AutoNation (AN)

 

The indenture relating to our senior unsecured notes and the amended credit agreement relating to our revolving credit facility and term loan facility contain numerous financial and operating covenants that limit the discretion of our management with respect to various business matters. These covenants place significant restrictions on, among other things, our ability to incur additional indebtedness, to create liens or other encumbrances, to make certain payments (including dividends and repurchases of our shares) and investments, and to sell or otherwise dispose of assets and merge or consolidate with other entities. A failure by us to comply with the obligations contained in our amended credit agreement or the indenture relating to our senior unsecured notes could result in an event of default under our amended credit agreement or the indenture, which could permit acceleration of the related debt and acceleration of debt under other instruments that may contain cross-acceleration or cross-default provisions. If any debt is accelerated, our liquid assets may not be sufficient to repay in full such indebtedness and our other indebtedness. In addition, we have granted certain manufacturers the right to acquire, at fair market value, our automotive stores franchised by that manufacturer in specified circumstances in the event of our default under the indenture for our senior unsecured notes or the amended credit agreement for our revolving credit facility and term loan facility.

 

Under our amended credit agreement, we are required to remain in compliance with a maximum consolidated leverage ratio and a maximum capitalization ratio. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources — Restrictions and Covenants” in Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K. The decline in our earnings has adversely impacted our consolidated leverage ratio. Recent impairment charges associated with goodwill and franchise rights have adversely impacted our capitalization ratio. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources — Restrictions and Covenants” in Part II, Item 7 of this Form 10-K. If our earnings continue to decline or if we are required to record additional charges in the future, we may be unable to comply with the financial ratios required by our amended credit agreement. In such case, we would seek an amendment or waiver of our amended credit agreement or consider other options, such as raising capital through an equity issuance to pay down debt, which could be dilutive to stockholders. There can be no assurance that our lenders would agree to an amendment or waiver of our amended credit agreement. In the event we obtain an amendment or waiver of our amended credit agreement, we would likely incur additional fees and higher interest expense.

 

The indenture relating to our senior unsecured notes and the amended credit agreement relating to our revolving credit facility and term loan facility contain numerous financial and operating covenants that limit the discretion of our management with respect to various business matters. These covenants place significant restrictions on, among other things, our ability to incur additional indebtedness, to create liens or other encumbrances, to make certain payments (including dividends and repurchases of our shares) and investments, and to sell or otherwise dispose of assets and merge or consolidate with other entities. Our amended credit agreement also requires us to meet certain financial ratios and tests that may require us to take action to reduce debt or act in a manner contrary to our business objectives. A failure by us to comply with the obligations contained in our amended credit agreement or the indenture relating to our senior unsecured notes

 

The indenture relating to our new senior unsecured notes and the amended credit agreement relating to our revolving credit facility and term loan facility contain numerous financial and operating covenants that limit the discretion of our management with respect to various business matters. These covenants place significant restrictions on, among other things, our ability to incur additional indebtedness, to create liens or other encumbrances, to make certain payments (including dividends and repurchases of our shares) and investments, and to sell or otherwise dispose of assets and merge or consolidate with other entities. Our amended credit agreement also requires us to meet certain financial ratios and tests that may require us to take action to reduce debt or act in a manner contrary to our business objectives. A failure by us to comply with the obligations contained in our amended credit agreement or the indenture relating to our new senior unsecured notes could result in an event of default under our amended credit agreement or the indentures, which could permit acceleration of the related debt and acceleration of debt under other instruments that may contain cross-acceleration or cross-default provisions. If any debt is accelerated, our liquid assets may not be sufficient to repay in full such indebtedness and our other indebtedness. In addition, we have granted certain manufacturers the right to acquire, at fair market value, our automotive stores franchised by that manufacturer in specified circumstances in the event of our default under the indenture for our new senior unsecured notes or the amended credit agreement for our revolving credit facility and term loan facility.