Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Debt

v2.4.0.8
Debt
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt
Debt
 
Debt Summary

Our debt consisted of the following (dollars in thousands):
 
Maximum
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Availability at
 
Carrying Value at
 
 
 
Scheduled Maturity
 
December 31,
2013
 
December 31,
2013
 
December 31,
2012
 
Stated Interest Rates at
 
as of
 
 
 
 
December 31, 2013
 
December 31, 2013
Mortgage and Other Secured Loans:
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
Fixed rate mortgage loans (1)
(2)
 
$
675,060

 
$
948,414

 
3.96% - 7.87% (3)
 
2014-2024
Variable rate secured loan


 
37,691

 
38,475

 
LIBOR + 2.25% (4)
 
November 2015
Other construction loan facilities


 

 
29,557

 
N/A
 
N/A
Total mortgage and other secured loans
 

 
712,751

 
1,016,446

 
 
 
 
Revolving Credit Facility (5)
$
800,000

 

 

 
LIBOR + 0.975% to 1.75%
 
July 2017
Term Loan Facilities (5)
(6)
 
620,000

 
770,000

 
LIBOR + 1.10% to 2.60% (7)
 
2015-2019
Unsecured Senior Notes (5)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.600% Senior Notes


 
347,244

 

 
3.60%
 
May 2023
5.250% Senior Notes


 
245,445

 

 
5.25%
 
February 2024
Unsecured notes payable


 
1,700

 
1,788

 
0% (8)
 
2026
4.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes (5)


 
563

 
230,934

 
4.25%
 
April 2030
Total debt
 

 
$
1,927,703

 
$
2,019,168

 
 
 
 

(1)  
Several of the fixed rate mortgages carry interest rates that were above or below market rates upon assumption and therefore were recorded at their fair value based on applicable effective interest rates.  The carrying values of these loans reflect net unamortized premiums totaling $69,000 at December 31, 2013 and $1.3 million at December 31, 2012.
(2)
Includes $13.9 million balance on construction loans with maximum available borrowings of $26.2 million.
(3)
The weighted average interest rate on these loans was 6.14% at December 31, 2013.
(4) 
The interest rate on the loan outstanding was 2.42% at December 31, 2013.
(5)
Refer to the paragraphs below for further disclosure.
(6)  
As discussed below, we have the ability to borrow an aggregate of an additional $180.0 million under these term loan facilities, provided that there is no default under the facilities and subject to the approval of the lenders.
(7) 
The weighted average interest rate on these loans was 1.79% at December 31, 2013.
(8)  
These notes carry interest rates that were below market rates upon assumption and therefore were recorded at their fair value based on applicable effective interest rates.  The carrying value of these notes reflects an unamortized discount totaling $761,000 at December 31, 2013 and $873,000 at December 31, 2012.

All debt is owed by the Operating Partnership. While COPT is not directly obligated by any debt, it has guaranteed our Revolving Credit Facility, Term Loan Facilities, Unsecured Senior Notes and 4.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes.

Certain of our debt instruments require that we comply with a number of restrictive financial covenants, including maximum leverage ratio, unencumbered leverage ratio, minimum net worth, minimum fixed charge coverage, minimum unencumbered interest coverage ratio, minimum debt service and maximum secured indebtedness ratio. In addition, the terms of some of COPLP’s debt may limit its ability to make certain types of payments and other distributions to COPT in the event of default or when such payments or distributions may prompt failure of debt covenants.  As of December 31, 2013, we were within the compliance requirements of these financial covenants.

Our debt matures on the following schedule (in thousands):
2014
$
89,483

 
2015
395,969

(1)
2016
279,339

 
2017
405,615

(2)
2018
1,374

 
Thereafter
763,938

 
Total
$
1,935,718

(3)
(1) Includes $250.0 million that may be extended for two one-year periods at our option, subject to certain conditions.
(2) Includes $250.0 million that may be extended for one year at our option, subject to certain conditions.
(3) Represents scheduled principal amortization and maturities only and therefore excludes net discounts of $8.0 million.

We capitalized interest costs of $8.8 million in 2013, $13.9 million in 2012 and $17.4 million in 2011.

The following table sets forth information pertaining to the fair value of our debt (in thousands):
 
December 31, 2013
 
December 31, 2012
 
Carrying
 
Estimated
 
Carrying
 
Estimated
 
Amount
 
Fair Value
 
Amount
 
Fair Value
Fixed-rate debt
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Unsecured Senior Notes
$
592,689

 
$
575,374

 
$

 
$

4.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes
563

 
575

 
230,934

 
240,282

Other fixed-rate debt
676,760

 
650,997

 
950,202

 
968,180

Variable-rate debt
657,691

 
657,527

 
838,032

 
845,558

 
$
1,927,703

 
$
1,884,473

 
$
2,019,168

 
$
2,054,020



Revolving Credit Facility

In 2011, we entered into a credit agreement providing for an unsecured revolving credit facility (the “Revolving Credit Facility”) with a group of lenders for which J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and KeyBanc Capital Markets acted as join lead arrangers and joint book runners, KeyBank National Association acted as administrative agent and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. and Bank of America, N.A. acted as co-syndication agents. We subsequently amended the Revolving Credit Facility on July 16, 2013. The lenders’ aggregate commitment under the facility is $800.0 million, with the ability for us to increase the lenders’ aggregate commitment to $1.3 billion, provided that there is no default under the facility and subject to the approval of the lenders. Amounts available under the facility are computed based on 60% of our unencumbered asset value, as defined in the agreement.  The facility matures on July 1, 2017, and may be extended by one year at our option, provided that there is no default under the facility and we pay an extension fee of 0.15% of the total availability under the facility. The interest rate on the facility is based on LIBOR (customarily the 30-day rate) plus 0.975% to 1.750%, as determined by the credit ratings assigned to COPLP by Standard & Poor’s Rating Services, Moody’s Investor Services, Inc. or Fitch Ratings Ltd. (collectively, the “Ratings Agencies”). The facility also carries a quarterly fee that is based on the lenders’ aggregate commitment under the facility multiplied by a per annum rate of 0.125% to 0.350%, as determined by the credit ratings assigned to COPLP by the Ratings Agencies. As of December 31, 2013, the maximum borrowing capacity under this facility totaled $800.0 million, of which $784.6 million was available.

Weighted average borrowings under our Revolving Credit Facilities totaled $55.5 million in 2013 and $276.5 million in 2012. The weighted average interest rate on our Revolving Credit Facilities was 1.74% in 2013 and 2.27% in 2012.

Term Loan Facilities

Effective September 1, 2011, we entered into an unsecured term loan agreement with the same group of lenders as the Revolving Credit Facility under which we borrowed $400.0 million, with a right for us to borrow an additional $100.0 million, provided that there is no default under the agreement and subject to the approval of the lenders. In 2013, we amended this term loan and terminated all but $250.0 million of the loan balance. The term loan matures on September 1, 2015, and may be extended by two one-year periods at our option, provided that there is no default and we pay an extension fee of 0.15% of the total availability of the agreement. The variable interest rate on the term loan is based on LIBOR rate (customarily the 30-day rate) plus 1.10% to 2.00%, as determined by the credit ratings assigned to COPLP by the Ratings Agencies.

Effective February 14, 2012, we entered into an unsecured term loan agreement with a group of lenders for which J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and KeyBank Capital Markets acted as joint lead arrangers and joint book runners, KeyBank National Association acted as administrative agent and JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. acted as syndication agent.  We borrowed $250.0 million under the term loan.  In 2013, we amended this term loan. The term loan matures on February 14, 2017, and may be extended by one year at our option, provided that there is no default and we pay an extension fee of 0.15% of the total availability of the agreement.  The variable interest rate on the loan is based on the LIBOR rate (customarily the 30-day rate) plus 1.10% to 2.00%, as determined by the credit ratings assigned to COPLP by the Ratings Agencies.

Effective August 3, 2012, we entered into an unsecured term loan agreement with a group of lenders for which Wells Fargo Securities, LLC acted as sole arranger and sole book runner, Wells Fargo Bank, National Association acted as administrative agent and Capital One, N.A. acted as documentation agent.  We borrowed $120.0 million under the term loan, with the ability for us to borrow an additional $80.0 million, provided that there is no default under the loan and subject to the approval of the lenders.  The term loan matures on August 2, 2019.  The variable interest rate on the loan is based on the LIBOR rate (customarily the 30-day rate) plus 2.10% to 2.60%, as determined by our leverage levels.

Unsecured Senior Notes

In 2013, we issued the following senior notes:

a $350.0 million aggregate principal amount of 3.600% Senior Notes at an initial offering price of 99.816% of their face value on May 6, 2013, resulting in proceeds, after deducting discounts of the initial purchasers of the notes, but before other offering expenses, of $347.1 million. The notes mature on May 15, 2023. The carrying value of these notes reflects an unamortized discount totaling $2.8 million at December 31, 2013. The effective interest rate under the notes, including amortization of the issuance costs, was 3.70%; and
a $250.0 million aggregate principal amount of 5.250% Senior Notes at an initial offering price of 98.783% of their face value on September 16, 2013, resulting in proceeds, after deducting underwriting discounts, but before other offering expenses, of $245.3 million. The notes mature on February 15, 2024. The carrying value of these notes reflects an unamortized discount totaling $4.6 million at December 31, 2013. The effective interest rate under the notes, including amortization of the issuance costs, was 5.49%
 
We may redeem these notes, in whole at any time or in part from time to time, at our option, at a redemption price equal to the greater of (1) the aggregate principal amount of the notes being redeemed and (2) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (not including any portion of such payments of interest accrued as of the date of redemption) discounted to its present value, on a semi-annual basis at an adjusted treasury rate plus a spread (30 basis points for the 3.600% Senior Notes and 40 basis points for the 5.250% Senior Notes), plus, in each case, accrued and unpaid interest thereon to the date of redemption. However, in each case, if this redemption occurs on or after three months prior to the maturity date, the redemption price will be equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but not including, the applicable redemption date. These notes are unconditionally guaranteed by COPT.

Exchangeable Senior Notes

In 2010, COPLP issued a $240.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.25% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2030.  In 2013, we repaid $239.4 million principal amount of these notes and recognized a $25.9 million loss on early extinguishment of debt. The carrying value of these notes included a principal amount of $575,000 and an unamortized discount totaling $12,000 as of December 31, 2013 and a principal amount of $240.0 million and an unamortized discount totaling $9.1 million as of December 31, 2012.  Interest on the notes is payable on April 15 and October 15 of each year.  These notes have an exchange settlement feature that provides that the notes may, under certain circumstances, be exchangeable for cash and, at COPLP’s discretion, COPT common shares at an exchange rate (subject to adjustment) of 20.8513 shares per one thousand dollar principal amount of the notes (exchange rate is as of December 31, 2013 and is equivalent to an exchange price of $47.96 per common share) (the initial exchange rate of the notes was based on a 20% premium over the closing price on the NYSE on the transaction pricing date).  On or after April 20, 2015, COPLP may redeem the notes in cash in whole or in part. The holders of the notes have the right to require us to repurchase the notes in cash in whole or in part on each of April 15, 2015, April 15, 2020 and April 15, 2025, or in the event of a “fundamental change,” as defined under the terms of the notes, for a repurchase price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the notes plus accrued and unpaid interest.  The notes are general unsecured senior obligations of COPLP and rank equally in right of payment with all other senior unsecured indebtedness of COPLP and are guaranteed by COPT. The effective interest rate under the notes, including amortization of the issuance costs, was 6.05%.  Because the closing price of COPT’s common shares at December 31, 2013 and 2012 was less than the exchange price per common share applicable to these notes, the if-converted value of the notes did not exceed the principal amount.  The table below sets forth interest expense recognized on these notes (in thousands):
 
For the Years Ended December 31,
 
2013
 
2012
 
2011
Interest expense at stated interest rate
$
4,208

 
$
10,200

 
$
10,200

Interest expense associated with amortization of discount
1,615

 
3,651

 
3,437

Total
$
5,823

 
$
13,851

 
$
13,637



Until September 15, 2011, COPLP had $162.5 million aggregate principal amount of 3.50% Exchangeable Senior Notes due 2026. These notes had an exchange settlement feature that provided that the notes were, under certain circumstances, exchangeable for cash (up to the principal amount of the notes) and, with respect to any excess exchange value, were exchangeable into (at our option) cash, our common shares or a combination of cash and our common shares. On September 15, 2011, we repurchased these notes at 100% of the principal amount of $162.5 million after the holders of such notes surrendered them for repurchase pursuant to the terms of the notes and the related Indenture. The effective interest rate under the notes, including amortization of the issuance costs, was 5.97%. Because the closing price of COPT’s common shares at December 31, 2011 was less than the exchange price per common share applicable to these notes, the if-converted value of the notes did not exceed the principal amount. The table below sets forth interest expense recognized on these notes for 2011:
Interest expense at stated interest rate
 
$
4,013

Interest expense associated with amortization of discount
 
2,617

Total
 
$
6,630