LONG-TERM DEBT AND FINANCE LEASE OBLIGATIONS

Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt, net consists of the following:



	March 30, 2019			December 29, 2018
	(in thousands)
Term loans	$	721,875		$	731,250
Revolving facility	335,976			397,452
Senior Notes	500,000			500,000
Other debt	101			26,286
Finance leases	28,939			29,240
Total debt and finance leases	1,586,891			1,684,228
Less:
Current portion of long-term debt	28,225			28,228
Current portion of finance leases	2,430			3,188
Current portion of long-term debt and finance leases	30,655			31,416
Long-term debt and finance leases	1,556,236			1,652,812
Debt discount and debt issuance costs	(15,403		)	(16,214		)
Long-term debt, net and finance leases	$	1,540,833		$	1,636,598

As of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018, the weighted average interest rate on the Company’s debt was 3.77% and 4.24%, respectively.

Term Loans and Revolving Facility

On March 26, 2018, the Company amended and restated its $1.65 billion credit facility creating a $2.3 billion credit facility ($2.3B Credit Facility) which extends the maturity date for the credit facility. The $2.3B Credit Facility provides for a $750.0 million term loan and a $1.55 billion multi-currency revolving facility. The amendment was accounted for as a debt modification. In connection with the transaction, the Company capitalized approximately $6.2 million within Long-term debt, net and finance leases in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets and expensed approximately $1.0 million of debt issuance costs recorded within Interest expense in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income.

The term loan facility matures in 19 quarterly installments with the last installment due March 26, 2023. The revolving facility matures on March 26, 2023, and requires no scheduled payment before that date. Under specified circumstances, the Company has the ability to increase the term loan and/or revolving facility by up to $1.0 billion in the aggregate.

The interest rates applicable to the term loan and revolving facility under the $2.3B Credit Facility are, at the Company’s option, equal to either the base rate (which is the higher of (1) the prime rate, (2) the federal funds rate plus 0.50%, or (3) the one-month adjusted LIBOR rate plus 1.0%) or the adjusted LIBOR rate, plus an interest rate margin based upon the Company’s leverage ratio.

The $2.3B Credit Facility includes certain customary representations and warranties, events of default, notices of material adverse changes to the Company’s business and negative and affirmative covenants. These covenants include (1) maintenance of a ratio of consolidated earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) less capital expenditures to consolidated cash interest expense, for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, of no less than 3.50 to 1.0 as well as (2) maintenance of a ratio of consolidated indebtedness to consolidated EBITDA for any period of four consecutive fiscal quarters, of no more than 4.50 to 1.0 with step downs to 3.50 to 1.0 by the last day of the first quarter of 2020. As of March 30, 2019, the Company was compliant with all covenants.

The obligations of the Company under the $2.3B Credit Facility are collateralized by substantially all of the assets of the Company.

During the three months ended March 30, 2019, the Company had a $343.3 million U.S. dollar denominated loan borrowed by a non-U.S. Euro functional currency entity under the Company’s $2.3B Credit Facility, which resulted in foreign currency losses recognized in Other income, net. The Company entered into foreign exchange forward contracts to limit its foreign currency exposures related to these borrowings. As of March 30, 2019, the Company did not have any outstanding borrowings in a currency different than its respective functional currency. See Note 14, “Foreign Currency Contracts”, for further discussion.

The acquisition of Citoxlab on April 29, 2019 for €448 million in cash (or approximately $500 million) was funded through a combination of cash on hand and proceeds from the $2.3B Credit Facility under the multi-currency revolving facility.

Senior Notes Offering

On April 3, 2018, the Company entered into an indenture (Indenture) with MUFG Union Bank, N.A., (Trustee) in connection with the offering of $500.0 million in aggregate principal amount of the Company’s 5.5% Senior Notes (Senior Notes), due in 2026, in an unregistered offering. Under the terms of the Indenture, interest on the Senior Notes is payable semi-annually on April 1 and October 1, beginning on October 1, 2018. The Senior Notes are guaranteed fully and unconditionally, jointly and severally on a senior unsecured basis by the Company and certain of its U.S. subsidiaries. In connection with the transaction, the Company incurred approximately $7.4 million of debt issuance costs within Long-term debt, net and finance leases in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The Company may redeem all or part of the Senior Notes at any time prior to April 1, 2021, at its option, at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of such Senior Notes plus the Applicable Premium (as defined in the Indenture). The Company may also redeem up to 40% of the Senior Notes with the proceeds of certain equity offerings completed before April 1, 2021, at a redemption price equal to 105.5% of the principal amount of such Senior Notes. On or after April 1, 2021, the Company may on any one or more occasions redeem all or a part of the Senior Notes, at the redemption prices specified in the Indenture based on the applicable date of redemption. Upon the occurrence of a Change of Control Triggering Event (as defined in the Indenture), the Company will be required to offer to repurchase the Senior Notes at a purchase price equal to 101% of the aggregate principal amount of such Senior Notes. Any redemption of the Senior Notes would also require settlement of accrued and unpaid interest, if any, up to but excluding the redemption date.

The Indenture contains certain covenants including, but not limited to, limitations and restrictions on the ability of the Company and its U.S. subsidiaries to (i) create certain liens, (ii) enter into any Sale and Leaseback Transaction (as defined in the Indenture) with respect to any property, and (iii) merge, consolidate, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of their assets. These covenants are subject to a number of conditions, qualifications, exceptions and limitations. Any event of default, as defined, could result in the acceleration of the repayment of the obligations.

Net proceeds from the Senior Notes of $493.8 million were used to partially repay the outstanding revolving credit facility on April 3, 2018.

Commitment Letter

On February 12, 2018, the Company secured an $830 million commitment under a 364-day senior unsecured bridge loan facility (the Bridge Facility) for the purpose of financing the acquisition of MPI Research. The Bridge Facility was terminated as of April 3, 2018 upon the successful acquisition of MPI Research. Debt issuance costs of $1.8 million, which were capitalized upon the execution of the Bridge Facility, were expensed upon termination of the agreement on April 3, 2018. In addition, the Company incurred and expensed $2.0 million of fees pertaining to a temporary backstop facility related to the negotiation of the Credit Facility during the three months ended March 31, 2018. These costs were included in Interest expense in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income.

Letters of Credit

As of both March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018, the Company had $6.5 million in outstanding letters of credit.

Finance Lease Obligations

The Company’s finance lease obligations amounted to $28.9 million and $29.2 million as of March 30, 2019 and December 29, 2018, respectively. See Note 16, “Leases” for further discussion.