Note 8 – Debt

On September 29, 2017, H&W Franchise Holdings, LLC (“Parent”) obtained a five-year $55,000 term loan from a lender, along with a consortium of banks and other lenders (the “Prior Facility”). The rights and obligations were then assigned to and assumed by the Company and St. Gregory Holdco, LLC (“STG”), a subsidiary of the Parent immediately following the consummation of a related party recapitalization transaction. The Prior Facility also included a $3,000 revolving credit line for general corporate purposes. On June 28, 2018 and October 25, 2018, the Prior Facility was amended to increase the aggregate available borrowings to $145,000, including a $10,000 revolving credit line, and to extend the maturity date to October 25, 2023.

In December 2019, the Company entered into an amendment and waiver to the Prior Facility, pursuant to which, the Company agreed to pay monthly fees of $500 beginning on February 1, 2020, increasing by $500 on the first of each subsequent month until the amounts outstanding under the Prior Facility were repaid in full. In addition, the interest rate margin above LIBOR was to increase by 1% beginning on February 1, 2020, increasing by 1% on the first of each subsequent month until the amounts outstanding under the Prior Facility were repaid in full. Further, installment payments on the term loan were due in an amount equal to 1% of the aggregate amount of term loans beginning on February 1, 2020. In addition, penalties of up to $1,500 were to be incurred if certain information was not provided on the respective due dates through February 2020.

In February 2020, the Company entered into a further amendment to the Prior Facility that required a $30,000 principal payment, which was paid in February 2020 with the proceeds from an equity contribution (see Note 11). The amendment also reverted to the prior quarterly installment payment schedule and amended the monthly fees beginning March 1, 2020 to $1,000, increasing to $2,000 on August 1, 2020. The required information was provided by the due date related to $1,000 of penalties imposed by the December 2019 amendment. In February 2020, the Company paid $500 in penalties.

On February 28, 2020, the Company obtained a five-year $185,000 term loan from a lender, along with a consortium of other lenders (the “2020 Facility”). The 2020 Facility also included a $10,000 revolving credit facility. The 2020 Facility was collateralized by substantially all of the Company’s assets, including assets of the Company’s subsidiaries. The 2020 Facility had an interest rate based on a reference rate or LIBOR, plus an applicable margin. The proceeds of the term loan were used to repay borrowings, interest and fees outstanding under the Prior Facility, and a $1,000 prepayment penalty on the Prior Facility. In addition, $18,833 of the proceeds were distributed to the Member in March 2020. Principal payments of $925 were due quarterly beginning on June 30, 2020, and excess payments were required if the Company’s cash flows exceeded certain thresholds.

On March 24, 2021, the 2020 Facility was amended to provide for additional term loans in an amount up to $10,600, which amount was borrowed and the proceeds distributed to the Parent to fund a note payable under a $20,000 debt financing obligation in connection with the acquisition of Rumble (see Note 3 for additional information). Quarterly principal payments of $53 on the additional term loans were scheduled to begin June 30, 2021.

On April 19, 2021, the Company entered into a Financing Agreement with Wilmington Trust, National Association, as administrative agent and collateral agent, and the lenders party thereto (the “Credit Agreement”), which consists of a $212,000 senior secured term loan facility (the “Term Loan Facility”, and the loans thereunder, each a “Term Loan” and, together, the “Term Loans”). The Company’s obligations under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by the Member and certain of the Company’s material subsidiaries and are secured by substantially all of the assets of the Member and certain of the Company’s material subsidiaries.

Under the Credit Agreement, the Company is required to make: (i) monthly payments of interest on the Term Loans and (ii) quarterly principal payments equal to 0.25% of the original principal amount of the Term Loans. Borrowings under the Term Loan Facility bear interest at a per annum rate of, at the Company’s option, either (a) the specified LIBOR rate plus a margin of 6.50% or (b) the Reference Rate (as defined in the Credit Agreement) plus a margin of 5.50% (7.50% at December 31, 2021).

The Credit Agreement also contains mandatory prepayments of the Term Loans with: (i) 50% of the Member’s and its subsidiaries’ Excess Cash Flow (as defined in the Credit Agreement), subject to certain exceptions; (ii) 100% of the net proceeds of certain asset sales and insurance/condemnation events, subject to reinvestment rights and certain other exceptions; (iii) 100% of the net proceeds of certain extraordinary receipts, subject to reinvestment rights and certain other exceptions; (iv) 100% of the net proceeds of any incurrence of debt, excluding certain permitted debt issuances; and (v) up to $60,000 of net proceeds in connection with an initial public offering of at least $200,000, subject to certain exceptions.

Unless agreed in advance, all voluntary prepayments and certain mandatory prepayments of the Term Loan made (i) on or prior to the first anniversary of the closing date are subject to a 2.0% premium on the principal amount of such prepayment and (ii) after the first anniversary of the closing date and on or prior to the second anniversary of the closing date are subject to a 0.50% premium on the principal amount of such prepayment. Otherwise, the Term Loans may be paid without premium or penalty, other than customary breakage costs with respect to LIBOR Rate Term Loans.

The Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants, including, among other things: (i) to maintain certain total leverage ratios, liquidity levels and EBITDA levels; (ii) to use the proceeds of borrowings only for certain specified purposes; (iii) to refrain from entering into certain agreements outside of the ordinary course of business, including with respect to consolidation or mergers; (iv) restricting further indebtedness or liens; (v) restricting certain transactions with affiliates; (vi) restricting investments; (vii) restricting prepayments of subordinated indebtedness; (viii) restricting certain payments, including certain payments to affiliates or equity holders and distributions to equity holders; and (ix) restricting the issuance of equity. As of December 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with these covenants.

The Credit Agreement also contains customary events of default, which could result in acceleration of amounts due under the Credit Agreement. Such events of default include, subject to the grace periods specified therein, failure to pay principal or interest when due, failure to satisfy or comply with covenants, a change of control, the imposition of certain judgments and the invalidation of liens the Company has granted.

The Company received net proceeds of $207,760 after deducting original issue discount equal to 2.0% of the gross amount of the borrowings under the Credit Agreement. The proceeds of the Term Loan were used to repay principal, interest and fees outstanding under the 2020 Facility aggregating $195,633 (including a prepayment penalty of approximately $1,929, which is included in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2021) and for working capital and other corporate purposes. Principal payments of the Term Loan of $530 are due quarterly.

In July 2021, the Company repaid $115,000 of the principal balance of the Term Loans from proceeds of the IPO and Convertible Preferred. In connection with the repayment, the Company incurred a prepayment penalty of $413 and wrote off a pro rata portion of debt issuance costs and debt discount aggregating $2,454, which is included in interest expense for the year ended December 31, 2021.

On October 8, 2021, the Company entered into an amendment (the "Amendment") to the Credit Agreement. The Amendment provides for, among other things, additional term loan in an aggregate principal amount of $38,000 (the “2021 Incremental Term Loan”), the proceeds of which were used to fund the BFT acquisition and the payment of fees, costs and expenses related to the Amendment. The Amendment also (i) increased the amount of the quarterly principal payments of the loans provided pursuant to the Credit Agreement (including the 2021 Incremental Term Loan) commencing on December 31, 2021 and (ii) amended the amount of the prepayment premium applicable in the event the 2021 Incremental Term Loan is prepaid within two years of the effective date of the Amendment.

In April 2020, the Company received a loan in the amount of $3,665, pursuant to the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The PPP is part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act"), which provides for forgiveness of up to the full principal amount and accrued interest of qualifying loans guaranteed under the PPP. The loan was scheduled to mature April 17, 2022, bore interest at 1% per annum and required no payments during the first 16 months from the date of the loan. In June 2021, the Company was notified that the PPP loan was forgiven. The Company recorded the forgiveness, including accrued interest, as a gain on debt extinguishment in the consolidated statement of operations for $3,707 for the year ended December 31, 2021.

The Company incurred debt issuance costs of $996, $5,158 and $205 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Debt issuance cost amortization amounted to approximately $5,749, $3,096 and $526 for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Unamortized debt issuance costs as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, were $341 and $5,094, respectively, and are presented as a reduction to long-term debt in the consolidated balance sheets.

The carrying value of the Company’s long-term debt approximated fair value as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, due to the variable interest rate, which is a Level 2 input, or proximity of debt issuance date to the balance sheet date.