Note 5 – Long Term Debt

Long-term debt consists of the following (in thousands):

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Interest expense for the Company’s debt arrangements, excluding the amortization of debt issuance costs and other discounts and fees, was approximately $3.3 million and $4.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

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As of December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company had $1.4 million and $1.3 million, respectively, in standby letters of credit outstanding for certain restaurants and $10.6 million available in its revolving credit facility, subject to certain conditions.

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Credit and Guaranty Agreement

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On October 4, 2019, in conjunction with the acquisition of Kona Grill, the Company entered into a Credit Agreement with Goldman Sachs Bank USA. On August 6, 2021, the Company entered into the Third Amendment to the Credit Agreement to extend the maturity date for both the term loan and revolving credit facility to August 2026, to eliminate all financial covenants except a maximum net leverage ratio of 2.00 to 1.00, and to eliminate restrictions on the maximum amount of capital expenditures, the maximum number of Company-owned new locations, and credit extensions under the revolving credit facility. As amended, the Credit Agreement provides for a secured revolving credit facility of $12.0 million and a $25.0 million term loan (reduced from $48.0 million). The term loan is payable in quarterly installments of $0.1 million, with the final payment due in August 2026.

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The amended Credit Agreement has several borrowing and interest rate options, including the following: (a) a LIBOR rate (or a comparable successor rate) subject to a 1.00% floor from a 1.75% floor or (b) a base rate equal to the greatest of (i) the prime rate, (ii) the federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (iii) the LIBOR rate for a one-month period plus 1.00% or (iv) 4.00%. Loans under the amended Credit Agreement bear interest at a rate per annum using the applicable indices plus an interest rate margin of 5.00% from a variable interest rate margin of 5.75 to 6.75% (for LIBOR rate loans) and 4.00% from 4.75% to 5.75% (for base rate loans). Upon the cessation of LIBOR, the amended Credit Agreement provides for the use of a benchmark replacement as defined in the amended Credit Agreement.

In conjunction with the amended Credit Agreement, the Company made a pre-payment on the loan of $22.2 million and incurred $0.9 million in debt issuance costs. The Company accounted for the amendment as a debt modification with a partial extinguishment and recognized a loss on early debt extinguishment of $0.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 and $0.1 million in transaction costs.

The Company’s weighted average interest rate on the borrowings under the amended Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020 was 6.00% and 8.50%, respectively.

The Credit Agreement contains customary representations, warranties and conditions to borrowing including customary affirmative and negative covenants, which include covenants that limit or restrict the Company’s ability to incur indebtedness and other obligations, grant liens to secure obligations, make investments, merge or consolidate, alter the organizational structure of the Company and its subsidiaries, and dispose of assets outside the ordinary course of business, in each case subject to customary exceptions for credit facilities of this size and type.

The Company and certain operating subsidiaries of the Company guarantee the obligations under the Credit Agreement, which also are secured by liens on substantially all of the assets of the Company and its subsidiaries.

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As of December 31, 2021, the Company had $1.2 million of debt issuance costs related to the amended Credit Agreement, which were capitalized and are recorded as a direct deduction to the long-term debt and $0.6 million in debt issuance costs recorded in Other Assets on the consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2021, the Company was in compliance with the financial covenants required by the Credit Agreement.

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Equipment Financing Agreements

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On June 5, 2015 and August 16, 2016, the Company entered into financing agreements with Sterling National Bank for $1.0 million and $0.7 million, respectively, to purchase equipment for the STKs in Orlando, Chicago, San Diego, and Denver. Each of these financing agreements have five-year terms and bear interest at a rate of 5% per annum, payable in equal monthly installments. The financing agreements were fully paid as of December 31, 2021.

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CARES Act Loans

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On May 4, 2020, two subsidiaries of the Company entered into promissory notes (“CARES Act Loans”) with BBVA USA under the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) created by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”). Repayment of the CARES Act Loans is guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”). The ONE Group, LLC received a loan of $9.8 million related to the operations of STK restaurants, and Kona Grill Acquisition, LLC received a loan of $8.5 million related to the operation of Kona Grill restaurants.

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The CARES Act Loans were eligible for forgiveness if the proceeds were used for qualified purposes within a specified period and if at least 60% was spent on payroll costs. The Company used all of the proceeds from the CARES Act Loans for qualified purposes in accordance with the CARES Act and SBA regulations, and these funds supported the re-opening of in person dining and the return of approximately 3,000 furloughed employees to work.

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The Company applied for forgiveness of the CARES Act Loans in February 2021, and the loans were forgiven in June 2021 and July 2021. As a result, the Company recognized $18.5 million gain on CARES Act Loan forgiveness for the year ended December 31, 2021.