DESCRIPTION OF NOTES
The following description summarizes key terms and provisions of the notes and the Indenture referred to below, does not purport to be complete and is subject to, and qualified in its entirety by reference to, the actual terms and provisions of the notes and the Indenture, which are incorporated herein by reference. The information in this section supplements and, to the extent inconsistent therewith, replaces, the information in the accompanying prospectus under the caption “Description of Debt Securities.” We urge you to read the Indenture carefully because it, and not the following description, will govern your rights as a holder of the notes.
For purposes of this section of the prospectus supplement, references to “Choice,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and similar terms refer only to Choice Hotels International, Inc. and not to any of its subsidiaries. Capitalized terms used in this section have the meaning set forth below, including in “—Repurchase of Notes upon a Change of Control—Definitions,” or as otherwise defined in this prospectus supplement.
General
The notes will be issued under an indenture (the “Original Indenture”) entered into on August 25, 2010 between us and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as successor to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as trustee (in such capacity, the “Trustee”), as supplemented by a fifth supplemental indenture, to be entered into on or about July 2, 2024, among us and the Trustee (the “Supplemental Indenture,” and together with the Original Indenture, the “Indenture”). The Indenture will be subject to and governed by the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the “TIA”). The terms of the notes include those stated in the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the TIA. Copies of the Indenture and the form of note are available from us upon request.
We maintain banking relationships in the ordinary course of business with the Trustee and its affiliates.
The notes will not be guaranteed by any of our subsidiaries.
Ranking
The notes will be unsecured senior obligations of ours and will rank equally with all of our other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness from time to time outstanding, including our 3.700% Senior Notes due 2029, our 3.700% Senior Notes due 2031, the Term Loan and the Revolver. The notes will be effectively subordinated to all of our and our subsidiaries’ secured indebtedness, to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such debt. The notes also will be structurally subordinated to all indebtedness and other liabilities of our subsidiaries. Except as described herein and in the accompanying prospectus under “Description of Debt Securities—Covenants,” the Indenture does not restrict the amount of secured or unsecured indebtedness that we or our subsidiaries may incur.
As of March 31, 2024, we had approximately $1.7 billion of total indebtedness, and we had no secured indebtedness outstanding. Of such indebtedness, none was attributable to our subsidiaries. In addition, we have the Revolver, an $850.0 million senior unsecured revolving credit facility. At December 31, 2023 and March 31, 2024, we had approximately $226.6 million and $353.3 million outstanding borrowings under the Revolver, respectively.
Maturity, Interest, Form and Denomination
The notes will mature on August 1, 2034, unless earlier redeemed at our option prior to such date. The notes will not be subject to any sinking fund provision.
The notes will bear interest at the rate of 5.850% per year, subject to adjustment as described below under “—Interest Rate Adjustment of the Notes Based on Certain Rating Events.” We will pay interest semi-annually on February 1 and August 1 of each year, commencing February 1, 2025 to the persons in whose names the notes
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