing and future subsidiaries that guarantee the Bank Credit Facility. CoreCivic may redeem all or part of the 4.75% Senior Notes at any time prior to three months before their maturity date at a "make-whole" redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date. Thereafter, the 4.75% Senior Notes are redeemable at CoreCivic's option, in whole or in part, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes to be redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date. The Company may redeem all or part of the New 8.25% Senior Notes at any time prior to April 15, 2026, in whole or in part, at a "make-whole" redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date. Thereafter, the New 8.25% Senior Notes are redeemable at CoreCivic's option, in whole or in part, at a redemption price expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof, which percentage is 104.125% beginning on April 15, 2026, 102.063% beginning on April 15, 2027, and 100% beginning on April 15, 2028, plus, in each such case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the redemption date.

The indentures governing the Senior Notes contain certain customary covenants that, subject to certain exceptions and qualifications, restrict CoreCivic's ability to, among other things, create or permit to exist certain liens and consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of CoreCivic's assets. In addition, if CoreCivic experiences specific kinds of changes in control, CoreCivic must offer to repurchase all or any portion of the Senior Notes. The offer price for the Senior Notes in connection with a change in control would be 101% of the aggregate principal amount of the notes repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on the notes repurchased to the date of purchase. The indenture related to the New 8.25% Senior Notes additionally limits CoreCivic's ability to incur indebtedness, make restricted payments and investments and prepay certain indebtedness. The Senior Notes are also subject to cross-default provisions with certain of CoreCivic's other indebtedness, which includes the Bank Credit Facility.

Lansing Correctional Facility Non-Recourse Mortgage Note. On April 20, 2018, CoreCivic of Kansas, LLC (the "Issuer"), a wholly-owned unrestricted subsidiary of the Company, priced $159.5 million in aggregate principal amount of non-recourse senior secured notes of the Issuer (the "Kansas Notes"), in a private placement pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The Kansas Notes have a yield to maturity of 4.43% and are scheduled to mature in January 2040, 20 years following completion of the project, which occurred in January 2020. Principal and interest on the Kansas Notes are payable in quarterly payments, which began in July 2020 and continue until maturity. CoreCivic may redeem all or part of the Kansas Notes at any time upon written notice of not less than 30 days and not more than 60 days prior to the date fixed for such prepayment, with a "make-whole" amount, together with interest on the Kansas Notes accrued to, but not including, the redemption date. Because the Issuer has been designated as an unrestricted subsidiary of the Company under terms of the Bank Credit Facility, the issuance and service of the Kansas Notes, and the revenues and expenses associated with the facility lease, do not impact the financial covenants associated with the Bank Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2024, the outstanding balance of the Kansas Notes was $140.2 million.

Guarantees and Covenants. All of the restricted domestic subsidiaries of CoreCivic (as the parent corporation) have provided full and unconditional guarantees of the Senior Notes. All of CoreCivic's subsidiaries guaranteeing the Senior Notes are 100% owned subsidiaries of CoreCivic; and the subsidiary guarantees are full and unconditional and are joint and several obligations of the guarantors.

As of December 31, 2024, neither CoreCivic nor any of its subsidiary guarantors had any material or significant restrictions on CoreCivic's ability to obtain funds from its subsidiaries by dividend or loan or to transfer assets from such subsidiaries.

Other Debt Transactions

Letters of Credit. At December 31, 2024 and 2023, CoreCivic had $18.0 million and $17.9 million, respectively, in outstanding letters of credit. The letters of credit were issued primarily to secure CoreCivic's workers' compensation and general liability insurance policies, performance bonds, and for a debt service reserve requirement under terms of the Kansas Notes.

Debt Maturities

Scheduled principal payments as of December 31, 2024 for the next five years and thereafter were as follows (in thousands):

2025	$	12,073
2026		15,701
2027		257,823
2028		97,995
2029		507,985
Thereafter		105,803
Total debt	$	997,380

Cross-Default Provisions

The provisions of CoreCivic's debt agreements relating to the Bank Credit Facility and the Senior Notes contain certain cross-default provisions. Any events of default under the Bank Credit Facility that result in the lenders' actual acceleration of amounts outstanding thereunder also result in an event of default under the Senior Notes. Additionally, any events of default under the Senior Notes that give rise to the ability of the holders of such indebtedness to exercise their acceleration rights also result in an event of default under the Bank Credit Facility.

If CoreCivic were to be in default under the Bank Credit Facility, and if the lenders under the Bank Credit Facility elected to exercise their rights to accelerate CoreCivic's obligations under the Bank Credit Facility, such events could result in the acceleration of all or a portion of CoreCivic's Senior Notes, which would have a material impact on CoreCivic's liquidity and financial position. CoreCivic does not have sufficient working capital to satisfy its debt obligations in the event of an acceleration of all or a substantial portion of CoreCivic's outstanding indebtedness.