6. Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt consists of the following:

 

December 31, 2014 includes $1.5 million discount associated with the 7.0% Notes, $0.1 million premium associated with notes payable to a finance company and $0.4 million discount associated with mortgage notes payable.

Future maturities of long-term debt are as follows:

 

2014 Credit Facilities

On July 23, 2014, Sonic entered into an amended and restated syndicated revolving credit facility (the “2014 Revolving Credit Facility”) and amended and restated syndicated new and used vehicle floor plan credit facilities (the “2014 Floor Plan Facilities” and, together with the 2014 Revolving Credit Facility, the “2014 Credit Facilities”), which are scheduled to mature on August 15, 2019.

Availability under the 2014 Revolving Credit Facility is calculated as the lesser of $225.0 million or a borrowing base calculated based on certain eligible assets, less the aggregate face amount of any outstanding letters of credit under the 2014 Revolving Credit Facility (the “2014 Revolving Borrowing Base”). The 2014 Revolving Credit Facility may be increased at Sonic’s option up to $275.0 million upon satisfaction of certain conditions. Based on balances as of December 31, 2015, the 2014 Revolving Borrowing Base was approximately $208.2 million. As of December 31, 2015, Sonic had approximately $4.2 million of outstanding borrowings and $22.9 million in outstanding letters of credit under the 2014 Revolving Credit Facility, resulting in total borrowing availability of $181.1 million under the 2014 Revolving Credit Facility.

The 2014 Floor Plan Facilities are comprised of a new vehicle revolving floor plan facility (the “2014 New Vehicle Floor Plan Facility”) and a used vehicle revolving floor plan facility (the “2014 Used Vehicle Floor Plan Facility”), subject to a borrowing base, in a combined amount up to $800.0 million. Sonic may, under certain conditions, request an increase in the 2014 Floor Plan Facilities to a maximum borrowing limit of up to $1.0 billion, which shall be allocated between the 2014 New Vehicle Floor Plan Facility and the 2014 Used Vehicle Floor Plan Facility as Sonic requests, with no more than 20% of the aggregate commitments allocated to the commitments under the 2014 Used Vehicle Floor Plan Facility. Outstanding obligations under the 2014 Floor Plan Facilities are guaranteed by Sonic and certain of its subsidiaries and are secured by a pledge of substantially all of the assets of Sonic and its subsidiaries. The amounts outstanding under the 2014 Credit Facilities bear interest at variable rates based on specified percentages above LIBOR.

Sonic agreed under the 2014 Credit Facilities not to pledge any assets to any third party, subject to certain stated exceptions, including floor plan financing arrangements. In addition, the 2014 Credit Facilities contain certain negative covenants, including covenants which could restrict or prohibit indebtedness, liens, the payment of dividends, capital expenditures and material dispositions and acquisitions of assets as well as other customary covenants and default provisions. Specifically, the 2014 Credit Facilities permit cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and Class B common stock so long as no event of default (as defined in the 2014 Credit Facilities) has occurred and is continuing and provided that Sonic remains in compliance with all financial covenants under the 2014 Credit Facilities. There are no restrictions on retained earnings or net income.

7.0% Senior Subordinated Notes

On July 2, 2012, Sonic issued $200.0 million in aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior subordinated 7.0% Notes which mature on July 15, 2022. The 7.0% Notes were issued at a price of 99.11% of the principal amount thereof, resulting in a yield to maturity of 7.125%. Sonic used the net proceeds from the issuance of the 7.0% Notes and issued approximately 4.1 million shares of its Class A common stock to repurchase all of the outstanding 5.0% Convertible Notes. Remaining proceeds from the issuance of the 7.0% Notes were used for general corporate purposes, including repurchases of shares of Class A common stock. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on January 15 and July 15 of each year. Sonic may redeem the 7.0% Notes in whole or in part at any time after July 15, 2017 at the following redemption prices, which are expressed as percentages of the principal amount:  

 

In addition, the indenture provides that holders of the 7.0% Notes may require Sonic to repurchase the 7.0% Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the par value of the 7.0% Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if Sonic undergoes a change of control (as defined in the indenture).

The indenture governing the 7.0% Notes contains certain specified restrictive covenants. Sonic has agreed not to pledge any assets to any third-party lender of senior subordinated debt except under certain limited circumstances. Sonic also has agreed to certain other limitations or prohibitions concerning the incurrence of other indebtedness, guarantees, liens, certain types of investments, certain transactions with affiliates, mergers, consolidations, issuance of preferred stock, cash dividends to stockholders, distributions, redemptions and the sale, assignment, lease, conveyance or disposal of certain assets. Specifically, the indenture governing Sonic’s 7.0% Notes limits Sonic’s ability to pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and Class B common stock in excess of $0.10 per share. Sonic may only pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and Class B common stock if Sonic complies with the terms of the indenture governing the 7.0% Notes. There are no restrictions on retained earnings or net income. Sonic was in compliance with all restrictive covenants as of December 31, 2015.

Balances outstanding under Sonic’s 7.0% Notes are guaranteed by all of Sonic’s operating domestic subsidiaries. These guarantees are full and unconditional and joint and several. The parent company has no independent assets or operations. The subsidiaries that are not guarantors are considered to be minor.

Sonic’s obligations under the 7.0% Notes may be accelerated by the holders of 25% of the outstanding principal amount of the 7.0% Notes then outstanding if certain events of default occur, including: (1) defaults in the payment of principal or interest when due; (2) defaults in the performance, or breach, of Sonic’s covenants under the 7.0% Notes; and (3) certain defaults under other agreements under which Sonic or its subsidiaries have outstanding indebtedness in excess of $35.0 million.

5.0% Senior Subordinated Notes

On May 9, 2013, Sonic issued $300.0 million in aggregate principal amount of unsecured senior subordinated 5.0% Notes which mature on May 15, 2023. The 5.0% Notes were issued at a price of 100.0% of the principal amount thereof. Sonic used the net proceeds from the issuance of the 5.0% Notes to repurchase all of the outstanding 9.0% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2018. Remaining proceeds from the issuance of the 5.0% Notes were used for general corporate purposes. Interest is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year. Sonic may redeem the 5.0% Notes in whole or in part at any time on or after May 15, 2018 at the following redemption prices, which are expressed as percentages of the principal amount:

 

In addition, on or before May 15, 2016, Sonic may redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 5.0% Notes at a redemption price equal to 105% of the par value of the 5.0% Notes plus accrued and unpaid interest with proceeds from certain equity offerings. On or before May 15, 2018, Sonic may redeem all or a part of the aggregate principal amount of the 5.0% Notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the 5.0% Notes redeemed plus an applicable premium (as defined in the indenture) and any accrued and unpaid interest as of the redemption date. The indenture also provides that holders of the 5.0% Notes may require Sonic to repurchase the 5.0% Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the par value of the 5.0% Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if Sonic undergoes a change of control (as defined in the indenture).

The indenture governing the 5.0% Notes contains certain specified restrictive covenants. Sonic has agreed not to pledge any assets to any third-party lender of senior subordinated debt except under certain limited circumstances. Sonic also has agreed to certain other limitations or prohibitions concerning the incurrence of other indebtedness, guarantees, liens, certain types of investments, certain transactions with affiliates, mergers, consolidations, issuance of preferred stock, cash dividends to stockholders, distributions, redemptions and the sale, assignment, lease, conveyance or disposal of certain assets. Specifically, the indenture governing Sonic’s 5.0% Notes limits Sonic’s ability to pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and Class B common stock in excess of $0.10 per share. Sonic may only pay quarterly cash dividends on Sonic’s Class A and Class B common stock if Sonic complies with the terms of the indenture governing the 5.0% Notes. There are no restrictions on retained earnings or net income. Sonic was in compliance with all restrictive covenants as of December 31, 2015.

Balances outstanding under Sonic’s 5.0% Notes are guaranteed by all of Sonic’s operating domestic subsidiaries. These guarantees are full and unconditional and joint and several. The parent company has no independent assets or operations. The subsidiaries that are not guarantors are considered to be minor.

Sonic’s obligations under the 5.0% Notes may be accelerated by the holders of 25% of the outstanding principal amount of the 5.0% Notes then outstanding if certain events of default occur, including: (1) defaults in the payment of principal or interest when due; (2) defaults in the performance, or breach, of Sonic’s covenants under the 5.0% Notes; and (3) certain defaults under other agreements under which Sonic or its subsidiaries have outstanding indebtedness in excess of $50.0 million.

Notes Payable to a Finance Company

Three notes payable were assumed in connection with an acquisition in 2004 (the “Assumed Notes”). Sonic recorded the Assumed Notes at fair value using an interest rate of 5.35%. The interest rate used to calculate the fair value was based on a quoted market price for notes with similar terms as of the date of assumption. As a result of calculating the fair value, a premium of $7.3 million was recorded that will be amortized over the lives of the Assumed Notes. At December 31, 2015, one note remained outstanding (due August 2016) with an outstanding principal balance of approximately $0.8 million.

Mortgage Notes

During the year ended December 31, 2015, Sonic obtained approximately $69.1 million in mortgage financing related to eight of its dealership properties. As of December 31, 2015, the weighted average interest rate was 3.74% and the total outstanding principal balance was approximately $319.4 million, related to approximately 37% of Sonic’s operating locations. These mortgage notes require monthly payments of principal and interest through maturity and are secured by the underlying properties and contain certain cross-default provisions. Maturity dates for these mortgage notes range between 2016 and 2033.

Covenants

Sonic agreed under the 2014 Credit Facilities not to pledge any assets to any third party (other than those explicitly allowed under the amended terms of the 2014 Credit Facilities), including other lenders, subject to certain stated exceptions, including floor plan financing arrangements. In addition, the 2014 Credit Facilities contain certain negative covenants, including covenants which could restrict or prohibit the payment of dividends, capital expenditures and material dispositions of assets as well as other customary covenants and default provisions.

Sonic was in compliance with the covenants under the 2014 Credit Facilities as of December 31, 2015. Financial covenants include required specified ratios (as each is defined in the 2014 Credit Facilities) of:  

 

The 2014 Credit Facilities contain events of default, including cross defaults to other material indebtedness, change of control events and events of default customary for syndicated commercial credit facilities. Upon the future occurrence of an event of default, Sonic could be required to immediately repay all outstanding amounts under the 2014 Credit Facilities.

In addition, many of Sonic’s facility leases are governed by a guarantee agreement between the landlord and Sonic that contains financial and operating covenants. The financial covenants are identical to those under the 2014 Credit Facilities with the exception of one financial covenant related to the ratio of EBTDAR to rent (as defined in the guarantee agreement) with a required ratio of no less than 1.50 to 1.00. As of December 31, 2015, the ratio was 3.81 to 1.00.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

Sonic has interest rate cash flow swap agreements to effectively convert a portion of its LIBOR-based variable rate debt to a fixed rate. The fair value of these swap positions at December 31, 2015 was a net liability of approximately $10.0 million, with $5.1 million included in other accrued liabilities and $4.9 million included in other long-term liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The fair value of these swap positions at December 31, 2014 was a net liability of approximately $11.1 million, with $8.2 million included in other accrued liabilities and $3.5 million included in other long-term liabilities, offset partially by an asset of approximately $0.6 million included in other assets in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Under the terms of these cash flow swaps, Sonic will receive and pay interest based on the following:

 

 

 

During the second quarter ended June 30, 2015, Sonic entered into four forward-starting interest rate cash flow swap agreements.  These interest rate swaps have been designated and qualify as cash flow hedges and, as a result, changes in the fair value of these swaps are recorded in other comprehensive income (loss) before taxes in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.  

For interest rate swaps not designated as cash flow hedges, the changes in the fair value of these swaps are recognized through earnings and are included in interest expense, other, net, in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, these items were a benefit of approximately $0.6 million, $0.5 million and $0.9 million, respectively.

For the cash flow swaps that qualify as cash flow hedges, the changes in the fair value of these swaps have been recorded in other comprehensive income (loss), net of related income taxes, in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income and are disclosed in the supplemental schedule of non-cash financing activities in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The incremental interest expense (the difference between interest paid and interest received) related to these cash flow swaps was approximately $7.8 million, $10.7 million and $11.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, and is included in interest expense, other, net, in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income and the interest paid amount disclosed in the supplemental disclosures of cash flow information in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. The estimated net expense expected to be reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) into results of operations during the next twelve months is approximately $3.2 million.