Debt and Capital Lease Obligations |
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| Debt and Capital Lease Obligations [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Debt and Capital Lease Obligations | Debt and Capital Lease Obligations The U.S. dollar equivalents of the components of our debt are as follows:
The following table provides a reconciliation of total debt before deferred financing costs, discounts and premiums to total debt and capital lease obligations:
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or discounts and commitment fees, but excluding the impact of deferred financing costs, our weighted average interest rate on our aggregate variable- and fixed-rate indebtedness was 4.31% at December 31, 2018. For information regarding our derivative instruments, see note 8.
(mostly Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy) or, when quoted market prices are unavailable or not considered indicative of fair value, discounted cash flow models (mostly Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy). The discount rates used in the cash flow models are based on the market interest rates and estimated credit spreads of the applicable entity, to the extent available, and other relevant factors. For additional information regarding fair value hierarchies, see note 9. (l)The U.S. dollar equivalents of our consolidated capital lease obligations are as follows:
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General Information At December 31, 2018, most of our outstanding debt had been incurred by one of our three subsidiary “borrowing groups.” References to these borrowing groups, which comprise Virgin Media, UPC Holding and Telenet, include their respective restricted parent and subsidiary entities. Credit Facilities. Each of our borrowing groups has entered into one or more credit facility agreements with certain financial institutions. Each of these credit facilities contain certain covenants, the more notable of which are as follows:
the loan(s) thereunder due and payable after the applicable notice period following the occurrence of a change of control (as specified in the relevant credit facility);
Senior and Senior Secured Notes. Certain of our borrowing groups have issued senior and/or senior secured notes. In general, our senior and senior secured notes (i) are senior obligations of each respective issuer within the relevant borrowing group that rank equally with all of the existing and future senior debt of such issuer and are senior to all existing and future subordinated debt of such issuer within the relevant borrowing group, (ii) contain, in most instances, certain guarantees from other members of the relevant borrowing group (as specified in the applicable indenture) and (iii) with respect to our senior secured notes, are secured by certain pledges or liens over the assets and/or shares of certain members of the relevant borrowing group. In addition, the indentures governing our senior and senior secured notes contain certain covenants, the more notable of which are as follows:
SPE Notes. From time to time, we create special purpose financing entities (SPEs), most of which are 100% owned by third parties, for the primary purpose of facilitating the offering of senior and senior secured notes, which we collectively refer to as the “SPE Notes.” The SPEs used the proceeds from the issuance of SPE Notes to fund term loan facilities under the credit facilities made available to their respective borrowing group (as further described below), each a “Funded Facility” and collectively the “Funded Facilities.” Each SPE is dependent on payments from the relevant borrowing entity under the applicable Funded Facility in order to service its payment obligations under each respective SPE Note. Each of the Funded Facility term loans creates a variable interest in the respective SPE for which the relevant borrowing entity is the primary beneficiary and are consolidated by the relevant parent entities, including Liberty Global. As a result, the amounts outstanding under the Funded Facilities are eliminated in the respective borrowing group’s and Liberty Global’s consolidated financial statements. At December 31, 2018, we had outstanding SPE Notes issued by entities consolidated by (i) UPC Holding, collectively the “UPCB SPEs” and (ii) Telenet, collectively the “Telenet SPEs”. Pursuant to the respective indentures for the SPE Notes (the SPE Indentures) and the respective accession agreements for the Funded Facilities, the call provisions, maturity and applicable interest rate for each Funded Facility are the same as those of the related SPE Notes. The SPEs, as lenders under the relevant Funded Facility for the relevant borrowing group, are treated the same as the other lenders under the respective credit facility, with benefits, rights and protections similar to those afforded to the other lenders. Through the covenants in the applicable SPE Indentures and the applicable security interests over (i) all of the issued shares of the relevant SPE and (ii) the relevant SPE’s rights under the applicable Funded Facility granted to secure the relevant SPE’s obligations under the relevant SPE Notes, the holders of the SPE Notes are provided indirectly with the benefits, rights, protections and covenants granted to the SPEs as lenders under the applicable Funded Facility. The SPEs are prohibited from incurring any additional indebtedness, subject to certain exceptions under the SPE Indentures. The SPE Notes are non-callable prior to their respective call date (as specified under the applicable SPE Indenture). If, however, at any time prior to the applicable SPE Notes call date, all or a portion of the loans under the related Funded Facility are voluntarily prepaid (a SPE Early Redemption Event), then the SPE will be required to redeem an aggregate principal amount of its respective SPE Notes equal to the aggregate principal amount of the loans prepaid under the relevant Funded Facility. In general, the redemption price payable will equal 100% of the principal amount of the applicable SPE Notes to be redeemed and a “make-whole” premium, which is the present value of all remaining scheduled interest payments to the applicable SPE Notes call date using the discount rate (as specified in the applicable SPE Indenture) as of the redemption date plus a premium (as specified in the applicable SPE Indenture). Upon the occurrence of a SPE Early Redemption Event on or after the applicable SPE Notes call date, the SPE will redeem an aggregate principal amount of its respective SPE Notes equal to the principal amount of the related Funded Facility prepaid at a redemption price (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount), plus accrued and unpaid interest and additional amounts (as specified in the applicable SPE Indenture), if any, to the applicable redemption date. Virgin Media - 2018 Financing Transactions In August 2018, Virgin Media redeemed (i) $190.0 million of the $530.0 million outstanding principal amount of the 6.375% 2023 VM Dollar Senior Notes and (ii) in full the £250.0 million ($318.6 million) outstanding principal amount of the 7.0% 2023 VM Sterling Senior Notes. These transactions were funded with a portion of the proceeds received by another Liberty Global subsidiary in connection with the sale of UPC Austria, as described in note 6. In October 2018, we used existing cash to redeem in full the $340.0 million outstanding principal amount of the 6.375% 2023 VM Dollar Senior Notes. In connection with these transactions, Virgin Media recognized a loss on debt modification and extinguishment of $36.4 million related to (a) the payment of $28.2 million of redemption premiums and (b) the write-off of $8.2 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts. Virgin Media - 2017 and 2016 Financing Transactions During 2017 and 2016, Virgin Media completed a number of financing transactions that generally resulted in lower interest rates and extended maturities. In connection with these transactions, Virgin Media recognized losses on debt modification and extinguishment of $67.5 million and $78.4 million during 2017 and 2016, respectively. These losses include (i) the write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts of $40.6 million and $25.8 million, respectively, (ii) the payment of redemption premiums of $32.6 million and $52.6 million, respectively, (iii) the write-off of $7.0 million of unamortized premiums in 2017 and (iv) the payment of third-party costs of $1.3 million in 2017. UPC Holding - 2018 Financing Transactions In August 2018, UPC Holding (i) repaid $330.0 million of the $1,975.0 million outstanding principal amount under UPC Facility AR, which matures on January 15, 2026, bears interest at a rate of LIBOR + 2.50% and is subject to a LIBOR floor of 0.0%, (ii) repaid in full the €500.0 million ($572.6 million) outstanding principal amount under UPC Facility AS, which bore interest at a rate of EURIBOR + 2.75%, and (iii) redeemed €60.0 million ($68.7 million) of the €600.0 million ($687.1 million) outstanding principal amount under UPC Facility AK, which matures on January 15, 2027 and bears interest at a rate of 4.0%, together with accrued and unpaid interest and the related prepayment premiums, which was owed to UPCB Finance IV and, in turn, UPCB Finance IV used such proceeds to redeem €60.0 million of the €600.0 million outstanding principal amount of the UPCB Finance IV Euro Notes, whose terms are consistent with UPC Facility AK. These transactions were funded with a portion of the proceeds received by another Liberty Global subsidiary in connection with the sale of UPC Austria, as described in note 6. In connection with these transactions, UPC Holding recognized a loss on debt modification and extinguishment of $8.9 million related to (a) the write-off of $6.9 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts and (b) the payment of $2.0 million of redemption premiums. UPC Holding - 2017 and 2016 Financing Transactions During 2017 and 2016, UPC Holding completed a number of financing transactions that generally resulted in lower interest rates and extended maturities. In connection with these transactions, UPC Holding recognized losses on debt modification and extinguishment of $112.1 million and $77.1 million during 2017 and 2016, respectively. These losses include (i) the payment of redemption premiums of $84.3 million and $57.2 million, respectively, and (ii) the write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts of $27.8 million and $19.9 million, respectively. Telenet - 2018 Financing Transactions In March 2018, Telenet used existing cash to prepay 10% of the €530.0 million ($607.0 million) outstanding principal amount under Telenet Facility AB, which matures on July 15, 2027 and bears interest at a rate of 4.875%, together with accrued and unpaid interest and the related prepayment premiums, which was owed to Telenet Finance VI and, in turn, Telenet Finance VI used such proceeds to redeem 10% of the €530.0 million outstanding principal amount of the Telenet Finance VI Notes, whose terms are consistent with Telenet Facility AB. In connection with this transaction, Telenet recognized a loss on debt modification and extinguishment of $2.6 million related to (i) the payment of $2.0 million of redemption premiums and (ii) the write-off of $0.6 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts. In March 2018, commitments under Telenet Facility AL, which matures on March 1, 2026, bears interest at a rate of LIBOR + 2.50% and is subject to a LIBOR floor of 0.0%, were increased by $300.0 million (the Telenet Facility AL Add-on) with terms consistent to those of Telenet Facility AL. In April 2018, Telenet drew the full $300.0 million of the Telenet Facility AL Add-on and used the net proceeds, together with existing cash, to prepay in full the €250.0 million ($286.3 million) outstanding principal amount under Telenet Facility V, which bore interest at a rate of 6.750%, together with accrued and unpaid interest and the related prepayment premiums, which was owed to Telenet Finance V and, in turn, Telenet Finance V used such proceeds to redeem in full the €250.0 million outstanding principal amount of the 6.750% Telenet Finance V Notes. In connection with this transaction, Telenet recognized a loss on debt modification and extinguishment of $21.3 million related to (i) the payment of $17.3 million of redemption premiums and (ii) the write-off of $4.0 million of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts. In May 2018, Telenet entered into (i) a $1,600.0 million term loan facility (Telenet Facility AN), which was issued at 99.875% of par, matures on August 15, 2026, bears interest at a rate of LIBOR + 2.25% and is subject to a LIBOR floor of 0.0%, and (ii) a €730.0 million ($836.0 million) term loan facility (Telenet Facility AO), which was issued at 99.875% of par, matures on December 15, 2027, bears interest at a rate of EURIBOR + 2.50% and is subject to a EURIBOR floor of 0.0%. The net proceeds from Telenet Facility AN and Telenet Facility AO, together with existing cash, were used to prepay in full (a) the $1,300.0 million outstanding principal amount under Telenet Facility AL, (b) the $300.0 million outstanding principal amount under the Telenet Facility AL Add-on and (c) the €730.0 million outstanding principal amount under Telenet Facility AM, which bore interest at a rate of EURIBOR + 2.75%. In connection with these transactions, Telenet recognized a loss on debt modification and extinguishment, of $7.6 million related to the write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts. In August 2018, commitments under Telenet Facility AN and Telenet Facility AO were increased by $475.0 million (the Telenet Facility AN Add-on) and €205.0 million ($234.8 million) (the Telenet Facility AO Add-on), respectively. The Telenet Facility AN Add-on and the Telenet Facility AO Add-on were issued at 98.5% and 98.0% of par, respectively. All other terms of the Telenet Facility AN Add-on and the Telenet Facility AO Add-on are consistent with those of Telenet Facility AN and Telenet Facility AO, respectively. The Telenet Facility AN Add-on and the Telenet Facility AO Add-on were drawn in October 2018, and the net proceeds were used to make an aggregate dividend payment to Telenet shareholders (including Liberty Global) of €600.0 million ($687.1 million). Telenet - 2017 and 2016 Financing Transactions During 2017 and 2016, Telenet completed a number of financing transactions that generally resulted in lower interest rates and extended maturities. In connection with these transactions, Telenet recognized losses on debt modification and extinguishment of $75.7 million and $52.8 million during 2017 and 2016, respectively. These losses include (i) the write-off of unamortized deferred financing costs and discounts of $54.2 million and $33.8 million, respectively, and (ii) the payment of redemption premiums of $21.5 million and $19.0 million, respectively. Maturities of Debt and Capital Lease Obligations Maturities of our debt and capital lease obligations as of December 31, 2018 are presented below for the named entity and its subsidiaries, unless otherwise noted. Amounts presented below represent U.S. dollar equivalents based on December 31, 2018 exchange rates: Debt:
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Capital lease obligations:
Non-cash Financing Transactions |
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