6. Credit facilities

On March 15, 2013, the Company entered into an unsecured five-year revolving credit agreement (the “Credit Agreement”). The Credit Agreement amends and restates the Company’s existing revolving credit agreement entered into in January 2008. The Credit Agreement provides for a revolving line of credit up to $100 million which may be used for revolving loans; swingline loans, subject to a sublimit of $5 million; and to request letters of credit, subject to a sublimit of $30 million. The line of credit is available for general corporate purposes, including working capital expenses, capital expenditures and acquisitions. The arrangement terminates on March 15, 2018, at which time all outstanding borrowings must be repaid.

At December 31, 2013, the Company’s only borrowings under the Credit Agreement were four letters of credit totaling $14.7 million. Each of these letters of credit may be called by customers in the event that the Company defaults under the terms of a contract, the probability of which we believe is remote. In addition, two letters of credit totaling $3.0 million are held with another financial institution to cover similar obligations.

The Credit Agreement requires the Company to comply with certain financial covenants and other covenants including a maximum total leverage ratio and a minimum fixed charge coverage ratio. The Company was in compliance with all covenants as of December 31, 2013. The obligations of the Company under the Credit Agreement are guaranteed by material domestic subsidiaries of the Company. The Credit Facility is currently unsecured. In the event that the Company’s total leverage ratio exceeds 2.5:1.0 or the Company incurs a certain level of indebtedness outside of the Credit Agreement, the Credit Agreement will become secured by the assets of the Company and certain of its subsidiaries. At December 31, 2013, our total leverage ratio was less than 0.1:1.0.

The Credit Agreement provides for an annual commitment fee payable on funds not borrowed or utilized for letters of credit. This charge is based upon the Company’s leverage and varies between 0.15% and 0.3%. Borrowings under the Credit Agreement bear interest at our choice at either (a) a Base Rate plus a margin that varies between 0.0% and 0.75% per year, (b) a Eurocurrency Rate plus an applicable margin that varies between 1.0% and 1.75% per year or (c) an Index Rate plus an applicable margin which varies between 1.0% and 1.75% per year. The Base Rate, Eurocurrency Rate and Index Rate are defined by the Credit Agreement and the applicable percentages are based upon the Company’s leverage rate at the time of the borrowing. At December 31, 2013, the Company utilized the lowest available applicable margins listed above.

In addition to this revolving credit facility, the Company has a loan agreement with the Atlantic Innovation Fund of Canada. This provided a loan of 1.8 million Canadian Dollars, the proceeds of which were required to be used for specific technology-based research and development. The loan has no interest charge. At December 31, 2013, this balance was repayable in 34 remaining quarterly installments. At December 31, 2013, $1.4 million (1.5 million Canadian Dollars) was outstanding under this agreement.

Certain contracts require us to provide a surety bond as a guarantee of performance. At December 31, 2013 and September 30, 2012, the Company had performance bond commitments totaling $49.0 million and $50.8 million, respectively. These bonds are typically renewed annually and remain in place until the contractual obligations have been satisfied. Although the triggering events vary from contract to contract, in general we would only be liable for the amount of these guarantees in the event of default in our performance of our obligations under each contract, the probability of which we believe is remote.