For purposes of the BAML Credit Facility, base rate means, for any day, a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of: (i) the bank’s prime rate for such day, (ii) the Federal Funds Rate for such day, plus 0.50%, and (iii) the one month LIBOR based rate for such day plus 1.00%. As of December 31, 2017, the Company’s credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service was Baa3.
Although the interest rate on the BAML Credit Facility is variable, the Company fixed the base LIBOR interest rate on the BAML Term Loan by entering into an interest rate swap agreement. On September 27, 2012, the Company entered into an ISDA Master Agreement with Bank of America, N.A. that fixed the base LIBOR interest rate on the BAML Term Loan at 0.75% per annum for five years, until the September 27, 2017 maturity date. On July 22, 2016, the Company entered into ISDA Master Agreements with a group of banks that fixed the base LIBOR interest rate on the BAML Term Loan at 1.12% per annum for the period beginning on September 27, 2017 and ending on September 27, 2021.Accordingly, based upon the Company’s credit rating, as of December 31, 2017, the effective interest rate on the BAML Term Loan was 2.47% per annum.
BAML Credit Facility General Information
The BAML Credit Facility contains customary affirmative and negative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including limitations with respect to indebtedness, liens, investments, mergers and acquisitions, disposition of assets, changes in business, certain restricted payments, the requirement to have subsidiaries provide a guaranty in the event that they incur recourse indebtedness and transactions with affiliates. The BAML Credit Facility also contains financial covenants that require the Company to maintain a minimum tangible net worth, a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, a maximum unencumbered leverage ratio, and minimum unsecured interest coverage. The BAML Credit Facility provides for customary events of default with corresponding grace periods, including failure to pay any principal or interest when due, certain cross defaults and a change in control of the Company (as defined in the BAML Credit Facility). In the event of a default by the Company, the administrative agent may, and at the request of the requisite number of lenders shall, declare all obligations under the BAML Credit Facility immediately due and payable, terminate the lenders’ commitments to make loans under the BAML Credit Facility, and enforce any and all rights of the lenders or administrative agent under the BAML Credit Facility and related documents. For certain events of default related to bankruptcy, insolvency, and receivership, the commitments of lenders will be automatically terminated and all outstanding obligations of the Company will become immediately due and payable. The Company was in compliance with the BAML Credit Facility financial covenants as of December 31, 2017.
The Company may use the proceeds of the loans under the BAML Credit Facility to finance the acquisition of real properties and for other permitted investments; to finance investments associated with Sponsored REITs, to refinance or retire indebtedness and for working capital and other general business purposes, in each case to the extent permitted under the BAML Credit Facility.
Senior Notes
On October 24, 2017, the Company entered into a note purchase agreement (the “Note Purchase Agreement”) with the various purchasers named therein (the “Purchasers”) in connection with a private placement of senior unsecured notes. Under the Note Purchase Agreement, the Company agreed to sell to the Purchasers an aggregate principal amount of $200,000,000 of senior unsecured notes consisting of (i) 3.99% Series A Senior Notes due December 20, 2024 in an aggregate principal amount of $116 million (the “Series A Notes”) and (ii) 4.26% Series B Senior Notes due December 20, 2027 in an aggregate principal amount of $84 million (the “Series B Notes,” and, together with the Series A Notes, the “Senior Notes”). On December 20, 2017, the Senior Notes were funded and the proceeds were used to reduce the outstanding balance of the BAML Revolver.
The Note Purchase Agreement contains customary financial covenants, including a maximum leverage ratio, a maximum secured leverage ratio, a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio, and a maximum unencumbered leverage ratio. The Note Purchase Agreement also contains restrictive covenants that, among other things, restrict the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to enter into transactions with affiliates, merge, consolidate, create liens, make certain restricted payments, enter into certain agreements or prepay certain indebtedness. Such financial and restrictive covenants are substantially similar to the corresponding covenants contained in the BAML Credit Facility, the BMO Credit Agreement and the JPM Credit Agreement. The Senior Notes financial covenants require, among other things, the maintenance of a fixed charge coverage ratio of at least 1.50; a maximum leverage ratio and an unsecured leverage ratio of no more than 60% (65% if there were a significant acquisition for a short period of time). In addition, the Note Purchase Agreement