Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Long-term Debt, Net

v3.22.2
Long-term Debt, Net
12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2022
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Long-term Debt, Net Long-term Debt, Net
April 30,
2022 2021
Credit Facility due March 14, 2023 (the "2022 Revolving Credit Facility") $ —  $ — 
Credit Facility due November 4, 2023 (the "2018 Credit Facility"); interest payable monthly in arrears 5,000,000  — 
12% Convertible Notes due March 14, 2027 (the "2022 Convertible Notes"); interest payable monthly in arrears
10,000,000  — 
Total long-term debt 15,000,000  — 
Less: Unamortized deferred financing costs 124,265  — 
Total long-term debt, net $ 14,875,735  $ — 
2022 Convertible Notes
On March 14, 2022, the Company issued $10 million in principal convertible notes (the "2022 Convertible Notes") to two unaffiliated lenders in exchange for $5 million notes to each of the two unaffiliated lenders. The proceeds are used for general corporate purposes, including funding the Company’s expansion of its BSN Pre-Licensure nursing degree program. The key terms of the Convertible Notes are as follows:

At any time after issuance date, the lenders had the right to convert the principal into our shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $1.00 per share;
The Convertible Notes automatically convert at $1.00 per share into shares of the Company’s common stock if the average closing price of our common stock is at least $2.00 over a 30 consecutive trading day period. This mandatory conversion is subject to each lender’s 9.9% beneficial ownership limitation and is also subject to the Nasdaq combined 19.99% requirement which generally provides that a listed issuer may not issue 20% or more of its outstanding common stock or voting power in a non-public offering at below a minimum price unless the Company’s stockholders first approve such issuance;
The Convertible Notes are due March 14, 2027 or approximately five years from the closing;
The interest rate of the Convertible Notes is 12% per annum (payable monthly in arrears); and
The Convertible Notes are secured by a first priority lien in all current and future accounts receivable of the Company’s subsidiaries, certain of the deposit accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries and a pledge of the common stock of the Company held by its Chief Executive Officer (the “2022 Collateral”).
At closing of the 2022 Convertible Notes, the Company agreed to pay each lender's legal fees arising from this transaction of $135,562, which has been recorded as a deferred financing cost debt discount and is being amortized in the accompanying consolidated financial statements.
2022 Revolving Credit Facility
On March 14, 2022, the Company entered into Revolving Promissory Note and Security Agreements (the "2022 Revolver Agreements") with the same two unaffiliated lenders (the "Lenders") of the 2022 Convertible Notes for a one-year, $20 million
secured revolving line of credit that requires monthly interest payments on sums borrowed at the rate of 12% per annum (the "2022 Revolving Credit Facility"). At April 30, 2022, there were no outstanding borrowings under the 2022 Revolving Credit Facility. The Company paid a 1% commitment fee of $200,000 at closing, which was recorded as a deferred financing cost, non-current asset, and is being amortized over the term of the loan of one-year, and if the revolving credit facility has not been replaced in six months of the closing date, it must pay another 1% commitment fee.
Pursuant to the 2022 Convertible Notes and the 2022 Revolving Credit Facility (the "Notes"), all future indebtedness incurred by the Company, other than indebtedness expressly permitted by the Notes, will be subordinated to the Notes and the Prior Credit Facility, as defined below, with an exception for acquisitions of software and equipment under purchase money agreements and capital leases.

The Company’s obligations under the 2022 Revolver Agreements are secured by a first priority lien in the same 2022 Collateral as described above under "2022 Convertible Notes."

On March 14, 2022, in connection with the issuance of the Notes, the Company also entered into an intercreditor agreement (the “Intercreditor Agreement”) among the Company, the Lenders and the lender under a prior credit facility dated November 5, 2018 (as amended, the “2018 Credit Facility”). The Intercreditor Agreement provides among other things that the Company's obligations under, and the security interests in the Collateral granted pursuant to, the Note and the 2018 Credit Facility shall rank pari passu to one another.

In connection with the issuance of the Notes, the Company also entered into an Investors/Registration Rights Agreement with the Lenders (the “Registration Rights Agreement”) whereby, upon request of either Lender on or after August 15, 2022 the Company must file and obtain and maintain the effectiveness of a registration statement registering the shares of common stock issued or issuable upon conversion of the Convertible Notes.

On March 14, 2022, the Company entered into an amendment with the lender pursuant to the 2018 Credit Facility to extend the maturity date of the 2018 Credit Facility by one year to November 4, 2023.

On March 14, 2022, the Company entered into a letter agreement with the Lenders (the “Letter Agreement”). Pursuant to the Letter Agreement, the Company and its subsidiaries made certain representations and warranties to the Lenders. The Letter Agreement also contained certain conditions precedent to the closing of the transactions.
On April 22, 2022, the Company entered into an agreement with an insurance company which issued an approximately $18.3 million surety bond which was required by the Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education. In order to cause the insurance company to deliver the surety bond, the Company entered into a First Amendment to the Intercreditor Agreement with the two lenders of the March 14, 2022 financing arrangements to amend the Intercreditor Agreement entered into by the same parties on March 14, 2022 (the “Amendment”). The Amendment provides that the Company and each of the lenders, at all times prior to the delivery of the Termination Certificate (as defined below), but for funding as directed by the surety bond as described more fully below, (i) the Company shall not be permitted to make any draw request or borrow any funds under the 2022 Revolver Agreements and (ii) the lenders shall not be required to fund any loan or advance any funds under the 2022 Revolver Agreements. Upon that certain surety bond ceasing to be outstanding, the Company shall deliver to the lenders a certificate (such certificate, the “Termination Certificate”), certifying that the surety bond is no longer outstanding and that there are no further obligations in respect of the surety bond owing by the Company to the insurance company. Prior to issuance of the Termination Certificate and during the time the surety bond is in effect, the insurance company may cause the Company to draw on funds for the express purposes of resolving claims filed under the surety bond. In addition to the draw restriction on the 2022 Revolver Agreements, the insurance company required the Company to restrict $5 million of cash. As consideration for the lenders agreeing to enter into the Amendment, the Company agreed to issue each lender 100,000 five-year warrants exercisable at $1.00 per share. The fair value of the warrants is $118,000 and is being amortized over the 60-month term. The fair value of the warrants are treated as deferred financing costs, a non-current asset, in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at April 30, 2022. Total unamortized costs at April 30, 2022 were $118,000. See Note 11. Stockholders’ Equity for additional information related to these warrants.
2020 Convertible Notes
On January 22, 2020, the Company issued $5 million in principal amount convertible notes (the “2020 Convertible Notes”) to each of two lenders in exchange for the two $5 million notes issued under senior secured term loans entered into in March 2019 as discussed below (the “Term Loans”). The Company recorded a beneficial conversion feature on these Convertible Notes of
$1,692,309. On September 14, 2020, after the closing price of our common stock was at least $10.725 over a 20 consecutive trading day period the Convertible Notes automatically converted into 1,398,602 shares of the Company’s common stock at a conversion price of $7.15 per share. (See Note 11. Stockholders' Equity) The accelerated amortization charge related to unamortized debt discounts as a result of the debt extinguishment in the second quarter of fiscal year 2021 was approximately $1.4 million, which was included in interest expense in the consolidated statement of operations. The Company did not recognize any gains or losses as a result of this conversion.

2018 Credit Facility
On November 5, 2018, the Company entered into the 2018 Credit Facility Agreement with the Leon and Toby Cooperman Family Foundation (the “Foundation”). The Credit Facility Agreement provides for a $5,000,000 revolving credit facility (the "2018 Credit Facility") evidenced by a revolving promissory note (the “Revolving Note”). Borrowings under the 2018 Credit Facility Agreement bear interest at 12% per annum. Interest payments are due monthly through the term of the 2018 Credit Facility.
On August 31, 2021, the Company extended the 2018 Credit Facility Agreement with the Foundation by one year from November 4, 2021 to November 4, 2022. In conjunction with the extension of the 2018 Credit Facility, the Company drew down funds of $5,000,000. At April 30, 2022 and 2021, there were $5,000,000 and no outstanding borrowings, respectively, under the 2018 Credit Facility.
Additionally, on August 31, 2021, the Company issued to the Foundation warrants, as an extension fee, to purchase 50,000 shares of the Company’s common stock exercisable for five years from the date of issuance at the exercise price of $5.85 per share. The fair value of the warrants is $137,500 and is being amortized to interest expense through the maturity date of November 4, 2023, as extended on March 14, 2022. On March 14, 2022, the Company extended its existing $5 million Credit Facility by one year to November 4, 2023 at an increased interest rate from 12% to 14% per annum. The fair value of the warrants are treated as deferred financing costs, a non-current asset, in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at April 30, 2022 to be amortized over the term of the 2018 Credit Facility. Total unamortized costs at April 30, 2022 were $68,569. See Note 11. Stockholders’ Equity for additional information related to these warrants.
The 2018 Credit Facility Agreement contains customary representations and warranties and events of default. Pursuant to the Loan Agreement and the Revolving Note, all future or contemporaneous indebtedness incurred by the Company, other than indebtedness expressly permitted by the 2018 Credit Facility Agreement and the Revolving Note, will be subordinated to the Facility. On March 6, 2019, the Company amended and restated the Credit Facility Agreement (the “Amended and Restated Facility Agreement”) and the Revolving Note. The Amended and Restated Facility Agreement provides among other things that the Company’s obligations thereunder are secured by a first priority lien in certain deposit accounts of the Company, all current and future accounts receivable of Aspen University and USU, certain of the deposit accounts of Aspen University and USU and all of the outstanding capital stock of Aspen University and USU.