On December 6, 2019, Telesat entered into amended senior secured credit facilities which provide for term loan borrowings of $1,908.5 million which mature in December 2026 and revolving credit facilities of up to $200 million (or Canadian dollar equivalent) which mature in December 2024. Telesat also issued, through a private placement, $400 million of 4.875% senior secured notes which mature in June 2027.
On December 6, 2019, Telesat repaid all outstanding amounts, including related fees and expenses, under its former senior secured credit facilities.
Senior Secured Credit Facilities
The obligations under Telesat’s credit agreement and the guarantees of those obligations are secured, subject to certain exceptions, by a first priority security interest in the assets of Telesat and certain of its subsidiaries (the “Guarantors”). The credit agreement contains covenants that restrict the ability of Telesat and the Guarantors to take specified actions, including, among other things and subject to certain significant exceptions: creating liens, incurring indebtedness, making investments, engaging in mergers, selling property, paying dividends, entering into sale-leaseback transactions, creating subsidiaries, repaying subordinated debt or amending organizational documents. The credit agreement also requires Telesat and the Guarantors to comply with a maximum first lien leverage ratio and contains customary events of default and affirmative covenants, including an excess cash sweep, that may require Telesat to repay a portion of the outstanding principal under its senior secured credit facilities prior to the stated maturity.
Telesat’s senior secured credit facilities are comprised of the following facilities:
i— Revolving Credit Facility
Telesat’s revolving credit facility (“Revolving Facility”) is a $200 million loan facility available in either U.S. dollar or Canadian dollar equivalent, maturing in December 2024. Loans under the Revolving Facility bear interest at a floating interest rate. For Canadian Prime Rate and Alternative Base Rate (“ABR”) loans, an applicable margin ranging from 0.75% to 1.25% is applied to the Prime Rate and ABR as these interest rates are defined in the senior credit facilities. For Bankers’ Acceptance (“BA”) Loans and Eurodollar Loans, an applicable margin ranging from 1.75% to 2.25% is applied to either the BA interest rate or LIBOR. The rates on the Revolving Facility vary depending upon the results of the first lien leverage ratio. Telesat’s Revolving Facility currently has an unused commitment fee that ranges from 25 to 37.5 basis points per annum, depending upon the result of the total leverage ratio. As of June 30, 2020, other than approximately CAD 0.1 million in drawings related to letters of credit, there were no borrowings under this facility.
ii— Term Loan B — U.S. Facility
Telesat’s term loan B — U.S. facility (“U.S. TLB Facility”) is a $1,908.5 million facility maturing in December 2026. As of June 30, 2020, $1,899.0 million of this facility was outstanding, which represents the full amount available. The borrowings under Telesat’s U.S. TLB Facility bear interest at a floating rate of either: (i) LIBOR as periodically determined for interest rate periods selected by Telesat in accordance with the terms of the senior secured credit facilities plus an applicable margin of 2.75%; or (ii) Alternative Base Rate as determined in accordance with the terms of the senior secured credit facilities plus an applicable margin of 1.75%.
The mandatory principal repayments on Telesat’s U.S. TLB Facility are one quarter of 1.00% of the value of the loan, which must be paid on the last day of each quarter.
Senior Secured Notes
Telesat’s senior secured notes, in the amount of $400.0 million, bear interest at an annual rate of 4.875% and are due in June 2027. The senior secured notes indenture includes covenants or terms that restrict Telesat’s ability to, among other things, incur additional indebtedness, incur liens, pay dividends or make certain other restricted payments, investments or acquisitions, enter into certain transactions with affiliates, modify or cancel its satellite insurance, effect mergers with another entity, and redeem its senior secured notes, without penalty, before December 1, 2024, in each case subject to exceptions provided in the indenture.