Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation Announces Renewal of Five-Year Credit Facility

Rhea-AI Summary

Big 5 Sporting Goods (Nasdaq: BGFV) has announced the renewal of its credit facility with Bank of America. The new five-year agreement, extending through December 2029, provides a secured revolving credit facility with committed availability of up to $150 million, with potential increases of up to $50 million for a total of $200 million. The facility's interest rates will be based on SOFR rates or Bank of America's prime rate, plus margins ranging from 1.75% to 2.125% for SOFR loans and 0.75% to 1.125% for base rate loans. This renewal aims to provide financial flexibility for the company's operations in the current retail environment.

Positive

• Secured $150 million revolving credit facility with potential increase to $200 million
• Extended credit facility term for five years until December 2029
• Maintained relationship with major financial institution (Bank of America)
• Enhanced financial flexibility for operations

Negative

• None.

Insights

Financial Analyst

The $150 million credit facility renewal with Bank of America represents a important financial lifeline for Big 5 Sporting Goods, particularly given its small market cap of $39.6 million. The facility's terms are relatively favorable in the current high-rate environment, with SOFR-based margins ranging from 1.75% to 2.125% and base rate margins between 0.75% and 1.125%. The potential for an additional $50 million expansion provides important operational flexibility. However, this high credit-to-market-cap ratio signals significant leverage and potential financial stress. The zero interest rate floor provision offers some protection against negative rates but suggests defensive positioning by the lender. For retail investors, this agreement is a double-edged sword - while it provides essential working capital through 2029, it also highlights the company's heavy reliance on debt financing, which could be concerning given the challenging retail environment and the company's modest market capitalization.

Retail Industry Expert

This credit facility renewal emerges at a critical juncture for Big 5 amidst a transforming retail landscape. The $150 million commitment dwarfs the company's market value, indicating both significant banking confidence and potential operational challenges. Modern sporting goods retail requires substantial inventory management and digital infrastructure investment - this facility provides the financial backbone for such initiatives. The extended five-year term through 2029 offers vital breathing room for strategic planning and potential market repositioning. However, the tiered interest rate structure based on availability and covenant compliance suggests careful monitoring of Big 5's operational performance by Bank of America. The facility's size relative to market cap raises questions about the company's competitive position in an industry increasingly dominated by larger, more digitally-savvy competitors.

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (Nasdaq: BGFV) (the “Company,” “we,” “our,” “us,” “Big 5”), a leading sporting goods retailer, announced today that it has entered into an agreement to amend and extend its credit facility with Bank of America, N. A. (“Bank of America”), as administrative agent and lender (the “Loan Agreement”).

Barry Emerson, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer, stated, “We are pleased to renew our credit facility, and appreciate the continued support of Bank of America. This multi-year facility is expected to help provide financial flexibility to manage our business through the current dynamic retail environment and over the long-term.”

The Loan Agreement, which replaces the Company’s prior financing agreement with Bank of America, has a five-year term that matures in December 2029, and provides for a secured revolving credit facility with aggregate committed availability of up to $150 million. The Company may request additional increases in aggregate availability, which Bank of America has the option to provide, of up to $50 million, for an aggregate availability of up to $200 million. Loans under the new credit facility will bear interest based on SOFR rates or a specified base rate (generally Bank of America’s prime rate), plus a margin that is determined based on the remaining availability under the credit line and satisfaction of financial covenants. The margin on SOFR rate loans ranges from 1.75% to 2.125% and the margin on base rate loans ranges from 0.75% to 1.125%, subject to interest rate floors of zero.

The Company will be filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission a Current Report on Form 8-K, which will include additional details about the Loan Agreement.

About Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation

Big 5 is a leading sporting goods retailer in the western United States, currently operating 422 stores under the “Big 5 Sporting Goods” name. Big 5 provides a full-line product offering in a traditional sporting goods store format that averages 12,000 square feet. Big 5’s product mix includes athletic shoes, apparel and accessories, as well as a broad selection of outdoor and athletic equipment for team sports, fitness, camping, hunting, fishing, home recreation, tennis, golf, and winter and summer recreation.

Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking and made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause Big 5’s actual results in current or future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. These risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the economic impacts of COVID-19, including any potential variants, on Big 5’s business operations, including as a result of regulations that may be issued in response to COVID-19, global supply chain disruptions resulting from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and the Middle East, changes in the consumer spending environment, fluctuations in consumer holiday spending patterns, increased competition from e-commerce retailers, breach of data security or other unauthorized disclosure of sensitive personal or confidential information, the competitive environment in the sporting goods industry in general and in Big 5’s specific market areas, inflation, product availability and growth opportunities, changes in the current market for (or regulation of) firearm-related products, a reduction or loss of product from a key supplier, disruption in product flow, seasonal fluctuations, weather conditions, changes in cost of goods, operating expense fluctuations, increases in labor and benefit-related expense, changes in laws or regulations, including those related to tariffs and duties, as well as environmental, social and governance issues, public health issues (including those caused by COVID-19 or any potential variants), impacts from civil unrest or widespread vandalism, lower than expected profitability of Big 5’s e-commerce platform or cannibalization of sales from Big 5’s existing store base which could occur as a result of operating the e-commerce platform, litigation risks, stockholder campaigns and proxy contests, risks related to Big 5’s historically leveraged financial condition, changes in interest rates, credit availability, higher expense associated with sources of credit resulting from uncertainty in financial markets, our ability to reverse valuation allowances on deferred tax assets, and economic conditions in general. Those and other risks and uncertainties are more fully described in Big 5’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Big 5 conducts its business in a highly competitive and rapidly changing environment. Accordingly, new risk factors may arise. It is not possible for management to predict all such risk factors, nor to assess the impact of all such risk factors on Big 5’s business or the extent to which any individual risk factor, or combination of factors, may cause results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Big 5 undertakes no obligation to revise or update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by it or on its behalf.

Contact:

Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation
Barry Emerson
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
(310) 536-0611

ICR, Inc.
Jeff Sonnek
Managing Director
(646) 277-1263

FAQ

What is the size of Big 5 Sporting Goods' (BGFV) new credit facility?

The new credit facility provides up to $150 million in committed availability, with potential increases of up to $50 million for a total of $200 million.

When does BGFV's new credit facility expire?

The new credit facility has a five-year term that matures in December 2029.

What are the interest rates for BGFV's new credit facility?

The facility's interest rates include SOFR rate loans with margins of 1.75% to 2.125% and base rate loans with margins of 0.75% to 1.125%, subject to zero interest rate floors.

Who is the lender for BGFV's new credit facility?

Bank of America, N.A. serves as both the administrative agent and lender for the credit facility.

How does the new credit facility benefit BGFV's operations?

The multi-year facility provides financial flexibility to manage the business through the current dynamic retail environment and over the long-term.