Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Linn Energy Unable to File Form 10-K for 2015 $LINE

Right after Peabody filed one, we get a notice from Linn Energy [LINE] that they can't file a Form 10-K yet, either:

The Company does not expect to remain in compliance with all of the restrictive covenants contained in its credit facilities throughout 2016 unless those requirements are waived or amended. As a result, indebtedness under the credit facilities could, after the expiration of any grace period and at the election of a majority of the lenders under the credit facilities, be accelerated and become immediately due and payable. Accordingly, the uncertainty associated with the Company’s ability to meet its obligations as they become due raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The Company’s auditors' opinion to be issued in connection with the consolidated financial statements is expected to include a going concern qualification.

As a result of the anticipated inclusion of the explanatory paragraph regarding substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern, the Company will not be in compliance with its Sixth Amended and Restated Credit Agreement (as amended, the “LINN Credit Facility”). The LINN Credit Facility provides for a 30-day grace period for a breach of this covenant before an event of default may be deemed to have occurred. As of February 29, 2016, total borrowings (including outstanding letters of credit) under the LINN Credit Facility were $3.6 billion with no remaining availability. Absent a waiver or amendment, if an event of default occurs under the LINN Credit Facility, the lenders could accelerate the loans outstanding under the LINN Credit Facility.

In addition, indebtedness outstanding under one or more of the Company’s long-term debt instruments may be reclassified as current portion of long-term debt. In the event of such reclassification, the Company may have additional covenant breaches under the LINN Credit Facility, which in the absence of a waiver, could give lenders the right to accelerate the indebtedness under the LINN Credit Facility and may result in cross acceleration under certain other debt instruments of LINN Energy, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Berry Petroleum Company, LLC.

The significant additional time required to evaluate the effects of and disclose, in compliance with the requirements of Form 10-K, the concerns regarding the Company’s compliance with the covenants under its debt agreements, potential defaults and events of default thereunder and the going concern qualification has resulted in the Company being unable to file its 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015 within the prescribed time period without unreasonable effort or expense.

5 comments:

whydibuy said...

I wonder what happens with that 500 mil deal with Blackrock. Blackrock was supposed to get a 15% return before LINE gets a penny out of the wells drilled with the Blackrock capital. But now that LINE may go into bk, what happens with that side deal money?

Anonymous said...

You have a link to that deal? What kind of paper was it?

whydibuy said...

It was Blackstone, not blackrock.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-01-09/energy-borrowers-find-loans-come-at-steep-price-credit-markets

LINE never put out a 8-k for that so it may have fell through. I didn't follow it closely but remembered reading about the deal and being baffled at the cheerleaders on the chat boards praising this deal.

Anonymous said...

What a week (or couple days) for these distressed energy names. Interesting to see how much higher the equity can go into next week.

Has anyone seen any real turnaround in any of the bond prices? I can't find any.

Anonymous said...

WOW just WOW