Current Credit Agreements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 27, 2017

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Current Credit Agreements

CURRENT CREDIT AGREEMENTS

On December 11, 2014, the Company refinanced its debt, with EPL, Intermediate, and Holdings entering into a credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., as administrative agent, swingline lender, and letter of credit issuer, the lenders party thereto, and the other parties thereto, which provides for a $200.0 millionfive-year senior secured revolving facility (the “2014 Revolver”). The 2014 Revolver includes a sub limit of $15.0 million for letters of credit and a sub limit of $15.0 million for swingline loans. At December 27, 2017, $7.7 million of letters of credit and $93.0 million of the revolving line of credit were outstanding. The amount available under the revolving line of credit was $99.3 million at December 27, 2017. The 2014 Revolver will mature on or about December 11, 2019.

Borrowings under the 2014 Revolver (other than any swingline loans) bear interest, at the borrower’s option, at rates based upon either LIBOR or a base rate, plus, for each rate, a margin determined in accordance with a lease-adjusted consolidated leverage ratio-based pricing grid. The base rate is calculated as the highest of (a) the federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (b) the prime rate of Bank of America, or (c) LIBOR plus 1.00%. For LIBOR loans, the margin is in the range of 1.75% to 2.50%, and for base rate loans the margin is in the range of 0.75% to 1.50%. The margin was initially set at 2.00% for LIBOR loans and at 1.00% for base rate loans until the delivery of financial statements and a compliance certificate for the first quarter of 2016. The interest rate range was 2.4% to 3.3% during fiscal 2017 and 2.0% to 2.4% during fiscal 2016 and was 3.3% and 2.4% at December 27, 2017 and December 28, 2016, respectively.

The 2014 Revolver includes a number of negative and financial covenants, including, among others, the following (all subject to certain exceptions): a maximum lease-adjusted consolidated leverage ratio covenant, a minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio, and limitations on indebtedness, liens, investments, asset sales, mergers, consolidations, liquidations, dissolutions, restricted payments, and negative pledges. The 2014 Revolver also includes certain customary affirmative covenants and events of default. The Company was in compliance with all such covenants at December 27, 2017. See Note 1 for restrictions on the payment of dividends under the 2014 Revolver.

Transaction Costs

Transaction costs of $1.5 million were incurred in connection with the December 11, 2014 refinancing and were capitalized and are included in other assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets and the related amortization is reflected as a component of interest expense, net, in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. As of December 27, 2017 and December 28, 2016 the Company had $0.6 million and $0.9 million, respectively, of transaction costs remaining in other assets.

Maturities

There are no required principal payments prior to maturity for the 2014 Revolver.