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LONG TERM DEBT
6 Months Ended
Jul. 02, 2011
LONG-TERM DEBT [Abstract]  
LONG-TERM DEBT
NOTE 5 - LONG-TERM DEBT:

Long-term debt consisted of the following:
(dollars in thousands)
 
July 2,
2011
  
January 1,
2011
  
July, 3,
2010
 
Revolving credit facility
 $236,000  $236,000  $-- 
Former term loan
  --   --   232,772 
Current maturities
  --   --   (3,503)
Total long-term debt
 $236,000  $236,000  $229,269 

On October 15, 2010, the Company entered into a $375 million ($130 million sub-limit for letters of credit and a swing line sub-limit of $40 million) revolving credit facility with Bank of America as sole lead arranger and administrative agent, JP Morgan Chase Bank as syndication agent, and other financial institutions.  The revolving credit facility was immediately drawn upon to pay off the Company's former term loan of $232.2 million and pay transaction fees and expenses of $3.8 million, leaving approximately $130 million available under the revolver for future borrowings (net of letters of credit of approximately $8.6 million).  At January 1, 2011, we had approximately $236.0 million in revolver borrowings, exclusive of $8.6 million of outstanding letters of credit, at an effective interest rate of 2.51%. At July 2, 2011, we had approximately $236.0 million in revolver borrowings, exclusive of $18.5 million of outstanding letters of credit, at an effective interest rate of 2.44%.

The term of the revolving credit facility expires October 15, 2015.  This revolving credit facility provides for two pricing options for revolving loans: (i) revolving loans on which interest is payable quarterly at a base rate equal to the highest of (x) the Federal Funds Rate plus � of 1%, (y) the rate of interest in effect for such day as publicly announced from time to time by Bank of America, N.A. as its prime rate, or (z) the Eurodollar Rate plus 1%, plus, in each case, an applicable margin initially equal to 1.25%, which may be adjusted based upon a leverage-based pricing grid ranging from 1.00% to 1.50% and (ii) revolving loans on which interest accrues for one, two, three, six or if, generally available, nine or twelve month interest periods (but is payable not less frequently than every three months) at a rate of interest per annum equal to an adjusted British Bankers Association LIBOR rate, plus an applicable margin initially equal to 2.25%, which may be adjusted based upon a leverage-based pricing grid ranging from 2.00% to 2.50%.  Amounts currently outstanding under the revolving credit facility initially accrue interest at a LIBOR rate plus 2.25%.

The revolving credit facility contains and defines financial covenants, including a lease adjusted leverage ratio (defined as, with certain adjustments, the ratio of the Company's consolidated indebtedness plus six times rent expense to consolidated net income before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization, and rent expense ("EBITDAR")) to exceed (x) if such period ends on or before December 31, 2014, 3.75:1.00 and (y) if such period ends after December 31, 2014, 3.50:1.00; and consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio (defined as, with certain adjustments, the ratio of consolidated EBITDAR to consolidated fixed charges (defined as interest plus rent expense)), for any such period to be less than 2.75:1.00.  As of July 2, 2011, the Company believes it was in compliance with its debt covenants.

The Company's former senior credit facility was comprised of a $232.8 million term loan (the "former term loan") and a $125 million revolving credit facility (the "former revolver") (including a sub-limit for letters of credit of $80 million).  There were no borrowings outstanding under the former revolver, exclusive of approximately $8.6 million of outstanding letters of credit at July 3, 2010.  Amounts borrowed under the former term loan had an applicable rate of LIBOR + 1.50%, regardless of the Company's overall leverage level.  Interest was payable at the end of interest rate reset periods, which vary in length but in no case exceeded 12 months for LIBOR rate loans and quarterly for prime rate loans.  The effective interest rate on former term loan borrowings as of July 3, 2010 was 1.8%.