NOTE 9. LONG-TERM DEBT

Long-term debt consisted of the following at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016:

Term loan.  In August 2016, we entered into a term loan agreement (the “Term Loan Agreement”) for an aggregate principal amount of $10,500,000 (the "Term Loan").  Proceeds of the Term Loan were primarily used to prepay in full the outstanding notes payable to unrelated parties. The remainder of the proceeds from the Term Loan was used for general corporate purposes and working capital needs.  The Term Loan is secured by a senior lien on substantially all of our assets.  In conjunction with the Term Loan, we also entered into a warrant agreement (the “Warrant Agreement”), pursuant to which we issued the lenders a six-year warrant to purchase 1,965,780 shares of our common stock (the “Warrants”) (Note 13).

Under the Term Loan, we are subject to quarterly financial covenants that, among other things, limit our annual capital expenditures (as defined in the Term Loan Agreement), and require us to maintain a specified leverage ratio and minimum EBITDA amounts, each of which are defined in the Term Loan agreement.  We were in compliance with the financial covenants of the Term Loan Agreement as of March 31, 2017.

During the initial twelve-month period of the Term Loan, the outstanding principal will accrue interest at the rate of 14.0% per annum. Thereafter, the outstanding principal will accrue interest at the lesser of 14.0% per annum or 12.5% per annum for any quarterly period in which we achieve a specified leverage ratio.  

The Term Loan required quarterly interest-only payments through December 31, 2016, after which we are required to make quarterly principal payments of $262,500 plus accrued interest. The remaining principal and any unpaid interest will be payable in full on August 29, 2021. Voluntary prepayments of the Term Loan, in full or in part, are permitted after the first anniversary of the Term Loan, subject to certain premiums.  The Term Loan also requires certain mandatory prepayments in the amount of 100% of the proceeds from certain asset dispositions (other than in the ordinary course of business) and certain other extraordinary events, and 25% of the proceeds from the sale and issuance of capital stock. Substantially all of our assets are pledged as collateral for the Term Loan. 

The foregoing summary of the Term Loan Agreement and the Warrant Agreement is qualified in its entirety by reference to the respective agreements, which are found as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, to our Form 8-K filed with the SEC on August 29, 2016.

Notes payable, related party.  In connection with an asset purchase agreement executed in December 2007, we executed a note payable due to an entity owned and controlled by our Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”).  This note requires annual principal and interest payments of $109,908, at a fixed interest rate of 7.3% through December 2018, at which time there is a balloon payment due of $354,480.

As of March 31, 2017, maturities of our long-term debt obligations are as follows: