Business News
Postmedia Network Canada Corp. Announces Repricing of Term Loan Facility
Tuesday 05. April 2011 - Postmedia Network Canada Corp. ("Postmedia" or the "Company"), today announced that it had completed a repricing of its senior secured term loan facility resulting in more favourable economic and other terms to the Company.
“We are delighted with the new arrangements,” said Paul Godfrey, President and CEO. “The progress we have made executing on our strategy and our focus on reducing costs and paying down debt has enabled Postmedia to take advantage of favourable market conditions.”
The terms of the repricing are contained in a first amendment (the “First Amendment”) to Postmedias existing Term Loan Credit Agreement, dated as of July 13, 2010 (the “Credit Facility”).
The First Amendment provides for a new first lien senior secured Tranche C term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of US$365.0 million resulting from (a) the continuation of certain existing U.S. tranche loans of continuing lenders and (b) the borrowing of additional Tranche C term loans from new lenders. The First Amendment also provides for the repayment in full of all existing Canadian tranche loans and of the U.S. tranche loans that are not being continued as Tranche C loans under the First Amendment and the payment of related fees, expenses and prepayment premiums.
Under the First Amendment, borrowings under the Tranche C term loan facility will bear interest at a reduced rate of (a) with respect to Eurodollar Rate loans, the Eurodollar Rate plus 500 basis points, with a Eurodollar Rate floor of 1.25%, and (b) with respect to Base Rate loans, the Base Rate plus 400 basis points, with a Base Rate floor of 2.25%. Prior to the First Amendment, the comparable interest rates were (i) with respect to Eurodollar Rate loans, the Eurodollar Rate plus 700 basis points, with a Eurodollar Rate floor of 2.00%, and (ii) with respect to Base Rate loans, the Base Rate plus 600 basis points, with a Base Rate floor of 3.00%. Certain prepayments or amendments of the Tranche C term loans on or prior to the first anniversary of the First Amendment will be subject to a premium of 1.00%.
The First Amendment also modifies the financial covenants in the Credit Facility as follows:
the consolidated interest coverage ratio shall not at any time be less than 2.00 to 1.00 (as compared to the existing levels of 2.00 to 1.00 through May 31, 2011, 2.50 to 1.00 from June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012 and 3.00 to 1.00 from June 1, 2012 until maturity);
the consolidated total leverage ratio shall not exceed (a) 4.50 to 1.00 through November 29, 2012 and (b) 4.00 to 1.00 from November 30, 2012 through maturity (as compared to the existing levels of 4.10 to 1.00 through May 31, 2011, 3.50 to 1.00 from June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012 and 3.00 to 1.00 from June 1, 2012 until maturity); and
the consolidated first lien indebtedness leverage ratio shall not exceed (a) 3.00 to 1.00 through November 29, 2012 and (b) 2.50 to 1.00 from November 30, 2012 through maturity (as compared to the existing levels of 2.25 to 1.00 through May 31, 2011, 1.85 to 1.00 from June 1, 2011 through May 31, 2012 and 1.50 to 1.00 from June 1, 2012 until maturity).