(5) Debt

Outstanding debt at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 is summarized as follows:

 

TripAdvisor Credit Facilities

On June 26, 2015, TripAdvisor entered into a five year credit agreement (the “2015 Credit Facility”).  The 2015 Credit Facility, among other things, provides for (i) a $1 billion unsecured revolving credit facility, (ii) an interest rate on borrowings and commitment fees based on TripAdvisor’s and its subsidiaries’ consolidated leverage ratio and (iii) uncommitted incremental revolving loan and term loan facilities, subject to compliance with a leverage covenant and other conditions. Any overdue amounts under or in respect of the 2015 Credit Facility not paid when due shall bear interest at (i) in the case of principal, the applicable interest rate plus 2.00% per annum, (ii) in the case of interest denominated in British pound sterling or Euro, the applicable interest rate plus 2.00% per annum and (iii) in the case of interest denominated in U.S. Dollars, 2.00% per annum plus the Alternate Base Rate plus the interest rate spread applicable to ABR loans. TripAdvisor may borrow from the 2015 Credit Facility in U.S. dollars, Euros and British pound sterling with a term of five years expiring June 26, 2020. 

There is no specific repayment date prior to the five-year maturity date for borrowings under the 2015 Credit Facility. During the three months ended March 31, 2017, TripAdvisor borrowed an additional $270 million and repaid $151 million of its outstanding borrowings on the 2015 Credit Facility. Based on TripAdvisor’s leverage ratio as of March 31, 2017, borrowings bear interest at LIBOR plus 125 basis points, or the Eurocurrency Spread. TripAdvisor is borrowing under a one-month interest period of 2.125% per annum as of March 31, 2017, using a one-month interest period Eurocurrency Spread, which will reset periodically. Interest will be payable on a monthly basis while TripAdvisor is borrowing under the one-month interest rate period.

TripAdvisor is also required to pay a quarterly commitment fee, on the daily unused portion of the revolving credit facility for each fiscal quarter and fees in connection with the issuance of letters of credit. Unused revolver capacity is subject to a commitment fee of 20 basis points, given TripAdvisor’s leverage ratio as of March 31, 2017. The 2015 Credit Facility includes $15 million of borrowing capacity available for letters of credit and $40 million for borrowings on same-day notice. As of March 31, 2017, TripAdvisor had issued $3 million of outstanding letters of credit under the 2015 Credit Facility.

TripAdvisor may voluntarily repay any outstanding borrowing under the 2015 Credit Facility at any time without premium or penalty, other than customary breakage costs with respect to Eurocurrency loans. Certain wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries of TripAdvisor have agreed to guarantee TripAdvisor’s obligations under the 2015 Credit Facility.

The 2015 Credit Facility contains a number of covenants that, among other things, restrict TripAdvisor’s ability to: incur additional indebtedness, create liens, enter into sale and leaseback transactions, engage in mergers or consolidations, sell or transfer assets, pay dividends and distributions, make investments, loans or advances, prepay certain subordinated indebtedness, make certain acquisitions, engage in certain transactions with affiliates, amend material agreements governing certain subordinated indebtedness, and change TripAdvisor’s fiscal year. The 2015 Credit Facility also requires TripAdvisor to maintain a maximum leverage ratio and contains certain customary affirmative covenants and events of default, including a change of control. If an event of default occurs, the lenders under the 2015 Credit Facility will be entitled to take various actions, including the acceleration of all amounts due under the 2015 Credit Facility. Additionally, the 2015 Credit Facility includes a subjective acceleration clause, which could be triggered by the lenders, if a representation, warranty or statement made by TripAdvisor proves to be incorrect in any material respect, which in turn would permit the lenders to accelerate repayment of any outstanding obligations. TripAdvisor believes that the likelihood of the lender exercising this right is remote and, as such, borrowings under this facility are classified as long-term. 

On September 7, 2016, TripAdvisor entered into an uncommitted facility agreement with Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Limited (the “Lender”), which provides for a $73 million unsecured revolving credit facility (the “2016 Credit Facility” and together with the 2015 Credit Facility, the “TripAdvisor Credit Facilities”) with no specific expiration date.  The 2016 Credit Facility is available at the Lender’s absolute discretion and can be canceled at any time. Repayment terms for borrowings under the 2016 Credit Facility are generally one to six month periods or such other periods as the parties may mutually agree and bear interest at LIBOR plus 112.5 basis points.  TripAdvisor may borrow from the 2016 Credit Facility in U.S. dollars only and it may voluntarily repay any outstanding borrowing at any time without premium or penalty.  Any overdue amounts under or in respect of the 2016 Credit Facility not paid when due shall bear interest in the case of principal at the applicable interest rate plus 1.50% per annum. In addition, TripAdvisor, LLC, a wholly-owned domestic subsidiary of TripAdvisor, has agreed to guarantee TripAdvisor’s obligations under the 2016 Credit Facility.  There are no specific financial or incurrence covenants. TripAdvisor repaid all outstanding borrowings during the three months ended March 31, 2017. 

TripAdvisor Chinese Credit Facilities

TripAdvisor’s Chinese subsidiary is party to a $30 million, one-year revolving credit facility with Bank of America (the “Chinese Credit Facility—BOA”) that is currently subject to review on a periodic basis with no specific expiration period. The Chinese Credit Facility—BOA currently bears interest at a rate based on 100% of the People’s Bank of China’s base rate, which was 4.35% as of March 31, 2017.  As of March 31, 2017, TripAdvisor had no outstanding borrowings from the Chinese Credit Facility—BOA. 

In addition, TripAdvisor’s Chinese subsidiary is party to a RMB 70,000,000 (approximately $10 million) one-year revolving credit facility with J.P. Morgan Chase Bank (the “Chinese Credit Facility—JPM”). The Chinese Credit Facility—JPM bears interest at a rate based on 100% of the People’s Bank of China’s base rate, which was 4.35% as of March 31, 2017.  As of March 31, 2017, TripAdvisor had $7 million of outstanding borrowings under the Chinese Credit Facility—JPM.

TripCo Margin Loans and Variable Postpaid Forward

On August 21, 2014, a wholly owned subsidiary of TripCo entered into two margin loan agreements, which aggregated total borrowings of $400 million. Interest on the margin loans accrued at a rate of 3.65% plus LIBOR for six months and 3.25% thereafter. Interest on the margin loans was paid in kind and added to the principal amount on the loans.

In connection with the variable postpaid forward transaction entered into on June 6, 2016, as described in note 4, TripCo borrowed $259 million against the variable postpaid forward on June 23, 2016.  The term of the forward is four years. At maturity, the accreted loan amount due is approximately $272 million. The proceeds from the forward were used to repay $200 million in principal and $29 million of paid in kind interest on the margin loans with the remainder being used for general corporate purposes.

On June 23, 2016, TripCo amended the terms of the margin loan agreements with respect to the remaining borrowings of $200 million. Common Stock and Class B Common Stock of TripAdvisor were pledged as collateral pursuant to these agreements. Each agreement contains language that indicates that the Company, as borrower and transferor of underlying shares as collateral, has the right to exercise all voting, consensual and other powers of ownership pertaining to the transferred shares for all purposes, provided that TripCo agrees that it will not vote the shares in any manner that would reasonably be expected to give rise to transfer or certain other restrictions. Similarly, the loan agreements indicate that no lender party shall have any voting rights with respect to the shares transferred, except to the extent that a lender party buys any shares in a sale or other disposition made pursuant to the terms of the loan agreements. The agreements also contain certain restrictions related to additional indebtedness and margin calls. The initial margin call would require the outstanding balance to be reduced to $150 million if at any time the closing price per share of TripAdvisor common stock were to fall below certain minimum values. Pursuant to the amendments, interest on the margin loans accrues at a rate of 2.0% plus LIBOR per year to be paid in kind or cash at the election of TripCo. The Company expects that interest on the loan will be paid in kind and added to the principal amount on the loan. The term of the loan is three years and the maturity date is June 21, 2019.

For the three months ended March 31, 2017, TripCo recorded $1 million and $1 million of non-cash interest related to the amended margin loans and variable postpaid forward, respectively.

As of March 31, 2017,  the values of TripAdvisor’s shares pledged as collateral pursuant to the margin loan agreements and variable postpaid forward, determined based on the trading price of the Common Stock and on an as-if converted basis for the Class B Common Stock, are as follows:

The outstanding margin loans contain various affirmative and negative covenants that restrict the activities of the borrower. The loan agreements do not include any financial covenants.

Additionally, in support of the original margin loan agreements, TripCo and Liberty Interactive LLC entered into a promissory note (which expires in August 2017) whereby TripCo may request, upon certain margin call thresholds, up to $200 million in funds. Proceeds from the promissory note must be used by a bankruptcy remote wholly-owned subsidiary of TripCo to offset obligations under the margin loan agreements.

Debt Covenants

As of March 31, 2017, each of the Company and TripAdvisor was in compliance with its respective debt covenants.