Sinclair Closes Refinancing and Extension of STG Credit Facilities

Rhea-AI Summary

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (SBGI) announced a Fourth Amendment to its Seventh Amended and Restated Credit Agreement. This amendment allows Sinclair Television Group, Inc. to incur $750 million in new term loans and refinance existing loans. The maturity date for $612.5 million of revolving commitments has been extended to April 21, 2027. The proceeds will be used to redeem senior notes due in 2026, with the new loans maturing on April 21, 2029, bearing interest at Term SOFR plus 3.75% or base rate plus 2.75%.

Positive

• Incurred $750 million in new term loans to refinance existing debt.
• Extended maturity for $612.5 million of revolving commitments to April 21, 2027.
• Redeeming outstanding 5.875% senior notes due 2026 improves financial position.

Negative

• None.

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. (“Sinclair” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SBGI) announced today that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Sinclair Television Group, Inc. (“STG”), has entered into the Fourth Amendment (“Fourth Amendment”) to its Seventh Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of August 23, 2019, as amended with JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as administrative agent, the guarantors party thereto and the lenders and other parties thereto, to, among other things, provide for the incurrence of new term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $750 million (the “Term B-4 Loans”), refinance all outstanding term B-1 loans and extend the maturity of $612.5 million of revolving commitments to April 21, 2027. The proceeds of the Term B-4 Loans are being used to refinance all of the existing term B-1 loans and to redeem STG’s outstanding 5.875% senior notes due 2026. The Term B-4 Loans will mature on April 21, 2029 and will bear interest, at the option of STG, at Term SOFR plus 3.75% (subject to customary credit spread adjustments) or at base rate plus 2.75%.

This description of the Fourth Amendment is only a summary, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete amendment, a copy of which will be filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an exhibit to a Current Report on Form 8-K.

Forward-Looking Statements:

The matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking statements regarding, among other things, future events and actions. When used in this news release, the words “outlook,” “intends to,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “achieves,” “estimates,” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results in the future could differ materially and adversely from those described in the forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including and in addition to the assumptions set forth therein, but not limited to: the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business operations, financial results and financial position and on the world economy, including the significant disruption to the operations of the professional sports leagues, need to provide rebates to our distributors related to canceled professional sporting events, and loss of advertising revenue due to postponement or cancellation of professional sporting events, and reduced consumer spending as a result of shelter in place and stay at home orders; our ability to generate cash to service our substantial indebtedness; successful execution of outsourcing agreements; the successful execution of retransmission consent agreements; the successful execution of network affiliation and distribution agreements; the successful execution of media rights agreements with professional sports teams; the impact of OTT and other emerging technologies and their potential impact on cord-cutting; the impact of distributors offering "skinny" programming bundles that may not include all programming of our networks; pricing and demand fluctuations in local and national advertising; the successful implementation and consumer adoption of our sports direct to consumer platform; volatility in programming costs; the market acceptance of new programming; our ability to identify and consummate acquisitions and investments, to manage increased leverage resulting from acquisitions and investments, and to achieve anticipated returns on those investments once consummated; the impact of pending and future litigation claims against the Company; the ongoing assessment of the October cybersecurity event, material legal, financial and reputational risks resulting from a breach of the Company's information systems, and operational disruptions due to the cybersecurity event; the impact of FCC and other regulatory proceedings against the Company, uncertainties associated with potential changes in the regulatory environment affecting our business and growth strategy; and any risk factors set forth in the Company's recent reports on Form 10-Q and/or Form 10-K, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. There can be no assurances that the assumptions and other factors referred to in this release will occur. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220421005981/en/

Investor Contacts:

Steve Zenker, VP, Investor Relations

Billie-Jo McIntire, Director, Investor Relations

(410) 568-1500



Media Contact:

Michael Padovano

mpadovano@5wpr.com

Source: Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc.

FAQ

What are the terms of Sinclair Broadcast Group's Fourth Amendment to its Credit Agreement?

The Fourth Amendment allows Sinclair Television Group to incur $750 million in new term loans, refinance existing loans, and extends maturity for $612.5 million of revolving commitments to April 21, 2027.

When will the new term loans for Sinclair Broadcast Group mature?

The new term loans will mature on April 21, 2029.

What will be the interest rate for Sinclair's new term loans?

The interest will be either Term SOFR plus 3.75% or base rate plus 2.75%.

How is Sinclair Broadcast Group using the proceeds from the new loans?

The proceeds will be used to refinance existing term B-1 loans and redeem 5.875% senior notes due in 2026.