Item 2.03. Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant.
On May 8, 2019, Virgin Media Secured Finance PLC (the “
Issuer
”) (an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Registrant) entered into a purchase agreement (the “
Purchase Agreement
”) with, among others, Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited, as dollar representative of the several dollar initial purchasers named therein (the “
Dollar Initial Purchasers
”) and Deutsche Bank AG, London Branch, as sterling representative of the several sterling initial purchasers named therein (the “
Sterling Initial Purchasers
”), pursuant to which the Issuer agreed to sell, subject to the terms and conditions set forth therein, $825.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 5.50% senior secured notes due 2029 (the “
Dollar Notes
”), at par, to the Dollar Initial Purchasers and £300.0 million ($390.2 million at the May 8, 2019 exchange rate) aggregate principal amount of its 5.25% senior secured notes due 2029 (the “
Sterling Notes
”
and together with the Dollar Notes, the “
Notes
”), at par, to the Sterling Initial Purchasers, in each case, in a private offering in accordance with Rule 144A and Regulation S under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Each series of Notes matures on May 15, 2029. Interest on each series of the Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on each May 15 and November 15, beginning on November 15, 2019.
On May 16, 2019 (the “
Issue Date
”), subject to the terms and conditions of the Purchase Agreement, the Sterling Notes were issued to the Sterling Initial Purchasers and the Dollar Notes were issued to the Dollar Initial Purchasers pursuant to an indenture (the “
Indenture
”), dated the Issue Date, between the Issuer and BNY Mellon Corporate Trustee Services Limited as trustee.
The Issuer is a finance subsidiary of Virgin Media Investment Holdings Limited (“
VMIH
”) with no significant assets of its own other than its intercompany loans to VMIH or any other parent entity.
The following description of the Notes and the transactions contemplated thereby are not complete and are subject to and qualified in their entirety by reference to the Indenture, a copy of which is filed herewith as Exhibit 4.1.
Use of proceeds
The net proceeds from the issuance of the Notes will be used to redeem in full (i) the 5.50% sterling-denominated senior secured notes due 2025 issued by the Issuer, (ii) the 5.50% dollar-denominated senior secured notes due 2025 issued by the Issuer and (iii) the 6.375% sterling-denominated senior notes due 2024 issued by Virgin Media Finance PLC.
Optional redemption
Subject to the below, each series of Notes are non-callable until May 15, 2024.
At any time prior to May 15, 2024, the Issuer may redeem some or all of each series of the Sterling Notes and/or Dollar Notes, as applicable, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount of each series of the Sterling Notes and/or Dollar Notes, as applicable, redeemed plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to (but excluding) the redemption date plus a “make-whole” premium, which is the present value of all remaining scheduled interest payments to the redemption date using the discount rate (as specified in the Indenture) as of the redemption date plus 50 basis points.
At any time prior to May 15, 2024, the Issuer may redeem during each twelve-month period commencing with the Issue Date up to 10% of the original aggregate principal amount of the Sterling Notes and/or the Dollar Notes, as applicable, at a redemption price equal to 103% of the principal amount of the Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to (but excluding) the redemption date.
On or after May 15, 2024, the Issuer may redeem all, or from time to time a part, of the Sterling Notes at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to (but excluding) the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period commencing on May 15 of the years set forth below:
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Redemption Price
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Year
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Sterling Notes
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2024
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102.6250%
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2025
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101.3125%
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2026 and thereafter
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100.0000%
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At any time prior to May 15, 2024, the Issuer may redeem up to 40% of the Sterling Notes with the net proceeds of one or more specified equity offerings at a redemption price of 105.250% of the principal amount of the Sterling Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to (but excluding) the date of redemption.
On or after May 15, 2024, the Issuer may redeem all, or from time to time a part, of the Dollar Notes at the following redemption prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount) plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to (but excluding) the applicable redemption date (subject to the right of holders of record on the relevant record date to receive interest due on the relevant interest payment date), if redeemed during the twelve-month period commencing on May 15 of the years set forth below:
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Redemption Price
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Year
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Dollar Notes
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2024
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102.750%
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2025
|
101.375%
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2026 and thereafter
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100.000%
|
At any time prior to May 15, 2024, the Issuer may redeem up to 40% of the Dollar Notes with the net proceeds of one or more specified equity offerings at a redemption price of 105.500% of the principal amount of the Dollar Notes redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts, if any, to (but excluding) the date of redemption.
Change of control
In the event of certain events defined as constituting a change of control, the Issuer may be required to make an offer to purchase the Notes.
Ranking, guarantee and security
The Notes are senior obligations of the Issuer. The Notes rank equally in right of payment with all existing and future indebtedness of the Issuer that is not subordinated in right of payment to the Notes and are senior in right of payment to all existing and future indebtedness of the Issuer that is subordinated in right of payment to the Notes.
The Notes are guaranteed on a senior basis by Virgin Media Inc. and certain of its subsidiaries and are secured by liens on substantially all of the assets of VMIH, the Issuer and certain of the guarantors.