Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt

v3.4.0.3
Debt
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Long-term Debt, Unclassified [Abstract]  
Debt

(9) Long-Term Debt

Debt is summarized as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outstanding

 

Carrying value

 

    

Principal

    

March 31,

    

December 31,

 

 

March 31, 2016

 

2016

 

2015

 

 

amounts in millions

Liberty SiriusXM Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corporate level notes and loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Margin Loans

 

$

250

 

 

250

 

250

Subsidiary notes and loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SIRIUS XM 5.875% Senior Notes due 2020

 

 

650

 

 

645

 

645

SIRIUS XM 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021

 

 

600

 

 

596

 

596

SIRIUS XM 5.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2022

 

 

400

 

 

406

 

406

SIRIUS XM 4.25% Senior Notes due 2020

 

 

500

 

 

496

 

496

SIRIUS XM 4.625% Senior Notes due 2023

 

 

500

 

 

496

 

496

SIRIUS XM 6% Senior Notes due 2024

 

 

1,500

 

 

1,485

 

1,485

SIRIUS XM 5.375% Senior Notes due 2025

 

 

1,000

 

 

990

 

989

SIRIUS XM Credit Facility

 

 

600

 

 

600

 

340

SIRIUS XM leases

 

 

18

 

 

18

 

13

Less deferred financing costs

 

 

(7)

 

 

(7)

 

(7)

Total Liberty SiriusXM Group

 

 

6,011

 

 

5,975

 

5,709

Liberty Braves Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subsidiary notes and loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Notes and loans

 

 

115

 

 

115

 

147

Less deferred financing costs

 

 

(7)

 

 

(7)

 

(8)

Total Liberty Braves Group

 

 

108

 

 

108

 

139

Liberty Media Group

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Corporate level notes and loans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liberty 1.375% Cash Convertible Notes due 2023

 

 

1,000

 

 

998

 

995

Other

 

 

37

 

 

37

 

38

Total Liberty Media Group

 

 

1,037

 

 

1,035

 

1,033

Total debt

 

$

7,156

 

 

7,118

 

6,881

Less debt classified as current

 

 

 

 

 

(256)

 

(255)

Total long-term debt

 

 

 

 

$

6,862

 

6,626

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Liberty 1.375% Cash Convertible Notes due 2023

On October 17, 2013, Liberty issued $1 billion aggregate principal amount of 1.375% Cash Convertible Senior Notes due 2023 ("Convertible Notes").  The Convertible Notes will mature on October 15, 2023 unless earlier repurchased by us or converted.  Interest on the Convertible Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on April 15 and October 15 of each year at a rate of 1.375% per annum. All conversion of the Convertible Notes will be settled solely in cash, and not through the delivery of any securities.  The initial conversion rate for the Convertible Notes was 5.5882 shares of Series A Liberty common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes, which was equivalent to an initial conversion price of $178.95 per share of Series A Liberty common stock.  During the year ended December 31, 2014, in connection with the issuance of Series C Liberty common stock and the Broadband Spin-Off, as discussed in note 1, the conversion rate was adjusted to 21.0859 shares of Series A common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes and an adjusted conversion price of $47.43 per share of Series A Liberty common stock. Holders of the Convertible Notes may convert their notes at their option at any time prior to the close of business on the second business day immediately preceding the maturity date of the notes under the following circumstances: (1) during any fiscal quarter after the fiscal quarter ending December 31, 2013, if the last reported sale price of Series A Liberty common stock for at least 20 trading days in the period of 30 consecutive trading days ending on the last trading day of the immediately preceding fiscal quarter is equal to or more than 130% of the conversion price of the notes on the last day of such preceding fiscal quarter; (2) during the five businessday period after any five consecutive trading day period, which we refer to as the measurement period, in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each trading day of that measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price of Series A Liberty common stock and the applicable conversion rate on each such day; or (3) upon the occurrence of specified corporate transactions.  Liberty has elected to account for this instrument using the fair value option.  Accordingly, changes in the fair value of this instrument are recognized as unrealized gains (losses) in the statement of operations.  As of March 31, 2016, the Convertible Notes are classified as a long term liability in the condensed consolidated balance sheet, as the conversion conditions have not been met.

As a result of the Recapitalization, as discussed in note 2, the Convertible Notes will be convertible into cash based on the product of the conversion rate specified in the indenture and the basket of tracking stocks into which each outstanding share of Series A Liberty common stock has been reclassified (the “Securities Basket”). The supplemental indenture  entered into on April 15, 2016 in connection with the Recapitalization amends the conversion, adjustment and other provisions of the indenture to give effect to the Recapitalization and provides that the conversion consideration due upon conversion of any Convertible Note shall be determined as if references in the indenture to one share of Series A Liberty common stock were instead a reference to the Securities Basket, initially consisting of 0.10 of a share of Series A Liberty Braves common stock, 1.0 share of Series A Liberty SiriusXM common stock and 0.25 of a share of Series A Liberty Media common stock.

Additionally, contemporaneously with the issuance of the Convertible Notes, Liberty entered into privately negotiated cash convertible note hedges and purchased call options (the “Bond Hedge Transaction”). The Bond Hedge Transaction covered approximately 5,588,200 shares of Series A Liberty common stock, subject to anti-dilution adjustments pertaining to the Convertible Notes, which was equal to the number of shares of Series A Liberty common stock initially underlying the Convertible Notes.  The Bond Hedge Transaction is expected to offset potential cash payments Liberty would be required to make in excess of the principal amount of the Convertible Notes, upon conversion of the notes in the event that the volume-weighted average price per share of the Series A Liberty common stock, as measured under the cash convertible note hedge transactions on each trading day of the relevant cash settlement averaging period or other relevant valuation period, is greater than the strike price of $178.95 per share of Series A Liberty common stock, which corresponded to the initial conversion price of the Convertible Notes. During the year ended December 31, 2014, in connection with the issuance of Series C Liberty common stock and the Broadband Spin-Off, as discussed in note 1, the number of shares covered by the Bond Hedge Transaction was adjusted to 21,085,900 shares of Series A Liberty common stock and the strike price was adjusted to $47.43 per share of Series A Liberty common stock, which corresponds to the adjusted conversion price of the Convertible Notes. The Company is currently in discussions with the counterparties with regard to adjustments related to the Recapitalization to the outstanding Series A common stock warrants, as well as the number of shares covered by the Bond Hedge Transaction. The expiration of these instruments is October 15, 2023. The fair value of these instruments is included in Other assets, at cost, net of accumulated amortization as of March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets, with changes in the fair value recorded as unrealized gains (losses) on financial instruments in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations.

The Convertible Notes and Bond Hedge Transaction were attributed to the Liberty Media Group in the Recapitalization.

Margin Loans

During October 2015, Liberty refinanced a margin loan arrangement for a similar financial instrument with a term loan of $250 million and a $1 billion undrawn line of credit, which is scheduled to mature on October 25, 2016. Shares of SIRIUS XM and Live Nation common stock are pledged as collateral pursuant to this agreement.  The new term loan and any drawn portion of the revolver carries an interest rate of LIBOR plus an applicable spread between 1.75% and 2.25% (based on the value of collateral) with the undrawn portion carrying a fee of 0.75%. Borrowings outstanding under this margin loan bore interest at a rate of 1.38% per annum at March 31, 2016. Other terms of the agreement were substantially similar to the previous arrangement. As of March 31, 2016, availability under the revolving line of credit was $1 billion.

As of March 31, 2016, the values of shares pledged as collateral pursuant to the $1.25 billion margin loan due 2016 is as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Number of Shares Pledged

    

 

 

 

 

 

as Collateral as of

 

Share value as of

 

Investment

 

March 31, 2016

 

March 31, 2016

 

 

 

amounts in millions

 

SIRIUS XM

 

145.4

 

$

574

 

Live Nation

 

4.2

 

$

95

 

The outstanding margin loan contains various affirmative and negative covenants that restrict the activities of the borrower. The loan agreement does not include any financial covenants.

SIRIUS XM Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility

In December 2012, SIRIUS XM entered into a five-year Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility (the "Credit Facility") with a syndicate of financial institutions for $1,250 million. In June 2015, SIRIUS XM amended the agreement to increase the total borrowing capacity under the Credit Facility to $1,750 million and to extend the maturity to June 2020. The Credit Facility is secured by substantially all SIRIUS XM's assets and the assets of their subsidiaries. Interest on borrowings is payable on a monthly basis and accrues at a rate based on LIBOR plus an applicable rate. SIRIUS XM is required to pay a variable fee on the average daily unused portion of the Credit Facility which as of March 31, 2016 was 0.30% per annum and is payable on a quarterly basis.

As of March 31, 2016, availability under the Credit Facility was $1,150 million.  

Braves Holdings Notes

In 2014, Braves Holdings, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, purchased 82 acres of land for the purpose of constructing a Major League Baseball facility and development of a mixed-use complex adjacent to the ballpark.  The new facility is expected to cost approximately $672 million and Braves Holdings expects to spend approximately $50 million in other costs and equipment related to the new ballpark.  Funding for the ballpark will be split between Braves Holdings, Cobb County and Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority. Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority and Cobb County (collectively the “Authority”) will be responsible for funding $392 million of ballpark related construction and Braves Holdings will be responsible for remainder of cost, including cost overruns.  Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority issued $368 million in bonds during September 2015. Braves Holdings received $103 million of the bond proceeds during September 2015 as reimbursement for project costs paid for by Braves Holdings prior to the funding of the bonds. Funding for ballpark initiatives by Braves Holdings has come from cash reserves and utilization of two credit facilities. Additionally, during September 2015, Braves Holdings entered into a $345 million term loan (the “Braves Term Loan”). The Braves Term Loan bears interest at LIBOR plus an applicable spread between 1.50% and 1.75% (based on the debt service coverage ratio) per annum and an unused commitment fee of 0.35% per annum based on the average daily unused portion of the Braves Term Loan, payable quarterly in arrears. The interest rate on the Braves Term Loan was 1.68% as of March 31, 2016. The Braves Term Loan is scheduled to mature during September 2020. In connection with entering into the Braves Term Loan, Braves Holdings partially repaid and reduced the capacity on one of the credit facilities from $250 million to $75 million for a total capacity under the credit facilities of $175 million. As of March 31, 2016, the weighted average interest rate on the credit facilities was 1.71%. As of March 31, 2016, Braves Holdings has borrowed approximately $115 million under the Braves Term Loan and two facilities.

Due to Braves Holdings providing the initial funding of the project and its ownership of the land during the initial construction period, until the initial reimbursement by the Authority during September 2015 at which time the land was conveyed to the Authority, Braves Holdings has been deemed the owner (for accounting purposes) of the stadium during the construction period and costs have been classified as construction in progress (“CIP”), within the Property and equipment, net line item. Future costs of the project will continue to be captured in CIP along with a corresponding liability in other liabilities, for amounts funded by the Authority.  At the end of construction an additional determination will be made to determine whether the transaction will qualify for sale-leaseback accounting treatment. 

In addition, Braves Holdings through affiliated entities and outside development partners are in the process of developing land around the ballpark for a mixed-use complex that is expected to feature retail, residential, office, hotel and entertainment opportunities.  The estimated cost for mixed-use development is $558 million, of which Braves Holdings affiliated entities are expected to fund approximately $490 million, which Braves Holdings intends to fund through a mix of approximately $200 million in equity and $290 million in new debt. In December 2015, certain subsidiaries of Braves Holdings entered into three separate credit facilities totaling $207 million to fund a portion of the mixed use development costs. All of the facilities were undrawn as of March 31, 2016. The maturity dates of the facilities range between December 2018 and December 2019, and all of the facilities contain two year extension options. Interest rates on the credit facilities bear interest at LIBOR plus an applicable spread between 2.0% and 2.6%, with step-downs upon lease of the mixed use facilities at the completion of construction. As discussed in note 6, 464 thousand Time Warner, Inc. shares were pledged as collateral to these facilities. The fair value of the shares pledged as of March 31, 2016 was $34 million. 

As of March 31, 2016, approximately $326 million has been spent to-date on the baseball facility, of which approximately $250 million of funding has been provided by the Authority, and $130 million has been spent to date on the mixed-use development.

Debt Covenants

The SIRIUS XM Credit Facility contains certain financial covenants related to SIRIUS XM’s leverage ratio. The Braves Term Loan contains certain financial covenants related to Braves Holdings’ debt service coverage ratio and capital expenditures.  Additionally, SIRIUS XM’s Credit Facility, the Braves Term Loan and other borrowings contain certain non-financial covenants.  The Company, SIRIUS XM and Braves Holdings are in compliance with all debt covenants as of March 31, 2016.

Fair Value of Debt

The fair value, based on quoted market prices of the same instruments but not considered to be active markets (Level 2), of SIRIUS XM's publicly traded debt securities, not reported at fair value, are as follows (amounts in millions):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

March 31, 2016

 

SIRIUS XM 5.875% Senior Notes due 2020

 

$

681

 

SIRIUS XM 5.75% Senior Notes due 2021

 

$

629

 

SIRIUS XM 5.25% Senior Secured Notes due 2022

 

$

420

 

SIRIUS XM 4.25% Senior Notes due 2020

 

$

510

 

SIRIUS XM 4.625% Senior Notes due 2023

 

$

493

 

SIRIUS XM 6% Senior Notes due 2024

 

$

1,576

 

SIRIUS XM 5.375% Senior Notes due 2025

 

$

1,019

 

Due to the variable rate nature of the Credit Facility, margin loans and other debt the Company believes that the carrying amount approximates fair value at March 31, 2016