Debt

The following table summarizes our outstanding debt:



	December 31, 2019			December 31, 2018			Interest Rate	Maturity	Security
	(in thousands)
RBL Facility	$	1,850		$	—		variable rates of 5.5% (2019) and 4.5% (2018), respectively	June 29, 2022	Mortgage on 85% of Present Value of proven oil and gas reserves
2026 Notes	400,000			400,000			7.0%	February 15, 2026	Unsecured
Long-Term Debt - Principal Amount	401,850			400,000
Less: Debt Issuance Costs	(7,531		)	(8,214		)
Long-Term Debt, net	$	394,319		$	391,786

Deferred Financing Costs

We incurred legal and bank fees related to the issuance of debt. At December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, debt issuance costs for the RBL Facility (as defined below) reported in “other non-current assets” on the balance sheet were approximately $11 million and $16 million net of amortization, respectively. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, debt issuance costs, net of amortization, for the 2026 Senior Unsecured Notes were both approximately $8 million.

The amortization of debt issuance costs is presented in interest expense on the consolidated statements of operations. For the year ended December 31, 2019, the year ended December 31, 2018, the ten months ended December 31, 2017, and the two months ended February 28, 2017, the amortization expense for the RBL Facility and 2026 Senior Unsecured Notes were approximately $5 million, $5 million, $2 million and zero, respectively.

Fair Value

Our debt is recorded at the carrying amount on the balance sheets. The carrying amount of the RBL Facility approximates fair value because the interest rates are variable and reflect market rates. The fair value of the 2026 Senior Unsecured Notes was approximately $376 million and $368 million at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively.

The RBL Facility

On July 31, 2017, we entered into the RBL Facility. The RBL Facility provides for a revolving loan with up to $1.5 billion of commitments, subject to a reserve borrowing base. The RBL Facility also provides a letter of credit subfacility for the issuance of letters of credit in an aggregate amount not to exceed $25 million. Issuances of letters of credit reduce the borrowing availability for revolving loans under the RBL Facility on a dollar for dollar basis. Borrowing base redeterminations become effective each May and November, although each of the administrative agent and Berry LLC may make one interim redetermination between scheduled redeterminations. The RBL Facility has an elected commitment feature that allows us to increase commitments to the amount of our borrowing base with lender approval. In late 2019, we completed a borrowing base redetermination under our RBL Facility that set our borrowing base to $500 million and reaffirmed our elected commitment amount at $400 million. The RBL Facility matures on July 29, 2022, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the RBL Facility terms.

As of December 31, 2019, we had approximately $2 million in borrowings outstanding, $7 million in letters of credit outstanding, and approximately $391 million of available borrowings capacity under the RBL Facility.

The outstanding borrowings under the RBL Facility bear interest at a rate equal to either (i) a customary London interbank offered rate plus an applicable margin ranging from 2.50% to 3.50% per annum, and (ii) a customary base rate plus an applicable margin ranging from 1.50% to 2.50% per annum, in each case depending on levels of borrowing base utilization. In addition, we must pay the lenders a quarterly commitment fee of 0.50% on the average daily unused amount of the borrowing availability under the RBL Facility. We have the right to prepay any borrowings under the RBL Facility with prior notice at any time without a prepayment penalty, other than customary “breakage” costs with respect to euro-dollar loans.

The RBL Facility contains customary events of default and remedies for credit facilities of a similar nature. If we do not comply with the financial and other covenants in the RBL Facility, the lenders may, subject to customary cure rights, require immediate payment of all amounts outstanding under the RBL Facility and exercise all of their other rights and remedies, including foreclosure on all of the collateral.

The RBL Facility requires us to maintain on a consolidated basis as of each quarter-end (i) a Leverage Ratio of no more than 4.00 to 1.00 and (ii) a Current Ratio of at least 1.00 to 1.00. The RBL Facility also contains customary restrictions. As of December 31, 2019, our Leverage Ratio and Current Ratio were 1.4:1.00 and 3.2:1.00, respectively. In addition, the RBL Facility currently provides that to the extent we incur unsecured indebtedness, including any mounts raised in the future, the borrowing base will be reduced by an amount equal to 25% of the amount of such unsecured debt. We were in compliance with all financial covenants under the RBL Facility as of December 31, 2019.

The RBL Facility permits us to repurchase equity and indebtedness, among other things, if availability is equal to or greater than 15% of the elected commitments or borrowing base, whichever is in effect, and our pro forma leverage ratio is less than or equal to 2.75 to 1.00.

Berry Corp. guarantees and each future subsidiary of Berry Corp. (other than Berry LLC), with certain exceptions, is required to guarantee, our obligations and obligations of the other guarantors under the RBL Facility and under certain hedging transactions and banking services arrangements (the “Guaranteed Obligations”). In addition, pursuant to a Guaranty Agreement dated as of July 31, 2017, Berry LLC guarantees the Guaranteed Obligations. The lenders under the RBL Facility hold a mortgage on 85% of the present value of our proven oil and gas reserves. The obligations of Berry LLC and the guarantors are also secured by liens on substantially all of our personal property, subject to customary exceptions. The RBL Facility, with certain exceptions, also requires that any future subsidiaries of Berry LLC will also have to grant mortgages, security interests and equity pledges.

Senior Unsecured Notes Offering

In February 2018, we completed a private issuance of $400 million in aggregate principal amount of 7.0% senior unsecured notes due February 2026 (the “2026 Notes”), which resulted in net proceeds to us of approximately $391 million after deducting expenses and the initial purchasers’ discount. We used a portion of the net proceeds from the issuance of the 2026 Notes to repay the $379 million outstanding balance on the RBL Facility and used the remainder for general corporate purposes.

We may, at our option, redeem all or a portion of the 2026 Notes at any time on or after February 15, 2021. We are also entitled to redeem up to 35% of the aggregate principal amount of the 2026 Notes before February 15, 2021, with an amount of cash not greater than the net proceeds that we raise in certain equity offerings at a redemption price equal to 107% of the principal amount of the 2026 Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. In addition, prior to February 15, 2021, we may redeem some or all of the 2026 Notes at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount thereof, plus a “make-whole” premium, plus any accrued and unpaid interest. If we experience certain kinds of changes of control, holders of the 2026 Notes may have the right to require us to repurchase their notes at 101% of the principal amount of the 2026 Notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any.

The 2026 Notes are our senior unsecured obligations and rank equally in right of payment with all of our other senior indebtedness and senior to any of our subordinated indebtedness. The notes are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by us and will also be guaranteed by certain of our future subsidiaries (other than Berry LLC). The 2026 Notes and related guarantees are effectively subordinated to all of our secured indebtedness (including all borrowings and other obligations under our RBL Facility) to the extent of the value of the collateral securing such indebtedness, and structurally subordinated in right of payment to all existing and future indebtedness and other liabilities (including trade payables) of any future subsidiaries that do not guarantee the 2026 Notes.

The indenture governing the 2026 Notes contains restrictive covenants that may limit our ability to, among other things:


•	incur or guarantee additional indebtedness or issue certain types of preferred stock;


•	pay dividends on capital stock or redeem, repurchase or retire our capital stock or subordinated indebtedness;


•	transfer, sell or dispose of assets;


•	make investments;


•	create certain liens securing indebtedness;


•	enter into agreements that restrict dividends or other payments from our restricted subsidiaries to us;


•	consolidate, merge or transfer all or substantially all of our assets; and


•	engage in transactions with affiliates.

The indenture governing the 2026 Notes contains customary events of default, including, among others, (a) non-payment; (b) non-compliance with covenants (in some cases, subject to grace periods); (c) payment default under, or acceleration events affecting, material indebtedness and (d) bankruptcy or insolvency events involving us or certain of our subsidiaries. We were in compliance with all covenants as of December 31, 2019.

Bond Repurchase Program

In February 2020, our Board of Directors adopted a program for the opportunistic repurchase of up to $75 million of our bonds. The manner, timing and amount of any purchases will be determined based on our evaluation of market conditions, compliance with outstanding agreements and other factors, may be commenced or suspended at any time without notice and does not obligate Berry Corp. to purchase bonds during any period or at all.

Corporate Organization

Berry Corp., as Berry LLC's parent company, has no independent assets or operations. Any guarantees of potential future registered debt securities by Berry Corp. or Berry LLC would be full and unconditional. Berry Corp. and Berry LLC currently do not have any other subsidiaries. In addition, there are no significant restrictions upon the ability of Berry LLC to distribute funds to Berry Corp. by distribution or loan other than under the RBL Facility. None of the assets of Berry Corp. or Berry LLC represent restricted net assets.

The RBL permits Berry LLC to make distributions to Berry Corp. so long as both before and after giving pro forma effect to such distribution no default or borrowing base deficiency exists, availability equals or exceeds 15% of the then effective borrowing base, and Berry Corp. demonstrates a pro forma leverage ratio less than or equal to 2.75 to 1.00. The conditions are currently met with significant margin.