Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

LONG-TERM DEBT

v3.5.0.2
LONG-TERM DEBT
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
LONG-TERM DEBT
LONG-TERM DEBT
The Company’s borrowings as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 were as follows (in thousands):
 
 
September 30, 2016
 
December 31, 2015
7.750% Senior Notes (excluding unamortized discount)
 
$
144,828

 
$
149,828

Senior secured revolving credit facility
 
70,000

 
90,000

Promissory notes
 
23,582

 
24,968

Other
 
15

 
9,509

 
 
238,425

 
274,305

Less: portion due within one year
 
(1,539
)
 
(3,278
)
Less: debt discount, net
 
(1,758
)
 
(4,589
)
Less: unamortized debt issuance costs
 
(2,473
)
 
(2,740
)
Total long-term debt
 
$
232,655

 
$
263,698


7.750% Senior Notes. On December 7, 2012, Era Group issued $200.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 7.750% senior unsecured notes due December 15, 2022 (the “7.750% Senior Notes”) and received net proceeds of $191.9 million. Interest on the 7.750% Senior Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on June 15 and December 15 of each year. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company repurchased $5.0 million of the 7.750% Senior Notes and recognized a gain on extinguishment of $0.5 million. During the nine months ended September 30, 2015, the Company repurchased $24.9 million of the 7.750% Senior Notes and recognized a gain on extinguishment of $0.2 million.
Amended and Restated Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility. On March 31, 2014, Era Group entered into the Revolving Credit Facility that matures in March 2019. The Revolving Credit Facility provides Era Group with the ability to borrow up to $300.0 million, with a sub-limit of up to $50.0 million for letters of credit. Subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions precedent and the agreement by the lenders, the Revolving Credit Facility includes an “accordion” feature which, if exercised, will increase total commitments by up to $100.0 million. Era Group’s availability under the Revolving Credit Facility may be limited by the terms of the 7.750% Senior Notes.
Borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at Era Group’s election, either a base rate or LIBOR, each as defined, plus an applicable margin. The applicable margin is based on the Company’s ratio of funded debt to EBITDA, as defined, and ranges from 75 to 200 basis points on the base rate margin and 175 to 300 basis points on the LIBOR margin. The applicable margin as of September 30, 2016 was 125 basis points on the base rate margin and 225 basis points on the LIBOR margin. In addition, the Company is required to pay a quarterly commitment fee based on the average unfunded portion of the committed amount at a rate based on the Company’s ratio of funded debt to EBITDA, as defined, that ranges from 37.5 to 50 basis points. As of September 30, 2016, the commitment fee was 50 basis points.
The obligations under the Revolving Credit Facility are secured by a portion of the Company’s helicopter fleet and the Company’s other tangible and intangible assets and are guaranteed by Era Group’s wholly owned U.S. subsidiaries. The Revolving Credit Facility contains various restrictive covenants including interest coverage, total leverage and asset coverage ratios, as well as other customary covenants including certain restrictions on the Company’s ability to enter into certain transactions, including those that could result in the incurrence of additional indebtedness and liens, the making of loans, guarantees or investments, sales of assets, payments of dividends or repurchases of capital stock, and entering into transactions with affiliates.
As of September 30, 2016, Era Group had $70.0 million of outstanding borrowings under the Revolving Credit Facility and issued letters of credit of $1.2 million. In connection with the amendment of the Revolving Credit Facility in 2014, Era Group incurred debt issuance costs of $2.4 million. Such costs are included in other assets on the condensed consolidated balance sheets and are amortized to interest expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations over the life of the Revolving Credit Facility.
Aeróleo Debt. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company prepaid a $1.0 million loan issued by Aeróleo due to a third party in Brazil. Also during the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company and its partner in Aeróleo each contributed notes payable to them by Aeróleo as a contribution of additional capital into Aeróleo. As a result, $6.3 million of debt due to the Company’s partner in Aeróleo was recorded in net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest in subsidiary on the condensed consolidated statements of operations.
Promissory Notes. During the nine months ended September 30, 2016, the Company made scheduled payments on other long-term debt of $1.4 million. During the third quarter of 2016, these notes were amended to, among other things, provide for cross-collateralization such that the helicopters now secure both promissory notes.