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Credit Agreement and Long-Term Debt
 12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2025
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Credit Agreement and Long-Term Debt

Note 8—Credit Agreement and Long-Term Debt

Credit Agreement

In connection with our purchase of MTEX, on May 6, 2024, we entered a Third Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (the “Third Amendment”) with Bank of America, N.A., as lender (the “Lender”). The Third Amendment amended the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of July 30, 2020, as amended by the First Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of March 24, 2021, the LIBOR Transition Amendment, dated as of December 14, 2021, the Second Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement dated as of August 4, 2022, and the Joinder Agreement relating to our subsidiary Astro Machine Corporation (“Astro Machine”) dated as of August 26, 2022 (as so amended, the “Existing Credit Agreement”; the Existing Credit Agreement as amended by the Third Amendment, (the “Amended Credit Agreement”), between AstroNova, Inc. as the borrower, Astro Machine as a guarantor, and the Lender.

The Amended Credit Agreement provides for (i) a new term loan to AstroNova, Inc. in the principal amount of EUR 14.0 million (the “Term A-2 Loan”), which term loan is in addition to the existing term loan (the “Term Loan”) outstanding under the Existing Credit Agreement in the principal amount of approximately $12.3 million as of the effective date of the Third Amendment, and (ii) an increase in the aggregate principal amount of the revolving credit facility available to AstroNova, Inc. from $25.0 million to $30.0 million until January 31, 2025, upon and after which the aggregate principal amount of the revolving credit facility reduces to $25.0 million. At the closing of the Third Amendment, we borrowed the entire EUR 14.0 million Term A-2 Loan, EUR 3.0 million under the revolving credit facility and a US dollar amount under the revolving credit facility that was converted to Euros to satisfy the

entire purchase price payable on the closing date pursuant to the purchase agreement for our purchase of MTEX. The revolving credit facility may otherwise be used for general corporate purposes.

The Amended Credit Agreement requires that the Term A-2 Loan be paid in quarterly installments on the last day of each of our fiscal quarters through April 30, 2027 in the principal amount of EUR 583,333 each, and the entire then-remaining principal balance of the Term A-2 Loan is required to be paid on August 4, 2027. The Amended Credit Agreement requires that the remaining balance of the Term Loan be paid in quarterly installments on the last day of each of our fiscal quarters through April 30, 2027 in the principal amount of $675,000 each, and the entire then remaining principal balance of the Term Loan is required to be paid on August 4, 2027. We may voluntarily prepay the Term A-2 Term Loan or the Term Loan, in whole or in part, from time to time without premium or penalty (other than customary breakage costs, if applicable). We may repay borrowings under the revolving credit facility at any time without premium or penalty (other than customary breakage costs, if applicable), but in any event no later than August 4, 2027, and any outstanding revolving loans thereunder will be due and payable in full, and the revolving credit facility will terminate, on such date. We may reduce or terminate the revolving line of credit at any time, subject to certain thresholds and conditions, without premium or penalty.

The Term A-2 Loan bears interest at a rate per annum equal to the EURIBOR rate as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement, plus a margin that varies within a range of 1.60% to 2.50% based on our consolidated leverage ratio. The Term Loan and revolving credit loans bear interest at a rate per annum equal to, at our option, either (a) the Term SOFR rate as defined in the Amended Credit Agreement (or, in the case of revolving credit loans denominated in Euros or another currency other than U.S. Dollars, the applicable quoted rate), plus a margin that varies within a range of 1.60% to 2.50% based on our consolidated leverage ratio, or (b) a fluctuating reference rate equal to the highest of (i) the federal fund rate plus 0.50%, (ii) Bank of America’s publicly announced prime rate, (iii) the Term SOFR rate plus 1.00%, or (iv) 0.50%, plus a margin that varies within a range of 0.60% to 1.50% based on our consolidated leverage ratio. In addition to certain other fees and expenses that we are required to pay to the Lender, we are required to pay a commitment fee on the undrawn portion of the revolving credit facility that varies within a range of 0.15% and 0.35% based on our consolidated leverage ratio.

The loans under the Amended Credit Agreement are subject to certain mandatory prepayments, subject to various exceptions, from net cash proceeds from certain dispositions of property, certain issuances of equity, certain issuances of additional debt and certain extraordinary receipts.

Amounts repaid under the revolving credit facility may be reborrowed, subject to our continued compliance with the Amended Credit Agreement. No amount of the Term A-2 Loan or the Term Loan that is repaid may be reborrowed.

We must comply with various customary financial and non-financial covenants under the Amended Credit Agreement. The financial covenants under the Amended Credit Agreement consist of a maximum consolidated leverage ratio and a minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio, certain of the provisions of which were modified by the Third Amendment; the minimum consolidated asset coverage ratio under the Existing Credit Agreement was eliminated by the Third Amendment. The primary non-financial covenants limit our and our subsidiaries’ ability to incur future indebtedness, to place liens on assets, to pay dividends or distributions on our or our subsidiaries’ capital stock, to repurchase or acquire our or our subsidiaries’ capital stock, to conduct mergers or acquisitions, to sell assets, to alter our or our subsidiaries’ capital structure, to make investments and loans, to change the nature of our or our subsidiaries’ business, and to prepay subordinated indebtedness, in each case subject to certain exceptions and thresholds as set forth in the Amended Credit Agreement, certain of which provisions were modified by the Third Amendment. As of January 31, 2025, we were not in compliance with the Amended Credit Agreement, as a result of our failure to comply with the maximum consolidated leverage ratio and the minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio in effect for our fiscal measurement period ended January 31, 2025.

The Lender is entitled to accelerate repayment of the loans and to terminate its revolving credit commitment under the Amended Credit Agreement upon the occurrence of any of various customary events of default, which include, among other events, the following (which are subject, in some cases, to certain grace periods): failure to pay when due any principal, interest or other amounts in respect of the loans, breach of any of our covenants or representations under the loan documents, default under any other of our or our subsidiaries’ significant indebtedness agreements, a bankruptcy, insolvency or similar event with respect to us or any of our subsidiaries, a significant unsatisfied judgment against us or any of our subsidiaries, or a change of control.

Our obligations under the Amended Credit Agreement continue to be secured by substantially all of our personal property assets (including a pledge of the equity interests we hold in ANI Scandinavia ApS, AstroNova GmbH, AstroNova SAS and the Purchaser), subject to certain exceptions, and by a mortgage on our owned real property in West Warwick, Rhode Island, and are guaranteed by, and secured by substantially all of the personal property assets of, Astro Machine.

Subsequent to the end of fiscal 2025, on March 20, 2025, we entered into a Fourth Amendment to Amended and Restated Credit Agreement with Bank of America (the “Fourth Amendment”), which further amended the Amended Credit Agreement. The Fourth Amendment also provided a waiver of the events of default that had occurred under the Amended Credit Agreement as a result of our failure to comply with the maximum consolidated leverage ratio and the minimum consolidated fixed charge coverage ratio in effect

thereunder for our fiscal measurement period ended January 31, 2025 as described above. See Note 24, “Subsequent Events” for further information regarding the Fourth Amendment.

Equipment Financing

In January 2024, we entered into a secured equipment loan facility agreement with Banc of America Leasing & Capital, LLC and borrowed a principal amount of $0.8 million thereunder for the purpose of financing our purchase of production equipment. This loan matures on January 23, 2029, and bears interest at a fixed rate of 7.06%. Under this loan agreement, equal monthly payments including principal and interest of $16,296 commenced on February 23, 2024 and will continue through the maturity of the equipment loan facility on January 23, 2029.

Assumed Financing Obligations of MTEX

In connection with our acquisition of MTEX, on the May 6, 2024 closing date of this acquisition we assumed certain existing financing obligations of MTEX that remain outstanding as of November 2, 2024. The long-term debt obligations of MTEX that remain outstanding include a term loan (the “MTEX Term Loan”) pursuant to an agreement dated December 22, 2023 (the “MTEX Term Loan Agreement”) between MTEX and Caixa Central de Crédito Agricola Mutuo. The MTEX Term Loan, which provides for a term loan in the principal amount of EUR 1.5 million ($1.6 million) and bears interest at a fixed rate of 6.022% per annum, requires monthly principal and interest payments totaling EUR 17,402 ($18,795) commencing in October 2024 and continuing through maturity on December 21, 2033.

MTEX has also received government assistance in the form of interest-free loans from government agencies located in Portugal (the “MTEX Government Grant Term Loans”). The MTEX Government Grant Term Loans are to be repaid to the applicable government agencies and are classified as long-term debt. The current balance of the MTEX Government Grants Term Loans as of January 31, 2025 is $0.9 million. The MTEX Government Grant Term Loans provide interest-free financing so long as monthly principal payments are made. In the event that MTEX and the applicable government agency renegotiate the payment dates, interest will be calculated according to a rate determined by the government agency as of the date of renegotiation and added to the outstanding principal payments. The MTEX Government Grant Term Loans mature at different dates through January 2027.

Additionally, we assumed short-term financing obligations of MTEX, including letters of credit, maturing term loans, and financing arrangements for working capital classified as debt. As of January 31, 2025, $0.6 million of the short-term debt obligation assumed in the purchase of MTEX remains outstanding.

Revolving Credit Facilities

At January 31, 2025, we had a principal balance of $20.5 million outstanding under our revolving credit facility under the Amended Credit Agreement. The balance outstanding under the revolving credit facility bore interest at a weighted average rate of 7.28% and 7.70% for the years ended January 31, 2025 and January 31, 2024, respectively, and we incurred $1.0 million and $1.2 million for interest on these obligations during the years ended January 31, 2025 and January 31, 2024, respectively. Commitment fees on the undrawn portion of our revolving credit facility of $42,000 and $30,000 were incurred for the years ended January 31, 2025 and 2024, respectively. Both the interest expense and commitment fees are included as interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of income (loss) for all periods presented. At January 31, 2025, $4.5 million remained available for borrowing under our revolving credit facility. Additionally, MTEX has a EUR 0.5 million ($0.5 million) available line of credit with Caixa Central de Crédito Agricola Mutuo. This credit line was established in December 2023 and is renewable every six months. There was EUR 0.4 million ($0.4 million) outstanding on this line of credit as of January 31, 2025.

Long-Term Debt

Long-term debt in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets is as follows:

 

 

January 31,

 

(In thousands)

 

2025

 

 

2024

 

USD Term Loan 6.90% as of January 31, 2025 and 7.56% as
of January 31, 2024); maturity date of August 4, 2027

 

$

9,450

 

 

$

12,150

 

Euro Term A-2 Loan (5.38% as of January 31, 2025);
maturity date of August 4, 2027

 

 

12,719

 

 

 

—

 

MTEX Euro Term Loan (6.022% Fixed Rate as of January 31, 2025);
maturity date of December 21, 2033

 

 

1,514

 

 

 

—

 

MTEX Euro Government Grant Term Loan (0% as of January 31, 2025);
maturity dates through January 2027

 

 

876

 

 

 

—

 

Equipment Loan (7.06% Fixed Rate); maturity date of January 23, 2029

 

 

680

 

 

 

822

 

    Total Debt

 

 

25,239

 

 

 

12,972

 

    Less: Debt Issuance Costs, net of accumulated amortization

 

 

85

 

 

 

80

 

             Current Portion of Debt

 

 

6,110

 

 

 

2,842

 

Long-Term Debt

 

$

19,044

 

 

$

10,050

 

 

During the years ended January 31, 2025, 2024 and 2023, we recognized $1.6 million, $1.0 million, and $0.6 million of interest expense on our long-term debt, respectively, which was included in interest expense in the accompanying consolidated statement of income (loss) for all periods presented.

The schedule of required principal payments remaining on our long-term debt outstanding as of January 31, 2025 is as follows:

 

(In thousands)

 

 

 

Fiscal 2026

 

$

6,110

 

Fiscal 2027

 

 

5,595

 

Fiscal 2028

 

 

12,258

 

Fiscal 2029

 

 

348

 

Fiscal 2030

 

 

928

 

 

$

25,239