The Chattanooga-based owner of Hamilton Place and Northgate Malls and a number of other mall properties said it may not be able to continue operating within a year.
CBL & Associates said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, "Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the retail and broader markets, the ongoing weakness of the credit markets and significant uncertainties associated with each of these matters, the Company believes that there is substantial doubt that it will continue to operate as a going concern within one year after the date these condensed consolidated financial statements are issued. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America applicable to a going concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. Accordingly, the condensed consolidated financial statements do not reflect any adjustments related to the recoverability of assets and satisfaction of liabilities that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern."
CBL & Associates has faced several costly lawsuits, including from shareholders.
The company also cited the effects of the coronavirus on the mall business. It shut down both local malls for an extended time.
The filing says, "The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and likely will continue to have, repercussions across local, national and global economies and financial markets. COVID-19 has impacted all states where the Company’s tenants operate their businesses or where the Company’s properties are located and measures taken to prevent or remediate COVID-19, including “shelter-in place” or “stay-at-home” orders or other quarantine mandates issued by local, state or federal authorities, have had an adverse effect on its business and the businesses of its tenants. The full extent of the adverse impact on, among other things, the Company’s results of operations, liquidity (including its ability to access capital markets), the possibility of future impairments of long-lived assets or its investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, its compliance with debt covenants, its ability to renew and re-lease its leased space, the outlook for the retail environment, potential bankruptcies or other store closings and its ability to develop, acquire, dispose or lease properties, is unknown and will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. The Company expects a material adverse impact on its revenues, results of operations, and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2020. The situation is rapidly changing and additional impacts to the business may arise that the Company is not aware of currently."
The filing also says, "The Company has considered the projected impact of COVID-19 on its cash flows and its analysis of future compliance with the financial covenants and has determined that it is probable it will fail to meet the minimum debt yield covenant under the senior secured credit facility during the third quarter of 2020, the fourth quarter of 2020 and the first quarter of 2021. The minimum debt yield covenant provides that the ratio of the adjusted net operating income, as defined, of the borrowing base properties that secure the senior secured credit facility to the total outstanding balance on the senior secured credit facility must be greater than 10.0%. Violation of this covenant provides the lenders with the option to accelerate the maturity of the senior secured credit facility. The Company could remain in compliance with the debt yield covenant if it (i) added additional unencumbered assets to the collateral pool, subject to lender approval, which is not to be unreasonably withheld, (ii) paid down the amount of debt outstanding with projected available cash or (iii) negotiated a waiver of the covenant with the lenders.
"Management has engaged Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP and Moelis & Company LLC (the “Advisors”) to assist the Company in exploring several alternatives to reduce overall leverage and interest expense and to extend the maturity of its debt including (i) the senior secured credit facility, which includes a revolving facility with a balance of $675,925 and term loan with a balance of $456,250 as of March 31, 2020, that matures in July 2023and (ii) the Notes with balances of $450,000, $300,000, and $625,000, as of March 31, 2020, that mature in December 2023 , October 2024 and December 2026 , respectively, as well as the cumulative unpaid dividends on the Company’s preferred stock and the special common units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership. The Advisors recently commenced discussions with advisors to certain holders of the Notes and the credit committee of the senior secured credit facility. Management may pursue a comprehensive solution that includes a potential exchange of debt with the holders of the Notes, addressing the preferred stock of the Company and the special common units of limited partnership interest in the Operating Partnership, amendments to the financial covenants under the senior secured credit facility and the Notes and other options that may result in the reorganization of the Company.
"As described in Note 15 – Subsequent Events, the Company elected to not make the $11,813 interest payment due and payable on June 1, 2020, with respect to the Operating Partnership’s 5.25% senior unsecured notes due 2023 (the “2023 Notes”) (the “Interest Payment”). Under the indenture governing the 2023 Notes, the Operating Partnership has a 30-day grace period to make the Interest Payment before the nonpayment is considered an event of default with respect to the 2023 Notes. Any event of default under the 2023 Notes for nonpayment of the Interest Payment would also be considered an event of default under the Operating Partnership’s senior secured credit facility, which could lead to an acceleration of amounts due under the facility. Further, if the trustee for the 2023 Notes should exercise its right to accelerate the maturity of the full balance owed on the 2023 Notes as a result of such an event of default, that would also constitute an event of default under the Operating Partnership’s 4.60% senior unsecured notes due 2024 and the Operating Partnership’s 5.95% senior notes due 2026, which could lead to the acceleration of all amounts due under those notes. The Company has elected to enter the 30-day grace period with respect to the Interest Payment in order to advance discussions with its lenders and explore alternative strategies. The Company was notified by the administrative agent of the senior secured credit facility that the failure to make the Interest Payment constitutes a default under the senior secured credit facility and that, if not cured within the applicable 30-day grace period, it will be an event of default under the senior secured credit facility. The Company could prevent an event of default if it paid the Interest Payment prior to the expiration of the 30-day grace period or if it reached an alternative arrangement with the holders of the 2023 Notes."