Item 1.01 | Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. |
The New York Times Company (the “Company”), as borrower, has entered into an unsecured Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Credit Agreement”), dated as of July 27, 2022, among (i) the Company, (ii) the financial institutions party thereto as Lenders, (iii) Bank of America, N.A., as Administrative Agent, Swing Line Lender and L/C Issuer, (iv) JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association and Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, as Co-Syndication Agents, (v) U.S. Bank National Association and Truist Bank, as Co-Documentation Agents and (vi) BofA Securities, Inc., JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association and Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, as Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners. Certain of the Company’s domestic subsidiaries have guaranteed the Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement.
The Credit Agreement amends and restates in its entirety the Credit Agreement, dated as of September 10, 2019, among the Company, as borrower, and the financial institutions party thereto.
The following description is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete copy of the Credit Agreement that is filed as an exhibit to this report and incorporated herein by reference.
The Credit Agreement provides for up to $350.0 million of revolving credit loans for the five-year period through July 27, 2027. There was no initial borrowing under the Credit Agreement.
The Credit Agreement contains various customary affirmative and negative covenants, including certain financial covenants and various incurrence-based negative covenants described below.
The interest coverage ratio financial covenant provides that the Loan Parties (as defined in the Credit Agreement) will be required to maintain on a trailing four-quarter basis a Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio of not less than 3.00:1.00. Consolidated Interest Coverage Ratio is defined as the ratio of (i) Consolidated EBITDA (as defined in the Credit Agreement) to (ii) Consolidated Interest Charges (as defined in the Credit Agreement) for such period.
The leverage ratio financial covenant provides that the Loan Parties will be required to maintain on a trailing four-quarter basis a Consolidated Leverage Ratio of not more than 3.50:1.00. Consolidated Leverage Ratio is defined as the ratio of (i) Consolidated Funded Indebtedness (as defined in the Credit Agreement) (less the Encumbered Property Escrow Amount (as defined in the Credit Agreement)) to (ii) Consolidated EBITDA for such period.
In addition, the Credit Agreement contains incurrence-based negative covenants that, subject to various exceptions, limit the ability of the Company or its subsidiaries to, among other things:
| • | | incur debt (directly or by third party guarantees); |
| • | | make acquisitions or dispositions; and |