Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Senior, Senior Subordinated, Convertible Senior Notes

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Senior, Senior Subordinated, Convertible Senior Notes
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
SENIOR, SENIOR SUBORDINATED, CONVERTIBLE SENIOR NOTES AND OTHER BORROWINGS
NOTE 5 — SENIOR, SENIOR SUBORDINATED, CONVERTIBLE SENIOR NOTES AND OTHER BORROWINGS
Senior, senior subordinated, convertible senior notes and other borrowings consist of the following (in thousands):
 
 
At September 30, 2012
 
At December 31, 2011
6.25% senior notes due 2015. At December 31, 2011, there was approximately $451 in unamortized discount
$

 
$
284,549

7.731% senior subordinated notes due 2017
99,825

 
125,875

7.15% senior notes due 2020. At September 30, 2012 and December 31, 2011, there was approximately $3,650 and $4,015 in unamortized discount, respectively
196,350

 
195,985

7.00% senior notes due 2022
300,000

 

1.875% convertible senior notes due 2032
126,500

 

$125 million unsecured revolving credit facility

 

 
$
722,675

 
$
606,409


The indentures for our 7.731% senior subordinated notes contain covenants that require maintenance of certain minimum financial ratios, place limitations on investments we can make and the payment of dividends and redemptions of equity, and limit the incurrence of additional indebtedness, asset dispositions, mergers, certain investments and creations of liens, among other items. As of September 30, 2012, we believe we were in compliance with our covenants. The indentures for our 7.15% and 7.00% senior notes contain covenants including, among others, limitations on the amount of secured debt we may incur, and limitations on sale and leaseback transactions and mergers. The covenants contained in the 7.15% and 7.00% senior notes are generally no more restrictive, and in many cases less restrictive, than the covenants contained in the indenture for the 7.731% senior subordinated notes. Our convertible senior notes do not have any financial covenants.
Obligations to pay principal and interest on the senior, convertible senior and senior subordinated notes are guaranteed by all of our wholly-owned subsidiaries (each a “Guarantor” and, collectively, the “Guarantor Subsidiaries”), each of which is directly or indirectly 100% owned by Meritage Homes Corporation. Such guarantees are full and unconditional, and joint and several. In the event of a sale or other disposition of all of the assets of any Guarantor, by way of merger, consolidation or otherwise, or a sale or other disposition of all of the equity interests of any Guarantor then held by Meritage and its subsidiaries, then that Guarantor will be released and relieved of any obligations under its note guarantee. There are no significant restrictions on our ability or the ability of any Guarantor to obtain funds from their respective subsidiaries, as applicable, by dividend or loan. We do not provide separate financial statements of the Guarantor Subsidiaries because Meritage (the parent company) has no independent assets or operations and the guarantees are full and unconditional and joint and several. Subsidiaries of Meritage Homes Corporation that are nonguarantor subsidiaries, if any, are, individually and in the aggregate, inconsequential.
In April 2012, we completed an offering of $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of 7.00% Senior Notes due 2022 (“2022 Notes”). Concurrent with this offering, we repurchased all $285.0 million of our 6.25% Senior Notes due 2015. We also repurchased an aggregate principal amount of approximately $26.1 million of our 7.731% Senior Notes due 2017. The debt redemption transactions resulted in $5.8 million of expense in the second quarter of 2012 reflected as Loss on extinguishment of debt in our consolidated statements of operations.

In July 2012, we entered into an unsecured revolving credit facility ("Credit Facility") of up to $125.0 million, of which $50.0 million will be available for letters of credit. The Credit Facility matures in July 2015. Borrowings under the Credit Facility are unsecured but availability is subject to, among other things, a borrowing base. The Credit Facility also contains certain financial covenants, including (a) a minimum tangible net worth requirement of $360.0 million (which amount is subject to increase over time based on subsequent earnings and proceeds from equity offerings), and (b) a maximum leverage covenant that prohibits the leverage ratio (as defined therein) from exceeding 60%. In addition, we are required to maintain either (i) an interest coverage ratio (EBITDA to interest expense, as defined therein) of at least 1.00 to 1.00 (increasing to 1.50 to 1.00 on January 1, 2013 and thereafter) or (ii) liquidity (as defined therein) of an amount not less than our consolidated interest incurred during the trailing 12 months. There were no outstanding advances or letters of credit under the Credit Facility as of September 30, 2012.

In September 2012, we issued $126.5 million aggregate principal amount of 1.875% Convertible Senior Notes due 2032 (the “Convertible Notes”). The Convertible Notes will initially be convertible into shares of our common stock at a conversion rate of 17.1985 shares of our common stock per $1,000 principal amount of Convertible Notes. This corresponds to an initial conversion price of $58.14 per share and represents a 47.5% conversion premium based on the closing price of our common stock on September 12, 2012. The conversion rate is subject to adjustments upon the occurrence of specific events. The Convertible Notes may be redeemed by the note-holders on the fifth, tenth and fifteenth anniversary dates of the Convertible Notes. We may call the Convertible Notes at any time after the fifth anniversary. Interest is due on the Convertible Notes on March 15 and September 15 of each year, commencing March 15, 2013, maturing on September 15, 2032.