Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. (NYSE Amex: PZZ) ("Prospect” or
"the Company”), which owns and operates four community-based hospitals
and manages the medical care of approximately 190,000 HMO enrollees in
southern California, today announced that it has received Notices of
non-monetary Default on its first and second lien credit agreements (the
"Notices”), under which Prospect currently owes approximately $139
million
(comprised of $136 million in original debt and $3 million in added PIK
fees). The Notices contend that Prospect violated a requirement
associated with the May 15, 2008 Credit Agreement Amendments to divest
certain operations by December 31, 2008, which date was subsequently
extended to March 17, 2009. The Notices declare, among other things, the
lenders’ right to terminate the loans, exercise any and all remedies
available and immediately begin assessing default interest rates.
Based on all of the facts, including numerous discussions with the
lenders, Prospect vehemently disputes the existence of any event of
default. Prospect has made, on time and in full, all of its required
principal and interest payments since the inception of the loans, and
anticipates continuing to do so for the remaining duration of the loans.
Since the Credit Agreements were amended effective May 15, 2008,
Prospect has been in full compliance with all financial and other loan
covenants, has significantly exceeded all of its performance projections
and has successfully undertaken a wide variety of operational
initiatives that have substantially enhanced the value and performance
of the Company, all during a very difficult economic climate. Some of
these initiatives were outlined in the Company’s press release dated
November 13, 2008. At the time that the Company entered into the May 15,
2008 Credit Agreement Amendments, the Company was underperforming and
the lenders assessed substantial penalties and fees and instituted very
significant interest rate increases. Based on that prior
underperformance, the Company’s maximum Leverage Ratio covenant was set
as high as 7.40 to 1, and the Minimum Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) EBITDA
covenant was set as low as $16.75 million. As reported in the Company’s
Earnings Release for the quarter ended December 31, 2008, the Company
reported TTM Adjusted EBITDA of $43.7 million and a Net Debt: Adjusted
TTM EBITDA Ratio of 2.51. The Company expects to report an even higher
TTM Adjusted EBITDA and an even lower Net Debt: Adjusted TTM EBITDA
Ratio when it reports results for the current quarter.
The Company has formally engaged an investment banking firm to undertake
a refinancing of the current debt. Notwithstanding current market
conditions, based on the Company’s very strong, sustained performance
and cash flow generation, the Company firmly believes that it will be
able to complete a refinancing - on substantially more attractive terms
and with a capital partner more aligned with, and supportive of, the
Company’s excellent performance and disciplined future expansion plans.
Prospect is currently negotiating with its lenders, and is hopeful that
an agreement between the parties can be reached, although there can be
no assurances.
CONFERENCE CALL
Management will host a conference call on Wednesday, March 25, 2009 at
5:00 pm ET / 2:00 pm PT, to discuss this development. Interested parties
may participate in the call by dialing (866) 267-2584 (Domestic) or
(706) 634-4739 (International) approximately 10 minutes before the call
is scheduled to begin and ask to be connected to the Prospect Medical
Holdings conference call.
The conference call will be broadcast live over the internet at the
following link:
http://investor.shareholder.com/media/eventdetail.cfm?eventid=67145&CompanyID=PROSPECT&e=1&mediaKey=FD1088B6F9BDB79FFAEA6E426404E661
To listen to the live call on the internet, go to the website at least
15 minutes early to register, download and install any necessary audio
software. If you are unable to participate in the live call, the
conference call will be archived and can be accessed for approximately
30 days.
ABOUT PROSPECT MEDICAL HOLDINGS
Prospect Medical Holdings
operates four community-based hospitals
in the greater Los Angeles area and manages the medical care of
individuals enrolled in HMO plans in Southern California, through a
network of approximately 14,000 specialist and primary care physicians.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. Additional
written or oral forward-looking statements may be made by Prospect from
time to time, in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or
otherwise. Statements contained herein that are not historical facts are
forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking
statements, including the statements regarding anticipated or expected
results, involve risks and uncertainties which may affect the Company's
business and prospects, including those outlined in Prospect's Form 10-K
filed on December 29, 2008, as well as risks and uncertainties arising
from Prospect's acquisition of Alta and ProMed, and the debt incurred by
Prospect in connection with those acquisitions. Any forward-looking
statements contained in this press release represent our estimates only
as of the date hereof, or as of such earlier dates as are indicated, and
should not be relied upon as representing our estimates as of any
subsequent date. While we may elect to update forward-looking statements
at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to
do so, even if our estimates change.