Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Long-Term Debt

v3.8.0.1
Long-Term Debt
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt
LONG-TERM DEBT
Long-term debt comprised the following:  
 
December 31,
 
2017
 
2016
Senior secured credit facility, due June 2020, interest at varying rates monthly in arrears
$
49,986

 
$
43,420

6.345% term loan payable in semi-annual installments through February 2021
1,220

 
1,482

6.345% term loan payable in semi-annual installments through June 2024
8,295

 
9,096

Variable rate construction to term loan payable in quarterly installments through December 2024
8,757

 
10,139

6.500% term loan payable in monthly installments through October 2017

 
110

7.250% term loan payable in quarterly installments through March 2021
2,218

 
2,651

6.110% term loan payable in monthly installments through June 2028
4,551

 
4,591

Variable rate construction to term loan payable in quarterly installments through March 2020
32,711

 
35,679

Variable rate construction to term loan payable in semi-annual installments through February 2023
18,346

 
19,398

4.950% term loan payable in quarterly installments through July 2031
4,605

 
4,549

13.000% construction loan payable, due May 2017

 
9,503

8.750% construction loan payable, due February 2018

 
3,140

5.000% construction to term loan payable in quarterly installments through March 2028
4,258

 

4.500% construction to term loan payable in monthly installments through April 2027
13,325

 

5.610% term loan payable in quarterly installments through February 2034

3,128

 

Variable rate term loan payable in semi-annual installments through December 2027
14,034

 

4.250% construction to term loan payable in monthly installments through October 2038

 

Variable rate construction loan payable, due June 2018
1,721

 
7,008

Capital leases
35,013

 
14,647

 
202,168

 
165,413

Less - current maturities
22,375

 
19,292

Less - deferred financing fees
6,556

 
5,528

Long-term debt
$
173,237

 
$
140,593


Aggregate maturities of long-term debt for the years ended December 31, are as follows:
2018
$
22,375

2019
22,172

2020
78,944

2021
10,990

2022
9,933

Thereafter
58,451

Debt Discount
(697
)
 
$
202,168


Senior Secured Credit Facility - Revolver and Term Loan
On June 30, 2015, the Company entered into a third amended and restated bank credit facility with two banks. The new credit facility replaces and extended the Company’s existing credit facility, which was scheduled to expire in accordance with its terms on June 30, 2016. The revolving credit facility and term loan mature on June 30, 2020, when all amounts will be due and payable in full. The Company expects to use the new credit facility for general corporate purposes of the Company and its subsidiaries, including permitted acquisitions, refinancing of existing indebtedness and working capital. In July 2016, the Company entered into an amendment to the third amended and restated bank credit facility that amended the requirement of the total funded debt to EBITDA ratio. In November 2016, the Company entered into an additional amendment to the third amended and restated bank credit facility that increased the amount of the term loan under the credit facility by approximately $20,000 to an aggregate of $30,000 and extends the maturity date of the term loan from June 30, 2018 to June 30, 2020. In June 2017, the Company entered into an additional amendment to the third amended and restated bank credit facility that increased the amount available to be drawn on the revolving credit facility from $60,000 to $75,000. This amendment also amended the requirement of the total funded debt to EBITDA ratio as described below.
The credit facility consists of a $75,000 revolving credit facility and a $30,000 term loan. The revolving credit facility may be increased by up to an additional $25,000 at the Company’s option if lenders are willing to provide such increased commitments, subject to certain conditions. Up to $20,000 of the revolving credit facility may be borrowed in Canadian dollars, Euros and pounds sterling. The Company is the sole borrower under the credit facility. The obligations under the credit facility are guaranteed by certain of the Company’s direct and indirect wholly owned domestic subsidiaries and are secured by a pledge of all of the Company’s and such subsidiary guarantors’ assets, other than the equity interests of certain subsidiaries and assets held in non-core subsidiaries (as defined in the agreement). At December 31, 2017 and 2016, $22,500 and $28,500, excluding debt discounts, was outstanding under the term loan, respectively. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, $27,580 and $15,033, excluding debt discounts, was outstanding under the revolving credit facility, respectively. At December 31, 2017 funds of $38,928 is available for the revolving credit facility.
The interest rate for borrowings under the credit facility is based on, at the Company’s option, either (1) a base rate equal to a margin of 0.5% or 0.25%, depending on the Company’s ratio of Total Funded Debt to EBITDA (each as defined in the agreement), over the highest of (a) the federal funds effective rate, plus 0.50% , (b) Bank of America’s prime rate and (c) a rate based on the London interbank deposit rate (“LIBOR”) plus 1.50%, or (2) the one-, two- three- or six-month LIBOR plus a margin of 2.00% or 1.75%, depending on the Company’s ratio of Total Funded Debt to EBITDA. A commitment fee of 0.375% is payable quarterly on the undrawn portion of the revolving credit facility. At December 31, 2017, the interest rate for borrowings under the revolving credit facility was 5.00% and the weighted average interest rate for borrowings under the term loan was 3.45%.
The revolving credit facility does not require amortization of principal. The term loan requires quarterly principal payments of $1,500, with the balance due at maturity. All borrowings may be paid before maturity in whole or in part at the Company’s option without penalty or premium, other than reimbursement of any breakage and deployment costs in the case of LIBOR borrowings.
The credit facility limits the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ ability to, among other things: incur additional indebtedness; incur liens or guarantee obligations; merge, liquidate or dispose of assets; make acquisitions or other investments; enter into hedging agreements; pay dividends and make other distributions and engage in transactions with affiliates, except in the ordinary course of business on an arms’ length basis.
Under the credit facility, the Company and its subsidiaries may not invest cash or property in, or loan to, the Company’s non-core subsidiaries in aggregate amounts exceeding 49% of the Company’s consolidated stockholders’ equity. In addition, under the credit facility, the Company and its core subsidiaries must maintain the following financial covenants:
 
 
a ratio of total funded debt to EBITDA of less than 2.75 to 1.0 as of the end of each fiscal quarter ending September 30, 2016 and thereafter; and
 
 
a debt service coverage ratio (as defined in the agreement) of at least 1.5 to 1.0.
Any failure to comply with the financial or other covenants of the credit facility would not only prevent the Company from being able to borrow additional funds, but would constitute a default, permitting the lenders to, among other things, accelerate the amounts outstanding, including all accrued interest and unpaid fees, under the credit facility, to terminate the credit facility, and enforce liens against the collateral.
The credit facility also includes several other customary events of default, including a change in control of the Company, permitting the lenders to accelerate the indebtedness, terminate the credit facility, and enforce liens against the collateral.
For purposes of the Company’s senior secured facility: EBITDA excludes the results of certain renewable energy projects that the Company owns and for which financing from others remains outstanding; total funded debt includes amounts outstanding under both the term loan and revolver portions of the senior secured credit facility plus other indebtedness, but excludes non-recourse indebtedness of project company subsidiaries; and debt service includes principal and interest payments on the indebtedness included in total funded debt other than principal payments on the revolver portion of the facility.
At December 31, 2017, the Company was in compliance with all financial and operational covenants.
6.345% Term Loans 
On January 30, 2006, the Company entered into a master construction and term loan facility with a bank for use in providing limited recourse financing for certain of its landfill gas (“LFG”) to energy projects. The total loan commitment is $17,156, and is comprised initially of two tranches, but structured for the addition of subsequent projects that meet lender credit requirements. 
The first tranche had an original balance, upon conversion to term loan, of $3,240, and bore an interest rate of 6.345% per annum under the construction loan. The term loan bears interest at a variable rate, with interest payments due in quarterly installments with the remaining principal and unpaid interest due February 26, 2021. The interest rate at December 31, 2017 was 3.693%.
The second tranche had an original balance, upon conversion to term loan, of $13,081 and bore an interest rate of 6.345% per annum under the construction loan. The term loan bears interest at a variable rate, with interest payments due in quarterly installments with principal and unpaid interest due June 30, 2024. The interest rate at December 31, 2017 was 3.443%.
As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $9,515 and $10,578, respectively, was collectively outstanding under this facility. 
In the event a payment is defaulted on, the payee has the option to accelerate payment terms and make due the remaining principal and accrued interest balance. 
Variable-Rate Construction and Term Loans Due 2024
In February 2009, the Company entered into a construction and term loan financing agreement with a bank for use in providing limited recourse financing for certain of its LFG to energy projects. The total loan commitment under the agreement was $37,906, and bears interest at a variable rate. Prior to and during March 2010, the Company had construction draws totaling $27,868. During March 2010, the Company converted all of the construction loans to a single term loan balance of $27,868. The loan bears interest at a variable rate, with interest payments due in quarterly installments with principal and unpaid interest due on December 31, 2024. The Company made an additional principal payment of $3,712 during the year ended December 31, 2014. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the outstanding balance under the term loan was $8,757 and $10,139, respectively. The interest rate at December 31, 2017 was 4.585%.
6.500% Term Loan 
The Company had a term loan agreement with a finance company with a total loan amount of $755. The note evidencing the loan bore interest at a fixed rate of 6.500% per annum. Principal and interest payments were due in monthly installments with the final payment being made on October 1, 2017. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $0 and $110, respectively, was outstanding under the term loan.
7.250% Term Loan
On March 31, 2011, the Company entered into a term loan with a bank with an original principal amount of $5,500. The note evidencing the loan bears interest at a rate of 7.25% per annum. The remaining principal amounts are due in quarterly installments with remaining principal balances and unpaid interest due March 31, 2021. In the event a payment is defaulted on, the payee has the option to accelerate payment terms and make due the remaining principal and accrued interest balance. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, $2,218 and $2,651, respectively, was outstanding under the term loan.
6.110% Construction and Term Loan
On October 3, 2011, the Company entered into a construction and term loan with a syndication group with an original principal amount of $7,380. The note evidencing the loan bears interest at a rate of 6.11% per annum. Monthly interest only payments were due from November 1, 2011 to June 1, 2013. The remaining principal amounts were due starting on June 1, 2013 in monthly installments with remaining principal balances and unpaid interest due June 1, 2028. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, $4,551 and $4,591, respectively, was outstanding under the term loan.
Variable-Rate Construction and Term Loans Due 2020
In October 2012, the Company entered into a credit and guaranty agreement with two banks for use in providing limited recourse financing for certain of its LFG to energy and solar PV projects. The credit and guaranty agreement provided for a $47,234 construction-to-term loan credit facility and bears interest at a variable rate. The loans were fully converted to term loans during the year ended December 31, 2014. The term loan bears interest at a variable rate, with interest payments due in quarterly installments. The facility matures on March 30, 2020, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the facility will be due at that time. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, $32,711 and $35,679, respectively, was outstanding under term loans. The interest rate at December 31, 2017 was 4.700%.
Variable-Rate Construction and Term Loans Due 2023
In September 2015, the Company entered into a credit and guaranty agreement for use in providing non-recourse financing for certain of its solar PV projects currently under construction. The credit and guaranty agreement provides for a $20,746 construction-to-term loan credit facility and bears interest at a variable rate. The loans were fully converted to term loans during the year ended December 31, 2016. The term loan bears interest at a variable rate, with interest payments due in quarterly installments. The facility matures on February 28, 2023, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the facility will be due at that time. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, $18,734 and $19,877, respectively, was outstanding under term loans, excluding debt discounts. The interest rate at December 31, 2017 was 4.193%.
4.950% Term Loan
On August 4, 2016, the Company entered into a term loan with two banks with an original principal amount of $4,837. The note evidencing the loan bears interest at a rate of 4.95% per annum. The remaining principal amounts are due in quarterly installments, with remaining principal balances and unpaid interest due July 1, 2031. At December 31, 2017 and 2016, $4,605 and $4,616 per schedule, including debt discount, was outstanding on the term loan, respectively.
8.750% Construction Loan
On November 1, 2016, the Company entered into a construction loan agreement with a bank for use in providing non-recourse financing for a certain natural gas to energy project currently under construction. The construction loan agreement provided for a $9,500 construction facility and bore interest at a rate of 8.75% per annum. The facility was scheduled to mature on February 28, 2018, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the facility were to be due at that time. This loan was fully paid off during the year ending December 31, 2017, thus at December 31, 2017, $0 was outstanding under the construction loan. The Company had classified this debt as current as of December 31, 2016, due to the Company’s intent to repay the construction loan in full prior to December 31, 2017.
Variable Rate Construction Loan Due June 30, 2018
On November 18, 2016, the Company entered into a construction loan agreement and subsequent amendment with a bank for use in providing non-recourse financing for certain solar PV projects currently under construction. The construction loan agreement provides for a $35,000 construction facility and bears interest at a variable rate. The facility matures on June 30, 2018, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the facility will be due at that time. At December 31, 2017, $1,721 was outstanding under the construction loan. The interest rate at December 31, 2017 was 6.75%. The Company has classified this debt as non-current as of December 31, 2016, due to the Company’s intention to refinance the variable rate construction loan with a sale-leaseback transaction prior to the maturity date.
13.000% Construction Loan
On December 22, 2016, the Company acquired a solar PV project (see Note 3) currently under construction as well as an associated construction loan agreement with a bank for use in providing non-recourse financing for this acquired solar PV project currently under construction. The construction loan agreement provided for a $10,694 construction facility and bore interest at a rate of 13.00% per annum. The facility matured on May 30, 2017, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the facility were paid at that time; thus at December 31, 2017 $0 was outstanding under the construction loan. The Company did refinance the construction loan to a term loan during the three months ended June 30, 2017. This construction loan contained a subjective acceleration clause that allowed the bank to call the debt, if a material adverse change occurred. If exercised, the subjective acceleration clause provided for a 60-day notice period to repay the construction loan balance. The bank did not exercise the subjective acceleration clause during the term of the loan agreement.
13.000% Construction Loans
In January 2017, the Company acquired two solar PV projects currently under construction as well as associated construction loan agreements with a bank for use in providing non-recourse financing for these acquired solar PV projects under construction (see Note 3). The construction loans agreements provided for construction facilities of $3,823 and $4,008 and both facilities bore interest at a fixed rate of 13.00%. These facilities matured on May 30, 2017 and May 26, 2017, respectively, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under each respective facility were paid at those times. The Company had classified both construction loans as non-current due to the Company’s intention to refinance the construction loans to term loans prior to the maturity dates. The Company did refinance the construction loans to a term loan during the year ended December 31, 2017.
5.000% Construction to Term Loan
In March 2017, the Company entered into a credit agreement with a bank for use in providing non-recourse financing for a certain solar PV project in operation. The credit agreement provides for a $4,300 construction-to-term-loan credit facility and bears interest at a fixed rate of 5.50% during the construction phase and 5.00% during the term loan phase, with interest payments due monthly. The remaining principal amounts are due in quarterly installments. The construction loan automatically converts to a term loan on March 24, 2018 and matures on March 24, 2028, with all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the agreement will be due at that time. At December 31, 2017, $4,258, including debt discounts, was outstanding under the construction loan.
4.500% Construction to Term Loan
In April 2017, the Company entered into a non-recourse construction-to-term loan agreement with a municipal corporation to finance construction costs on a certain biogas facility project in development. The construction-to-term loan agreement provides for a $24,823 facility and bears interest at a fixed rate of 4.50% during both the construction and term loan phases, with interest payments due monthly. The remaining principal amounts are due in monthly installments. The construction loan converts to a term loan upon completion of the Biogas Facility and matures ten years after the conversion date, with all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the agreement due at that time. At December 31, 2017, $13,325 was outstanding under the construction loan.
5.610% Term Loan
In April 2017, the Company entered into a credit and guaranty agreement with a bank for use in providing limited recourse financing for certain of its solar PV projects in operation. The credit and guaranty agreement provided for a term loan credit facility with an original principal balance of $3,151 and bears interest at a fixed rate of 5.61% with interest payments due in quarterly installments. The term loan matures on February 28, 2034, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the credit and guaranty agreement will be due at that time. At December 31, 2017, $3,128, including debt discounts, was outstanding under the term loan.
Variable Rate Term Loan
In June 2017, the Company entered into a loan agreement for use in providing non-recourse financing for certain of its solar PV projects currently in operation. The loan agreement provides for a $14,034 term loan credit facility and bears interest at a variable rate, with interest payments due in quarterly installments. The term loan matures on December 15, 2027, and all remaining unpaid amounts outstanding under the facility will be due at that time. At December 31, 2017, $14,100, excluding debt discounts, was outstanding under the term loan. The variable interest rate for this loan at December 31, 2017 was 4.04%.