Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

9. DEBT

v3.6.0.2
9. DEBT
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
DEBT

Long-term borrowings are summarized as follows (in thousands):

 

    December 31, 2016     December 31, 2015  
Kinergy line of credit   $ 49,862     $ 61,003  
Pekin term loan     64,000        
Pekin revolving loan     32,000        
Pacific Aurora line of credit     1,000        
Parent notes payable     55,000        
PE Central term debt           162,622  
      201,862       223,625  
Less unamortized debt discount     (1,626 )     (2,299 )
Less unamortized debt financing costs     (1,708 )     (462 )
Less short-term portion     (10,500 )     (17,003 )
Long-term debt   $ 188,028     $ 203,861  

 

Kinergy Line of Credit – Kinergy has an operating line of credit for an aggregate amount of up to $85,000,000 with an “accordion” feature to further increase the maximum credit under the credit facility to up to $100,000,000 in minimum increments of $5,000,000 each, upon Kinergy’s request, but subject to the consent of the agent and the lenders in their sole discretion. The line of credit matures on December 31, 2020. The credit facility is based on Kinergy’s eligible accounts receivable and inventory levels, subject to certain concentration reserves. The credit facility is subject to certain other sublimits, including inventory loan limits. Interest accrues under the line of credit at a rate equal to (i) the three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”), plus (ii) a specified applicable margin ranging between 1.75% and 2.75%. The applicable margin was 1.75%, for a total rate of 2.75% at December 31, 2016. The credit facility’s monthly unused line fee is an annual rate equal to 0.25% to 0.375% depending on the average daily principal balance during the immediately preceding month. Payments that may be made by Kinergy to the Company as reimbursement for management and other services provided by the Company to Kinergy are limited under the terms of the credit facility to $1,500,000 per fiscal quarter.

 

The credit facility also includes the accounts receivable of PAP as additional collateral. Payments that may be made by PAP to the Company as reimbursement for management and other services provided by the Company to PAP are limited under the terms of the credit facility to $500,000 per fiscal quarter.

 

If Kinergy and PAP’s monthly excess borrowing availability falls below certain thresholds, they are collectively required to maintain a fixed-charge coverage ratio (calculated as a twelve-month rolling EBITDA divided by the sum of interest expense, capital expenditures, principal payments of indebtedness, indebtedness from capital leases and taxes paid during such twelve-month rolling period) of at least 2.0 and are prohibited from incurring certain additional indebtedness (other than specific intercompany indebtedness).

 

Kinergy and PAP’s obligations under the credit facility are secured by a first-priority security interest in all of their assets in favor of the lender. Pacific Ethanol has guaranteed all of Kinergy’s obligations under the line of credit. As of December 31, 2016, Kinergy had an available borrowing base under the credit facility of $33,473,000.

 

Pekin Credit Facilities – On December 15, 2016, the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Pacific Ethanol Pekin, Inc. (“Pekin”), entered into a Credit Agreement (the “Pekin Credit Agreement”) with 1st Farm Credit Services, PCA and CoBank, ACB (“CoBank”). On December 15, 2016, under the terms of the Pekin Credit Agreement, Pekin borrowed from 1st Farm Credit Services $64.0 million under a term loan facility that matures on August 20, 2021 (the “Pekin Term Loan”) and $32.0 million under a revolving term loan facility that matures on February 1, 2022 (the “Pekin Revolving Loan” and, together with the Pekin Term Loan, the “Pekin Credit Facility”). The Pekin Credit Facility is secured by a first-priority security interest in all of Pekin’s assets under the terms of a Security Agreement, dated December 15, 2016, by and between Pekin and CoBank (the “Pekin Security Agreement”). Interest accrues under the Pekin Credit Facility at an annual rate equal to the 30-day LIBOR plus 3.75%, payable monthly. Pekin is required to make quarterly principal payments in the amount of $3.5 million on the Pekin Term Loan beginning on May 20, 2017 and a principal payment of $4.5 million at maturity on August 20, 2021. Pekin is required to pay monthly in arrears a fee on any unused portion of the Pekin Revolving Loan at a rate of 0.75% per annum. Prepayment of the Pekin Credit Facility is subject to a prepayment penalty. Under the terms of the Pekin Credit Agreement, Pekin is required to maintain not less than $20.0 million in working capital and an annual debt coverage ratio of not less than 1.25 to 1.0. The Pekin Credit Agreement contains a variety of affirmative covenants, negative covenants and events of default which are customary for transactions of this type.

 

Pacific Aurora Line of Credit – On December 15, 2016, Pacific Aurora entered into a credit agreement (the “Pacific Aurora Credit Agreement”) with CoBank. Under the terms of the Pacific Aurora Credit Agreement, Pacific Aurora may borrow up to $30.0 million under a revolving term loan facility from CoBank that matures on February 1, 2022 (the “Pacific Aurora Credit Facility”). The Pacific Aurora Credit Facility is secured by a first-priority security interest in all of Pacific Aurora’s assets under the terms of a Security Agreement, dated December 15, 2016, by and among Pacific Aurora and CoBank (the “Pacific Aurora Security Agreement”). Borrowing availability under the Pacific Aurora Credit Facility automatically declines by $2.5 million on the first day of each June and December beginning on June 1, 2017 through and including December 1, 2020. Interest accrues under the Pacific Aurora Credit Facility at an annual rate equal to the 30-day LIBOR plus 4.0%, payable monthly. Pacific Aurora is required to pay monthly in arrears a fee on any unused portion of the Pacific Aurora Credit Facility at a rate of 0.75% per annum. Prepayment of the Pacific Aurora Credit Facility is subject to a prepayment penalty. Under the terms of the Pacific Aurora Credit Agreement, Pacific Aurora is required to maintain not less than $22.5 million in working capital through June 30, 2017, not less than $24.0 million in working capital after June 30, 2017, and an annual debt coverage ratio of not less than 1.5 to 1.0. At December 31, 2016, Pacific Aurora had $1,000,000 outstanding under the credit facility and $29,000,000 available for borrowing under the facility.

 

Pacific Ethanol, Inc. Notes Payable – On December 12, 2016, Pacific Ethanol entered into a Note Purchase Agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with five accredited investors (the “Investors”). On December 15, 2016, under the terms of the Note Purchase Agreement, Pacific Ethanol sold $55.0 million in aggregate principal amount of its senior secured notes (the “Notes”) to the Investors in a private offering (the “Note Transaction”) for aggregate gross proceeds of 97% of the principal amount of the Notes sold. The Notes mature on December 15, 2019 (the “Maturity Date”). Interest on the Notes accrues at a rate equal to (i) the greater of 1% and the three-month LIBOR, plus 7.0% from the closing through December 14, 2017, (ii) the greater of 1% and LIBOR, plus 9% between December 15, 2017 and December 14, 2018, and (iii) the greater of 1% and LIBOR plus 11% between December 15, 2018 and the Maturity Date. The interest rate increases by an additional 2% per annum above the interest rate otherwise applicable upon the occurrence and during the continuance of an event of default until such event of default has been cured. Interest is payable in cash in arrears on the 15th calendar day of each March, June, September and December beginning on March 15, 2017. Pacific Ethanol is required to pay all outstanding principal and any accrued and unpaid interest on the Notes on the Maturity Date. Pacific Ethanol may, at its option, prepay the outstanding principal amount of the Notes at any time without premium or penalty. The Notes contain a variety of events of default which are typical for transactions of this type. The payments due under the Notes will rank senior to all other indebtedness of Pacific Ethanol, other than permitted senior indebtedness. The Notes contain a variety of obligations on the part of Pacific Ethanol not to engage in certain activities, which are typical for transactions of this type, including that (i) Pacific Ethanol and certain of its subsidiaries will not incur other indebtedness, except for certain permitted indebtedness, (ii) Pacific Ethanol and certain of its subsidiaries will not redeem, repurchase or pay any dividend or distribution on their respective capital stock without the prior consent of the holders of the Notes holding 66-2/3% of the aggregate principal amount of the Notes, other than certain permitted distributions, (iii) Pacific Ethanol and certain of its subsidiaries will not sell, lease, assign, transfer or otherwise dispose of any assets of Pacific Ethanol or any such subsidiary, except for certain permitted dispositions (including the sales of inventory or receivables in the ordinary course of business), and (iv) Pacific Ethanol and certain of its subsidiaries will not issue any capital stock or membership interests for any purpose other than to pay down a portion of all of the amounts owed under the Notes and in connection with Pacific Ethanol’s stock incentive plans. The Notes are secured by a first-priority security interest in the equity interest held by Pacific Ethanol in its wholly-owned subsidiary, PE Op. Co., which indirectly owns the Company’s plants located on the West Coast.

 

Pacific Ethanol West Plants’ Term Debt – The Pacific Ethanol West Plants’ debt as of December 31, 2015 consisted of a $17,003,000 tranche A-1 term loan which was to mature in June 2016. On February 26, 2016, the Company retired the $17,003,000 outstanding balance by purchasing the lender’s position for cash at par without any prepayment penalty. The purchase increased the amount of the term debt held by Pacific Ethanol from $41,763,000 at December 31, 2015 to $58,766,000 at December 31, 2016, which is eliminated upon consolidation, as the Company has no continuing obligations to any third-party lender under the credit agreements associated with this term debt.

 

Pacific Ethanol Central Plants’ Term Debt –On July 1, 2015, upon effectiveness of the PE Central acquisition, PE Central became a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and, on a consolidated basis, the combined company became obligated with respect to the Pacific Ethanol Central Plants’ term loan and revolving credit facilities. In connection with the Company’s allocation of purchase price, the debt was recorded at $142,744,000, net of a discount of $2,875,000. The term loan facility was to mature on September 24, 2017. The term loan facility was secured through a first-priority lien on substantially all of the Pacific Ethanol Central Plants’ assets and contained customary financial covenants, including the requirement that PE Central maintain a cash balance of at least $2,000,000. As of December 31, 2015, the Pacific Ethanol Central Plants’ term debt had an outstanding balance of $145,619,000.

 

Interest on the term loan facility accrued and could either be paid in cash at a rate of 10.5% per annum or paid in-kind at a rate of 15.0% per annum by adding such interest to the outstanding principal balance. The Company paid interest in cash for the period from July 1, 2015, the effective date of the PE Central acquisition, through December 31, 2015. During the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company elected to pay in-kind an aggregate of $9,451,000 of interest, which was added to the principal balance. As of December 15, 2016, the principal balance was $155,070,205. On December 15, 2016, the Company paid in full the outstanding principal balance and all accrued and unpaid interest. The Company did not pay any prepayment penalties. The Company fully amortized the remaining unamortized debt discount of $1,152,000 and recorded the amount in interest expense, net for the year ended December 31, 2016.

 

Maturities of Long-term Debt – The Company’s long-term debt matures as follows (in thousands):

 

December 31:      
       
2017   $ 10,500  
2018     14,000  
2019     69,000  
2020     63,862  
2021     11,500  
2022     33,000  
    $ 201,862  

 

At December 31, 2016, there were approximately $287,200,000 of net assets of the Company’s subsidiaries that were not available to be transferred to Pacific Ethanol in the form of dividends, distributions, loans or advances due to restrictions contained in the credit facilities maintained by these subsidiaries.