Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Long-Term Debt

v3.8.0.1
Long-Term Debt
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Long-term Debt, Unclassified [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt

(11)   Long-Term Debt

Debt is summarized as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

principal at

 

Carrying value

 

 

    

March 31, 2018

    

March 31, 2018

    

December 31, 2017

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

Corporate level debentures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

8.5% Senior Debentures due 2029

 

$

287

 

 

286

 

285

 

8.25% Senior Debentures due 2030

 

 

504

 

 

502

 

502

 

4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2029

 

 

434

 

 

319

 

316

 

3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2030

 

 

435

 

 

317

 

318

 

3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2031

 

 

323

 

 

358

 

342

 

0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043

 

 

 —

 

 

 2

 

 2

 

1.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046

 

 

750

 

 

836

 

868

 

Subsidiary level notes and facilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QVC 3.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2019

 

 

400

 

 

399

 

399

 

QVC 5.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2022

 

 

500

 

 

500

 

500

 

QVC 4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023

 

 

750

 

 

750

 

750

 

QVC 4.85% Senior Secured Notes due 2024

 

 

600

 

 

600

 

600

 

QVC 4.45% Senior Secured Notes due 2025

 

 

600

 

 

599

 

599

 

QVC 5.45% Senior Secured Notes due 2034

 

 

400

 

 

399

 

399

 

QVC 5.95% Senior Secured Notes due 2043

 

 

300

 

 

300

 

300

 

QVC Bank Credit Facilities

 

 

1,405

 

 

1,405

 

1,763

 

HSNi Bank Credit Facilities

 

 

500

 

 

500

 

460

 

Other subsidiary debt

 

 

193

 

 

193

 

170

 

Deferred loan costs

 

 

 —

 

 

(27)

 

(24)

 

Total consolidated Qurate Retail debt

 

$

8,381

 

 

8,238

 

8,549

 

Less current classification

 

 

 

 

 

(1,850)

 

(996)

 

Total long-term debt

 

 

 

 

$

6,388

 

7,553

 

 

 

QVC Bank Credit Facilities

 

On June 23, 2016, QVC amended and restated its senior secured credit facility (the “Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement”) with zulily as co-borrower. The Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement is a multi-currency facility that provides for a $2.65 billion revolving credit facility, with a $300 million total sub-limit for standby letters of credit and $1.5 billion of uncommitted incremental revolving loan commitments or incremental term loans. The Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement includes a $400 million tranche that may be borrowed by QVC and zulily, as co-borrowers with an additional $50 million sub-limit for standby letters of credit.  The remaining $2.25 billion and any incremental loans may be borrowed only by QVC. The borrowers may elect that the loans extended under the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the annual base rate or LIBOR, as each is defined in the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement.  Borrowings that are alternate base rate loans will bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the base rate plus a margin that varies between 0.25% to 0.75% depending on QVC and zulily’s combined ratio of Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA for the most recent four fiscal quarter period (the “Combined Consolidated Leverage Ratio”). Borrowings that are LIBOR loans will bear interest at a per annum rate equal to the applicable LIBOR rate plus a margin that varies between 1.25% and 1.75% depending on QVC and zulily’s Combined Consolidated Leverage Ratio. Each loan may be prepaid at any time and from time to time without penalty other than customary breakage costs. No mandatory prepayments are required other than when borrowings and letter of credit usage exceed availability; provided that, if zulily ceases to be controlled by Qurate Retail, all of its loans must be repaid and its letters of credit cash collateralized. Any amounts prepaid on the revolving facility may be reborrowed. The facility matures on June 23, 2021, except that $140 million of the $2.25 billion commitment available to QVC matures on March 9, 2020. Payment of loans may be accelerated following certain customary events of default.

 

The payment and performance of the borrowers’ obligations (including zulily’s obligations) under the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement are guaranteed by each of QVC’s Material Domestic Subsidiaries (as defined in the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement). Further, the borrowings under the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement are secured, pari passu with QVC’s existing notes, by a pledge of all of the capital stock of QVC.  The payment and performance of the borrowers’ obligations with respect to the $400 million tranche available to both QVC and zulily are also guaranteed by each of zulily’s Material Domestic Subsidiaries (as defined in the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement), if any, and are secured by a pledge of all of zulily’s equity interests.

 

The Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement contains certain affirmative and negative covenants, including certain restrictions on QVC and zulily and each of their restricted subsidiaries (subject to certain exceptions) with respect to, among other things: incurring additional indebtedness; creating liens on property or assets; making certain loans or investments; selling or disposing of assets; paying certain dividends and other restricted payments; dissolving, consolidating or merging; entering into certain transactions with affiliates; entering into sale or leaseback transactions; restricting subsidiary distributions; limiting QVC’s consolidated leverage ratio, which is defined in the Third Amended Restated Credit Agreement as QVC’s consolidated total debt to Adjusted OIBDA (as defined in note 13) ratio for the most recent four fiscal quarter period; and limiting the Combined Consolidated Leverage Ratio.

 

The interest rate on borrowings outstanding under the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement was 3.2% at March 31, 2018. Availability under the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement at March 31, 2018 was $1.2 billion, including the remaining portion of the $400 million tranche that zulily may also borrow on. 

 

HSNi Bank Credit Facility 

   

On January 27, 2015, HSNi entered into a $1.25 billion five-year syndicated credit agreement ("Credit Agreement") which was secured by 100% of the voting equity securities of HSNi's U.S. subsidiaries and 65% of HSNi's first-tier foreign subsidiaries. Certain HSNi subsidiaries had unconditionally guaranteed HSNi's obligations under the Credit Agreement.  The Credit Agreement, which included a $750 million revolving credit facility and a $500 million term loan, could be increased up to $1.75 billion subject to certain conditions and was set to expire on January 27, 2020. On December 29, 2017, the Credit Agreement was amended, the outstanding balance on the term loan was repaid, and the revolving credit facility was increased to $1 billion.  The maturity of the revolving credit facility was extended to December 29, 2022.  Loans under the amended Credit Agreement bear interest at a per annum rate equal to LIBOR plus a predetermined margin that ranges from 1.25% to 1.75% or the Base Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus a predetermined margin that ranges from 0.25% to 0.75%. HSNi pays a commitment fee ranging from 0.20% to 0.30% (based on the leverage ratio) on the unused portion of the revolving credit facility.  

   

The Credit Agreement includes various covenants, limitations and events of default customary for similar facilities including a maximum leverage ratio of 3.50x (as defined in the Credit Agreement). The interest rate on the $500 million outstanding long-term debt balance as of March 31, 2018 was 3.2%.  The amount available to HSNi under the revolving credit facility portion of the Credit Agreement is reduced by the amount of outstanding letters of credit issued under the revolving credit facility, which totaled $8.2 million as of March 31, 2018. The ability to draw funds under the revolving credit facility is dependent upon meeting the aforementioned financial covenants. As of March 31, 2018, the amount that could be borrowed under the revolving credit facility, after consideration of the financial covenants and the outstanding letters of credit, was approximately $492 million. 

 

Exchangeable Senior Debentures

 

The Company has elected to account for its exchangeable senior debentures using the fair value option. Accordingly, changes in the fair value of these instruments are recognized as unrealized gains (losses) in the statements of operations.  As of March 31, 2018 the balance of the 4% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2029, the 3.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2030, the 3.5% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2031 and the 1.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2046 have been classified as current because the Company does not own shares to redeem the debentures.  For the remaining exchangeables, the Company reviews the terms of the debentures on a quarterly basis to determine whether a triggering event has occurred to require current classification of the exchangeables upon a call event. The 0.75% Exchangeable Senior Debentures due 2043 are classified as current as of March 31, 2018 as they are currently redeemable.

 

Debt Covenants

Qurate Retail, QVC, HSNi and other subsidiaries of Qurate Retail are in compliance with all debt covenants at March 31, 2018.

Other Subsidiary Debt

Other subsidiary debt at March 31, 2018 is comprised primarily of capitalized satellite transponder lease obligations.

Fair Value of Debt

Qurate Retail estimates the fair value of its debt based on the quoted market prices for the same or similar issues or on the current rate offered to Qurate Retail for debt of the same remaining maturities (Level 2). The fair value of Qurate Retail's publicly traded debt securities that are not reported at fair value in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheet at March 31, 2018 are as follows (amounts in millions):

 

 

 

 

 

Senior debentures

 

$

866

 

QVC senior secured notes

    

$

3,569

 

 

Due to the variable rate nature, Qurate Retail believes that the carrying amount of its other debt, not discussed above, approximated fair value at March 31, 2018.