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Debt
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2025
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt
NOTE 6 — Debt

The Company's debt as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 consisted of the financing arrangements described below.
September 30, 2025December 31, 2024
In millionsPrincipal balanceUnamortized original issue discountUnamortized deferred financing costsCarrying valuePrincipal balanceUnamortized original issue discountUnamortized deferred financing costsCarrying value
2029 Term Loan Facility$748.6 $(9.4)$(6.0)$733.2 $850.0 $(12.2)$(7.7)$830.1 
2031 Notes223.7 (4.5)(2.6)216.6 223.7 (5.0)(2.8)215.9 
2027 Notes24.1 (2.1)— 22.0 38.1 (4.2)(0.1)33.8 
Total debt$996.4 $(16.0)$(8.6)$971.8 $1,111.8 $(21.4)$(10.6)$1,079.8 
Less: Current portion of long-term debt$(69.3)$— $— $(69.3)$(74.3)$— $— $(74.3)
Non-current portion of long-term debt$927.1 $(16.0)$(8.6)$902.5 $1,037.5 $(21.4)$(10.6)$1,005.5 
2029 Term Loan Facility

On October 15, 2024 (the "Closing Date"), the Company entered into an Amendment and Restatement Agreement (the "Amendment and Restatement Agreement") among the Company, as a guarantor, Gannett Holdings, LLC ("Gannett Holdings"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, as the borrower (in such capacity, the "Borrower"), certain subsidiaries of the Borrower as guarantors, the lenders party thereto, Citibank, N.A., as the existing collateral agent and administrative agent for the lenders, and Apollo Administrative Agency LLC, as the successor collateral agent and administrative agent for the lenders, which amended and restated the Company's existing First Lien Credit Agreement dated as of October 15, 2021 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time prior to the Closing Date, the "Existing Credit Agreement"; the Existing Credit Agreement, as amended and restated by the Amendment and Restatement Agreement, the "Amended Credit Agreement") by and among the Company, as guarantor, the Borrower, certain subsidiaries of the Borrower as guarantors and Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent and collateral agent. The Amended Credit Agreement provides for a $900.0 million five-year first lien term loan facility (the "2029 Term Loan Facility"), which refinanced and replaced the Company's previous five-year senior secured term loan facility in an original aggregate principal amount of $516.0 million (the "Senior Secured Term Loan," and collectively with the 2029 Term Loan Facility, the "Term Loans"). The 2029 Term Loan Facility is comprised of an initial term loan facility of $850.4 million, funded on the Closing Date (the "2029 Initial Draw Facility"), and a delayed draw term loan facility of $49.6 million (the "2029 Delayed Draw Facility"), which was made available to the Borrower at its discretion from the Closing Date and for a period of six months thereafter, subject to certain terms and conditions.

In April 2025, the Company received a waiver from certain lenders of its 2029 Term Loan Facility and certain holders of its 2031 Notes (as defined below) and entered into a privately negotiated agreement with a holder of its 2027 Notes (as defined below) to repurchase $14.0 million principal amount of its outstanding 2027 Notes at 105% of par value, plus accrued and unpaid interest, for $15.0 million in cash. This transaction was financed using proceeds from the Company's 2029 Delayed Draw Facility, and as a result as of September 30, 2025, $15.0 million had been drawn under the 2029 Delayed Draw Facility. As a result of this transaction, the Company recognized an immaterial loss on the early extinguishment of debt during the nine months ended September 30, 2025.

The 2029 Term Loan Facility bears interest at an annual rate equal, at the Borrower's option, to either (i) an alternate base rate (which shall not be less than 2.50% per annum) plus a margin equal to 4.00% per annum or (ii) Adjusted Term SOFR
(which shall be no less than 1.50%) plus a margin equal to 5.00% per annum. The 2029 Term Loan Facility will mature on October 15, 2029 and is freely prepayable without penalty.

The 2029 Term Loan Facility is amortized at a rate of $17.3 million per quarter. In addition, we are required to repay the 2029 Term Loan Facility from time to time with (i) the proceeds of non-ordinary course asset sales and casualty and condemnation events, (ii) the proceeds of indebtedness that is not otherwise permitted under the 2029 Term Loan Facility and (iii) the aggregate amount of cash and cash equivalents on hand at the Company and our restricted subsidiaries in excess of $100.0 million as of the last day of any fiscal year of the Company (beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024).

The 2029 Term Loan Facility contains usual and customary covenants for credit facilities of this type, including a requirement to have minimum unrestricted cash of $30 million as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, and restricts, among other things, our ability to incur debt, grant liens, sell assets, make investments and pay dividends, in each case with customary exceptions, including an exception that permits dividends and repurchases of outstanding junior debt or equity in (i) an amount of up to $25 million per fiscal quarter if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for such fiscal quarter is equal to or less than 2.00 to 1.00 but greater than 1.50 to 1.00, (ii) an amount of up to $50 million per fiscal quarter if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for such fiscal quarter is equal to or less than 1.50 to 1.00 but greater than 1.00 to 1.00, and (iii) an unlimited amount if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for such fiscal quarter is equal to or less than 1.00 to 1.00. As of September 30, 2025, the Company was in compliance with all of the covenants and obligations under the 2029 Term Loan Facility.

As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the 2029 Term Loan Facility was recorded at carrying value, which approximated fair value, in the Consolidated balance sheet and was classified as Level 2.

In connection with the Term Loans, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company recognized interest expense of $18.1 million and $56.8 million, respectively, and paid cash interest of $18.9 million and $51.3 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company recognized interest expense of $8.6 million and $26.9 million, respectively, and paid cash interest of $8.8 million and $27.1 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company recognized amortization of original issue discount of $0.6 million and $1.9 million, respectively, and amortization of deferred financing costs of $0.4 million and $1.2 million, respectively. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company recognized amortization of original issue discount of $0.6 million and $1.7 million, respectively, and amortization of deferred financing costs of $0.2 million and $0.4 million, respectively. Additionally, for the three months ended September 30, 2025, the loss on early extinguishment of debt was immaterial, and for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company recognized a loss on early extinguishment of debt of $1.4 million, related to the write-off of original issue discount and deferred financing costs as a result of early prepayments on the 2029 Term Loan Facility.

For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company prepaid $18.5 million and $116.4 million, respectively, including the quarterly amortization payment, which were classified as financing activities in the Consolidated statements of cash flows. As of September 30, 2025, the effective interest rate for the 2029 Term Loan Facility was 9.9%.
Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2027, Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2031, and the Convertible Notes Exchange

The 6.000% Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2027 (the "2027 Notes") were issued pursuant to an Indenture dated as of November 17, 2020 (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the "2027 Notes Indenture"), between the Company and U.S. Bank National Association, as trustee.

In connection with the issuance of the 2027 Notes, the Company entered into an Investor Agreement (the "Investor Agreement") with the holders of the 2027 Notes (the "Holders") establishing certain terms and conditions concerning the rights and restrictions on the Holders with respect to the Holders' ownership of the 2027 Notes. The Company also entered into an amendment to the Registration Rights Agreement dated November 19, 2019, between the Company and FIG LLC.

On October 15, 2024, the Company completed privately negotiated transactions with certain holders of 2027 Notes pursuant to which it (i) repurchased a total of $223.6 million in aggregate principal amount of 2027 Notes for cash at a rate of $1,110 per $1,000 principal amount of 2027 Notes, for aggregate cash consideration of $248.2 million and (ii) exchanged a total of $223.6 million in aggregate principal amount of 2027 Notes for new 6.000% Senior Secured Convertible Notes due 2031 (the "2031 Notes" and such repurchase and exchange, collectively, the "Convertible Notes Exchange"). The Company
also paid accrued and unpaid interest of approximately $10.0 million to the holders of 2027 Notes who participated in the Convertible Notes Exchange.

Additionally, on October 15, 2024, the Company issued and sold $110,000 in aggregate principal amount of 2031 Notes in a privately negotiated transaction (the "2031 Notes Sale").

The 2031 Notes were issued pursuant to an indenture, dated as of October 15, 2024 (the "2031 Notes Indenture"), among the Company, the guarantors party thereto, U.S. Bank Trust Company, National Association, as trustee, and Alter Domus Products Corp, as collateral agent.

Concurrently with the Convertible Notes Exchange, the Company and the guarantors party thereto entered into a supplemental indenture to the 2027 Notes Indenture pursuant to which (i) substantially all of the restrictive covenants contained in the 2027 Notes Indenture were eliminated, (ii) certain of the default provisions contained in the 2027 Notes Indenture were eliminated and (iii) certain related provisions were amended to conform with such eliminations.

Interest on the 2027 Notes and 2031 Notes is payable semi-annually in arrears, and the 2027 Notes and 2031 Notes mature on December 1, 2027, and December 1, 2031, respectively, unless earlier repurchased or converted. The 2027 Notes and 2031 Notes may be converted at any time by the holders thereof into cash, shares of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share (the "Common Stock") or any combination of cash and Common Stock, at the Company's election. The initial conversion rate for both the 2027 Notes and the 2031 Notes is 200 shares of Common Stock per $1,000 principal amount of the 2027 Notes and the 2031 Notes, respectively, which is equal to a conversion price of $5.00 per share of Common Stock (the "Conversion Price").

Upon the occurrence of a "Make-Whole Fundamental Change" (as defined in the 2027 Notes Indenture and the 2031 Notes Indenture), the Company will in certain circumstances increase the conversion rate for the 2027 Notes and the 2031 Notes for a specified period of time. If a "Fundamental Change" (as defined in the 2027 Notes Indenture and the 2031 Notes Indenture) occurs, the Company will be required to offer to repurchase the 2027 Notes and the 2031 Notes at a repurchase price of 110% of the principal amount thereof.

Under the 2031 Notes Indenture, the Company can only pay cash dividends up to an agreed-upon amount, provided the ratio of consolidated debt to EBITDA (as such term is defined in the 2031 Notes Indenture) does not exceed a specified ratio. In addition, the 2031 Notes Indenture provides that, at any time that the Company's Total Gross Leverage Ratio (as defined in the 2031 Notes Indenture) exceeds 1.5 and the Company approves the declaration of a dividend, the Company must offer to purchase a principal amount of 2031 Notes equal to the proposed amount of the dividend.

The Company will have the right to redeem for cash up to the lesser of (i) approximately $72.8 million and (ii) 30% of the aggregate principal amount of 2031 Notes issued pursuant to the 2031 Notes Indenture, in either case, with such amount reduced by 30% of the principal amount of 2031 Notes that has been converted by the holders of the 2031 Notes or redeemed or repurchased by the Company, at a redemption price of 140% of the principal amount thereof, on or prior to December 1, 2030 (or December 1, 2028 if the 2029 Term Loan Facility is refinanced or amended to permit the redemption of the 2031 Notes in an amount equal to or greater than such principal amount of 2031 Notes).

The 2027 Notes and 2031 Notes are guaranteed by Gannett Holdings and all subsidiaries of the Company that guarantee the 2029 Term Loan Facility. The 2027 Notes and 2031 Notes rank as senior secured debt of the Company and are secured by liens on the same collateral package that secures the indebtedness incurred in connection with the 2029 Term Loan Facility. The 2027 Notes are secured by liens that are junior to the liens securing indebtedness incurred under the 2029 Term Loan Facility and the 2031 Notes. The 2031 Notes are secured by liens that are junior to the liens securing indebtedness incurred under the 2029 Term Loan Facility but senior to the liens securing the 2027 Notes.

The 2031 Notes Indenture includes affirmative and negative covenants, including limitations on liens, indebtedness, dispositions, loans, advances and investors, sale and leaseback transactions, restricted payments, transactions with affiliates, restrictions on dividends and other payment restrictions affecting restricted subsidiaries, negative pledges, and modifications to certain agreements. The 2031 Notes Indenture also requires the Company to maintain, as of the last day of each fiscal quarter, at least $30.0 million of Qualified Cash (as defined in the 2031 Notes Indenture). The 2027 Notes Indenture and the 2031 Notes Indenture include customary events of default.

The 2027 Notes have two components: (i) a debt component, and (ii) an equity component. As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the debt component of the 2027 Notes was recorded at carrying value in the Consolidated balance sheets.
The carrying value of the 2027 Notes reflected the balance of the unamortized discount related to the value of the conversion feature assessed at inception and did not approximate fair value as of September 30, 2025. The 2027 Notes were classified as Level 2, and based on unadjusted quoted prices in the active market obtained from third-party pricing services, the Company determined that the estimated fair value of the 2027 Notes was $27.0 million and $44.6 million as of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, respectively, and was primarily affected by fluctuations in market interest rates and the price of the Company's Common Stock.

As a result of the Convertible Notes Exchange, the Company recorded a reduction in Additional paid-in capital of $237.5 million in the Consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2024, and as a result of the repurchase of 2027 Notes in April 2025, the Company recorded a reduction in Additional paid-in capital of $2.0 million as of September 30, 2025. As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the conversion feature remaining in Additional paid-in capital was $40.0 million and $42.0 million, respectively, net of tax. The remaining 2027 Notes are convertible into 4.8 million shares of Common Stock, based on the initial conversion price of $5.00 per share.

The 2031 Notes have two components: (i) a debt component, and (ii) an equity component. As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 the debt component of the 2031 Notes was recorded at carrying value in the Consolidated balance sheets. The 2031 Notes were classified as Level 2 because they were measured at fair value using commonly accepted valuation methodologies and indirectly observable, market-based risk measurements and historical data, and a review of prices and terms available for similar debt instruments that do not contain a conversion feature. As of September 30, 2025, the Company determined that the carrying value of the 2031 Notes approximated fair value.

The excess of the fair value over the principal value of the 2031 Notes was recorded in Additional Paid-in capital as the 2031 Notes were issued at a 50% premium. The equity component of the 2031 Notes was classified as Level 3, as it was calculated based on the aggregate fair value of the 2031 Notes which used a binomial lattice model and assumptions based on market information and historical data, and significant unobservable inputs. As of September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024, the amount of the equity component recorded in Additional paid-in capital was $80.4 million, net of tax. The 2031 Notes are convertible into 44.7 million shares of Common Stock, based on the initial conversion price of $5.00 per share.

In connection with the 2027 Notes and the 2031 Notes, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company recognized interest expense of $3.7 million and $11.4 million, respectively, and paid $7.8 million cash interest for the nine months ended September 30, 2025. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company recognized interest expense of $7.3 million and $21.8 million, respectively, and paid cash interest of $14.6 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. In addition, during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2025, the Company recognized amortization of original issue discount of $0.4 million and $1.2 million, respectively, and an immaterial amount of amortization of deferred financing costs. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, the Company recognized amortization of original issue discount of $3.8 million and $11.0 million, respectively, and an immaterial amount of amortization of deferred financing costs. As of September 30, 2025, the effective interest rate on the debt component of the 2027 Notes was 10.5%. As of September 30, 2025, the effective interest rate on the debt component of the 2031 Notes was 6.6%.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, no shares of Common Stock were issued upon conversion, exercise, or satisfaction of the required conditions of the 2027 Notes or the 2031 Notes. Refer to Note 10 — Supplemental equity and other information for details on the impact of the 2027 Notes and the 2031 Notes to diluted earnings per share under the if-converted method.
As discussed above, in April 2025, the Company received a waiver from certain lenders of its 2029 Term Loan Facility and certain holders of its 2031 Notes and entered into a privately negotiated agreement with a holder of its 2027 Notes to repurchase $14.0 million principal amount of its outstanding 2027 Notes at 105% of par value, plus accrued and unpaid interest, for $15.0 million in cash. This transaction was financed using proceeds from the Company's 2029 Delayed Draw Facility, and as a result as of September 30, 2025, $15.0 million had been drawn under the 2029 Delayed Draw Facility. As a result of this transaction, the Company recognized an immaterial loss on the early extinguishment of debt during the nine months ended September 30, 2025.