Note 5 - Long-term Debt

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Notes to Financial Statements

Long-term Debt [Text Block]

NOTE 5. LONG-TERM DEBT

Long-term debt consists of the following (in thousands):

	September 30, 2021			December 31, 2020
First Lien Credit Facilities:
Term loans, interest at LIBOR or base rate plus 3.5% (4.5% at September 30, 2021), net of unamortized discount and deferred loan costs of $4.4 million and $6.1 million at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.	$	518,146		$	520,499
Incremental term loans, interest at LIBOR or base rate plus 13.0% (14.0% at September 30, 2021), net of unamortized discount and deferred loan costs of $6.3 million and $7.8 million at September 30, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.		87,522			86,710
Finance leases		1,078			1,382
Total debt		606,746			608,591
Less: Current portion		(6,883	)		(7,031	)
Long-term debt	$	599,863		$	601,560

First Lien Credit Facilities

On June 6, 2017 (the “Closing Date”), AP Gaming I, LLC (the “Borrower”), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of the Company, entered into a first lien credit agreement (“the First Lien Credit Agreement”), providing for $450.0 million in term loans and a $30.0 million revolving credit facility (the “First Lien Credit Facilities”). The proceeds of the term loans were used primarily to repay the Company's then existing term loans, other indebtedness, to pay for the fees and expenses incurred in connection with the foregoing and otherwise for general corporate purposes. The full amount of the revolving credit facility was drawn on March 19, 2020 as a precautionary measure in order to increase the Company’s cash position and facilitate financial flexibility in light of the uncertainty in the global markets resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. The full amount of the revolving credit facility was repaid in October 2020 and remains available for the Company to draw upon in the future. The term loans will mature on February 15, 2024, and the revolving credit facility was amended on August 4, 2021 to extend its maturity to  November 6, 2023. The term loans require scheduled quarterly payments in amounts equal to 0.25% of the original aggregate principal amount of the term loans, with the balance due at maturity. Borrowings under the term loans and revolving credit facility bear interest at a rate equal to, at the Borrower’s option, either LIBOR or the base rate, subject to an interest rate floor plus an applicable margin rate. In addition, on a quarterly basis, the Borrower is required to pay each lender under the revolving credit facility a commitment fee in respect of any unused commitments thereunder at a rate of 0.50% per annum.

On December 6, 2017, the Borrower entered into incremental facilities for $65.0 million in term loans (the “December Incremental Term Loans”). The net proceeds of the December Incremental Term Loans were used to finance the acquisition of electronic gaming machines and related assets operated by Rocket Gaming Systems (“Rocket”) and to pay fees and expenses in connection therewith and for general corporate purposes. 

An additional $1.0 million in loan costs were incurred related to the issuance of the December Incremental Term Loans. Given the composition of the lender group, the transaction was accounted for as a debt modification and, as such, $0.9 million in third-party costs were expensed and included in the loss on extinguishment and modification of debt. The remaining amount was capitalized and will be amortized over the term of the agreement.

On February 8, 2018, the Borrower completed the repricing of its existing $513.0 million term loans under its First Lien Credit Agreement (the “Term Loans”). The Term Loans were repriced from 550 basis points to 425 basis points over LIBOR. The LIBOR floor remained at 100 basis points.

On February 8, 2018, in connection with the repricing of the Term Loans, third-party costs of $1.2 million were expensed and included in the loss and modification of debt. Existing debt issuance costs of $0.4 million were written-off and also included in the loss on extinguishment and modification of debt.

On October 5, 2018, the Borrower entered into an Incremental Assumption and Amendment Agreement No. 2 (the “Incremental Agreement No. 2”) with certain of the Borrower’s subsidiaries, the lenders party thereto from time to time and the Administrative Agent. The Incremental Agreement No. 2 amended and restated that certain First Lien Credit Agreement, dated as of June 6, 2017, as amended on December 6, 2017 and as amended and restated on February 8, 2018 (the “Existing Credit Agreement”), among the Borrower, the lenders party thereto, the Administrative Agent and other parties named therein (the “Amended and Restated Credit Agreement”), to (a) reduce the applicable interest rate margin for the Term B Loans (as repriced, the “Repriced Term B Loans”) under the Credit Agreement by 0.75% (which shall increase by an additional 0.25% if at any time the Borrower receives a corporate credit rating of at least B1 from Moody’s, regardless of any future rating) and (b) provide for the incurrence by the Borrower of incremental term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $30.0 million (the “Incremental Term Loans” and together with the Repriced Term B Loans, the “Term B Loans”).

On October 5, 2018, in connection with the repricing of the Term Loans, third-party costs of $1.5 million were expensed and included in the loss on extinguishment and modification of debt.

On August 30, 2019, the Borrower entered into Amendment No. 3 (the "Repricing Amendment") to the credit agreement. The Repricing Amendment reduced the interest rate margin on the revolving credit facility to the same interest rate margin as the term loans issued under the credit agreement.

On May 1, 2020, the Borrower entered into an Incremental Assumption and Amendment Agreement No. 4 (“Amendment No. 4”) with certain of the Borrower’s subsidiaries, the lenders party thereto and the administrative agent, which amended the First Lien Credit Agreement to provide for covenant relief (as described in Note 1) as well as an aggregate principal amount of $95.0 million in incremental term loans, of which the net proceeds received by the Company were $83.3 million in net proceeds after original issue discount and related fees. The incremental term loans incurred pursuant to Amendment No. 4 bear interest at a rate equal to, at the Borrower’s option, either LIBOR or the base rate, subject to an interest rate floor plus an applicable margin of 13% for LIBOR loans and 12% for base rate loans. Any voluntary prepayment of the incremental term loans incurred pursuant to Amendment No. 4 during the first two years after May 1, 2020 will be subject to a customary ”make-whole” premium. On or after May 1, 2022 and prior to November 1, 2022, a voluntary prepayment of the incremental term loans incurred pursuant to Amendment No. 4 will be accompanied by a 1.00% payment premium. Other than described above, the incremental term loans have the same terms applicable to the outstanding term loans under the First Lien Credit Agreement.

An additional $11.7 million in loan costs including original issue discount, lender fees, and third-party costs were incurred related to Amendment No. 4. Given the composition of the lender group, the transaction was accounted for as a debt modification for existing lenders and, as such, $3.1 million in third-party costs were expensed and included in the loss on extinguishment and modification of debt. The remaining $8.6 million was capitalized and will be amortized over the term of the agreement.

On August 4, 2021, the Borrower entered into Amendment Agreement No. 5 (the “Credit Agreement Amendment”), with certain of the Borrower's subsidiaries, the lenders party thereto and the administrative agent, which amends and restates that certain First Lien Credit Agreement to extend the maturity date of its existing $30 million first lien revolving credit facility to November 6, 2023. Other than as described above, the loans under the First Lien Credit Agreement continue to have the same terms.

The First Lien Credit Facilities are guaranteed by AP Gaming Holdings, LLC, the Borrower’s material, wholly owned domestic subsidiaries (subject to certain exceptions), and are secured by a pledge by AP Gaming Holdings, LLC of the Borrower’s equity interest directly held by AP Gaming Holdings, LLC and a pledge of substantially all of the existing and future property and assets of the Borrower and the subsidiary guarantors, subject to certain exceptions. The First Lien Credit Facilities require that the Borrower maintain a maximum net first lien leverage ratio set at a maximum of 6.0 to 1.0. 

The First Lien Credit Facilities also contain customary affirmative covenants and negative covenants that limit our ability to, among other things: (i) incur additional debt or issue certain preferred shares; (ii) create liens on certain assets; (iii) make certain loans or investments (including acquisitions); (iv) pay dividends on or make distributions in respect of our capital stock or make other restricted payments; (v) consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets; (vi) sell assets; (vii) enter into certain transactions with our affiliates; (viii) enter into sale-leaseback transactions; (ix) change our lines of business; (x) restrict dividends from our subsidiaries or restrict liens; (xi) change our fiscal year; and (xii) modify the terms of certain debt or organizational agreements. The new senior secured credit facilities also contain customary events of default included in similar financing transactions, including, among others, failure to make payments when due, default under other material indebtedness, breach of covenants, breach of representations and warranties, involuntary or voluntary bankruptcy, and material judgments.

As of September 30, 2021, we were in compliance with the required covenants of our debt instruments.

Finance Leases

The Company has entered into leases for vehicles and equipment that are accounted for as finance leases.