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Debt | 12 Months Ended
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Sep. 24, 2017
Debt [Abstract] |
Debt Disclosure [Text Block] | DEBT On March 31, 2014, we completed a comprehensive refinancing of our debt (the"2014 Refinancing"), which included the following:
• | $400,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 9.5% Senior Secured Notes (the “Notes”), pursuant to an Indenture dated as of March 31, 2014 (the “Indenture”).
• | $250,000,000 first lien term loan (the "1 st Lien Term Loan") and $40,000,000 revolving facility (the "Revolving Facility") under a First Lien Credit Agreement dated as of March 31, 2014 (together the “1 st Lien Credit Facility”).
• | $150,000,000 second lien term loan under a Second Lien Loan Agreement dated as of March 31, 2014 (the “2 nd Lien Term Loan”).
Debt is summarized as follows:
|  |  | Interest Rates (%)
(Thousands of Dollars) | September 24 2017 |  | September 26 2016 |  | September 24 2017
Revolving Facility | — |  | — |  | 6.74
1 st Lien Term Loan | 45,145 |  | 101,304 |  | 7.49
Notes | 385,000 |  | 385,000 |  | 9.50
2 nd Lien Term Loan | 118,240 |  | 130,863 |  | 12.00
| 548,385 |  | 617,167 |  |
Unamortized debt issue costs | (21,824 | ) | (26,271 | ) |
Less current maturities of long-term debt | 30,182 |  | 25,070 |  |
Total long-term debt | 496,379 |  | 565,826 |  |
Our weighted average cost of debt, excluding amortization of debt financing costs at September 24, 2017, is 9.9%. At September 24, 2017, aggregate minimum required maturities of debt excluding amounts required to be paid from future excess cash flow computations total $30,182,000 in 2018, $20,145,000 in 2019, zero in 2020, zero in 2021, $385,000,000 in 2022 and $113,058,000 thereafter. Notes The Notes are senior secured obligations of the Company and mature on March 15, 2022. At September 24, 2017, the principal balance of the Notes totaled $385,000,000. Interest The Notes require payment of interest semiannually on March 15 and September 15 of each year, at a fixed annual rate of 9.5%. Redemption We may redeem some, or all, of the principal amount of the Notes at any time. Prior to March 15, 2018, we may redeem the Notes subject to a make whole provision for the interest through March 15, 2018. On or after March 15, 2018, we may redeem the Notes as follows:
Period Beginning | Percentage of Principal Amount
March 15, 2018 | 104.75
March 15, 2019 | 102.38
March 15, 2020 | 100.00
If we sell certain of our assets or experience specific kinds of changes of control, we must, subject to certain exceptions, offer to purchase the Notes at 101% of the principal amount. Any redemption of the Notes must also satisfy any accrued and unpaid interest thereon. We may repurchase Notes in the open market at any time. In the 52 weeks ended September 25, 2016, we purchased $15,000,000 principal amount of Notes in privately negotiated transactions which resulted in a gain on extinguishment of debt totaling $1,250,000. The gain is recorded in Other, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income. Covenants and Other Matters The Indenture and the 1 st Lien Credit Facility contains restrictive covenants as discussed more fully below. However, certain of these covenants will cease to apply if the Notes are rated investment grade by either Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group and there is no default or event of default under the Indenture. 1 st Lien Credit Facility The 1 st Lien Credit Facility consists of the $250,000,000 1 st Lien Term Loan that matures in March 2019 and the $40,000,000 Revolving Facility that matures in December 2018. The 1 st Lien Credit Facility documents the primary terms of the 1 st Lien Term Loan and the Revolving Facility. The Revolving Facility may be used for working capital and general corporate purposes (including letters of credit). At September 24, 2017, after consideration of letters of credit, we have approximately $33,818,000 available for future use under the Revolving Facility. Interest Interest on the 1 st Lien Term Loan, which has a principal balance of $45,145,000 at September 24, 2017, accrues, at our option, at either (A) LIBOR plus 6.25% (with a LIBOR floor of 1.0%) or (B) 5.25% plus the higher of (i) the prime rate at the time, (ii) the federal funds rate plus 0.5%, or (iii) one month LIBOR plus 1.0% (with a floor of 2.0%). Interest is payable quarterly. The 1 st Lien Term Loan was funded with an original issue discount of 2.0%, or $5,000,000, which is being amortized as debt financing and administration costs over the life of the 1 st Lien Term Loan. Interest on the Revolving Facility, which has a principal balance of zero at September 24, 2017, accrues, at our option, at either (A) LIBOR plus 5.5%, or (B) 4.5% plus the higher of (i) the prime rate at the time, (ii) the federal funds rate plus 0.5%, or (iii) one month LIBOR plus 1.0%. Principal Payments Quarterly principal payments of $6,250,000 are required under the 1 st Lien Term Loan, with additional payments required to be made based on 90% of excess cash flow of Lee Legacy ("Lee Legacy Excess Cash Flow"), as defined, or from proceeds of asset sales from our subsidiaries other than Pulitzer Inc. ("Pulitzer") and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Pulitzer Subsidiaries") which are not reinvested. For excess cash flow calculation purposes Lee Legacy constitutes the business of the Company, including MNI, but excluding Pulitzer and TNI. We may voluntarily prepay principal amounts outstanding or reduce commitments under the 1 st Lien Credit Facility at any time without premium or penalty, upon proper notice and subject to certain limitations as to minimum amounts of prepayments. Quarterly, the Company is required to prepare a Lee Legacy Excess Cash Flow calculation, which is generally determined as the cash earnings of our subsidiaries other than the Pulitzer Subsidiaries and includes adjustments for changes in working capital, capital spending, pension contributions, debt principal payments and income tax payments or refunds. Any excess cash flow as calculated is required to be paid to the 1 st Lien lenders 45 days after the end of the quarter. Lee Legacy Excess Cash Flow for the 13 weeks ended September 24, 2017 and payable in the 13 weeks ended December 24, 2017 was zero. 2017 principal payments made for the year under the 1 st Lien Term Loan are summarized as follows:
| 13 Weeks Ended
(Thousands of Dollars) | December 25 2016 |  | March 26 2017 |  | June 25 2017 |  | September 24 2017 |
Mandatory | 6,250 |  | 6,250 |  | 6,250 |  | 6,250 |
Voluntary | 11,000 |  | 7,500 |  | 5,000 |  | 6,000 |
Excess cash flow payment | 70 |  | — |  | — |  | 1,589 |
| 17,320 |  | 13,750 |  | 11,250 |  | 13,839 |
Covenants and Other Matters The 1 st Lien Credit Facility requires that we comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants customary for financing of this nature, including a maximum total leverage ratio, which is only applicable to the Revolving Facility. The 1 st Lien Credit Facility restricts us from paying dividends on our Common Stock. This restriction no longer applies if Lee Legacy leverage is below 3.25x before and after such payments. Further, the 1 st Lien Credit Facility restricts or limits, among other things, subject to certain exceptions, the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries to: (i) incur indebtedness, (ii) enter into mergers, acquisitions and asset sales, (iii) incur or create liens and (iv) enter into transactions with certain affiliates. The 1 st Lien Credit Facility contains various representations and warranties and may be terminated upon occurrence of certain events of default. The 1 st Lien Credit Facility also contains cross-default provisions tied to the terms of each of the Indenture and 2 nd Lien Term Loan. 2 nd Lien Term Loan The 2 nd Lien Term Loan, which has a balance of $118,240,000 at September 24, 2017, bears interest at a fixed annual rate of 12.0%, payable quarterly, and matures in December 2022. Principal Payments There are no scheduled mandatory amortization payments required under the 2 nd Lien Term Loan. Quarterly, we are required to prepare a calculation of excess cash flow of the Pulitzer Subsidiaries ("Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow"). Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow is generally determined as the cash earnings of the Pulitzer Subsidiaries including adjustments for changes in working capital, capital spending, pension contributions, debt principal payments and income tax payments. Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow also includes a deduction for interest costs incurred under the 2 nd Lien Term Loan. Prior to March 31, 2017, we were required to offer the Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow to the 2nd Lien Lenders to prepay the 2nd Lien Term Loan at par, which payment the 2nd Lien Lenders could accept or reject. After March 31, 2017, the 2nd Lien Lenders can not reject, and Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow is used to prepay the 2nd Lien Term Loan, at par. Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow payments are required to be paid 45 days after the end of the quarter. Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow and the related payments on the 2 nd Lien Term Loan for the previous four quarters are as follows:
For the Period Ending (Thousands of Dollars) | Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow |  | Payment Date | Payment Amount (not rejected) |
September 25, 2016 | — |  | Q1 2017 | — |
December 25, 2016 | 930 |  | Q2 2017 | 174 |
March 26, 2017 | 4,488 |  | Q3 2017 | 4,488 |
June 25, 2017 | 5,549 |  | Q4 2017 | 5,549 |
For the 13 weeks ended September 24, 2017, Pulitzer Excess Cash Flow totaled $5,182,000, and was paid in November 2017, at par. Subject to certain other conditions in the 2 nd Lien Term Loan, the balance of the 2 nd Lien Term Loan will be repaid at par from proceeds from asset sales by the Pulitzer Subsidiaries that are not reinvested. For the 52 weeks ended September 24, 2017 and September 25, 2016, we repaid $2,412,000 and $8,119,000, respectively, on the 2 nd Lien Term Loan, at par, with net proceeds from the sale of Pulitzer assets. Voluntary payments under the 2 nd Lien Term Loan are subject to call premiums as follows:
Period Beginning | Percentage of Principal Amount
March 31, 2017 | 106
March 31, 2018 | 103
March 31, 2019 | 100
Covenants and Other Matters The 2 nd Lien Term Loan requires that we comply with certain affirmative and negative covenants customary for financing of this nature, including the negative covenants under the 1 st Lien Credit Facility discussed above. The 2 nd Lien Term Loan contains various representations and warranties and may be terminated upon occurrence of certain events of default. The 2 nd Lien Term Loan also contains cross-default provisions tied to the terms of the Indenture and 1 st Lien Credit Facility. In connection with the 2 nd Lien Term Loan, we entered into a Warrant Agreement dated as of March 31, 2014 (the “Warrant Agreement”). Under the Warrant Agreement, certain affiliates or designees of the 2 nd Lien Lenders received on March 31, 2014 their pro rata share of warrants to purchase, in cash, an initial aggregate of 6,000,000 shares of Common Stock, subject to adjustment pursuant to anti-dilution provisions (the “Warrants”). The Warrants represent, when fully exercised, approximately 10.1% of shares of Common Stock outstanding at March 30, 2014 on a fully diluted basis. The exercise price of the Warrants is $4.19 per share. The Warrant Agreement contains a cash settlement provision in the event of a change of control prior to March 31, 2018 as well as other provisions requiring the Warrants to be measured at fair value and included in warrants and other liabilities in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We remeasure the fair value of the liability each reporting period, with changes reported in other, net non-operating income (expense). The initial fair value of the Warrants was $16,930,000. See Note 8 and Note 11. In connection with the issuance of the Warrants, we entered into a Registration Rights Agreement dated as of March 31, 2014 (the “Registration Rights Agreement”). The Registration Rights Agreement requires, among other matters, that we use our commercially reasonable efforts to maintain the effectiveness for certain specified periods of a shelf registration statement related to the shares of Common Stock to be issued upon exercise of the Warrants. Security The Notes and the 1 st Lien Credit Facility are fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several first-priority basis by each of the Company's material domestic subsidiaries, excluding MNI, the Pulitzer Subsidiaries and TNI (the "Lee Legacy Assignors"), pursuant to a first lien guarantee and collateral agreement dated as of March 31, 2014 (the "1 st Lien Guarantee and Collateral Agreement"). The Notes, the 1 st Lien Credit Facility and the subsidiary guarantees are secured, subject to certain exceptions, priorities and limitations, by perfected security interests in all property and assets, including certain real estate, of the Lee Legacy Assignors, other than the capital stock of MNI and any property and assets of MNI (the “Lee Legacy Collateral”), on a first-priority basis, equally and ratably with all of the Lee Legacy Assignors' existing and future obligations. The Lee Legacy Collateral includes, among other things, equipment, inventory, accounts receivables, depository accounts, intellectual property and certain of their other tangible and intangible assets. Also, the Notes and the 1 st Lien Credit Facility are secured, subject to certain exceptions, priorities and limitations in the various agreements, by first-priority security interests in the capital stock of, and other equity interests owned by, the Lee Legacy Assignors (excluding the capital stock of MNI). The Notes and 1 st Lien Credit Facility are subject to a Pari Passu Intercreditor Agreement dated March 31, 2014. The Notes, the 1 st Lien Credit Facility and the subsidiary guarantees are also secured, subject to permitted liens, by a second-priority security interest in the property and assets of the Pulitzer Subsidiaries that become subsidiary guarantors (the "Pulitzer Assignors") other than assets of or used in the operations or business of TNI (collectively, the “Pulitzer Collateral”). In June 2015 the Pulitzer Assignors became a party to the 1 st Lien Guarantee and Collateral Agreement on a second lien basis. Also, the Notes and the 1 st Lien Credit Facility are secured, subject to certain exceptions, priorities, and limitations in the various agreements, by second-priority security interests in the capital stock of, and other equity interests in, the Pulitzer Assignors and Star Publishing’s interest in TNI. The 2 nd Lien Term Loan is fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a joint and several first-priority basis by the Pulitzer Assignors, pursuant to a Second Lien Guarantee and Collateral Agreement dated as of March 31, 2014 (the “2 nd Lien Guarantee and Collateral Agreement”) among the Pulitzer Assignors and the 2 nd Lien collateral agent. Under the 2 nd Lien Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the Pulitzer Assignors have granted (i) first-priority security interests, subject to certain priorities and limitations in the various agreements, in the Pulitzer Collateral and (ii) have granted first-priority lien mortgages or deeds of trust covering certain real estate, as collateral for the payment and performance of their obligations under the 2 nd Lien Term Loan. Also, under the 2 nd Lien Guarantee and Collateral Agreement, the Lee Legacy Assignors have granted (i) second-priority security interests, subject to certain priorities and limitations in the various agreements, in the Lee Legacy Collateral, and (ii) have granted second-priority lien mortgages or deeds of trust covering certain real estate, as collateral for the payment and performance of their obligations under the 2 nd Lien Term Loan. Assets of, or used in the operations or business of, MNI are excluded. The rights of each of the collateral agents with respect to the Lee Legacy Collateral and the Pulitzer Collateral are subject to customary intercreditor and intercompany agreements. Other In connection with the 2014 Refinancing, we capitalized $37,819,000 of debt financing costs. Amortization of debt financing costs totaled $4,447,000, $5,541,000 and $4,693,000 in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Amortization of such costs is estimated to total $4,109,000 in 2018, $3,962,000 in 2019, $4,025,000 in 2020, $4,200,000 in 2021 and $4,390,000 in 2022. At September 24, 2017, we have $21,824,000 of unamortized debt financing costs recorded as a reduction of Long-term debt in our Consolidated Balance Sheets. In April 2015, the FASB issued a new standard for the presentation of debt issuance costs. The new standard streamlined the balance sheet presentation of debt related valuations. Debt issuance costs were previously recognized as deferred charges and presented as an asset while debt discounts and premiums are treated as adjustments to the related debt. Under the new standard, debt issuance costs are now recognized as reductions to the related debt. The adoption of this standard reclassified certain amounts within our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We adopted the new standard in 2017, as required, and adopted this standard retrospectively. As a result, we have reclassified $26,271,000 of Other long-term assets to a reduction of long-term debt, net of current maturities in the September 25, 2016 Consolidated Balance Sheet. Liquidity At September 24, 2017, after consideration of letters of credit, we have approximately $33,818,000 available for future use under our Revolving Facility. Including cash, our liquidity at September 24, 2017 totals $44,439,000. This liquidity amount excludes any future cash flows. We expect all interest and principal payments due in the next twelve months will be satisfied by existing cash and our cash flows, which will allow us to maintain an adequate level of liquidity. The Warrants, if and when exercised, would provide additional liquidity in an amount up to $25,140,000 subject to a reduction for any amounts the Company may elect to use to repay our 1 st Lien Term Loan and/or the Notes. Final maturities of our debt range from December 2018 through December 2022. There are numerous potential consequences under the Notes, 1 st Lien Credit Facility and 2 nd Lien Term Loan, if an event of default, as defined, occurs and is not remedied. Many of those consequences are beyond our control. The occurrence of one or more events of default would give rise to the right of the applicable lender(s) to exercise their remedies under the Notes, 1 st Lien Credit Facility and 2 nd Lien Term Loan, respectively, including, without limitation, the right to accelerate all outstanding debt and take actions authorized in such circumstances under applicable collateral security documents. Our ability to operate as a going concern is dependent on our ability to remain in compliance with debt covenants and to repay, refinance or amend our debt agreements as they become due. The Notes, 1 st Lien Credit Facility and 2 nd Lien Term Loan have only limited affirmative covenants with which we are required to maintain compliance. We are in compliance with our debt covenants at September 24, 2017.

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