Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Long-Term Debt

v3.8.0.1
Long-Term Debt
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt disclosure
Long-Term Debt and Capital Lease Obligations
Long-term debt and capital lease obligations consisted of the following:
(in millions)
September 30, 2017

December 31, 2016

3.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2019, net of original issue discount
$
399

399

5.125% Senior Secured Notes due 2022
500

500

4.375% Senior Secured Notes due 2023, net of original issue discount
750

750

4.85% Senior Secured Notes due 2024, net of original issue discount
600

600

4.45% Senior Secured Notes due 2025, net of original issue discount
599

599

5.45% Senior Secured Notes due 2034, net of original issue discount
399

399

5.95% Senior Secured Notes due 2043, net of original issue discount
300

300

Senior secured credit facility
1,390

1,596

Capital lease obligations
74

69

Build to suit lease obligation
102

105

Less debt issuance costs, net
(23
)
(28
)
Total debt and capital lease obligations
5,090

5,289

Less current portion
(17
)
(14
)
Long-term portion of debt and capital lease obligations
$
5,073

5,275


Senior Secured Notes
All of QVC's senior secured notes are secured by the capital stock of QVC and certain of its subsidiaries and have equal priority to QVC's senior secured credit facility. The interest on all of QVC's senior secured notes is payable semi-annually.
Senior Secured Credit Facility
On June 23, 2016, QVC entered into the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with zulily as borrowers (collectively, the “Borrowers”), which is a multi-currency facility that provides for a $2.65 billion revolving credit facility with a $300 million 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 the Company or zulily with an additional $50 million sub-limit for standby letters of credit (see notes 1 and 13). The remaining $2.25 billion and any incremental loans may be borrowed only by the Company. 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% and 0.75% depending on the Borrowers’ combined ratio of Consolidated Total Debt to Consolidated EBITDA for the most recent four fiscal quarter periods (the “Combined Consolidated Leverage Ratio”). Borrowings that are London Interbank Offered Rate ("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 the Borrowers’ Combined Consolidated Leverage Ratio. Because the calculation of the Combined Consolidated Leverage Ratio was revised to include zulily, the effective interest rate margins, on the date that the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement was entered into, decreased from the interest rate margins under the previous bank credit facility. Each loan may be prepaid at any time and from time to time without penalty other than customary breakage costs. No mandatory prepayments will be required other than when borrowings and letter of credit usage exceed availability; provided that, if zulily ceases to be controlled by Liberty, all of its loans must be repaid and its letters of credit cash collateralized. 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. Any amounts prepaid on the revolving facility may be reborrowed. Payment of loans may be accelerated following certain customary events of default.

QVC had $950 million, including the remaining portion of the $400 million tranche that zulily may also borrow on, available under the terms of the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement at September 30, 2017. The interest rate on the Third Amended and Restated Credit Agreement was 2.7% at September 30, 2017.
The purpose of the amendment was to, among other things, extend the maturity of the Company's senior secured credit facility, provide zulily the opportunity to borrow on the senior secured credit facility (see note 1), and lower the interest rate on borrowings. The payment and performance of the Borrowers’ 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 the Company and zulily and each of their respective 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; and limiting the Company’s consolidated leverage ratio and the Borrowers’ Combined Consolidated Leverage Ratio.
Interest Rate Swap Arrangements
During the year ended December 31, 2016, QVC entered into a three-year interest rate swap arrangement with a notional amount of $125 million to mitigate the interest rate risk associated with interest payments related to its variable rate debt. The swap arrangement does not qualify as a cash flow hedge under U.S. GAAP. Accordingly, changes in the fair value of the swap are reflected in gain on financial instruments in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations. At September 30, 2017, the fair value of the swap instrument was in a net asset position of approximately $2 million which was included in other noncurrent assets.
Other Debt Related Information
QVC was in compliance with all of its debt covenants at September 30, 2017.
During the quarter, there were no significant changes to QVC's debt credit ratings.
The weighted average rate applicable to all of the outstanding debt (excluding capital and build to suit leases) prior to amortization of bond discounts and related debt issuance costs was 4.1% as of September 30, 2017.