Exhibit 3.1

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF

LATHAM GROUP, INC.

 

* * * * *

 

ARTICLE I

 

NAME

 

The name of the Corporation (the “Corporation”) is Latham Group, Inc.

 

ARTICLE II

 

REGISTERED OFFICE AND AGENT

 

The address of the registered office of the Corporation in the State of Delaware is Corporation Trust Center, 1209 Orange Street in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, 19801. The name of the registered agent of the Corporation in the State of Delaware at such address is: The Corporation Trust Company.

 

ARTICLE III

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”).

 

ARTICLE IV

 

CAPITAL STOCK

 

The total number of shares of all classes of stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is [•], which shall be divided into two classes as follows:

 

[•] shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Common Stock”); and

 

[•] shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (“Preferred Stock”).

 

 

I.            Capital Stock.

 

A.            Common Stock and Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time by the Corporation for such consideration as may be fixed by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”). The Board of Directors is hereby expressly authorized, by resolution or resolutions, to provide, out of the unissued shares of Preferred Stock, for one or more series of Preferred Stock and, with respect to each such series, to fix, without further stockholder approval, the designation of such series, the powers (including voting powers), preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of such series of Preferred Stock and the number of shares of such series, and as may be permitted by the DGCL. The powers, preferences and relative, participating, optional and other special rights of, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, of each series of Preferred Stock, if any, may differ from those of any and all other series at any time outstanding.

 

B.            Each holder of record of Common Stock, as such, shall have one vote for each share of Common Stock which is outstanding in his, her or its name on the books of the Corporation on all matters on which stockholders are entitled to vote generally. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) that relates solely to the terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) or pursuant to the DGCL.

 

C.            Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled to only such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock).

 

D.            Subject to applicable law and the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, dividends may be declared and paid ratably on the Common Stock out of the assets of the Corporation which are legally available for this purpose at such times and in such amounts as the Board of Directors in its discretion shall determine.

 

E.            Upon the dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, after payment or provision for payment of the debts and other liabilities of the Corporation and subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock or any class or series of stock having a preference over or the right to participate with the Common Stock with respect to the distribution of assets of the Corporation upon such dissolution, liquidation or winding up of the Corporation, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the remaining assets of the Corporation available for distribution to its stockholders ratably in proportion to the number of shares held by them.

 

 

F.            The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock or Common Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL (or any successor provision thereto), and no vote of the holders of any of the Common Stock or the Preferred Stock voting separately as a class shall be required therefor, unless a vote of any such holder is required pursuant to this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock).

 

ARTICLE V

 

AMENDMENT OF THE CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION AND BYLAWS

 

A.            Notwithstanding anything contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, at any time when the Principal Stockholders (as defined in the Stockholders Agreement, dated as of [the IPO Date], by and among the Corporation and the Principal Stockholders (as the same may be amended, supplemented, restated or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Stockholders Agreement”)) do not beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, in addition to any vote required by applicable law, the following provisions in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent therewith or herewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class: this Article V, Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII, Article IX and Article X. For the purposes of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, beneficial ownership of shares shall be determined in accordance with Rule 13d-3 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).

 

B.            The Board of Directors is expressly authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind, in whole or in part, the bylaws of the Corporation (as in effect from time to time, the “Bylaws”) without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or any provision of law which might otherwise permit a lesser vote of the stockholders, at any time when the Principal Stockholders do not beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required herein (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock), the Bylaws or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders of the Corporation to alter, amend, repeal or rescind, in whole or in part, any provision of the Bylaws or to adopt any provision inconsistent therewith.

 

 

ARTICLE VI

 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

A.            Except as otherwise provided in this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. Except as otherwise provided for or fixed pursuant to the provisions of Article IV (including any certificate of designation with respect to any series of Preferred Stock) and this Article VI relating to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect additional directors, the total number of directors shall be determined from time to time exclusively by resolution adopted by the Board of Directors. The directors (other than those directors elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or together with one or more other such series, as the case may be) shall be divided into three classes designated Class I, Class II and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as possible, of one-third of the total number of such directors. Class I directors shall initially serve for a term expiring at the first annual meeting of stockholders following the date the Common Stock is first publicly traded (the “IPO Date”), Class II directors shall initially serve for a term expiring at the second annual meeting of stockholders following the IPO Date and Class III directors shall initially serve for a term expiring at the third annual meeting of stockholders following the IPO Date. At each succeeding annual meeting, successors to the class of directors whose term expires at that annual meeting shall be elected for a term expiring at the third succeeding annual meeting of stockholders. If the number of such directors is changed, any increase or decrease shall be apportioned among the classes so as to maintain the number of directors in each class as nearly equal as possible, and any such additional director of any class elected to fill a newly created directorship resulting from an increase in such class shall hold office for a term that shall coincide with the remaining term of that class, but in no case shall a decrease in the number of directors remove or shorten the term of any incumbent director. Subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, any such director shall hold office until the annual meeting at which his or her term expires and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or his or her death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal from office. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors to their respective class.

 

 

B.            Subject to the rights granted to the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock then outstanding or the rights granted to the Principal Stockholders pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, any newly-created directorship on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors (whether by death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause) shall be filled by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, by a sole remaining director or by the stockholders by the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class; provided, however, that, subject to the rights granted to the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock then outstanding and the rights granted to the Principal Stockholders pursuant to the Stockholders Agreement, at any time when the Principal Stockholders do not beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any newly-created directorship on the Board of Directors that results from an increase in the number of directors and any vacancy occurring in the Board of Directors shall, unless otherwise required by law or by resolution of the Board of Directors, be filled only by a majority of the directors then in office, although less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (and not by the stockholders). Any director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

 

C.            Subject to rights granted to the Principal Stockholders under the Stockholders Agreement, any or all of the directors (other than the directors elected by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock of the Corporation, voting separately as a series or together with one or more other such series, as the case may be) may be removed at any time either with or without cause by the affirmative vote of a majority in voting power of all outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting as a single class; provided, however, that at any time when the Principal Stockholders do not beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any such director or all such directors may be removed only for cause and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class.

 

D.            Elections of directors need not be by written ballot unless the Bylaws shall so provide.

 

E.            During any period when the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or together with one or more series, have the right to elect additional directors, then upon commencement and for the duration of the period during which such right continues: (i) the then otherwise total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be increased by such specified number of directors, and the holders of such Preferred Stock shall be entitled to elect the additional directors so provided for or fixed pursuant to said provisions, and (ii) each such additional director shall serve until such director’s successor shall have been duly elected and qualified, or until such director’s right to hold such office terminates pursuant to said provisions, whichever occurs earlier, subject to his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal. Except as otherwise provided by the Board of Directors in the resolution or resolutions establishing such series, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such stock, the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall be reduced accordingly.

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

LIMITATION OF DIRECTOR LIABILITY

 

A.            To the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as it now exists or may hereafter be amended, a director of the Corporation shall not be personally liable to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty owed to the Corporation or its stockholders.

 

B.            Neither the amendment nor repeal of this Article VII, nor the adoption of any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, nor, to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL, any modification of law shall eliminate, reduce or otherwise adversely affect any right or protection of a current or former director of the Corporation existing at the time of such amendment, repeal, adoption or modification.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

CONSENT OF STOCKHOLDERS IN LIEU OF MEETING, ANNUAL AND SPECIAL MEETINGs OF STOCKHOLDERS

 

A.            At any time when the Principal Stockholders beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation by delivery to its registered office in the State of Delaware, its principal place of business, or an officer or agent of the Corporation having custody of the books in which proceedings of meetings of stockholders are recorded. Delivery made to the Corporation’s registered office shall be made by hand, overnight courier or by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested. At any time when the Principal Stockholders do not beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, any action required or permitted to be taken by the stockholders of the Corporation must be effected at a duly called annual or special meeting of such holders and may not be effected by any consent in writing by such holders; provided, however, that any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable certificate of designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock.

 

 

B.            Except as otherwise required by law and subject to the rights of the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes may be called at any time only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board of Directors; provided, however, that at any time when the Principal Stockholders beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority in voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation for any purpose or purposes shall also be called by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the Board of Directors at the request of the Principal Stockholders.

 

C.            An annual meeting of stockholders for the election of directors to succeed those whose terms expire and for the transaction of such other business as may properly come before the meeting, shall be held at such place, if any, on such date, and at such time as shall be fixed exclusively by resolution of the Board of Directors or a duly authorized committee thereof.

 

ARTICLE IX

 

COMPETITION AND CORPORATE OPPORTUNITIES

 

A.            In recognition and anticipation that (i) certain directors, members, officers, employees and/or other representatives of the Principal Stockholders and their Affiliates (as defined below) may serve as directors, officers and/or agents of the Corporation, (ii) the Principal Stockholders and their Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, (iii) members of the Board of Directors who are not employees of the Corporation (“Non-Employee Directors”) but who are affiliated with the Principal Stockholders or their Affiliates may now engage and may continue to engage in the same or similar activities or related lines of business as those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage and/or other business activities that overlap with or compete with those in which the Corporation, directly or indirectly, may engage, and (iv) the Corporation may engage in material business transactions with the Principal Stockholders and their Affiliates and the Corporation is expected to benefit therefrom, the provisions of this Article IX are set forth to regulate and define the conduct of certain affairs of the Corporation with respect to certain classes or categories of business opportunities as they may involve any of the Principal Stockholders, the Non-Employee Directors or their respective Affiliates and the powers, rights, duties and liabilities of the Corporation and its directors, officers and stockholders in connection therewith.

 

 

B.            None of (i) the Principal Stockholders or any of their Affiliates or any of their respective principals, members, directors, partners, stockholders, officers, employees or other representatives or (ii) any Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of the Corporation in both his or her director and officer capacities) or his or her Affiliates (the Persons (as defined below) identified in (i) and (ii) above being referred to, collectively, as “Identified Persons” and, individually, as an “Identified Person”) shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have any duty to refrain from directly or indirectly (1) engaging in the same or similar business activities or lines of business in which the Corporation or any of its Affiliates now engages or proposes to engage or (2) otherwise competing with the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, no Identified Person shall be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person engages in any such activities. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation hereby renounces any interest or expectancy in, or right to be offered an opportunity to participate in, any business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for an Identified Person and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, except as provided in Section (D) of this Article IX. Subject to said Section (D) of this Article IX, in the event that any Identified Person acquires knowledge of a potential transaction or other matter or business opportunity which may be a corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself and the Corporation or any of its Affiliates, such Identified Person shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, have no fiduciary duty or other duty (contractual or otherwise) to communicate, present or offer such transaction or other business opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates and, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall not be liable to the Corporation or its stockholders or to any Affiliate of the Corporation for breach of any fiduciary duty or other duty (contractual or otherwise) as a stockholder, director or officer of the Corporation solely by reason of the fact that such Identified Person pursues or acquires such corporate opportunity for itself, herself or himself, offers or directs such corporate opportunity to another Person, or does not present such corporate opportunity to the Corporation or any of its Affiliates and shall be deemed to have fully satisfied and fulfilled such person’s duties to the Corporation and its stockholders with respect to any such corporate opportunity and to have acted in accordance with the standard of care set forth in the DGCL, or any successor statute, or law that is otherwise applicable to such Identified Persons under Delaware law.

 

C.            The Corporation and its Affiliates do not have any rights in and to the business ventures of any Identified Person, or the income or profits derived therefrom, and the Corporation agrees that each of the Identified Persons may do business with any potential or actual customer or supplier of the Corporation or may employ or otherwise engage any officer or employee of the Corporation.

 

 

D.            The Corporation does not renounce its interest in any corporate opportunity offered to any Non-Employee Director (including any Non-Employee Director who serves as an officer of this Corporation) if such opportunity is expressly offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director, officer, or employee of the Corporation as reasonably determined by such persons, and the provisions of Section (B) of this Article IX shall not apply to any such corporate opportunity.

 

E.            In addition to and notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, a corporate opportunity shall not be deemed to be a potential corporate opportunity for the Corporation if it is a business opportunity that (i) the Corporation is neither financially or legally able, nor contractually permitted to undertake, (ii) from its nature, is not in the line of the Corporation’s business or is of no practical advantage to the Corporation or (iii) is one in which the Corporation has no interest or reasonable expectancy.

 

F.            For purposes of this Article IX, (i) “Affiliate” shall mean (a) in respect of the Principal Stockholders, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Principal Stockholders, controls the Principal Stockholders or is under common control with the Principal Stockholders and shall include any principal, member, director, partner, stockholder, officer, employee or other representative of any of the foregoing (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation), (b) in respect of a Non-Employee Director, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by such Non-Employee Director (other than the Corporation and any entity that is controlled by the Corporation) and (c) in respect of the Corporation, any Person that, directly or indirectly, is controlled by the Corporation; and (ii) “Person” shall mean any individual, corporation, general or limited partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust, association or any other entity.

 

G.            This Article IX shall not limit any protections or defenses available to, or indemnification rights of, any director or officer of the Corporation under this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the bylaws or applicable law.

 

H.            Neither the alteration, amendment, addition to or repeal of this Article IX, nor the adoption of any provision of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock) inconsistent with this Article IX, shall eliminate or reduce the effect of this Article IX in respect of any business opportunity first identified or any other matter occurring, or any cause of action, suit or claim that, but for this Article IX, would accrue or arise, prior to such alteration, amendment, addition, repeal or adoption.

 

I.            For so long as the Principal Stockholders collectively beneficially own any of the outstanding shares of Common Stock, any modification, supplement, edit or other change or amendment to this Article IX shall require the approval of each Principal Stockholder Designee (as defined in the Stockholders Agreement).

 

 

ARTICLE X

 

DGCL SECTION 203 AND BUSINESS COMBINATIONS

 

A.            The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL.

 

B.            Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Corporation shall not engage in any business combination (as defined below), at any point in time at which the Corporation’s Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act, with any interested stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:

 

1.            prior to such time, the Board of Directors approved either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, or

 

2.            upon consummation of the transaction which resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least 85% of the voting stock (as defined below) of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned (i) by persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer, or

 

3.            at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the Board of Directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least 66⅔% of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation which is not owned by the interested stockholder.

 

C.            For purposes of this Article X, references to:

 

1.            “affiliate” means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.

 

2.            “associate,” when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of 20% or more of any class of voting stock; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a 20% beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.

 

 

3.            “business combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any interested stockholder of the Corporation, means:

 

(i)            any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (a) with the interested stockholder, or (b) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation Section (B) of this Article X is not applicable to the surviving entity;

 

(ii)            any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the interested stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to 10% or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation;

 

(iii)            any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the interested stockholder, except: (a) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the interested stockholder became such; (b) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (c) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all holders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the interested stockholder became such; (d) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to all holders of said stock; or (e) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (c)-(e) of this subsection (iii) shall there be an increase in the interested stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments);

 

 

(iv)            any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the interested stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder; or

 

(v)            any receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits (other than those expressly permitted in subsections (i)-(iv) above) provided by or through the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary.

 

4.            “control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract, or otherwise. A person who is the owner of 20% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this Article X, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.

 

5.            “interested stockholder” means any person (other than the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, or (ii) is an affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the owner of 15% or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation at any time within the three year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder; and the affiliates and associates of such person; but “interested stockholder” shall not include or be deemed to include, in any case, (a) the Pamplona Investor (as defined in the Stockholders Agreement), any Pamplona Investors Direct Transferee, any Pamplona Investors Indirect Transferee or any of their respective affiliates or successors or any “group”, or any member of any such group, to which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act, (b) the Wynnchurch Investor (as defined in the Stockholders Agreement), any Wynnchurch Investors Direct Transferee, any Wynnchurch Investors Indirect Transferee or any of their respective affiliates or successors or any “group”, or any member of any such group, to which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act, or (c) any person whose ownership of shares in excess of the 15% limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation, provided that such person shall be an interested stockholder if thereafter such person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such person. For the purpose of determining whether a person is an interested stockholder, the voting stock of the Corporation deemed to be outstanding shall include stock deemed to be owned by the person through application of the definition of “owner” below but shall not include any other unissued stock of the Corporation which may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon exercise of conversion rights, warrants or options, or otherwise.

 

 

6.            “owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a person that individually or with or through any of its affiliates or associates:

 

(i)            beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly; or

 

(ii)            has (a) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such person’s affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (b) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to ten or more persons; or

 

(iii)            has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (b) of subsection (ii) above), or disposing of such stock with any other person that beneficially owns, or whose affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.

 

7.            “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.

 

8.            “Pamplona Investors Direct Transferee” means any person that acquires (other than in a registered public offering or through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market) directly from either the Pamplona Investor or any of its affiliates or successors or any “group”, or any member of any such group, of which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation.

 

9.            “Pamplona Investors Indirect Transferee” means any person that acquires (other than in a registered public offering or through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market) directly from any Pamplona Investors Direct Transferee or any other Pamplona Investors Indirect Transferee beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation.

 

 

10.            “stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.

 

11.            “voting stock” means stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors.

 

12.            “Wynnchurch Investors Direct Transferee” means any person that acquires (other than in a registered public offering or through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market) directly from either the Wynnchurch Investor or any of its affiliates or successors or any “group”, or any member of any such group, of which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation.

 

13.            “Wynnchurch Investors Indirect Transferee” means any person that acquires (other than in a registered public offering or through a broker’s transaction executed on any securities exchange or other over-the-counter market) directly from any Wynnchurch Investors Direct Transferee or any other Wynnchurch Investors Indirect Transferee beneficial ownership of 15% or more of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE XI

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

A.            If any provision or provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent possible, the provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

 

B.            Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director or officer of the Corporation to the Corporation or the Corporation’s stockholders, creditors or other constituents, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer of the Corporation arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (as either may be amended and/or restated from time to time), or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Corporation or any director or officer of the Corporation governed by the internal affairs doctrine; provided, that, if and only if the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware dismisses any such action for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, such action may be brought in another state court sitting in the State of Delaware. Notwithstanding anything contrary in the foregoing, the provisions of this Section (B) shall not apply to claims arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the Exchange Act or other federal securities laws for which there is exclusive federal or concurrent federal and state jurisdiction.

 

C.            Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

D.            To the fullest extent permitted by law, any Person purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any shares of capital stock of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to be duly executed in its corporate name by its duly authorized officer this ___ day of ___________, 2021.

 

	LATHAM GROUP, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

[Signature Page to Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation]

 

 

Exhibit 3.2

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BYLAWS

OF

LATHAM GROUP, INC.

 

ARTICLE I

 

Offices

 

SECTION 1.01 Registered Office. The registered office and registered agent of Latham Group, Inc. (the “Corporation”) in the State of Delaware shall be as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation (as defined below). The Corporation may also have offices in such other places in the United States or elsewhere (and may change the Corporation’s registered agent) as the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) may, from time to time, determine or as the business of the Corporation may require.

 

ARTICLE II

 

Meetings of Stockholders

 

SECTION 2.01 Annual Meetings. Annual meetings of stockholders may be held at such place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware, or by means of remote communication, and at such time and date as the Board of Directors shall determine and state in the notice of meeting. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, postpone, reschedule or cancel any annual meeting of stockholders.

 

SECTION 2.02 Special Meetings. Special meetings of the stockholders may only be called in the manner provided in the Corporation’s certificate of incorporation as then in effect (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Certificate of Incorporation”) and may be held at such place, if any, either within or without the State of Delaware, or by means of remote communication, and at such time and date as the Board of Directors or the Chair of the Board of Directors shall determine and state in the notice of meeting. The Board of Directors may, in its sole discretion, postpone, reschedule or cancel any special meeting of stockholders; provided, however, that with respect to any special meeting of stockholders previously scheduled by the Board of Directors or the Chair of the Board of Directors at the request of the Principal Stockholders (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation), the Board of Directors shall not postpone, reschedule or cancel such special meeting without the prior written consent of the Principal Stockholders.

 

 

SECTION 2.03 Notice of Stockholder Business and Nominations.

 

(A)

Annual Meetings of Stockholders.

 

(1)  Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors and the proposal of other business to be considered by the stockholders may be made at an annual meeting of stockholders only (a) as provided in the Stockholders Agreement (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation) (with respect to nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors only), (b) pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) delivered pursuant to Section 2.04 of these Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Corporation (these “Bylaws”), (c) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any authorized committee thereof or (d) by any stockholder of the Corporation who is entitled to vote at the meeting, who, subject to paragraph (C)(4) of this Section 2.03, complied with the notice procedures set forth in paragraphs (A)(2) and (A)(3) of this Section 2.03 and who was a stockholder of record at the time such notice is delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation.

 

(2)  For nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a stockholder pursuant to clause (d) of paragraph (A)(1) of this Section 2.03, the stockholder must have given timely notice thereof in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation, and, in the case of business other than nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors, such business must constitute a proper matter for stockholder action. To be timely, a stockholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting (in the case of the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders as a corporation with a class of equity security registered under the Exchange Act (as defined below), for notice by the stockholder to be timely, it must be received (A) no earlier than 120 days before such annual meeting and (B) no later than the later of 90 days before such annual meeting and the tenth day after the day on which the notice of such annual meeting was first made by mail or public announcement); provided, however, that in the event that the date of the annual meeting is advanced by more than 30 days, or delayed by more than 70 days, from the anniversary date of the previous year’s meeting, or if no annual meeting was held in the preceding year, notice by the stockholder to be timely must be so delivered not earlier than 120 days prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the 90th day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made. Public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting shall not commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.03(A)(2) to the contrary, if the number of directors to be elected to the Board of Directors at an annual meeting is increased and there is no public announcement by the Corporation naming all of the nominees for director or specifying the size of the increased Board of Directors at least 100 calendar days prior to the first anniversary of the prior year’s annual meeting of stockholders, then a stockholder’s notice required by this Section 2.03 shall be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for any new positions created by such increase, if it is received by the Secretary of the Corporation not later than the close of business on the tenth calendar day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Corporation.

 

(3)

Such stockholder’s notice shall set forth:

 

 

(a)

as to each person whom the stockholder proposes to nominate for election or re-election as a director:

 

(i)

all information relating to such person that is required to be disclosed in solicitations of proxies for election of directors in an election contest, or is otherwise required, in each case pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, including such person’s written consent to being named in the proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a director if elected; and

 

(ii)

complete and accurate responses to a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of such person and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made (which questionnaire shall be provided by the Secretary of the Corporation upon written request);

 

(b)

as to any other business that the stockholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration and, in the event that such business includes a proposal to amend these Bylaws, the language of the proposed amendment), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such stockholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made;

 

(c)

as to the stockholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made:

 

(i)

the name and address of such stockholder, as they appear on the Corporation’s books and records, and of such beneficial owner,

 

(ii)

the class or series and number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are owned, directly or indirectly, beneficially and of record by such stockholder and such beneficial owner,

 

 

(iii)

a representation that the stockholder is a holder of record of the stock of the Corporation at the time of the giving of the notice, will be entitled to vote at such meeting and will appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination,

 

(iv)

a representation whether the stockholder or the beneficial owner, if any, will be or is part of a group that will (x) deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the voting power of the Corporation’s outstanding capital stock required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (y) otherwise to solicit proxies or votes from stockholders in support of such proposal or nomination,

 

(v)

a certification regarding whether such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, have complied with all applicable federal, state and other legal requirements in connection with the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acquisition of shares of capital stock or other securities of the Corporation and/or the stockholder’s and/or beneficial owner’s acts or omissions as a stockholder of the Corporation; and

 

(vi)

any other information relating to such stockholder and beneficial owner, if any, required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for, as applicable, the proposal and/or for the election of directors in an election contest pursuant to and in accordance with Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder;

 

(d)

a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding with respect to the nomination or proposal and/or the voting of shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation between or among the stockholder giving the notice, the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made, any of their respective affiliates or associates and/or any others acting in concert with any of the foregoing (collectively, “proponent persons”); and

 

(e)

a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (including without limitation any contract to purchase or sell, acquisition or grant of any option, right or warrant to purchase or sell, swap or other instrument) to which any proponent person is a party, the intent or effect of which may be:

 

(i)

to transfer to or from any proponent person, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security of the Corporation,

 

 

(ii)

to increase or decrease the voting power of any proponent person with respect to shares of any class or series of stock of the Corporation, and/or

 

(iii)

to provide any proponent person, directly or indirectly, with the opportunity to profit or share in any profit derived from, or to otherwise benefit economically from, any increase or decrease in the value of any security of the Corporation. A stockholder providing notice of a proposed nomination for election to the Board of Directors or other business proposed to be brought before a meeting (whether given pursuant to this paragraph (A)(3) or paragraph (B) of this Section 2.03 of these Bylaws) shall update and supplement such notice from time to time to the extent necessary so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice shall be true and correct (x) as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting and (y) as of the date that is 15 days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, provided that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting is less than 15 days prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof, the information shall be supplemented and updated as of such later date. Any such update and supplement shall be delivered in writing to the Secretary of the Corporation at the principal executive offices of the Corporation not later than five days after the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting (in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting), not later than ten days prior to the date for the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of any update or supplement required to be made as of 15 days prior to the meeting or adjournment or postponement thereof) and not later than five days after the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, but no later than the date prior to the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof (in the case of any update and supplement required to be made as of a date less than 15 days prior the date of the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof). The proponent persons shall also provide any other information reasonably requested by the Corporation within five business days of such request.

 

 

(B)  Special Meetings of Stockholders. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting. Nominations of persons for election to the Board of Directors may be made at a special meeting of stockholders at which directors are to be elected pursuant to the Corporation’s notice of meeting (1) as provided in the Stockholders Agreement or (2) by or at the direction of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof. In no event shall the public announcement of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a stockholder’s notice as described above.

 

(C)

General.

 

(1)  Except as provided in paragraph (C)(4) of this Section 2.03, only such persons who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.03 or the Stockholders Agreement shall be eligible to serve as directors and only such business shall be conducted at an annual or special meeting of stockholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 2.03. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the chair of the meeting shall, in addition to making any other determination that may be appropriate for the conduct of the meeting, have the power and duty to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in these Bylaws and, if any proposed nomination or business is not in compliance with these Bylaws, to declare that such defective proposal or nomination shall be disregarded. The date and time of the opening and the closing of the polls for each matter upon which the stockholders will vote at a meeting shall be announced at the meeting by the chair of the meeting. The Board of Directors may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of the meeting of stockholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board of Directors, the chair of the meeting shall have the right and authority to convene and (for any or no reason) to recess and/or adjourn the meeting, to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chair, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Directors or prescribed by the chair of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting, (b) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (c) limitations on attendance at or participation in the meeting to stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other persons as the chair of the meeting shall determine; (d) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; and (e) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by participants. Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03, unless otherwise required by law, if the stockholder (or a qualified representative of the stockholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation to present a nomination or business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Corporation. For purposes of this Section 2.03, to be considered a qualified representative of the stockholder, a person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such stockholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such stockholder or an electronic transmission delivered by such stockholder to act for such stockholder as proxy at the meeting of stockholders and such person must produce such writing or electronic transmission, or a reliable reproduction of the writing or electronic transmission, at the meeting of stockholders. Unless and to the extent determined by the Board of Directors or the chair of the meeting, meeting of stockholders shall not be required to be held in accordance with the rules of parliamentary procedure.

 

 

(2)  Whenever used in these Bylaws, “public announcement” shall mean disclosure (a) in a press release released by the Corporation, provided such press release is released by the Corporation following its customary procedures, is reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or comparable national news service, or is generally available on internet news sites, or (b) in a document publicly filed by the Corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(3)  Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.03, a stockholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 2.03; provided, however, that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any references in these Bylaws to the Exchange Act or the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to these Bylaws (including paragraphs (A)(1)(d) and (B) hereof), and compliance with paragraphs (A)(1)(d) and (B) of this Section 2.03 of these Bylaws shall be the exclusive means for a stockholder to make nominations or submit other business. Nothing in these Bylaws shall be deemed to affect any rights of the holders of any class or series of stock having a preference over the Common Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation to elect directors under specified circumstances.

 

(4)  Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.03, for as long as the Stockholders Agreement remains in effect with respect to the Principal Stockholders, the Principal Stockholders (to the extent then subject to the Stockholders Agreement) shall not be subject to the notice procedures set forth in paragraphs (A)(2), (A)(3) or (B) of this Section 2.03 with respect to any annual or special meeting of stockholders.

 

 

SECTION 2.04 Notice of Meetings. Whenever stockholders are required or permitted to take any action at a meeting, a timely notice in writing or by electronic transmission, in the manner provided in Section 232 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”), of the meeting, which shall state the place, if any, date and time of the meeting, the means of remote communications, if any, by which stockholders and proxyholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such meeting, the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting, if such date is different from the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting, and, in the case of a special meeting, the purposes for which the meeting is called, shall be mailed to or transmitted electronically by the Secretary of the Corporation to each stockholder of record entitled to vote thereat as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting.

 

Unless otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the notice of any meeting shall be given not less than ten nor more than 60 days before the date of the meeting to each stockholder entitled to vote at such meeting as of the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of the meeting.

 

SECTION 2.05 Quorum. Unless otherwise required by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or the rules of any stock exchange upon which the Corporation’s securities are listed, the holders of record of a majority of the voting power of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereat, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at all meetings of stockholders. Notwithstanding the foregoing, where a separate vote by a class or series or classes or series is required, a majority in voting power of the outstanding shares of such class or series or classes or series, present in person or represented by proxy, shall constitute a quorum entitled to take action with respect to the vote on that matter. Once a quorum is present to organize a meeting, it shall not be broken by the subsequent withdrawal of any stockholders.

 

SECTION 2.06 Voting. Except as otherwise provided by or pursuant to the provisions of the Certificate of Incorporation, each stockholder entitled to vote at any meeting of stockholders shall be entitled to one vote for each share of stock held by such stockholder that has voting power upon the matter in question. Each stockholder entitled to vote at a meeting of stockholders or to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting may authorize another person or persons to act for such stockholder by proxy in any manner provided by applicable law, but no such proxy shall be voted or acted upon after three years from its date, unless the proxy provides for a longer period. A proxy shall be irrevocable if it states that it is irrevocable and if, and only as long as, it is coupled with an interest sufficient in law to support an irrevocable power. A stockholder may revoke any proxy that is not irrevocable by attending the meeting and voting in person or by delivering to the Secretary of the Corporation a revocation of the proxy or a new proxy bearing a later date. Unless required by the Certificate of Incorporation or applicable law, or determined by the chair of the meeting to be advisable, the vote on any question need not be by ballot. On a vote by ballot, each ballot shall be signed by the stockholder voting, or by such stockholder’s proxy, if there be such proxy. When a quorum is present or represented at any meeting, the vote of the holders of a majority of the voting power of the shares of stock present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall decide any question brought before such meeting, unless the question is one upon which, by express provision of applicable law, of the rules or regulations of any stock exchange applicable to the Corporation, of any regulation applicable to the Corporation or its securities, of the Certificate of Incorporation or of these Bylaws, a different vote is required, in which case such express provision shall govern and control the decision of such question. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence and subject to the Certificate of Incorporation, all elections of directors shall be determined by a plurality of the votes cast in respect of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors.

 

 

SECTION 2.07 Chair of Meetings. The Chair of the Board of Directors, if one is elected, or, in his or her absence or disability, a person designated by the Board of Directors shall be the chair of the meeting and, as such, preside at all meetings of the stockholders.

 

SECTION 2.08 Secretary of Meetings. The Secretary of the Corporation shall act as secretary at all meetings of the stockholders. In the absence or disability of the Secretary, the Chair of the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer or the chair of the meeting shall appoint a person to act as secretary at such meetings.

 

SECTION 2.09 Consent of Stockholders in Lieu of Meeting. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any annual or special meeting of stockholders of the Corporation may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote only in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation and in accordance with applicable law.

 

SECTION 2.10 Adjournment. At any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, the chair of the meeting or stockholders holding a majority in voting power of the shares of stock of the Corporation, present in person or by proxy and entitled to vote thereat, shall have the power to convene, adjourn, and reconvene the meeting from time to time without notice other than announcement at the meeting. Any business may be transacted at the adjourned meeting that might have been transacted at the meeting originally noticed. If after the adjournment a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote is fixed for the adjourned meeting, the Board of Directors shall fix as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and shall give notice of the adjourned meeting to each stockholder of record entitled to vote at such adjourned meeting as of the record date so fixed for notice of such adjourned meeting.

 

 

SECTION 2.11 Inspectors of Election. The Corporation may, and shall if required by law, in advance of any meeting of stockholders, appoint one or more inspectors of election, who may be employees of the Corporation, to act at the meeting or any adjournment thereof and to make a written report thereof. The Corporation may designate one or more persons as alternate inspectors to replace any inspector who fails to act. In the event that no inspector so appointed or designated is able to act at a meeting of stockholders, the chair of the meeting shall appoint one or more inspectors to act at the meeting. Each inspector, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, shall take and sign an oath to execute faithfully the duties of inspector with strict impartiality and according to the best of his or her ability. The inspector or inspectors so appointed or designated shall (a) ascertain the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation outstanding and the voting power of each such share, (b) determine the shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and the validity of proxies and ballots, (c) count all votes and ballots, (d) determine and retain for a reasonable period a record of the disposition of any challenges made to any determination by the inspectors, and (e) certify their determination of the number of shares of capital stock of the Corporation represented at the meeting and such inspectors’ count of all votes and ballots. Such certification and report shall specify such other information as may be required by law. In determining the validity and counting of proxies and ballots cast at any meeting of stockholders of the Corporation, the inspectors may consider such information as is permitted by applicable law. No person who is a candidate for an office at an election may serve as an inspector at such election.

 

ARTICLE III

 

Board of Directors

 

SECTION 3.01 Powers. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Incorporation or the DGCL, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may exercise all such authority and powers of the Corporation and do all such lawful acts and things as are not by the DGCL or the Certificate of Incorporation directed or required to be exercised or done by the stockholders.

 

SECTION 3.02 Number and Term; Chair. Subject to the Certificate of Incorporation and the Stockholders Agreement, the number of directors shall be fixed exclusively by resolution of the Board of Directors. Directors shall be elected by the stockholders at their annual meeting, and the term of each director so elected shall be as set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation. The Board of Directors shall elect a Chair of the Board of Directors, who shall have the powers and perform such duties as provided in these Bylaws and as the Board of Directors may from time to time prescribe. The Chair of the Board of Directors shall preside at all meetings of the Board of Directors at which he or she is present. If the Chair of the Board of Directors is not present at a meeting of the Board of Directors, a majority of the directors present at such meeting shall elect one of their members to preside.

 

 

SECTION 3.03 Resignations. Any director may resign at any time upon notice given in writing or by electronic transmission to the Board of Directors or the Chair of the Board of Directors. The resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and if no time is specified, at the time of its receipt. The acceptance of a resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective unless otherwise expressly provided in the resignation.

 

SECTION 3.04 Removal. Directors of the Corporation may be removed in the manner provided in the Certificate of Incorporation, the Stockholders Agreement and applicable law.

 

SECTION 3.05 Vacancies and Newly Created Directorships. Except as otherwise provided by applicable law and subject to the Stockholders Agreement, vacancies occurring in any directorship (whether by death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, removal or other cause) and newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled in accordance with the Certificate of Incorporation. Any director elected to fill a vacancy or newly created directorship shall hold office until the next election of the class for which such director shall have been chosen and until his or her successor shall be elected and qualified, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification or removal.

 

SECTION 3.06 Meetings. Regular meetings of the Board of Directors may be held at such places and times as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by the Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation or the Chair of the Board of Directors or as provided by the Certificate of Incorporation, and shall be called by the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary of the Corporation if directed by the Board of Directors and shall be at such places and times as they or he or she shall fix. Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be also called by the Principal Stockholders at any time when the Principal Stockholders beneficially own at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, and shall be at such places and times as the Principal Stockholders shall fix. Notice need not be given of regular meetings of the Board of Directors. At least 24 hours before each special meeting of the Board of Directors, either written notice, notice by electronic transmission or oral notice (either in person or by telephone) notice of the time, date and place of the meeting shall be given to each director. Unless otherwise indicated in the notice thereof, any and all business may be transacted at a special meeting.

 

 

SECTION 3.07 Quorum, Voting and Adjournment. A majority of the total number of directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. Except as otherwise provided by law, the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws, the act of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors. In the absence of a quorum, a majority of the directors present thereat may adjourn such meeting to another time and place. Notice of such adjourned meeting need not be given if the time and place of such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting so adjourned.

 

SECTION 3.08 Committees; Committee Rules. The Board of Directors may designate one or more committees, including but not limited to an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, each such committee to consist of one or more of the directors of the Corporation. The Board of Directors may designate one or more directors as alternate members of any committee to replace any absent or disqualified member at any meeting of the committee. Any such committee, to the extent provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors establishing such committee, shall have and may exercise all the powers and authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the business and affairs of the Corporation, and may authorize the seal of the Corporation to be affixed to all papers that may require it; but no such committee shall have the power or authority in reference to the following matters: (a) approving or adopting, or recommending to the stockholders, any action or matter (other than the election or removal of directors) expressly required by the DGCL to be submitted to stockholders for approval or (b) adopting, amending or repealing any Bylaw of the Corporation. All committees of the Board of Directors shall keep minutes of their meetings and shall report their proceedings to the Board of Directors when requested or required by the Board of Directors. Each committee of the Board of Directors may fix its own rules of procedure and shall hold its meetings as provided by such rules, except as may otherwise be provided by a resolution of the Board of Directors designating such committee. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, the presence of at least a majority of the members of the committee shall be necessary to constitute a quorum unless the committee shall consist of one or two members, in which event one member shall constitute a quorum; and all matters shall be determined by a majority vote of the members present at a meeting of the committee at which a quorum is present. Unless otherwise provided in such a resolution, in the event that a member and that member’s alternate, if alternates are designated by the Board of Directors, of such committee is or are absent or disqualified, the member or members thereof present at any meeting and not disqualified from voting, whether or not such member or members constitute a quorum, may unanimously appoint another member of the Board of Directors to act at the meeting in place of any such absent or disqualified member.

 

 

SECTION 3.09 Action Without a Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the Board of Directors or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the Board of Directors or any committee thereof, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed in the minutes of proceedings of the Board of Directors. Such filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form or shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form.

 

SECTION 3.10 Remote Meeting. Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, members of the Board of Directors, or any committee designated by the Board of Directors, may participate in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment in which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other. Participation in a meeting by means of conference telephone or other communications equipment shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

SECTION 3.11 Compensation. The Board of Directors, or any committee thereof designated with such authority, shall have the authority to fix the compensation, including fees and reimbursement of expenses, of directors for services to the Corporation in any capacity.

 

SECTION 3.12 Reliance on Books and Records. A member of the Board of Directors, or a member of any committee designated by the Board of Directors shall, in the performance of such person’s duties, be fully protected in relying in good faith upon records of the Corporation and upon such information, opinions, reports or statements presented to the Corporation by any of the Corporation’s officers or employees, or committees of the Board of Directors, or by any other person as to matters the member reasonably believes are within such other person’s professional or expert competence and who has been selected with reasonable care by or on behalf of the Corporation.

 

ARTICLE IV

 

Officers

 

SECTION 4.01 Number. The officers of the Corporation shall include a Chief Executive Officer, a principal financial officer, a principal accounting officer and a Secretary, each of whom shall be elected by the Board of Directors and who shall hold office for such terms as shall be determined by the Board of Directors and until their successors are elected and qualify or until their earlier resignation or removal. In addition, the Board of Directors may elect one or more Vice Presidents, including one or more Executive Vice Presidents, Senior Vice Presidents, a Treasurer and one or more Assistant Treasurers and one or more Assistant Secretaries, who shall hold their office for such terms and shall exercise such powers and perform such duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. Any number of offices may be held by the same person.

 

 

SECTION 4.02 Other Officers and Agents. The Board of Directors may appoint such other officers and agents as it deems advisable, who shall hold their office for such terms and shall exercise and perform such powers and duties as shall be determined from time to time by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may appoint one or more officers called a Vice Chair, each of whom does not need to be a member of the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.03 Chief Executive Officer. The Chief Executive Officer shall have general executive charge, management, and control of the properties and operations of the Corporation in the ordinary course of its business, with all such powers with respect to such properties and operations as may be reasonably incident to such responsibilities.

 

SECTION 4.04 Vice Presidents. Each Vice President, if any are appointed, of whom one or more may be designated an Executive Vice President or Senior Vice President, shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to him or her by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.05 Treasurer. The Treasurer shall have custody of the corporate funds, securities, evidences of indebtedness and other valuables of the Corporation and shall keep full and accurate accounts of receipts and disbursements in books belonging to the Corporation. The Treasurer shall deposit all moneys and other valuables in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in such depositories as may be designated by the Board of Directors or its designees selected for such purposes. The Treasurer shall disburse the funds of the Corporation, taking proper vouchers therefor. The Treasurer shall render to the Chief Executive Officer and the Board of Directors, upon their request, a report of the financial condition of the Corporation. If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give the Corporation a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties in such amount and with such surety as the Board of Directors shall prescribe.

 

In addition, the Treasurer shall have such further powers and perform such other duties incident to the office of Treasurer as from time to time are assigned to him or her by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.06 Secretary. The Secretary shall: (a) cause minutes of all meetings of the stockholders and directors to be recorded and kept properly; (b) cause all notices required by these Bylaws or otherwise to be given properly; (c) see that the minute books, stock books, and other nonfinancial books, records and papers of the Corporation are kept properly; and (d) cause all reports, statements, returns, certificates and other documents to be prepared and filed when and as required. The Secretary shall have such further powers and perform such other duties as prescribed from time to time by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

 

SECTION 4.07 Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries. Each Assistant Treasurer and each Assistant Secretary, if any are appointed, shall be vested with all the powers and shall perform all the duties of the Treasurer and Secretary, respectively, in the absence or disability of such officer, unless or until the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors shall otherwise determine. In addition, Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries shall have such powers and shall perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.08 Corporate Funds and Checks. The funds of the Corporation shall be kept in such depositories as shall from time to time be prescribed by the Board of Directors or its designees selected for such purposes. All checks or other orders for the payment of money shall be signed by the Chief Executive Officer, a Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary or such other person or agent as may from time to time be authorized and with such countersignature, if any, as may be required by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 4.09 Contracts and Other Documents. The Chief Executive Officer and the Secretary, or such other officer or officers as may from time to time be authorized by the Board of Directors or any other committee given specific authority in the premises by the Board of Directors during the intervals between the meetings of the Board of Directors, shall have power to sign and execute on behalf of the Corporation deeds, conveyances and contracts, and any and all other documents requiring execution by the Corporation.

 

SECTION 4.10 Ownership of Stock of Another Corporation. Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Directors, the Chief Executive Officer, a Vice President, the Treasurer or the Secretary, or such other officer or agent as shall be authorized by the Board of Directors, shall have the power and authority, on behalf of the Corporation, to attend and to vote at any meeting of securityholders of any entity in which the Corporation holds securities or equity interests and may exercise, on behalf of the Corporation, any and all of the rights and powers incident to the ownership of such securities or equity interests at any such meeting, including the authority to execute and deliver proxies and consents on behalf of the Corporation.

 

SECTION 4.11 Delegation of Duties. In the absence, disability or refusal of any officer to exercise and perform his or her duties, the Board of Directors may delegate to another officer such powers or duties.

 

SECTION 4.12 Resignation and Removal. Any officer of the Corporation may be removed from office for or without cause at any time by the Board of Directors. Any officer may resign at any time in the same manner prescribed under Section 3.03 of these Bylaws.

 

 

SECTION 4.13 Vacancies. The Board of Directors shall have the power to fill vacancies occurring in any office.

 

ARTICLE V

 

Stock

 

SECTION 5.01 Shares With Certificates. The shares of stock of the Corporation shall be represented by certificates, provided that the Board of Directors may provide by resolution or resolutions that some or all of any or all classes or series of the Corporation’s stock shall be uncertificated shares. Any such resolution shall not apply to shares represented by a certificate until such certificate is surrendered to the Corporation. Every holder of stock in the Corporation represented by certificates shall be entitled to have a certificate signed by, or in the name of the Corporation by, (a) the Chair of the Board of Directors or the Vice Chair of the Board of Directors or, the Chief Executive Officer or a Vice President, and (b) the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer or the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, certifying the number and class of shares of stock of the Corporation owned by such holder. Any or all of the signatures on the certificate may be a facsimile. The Board of Directors shall have the power to appoint one or more transfer agents and/or registrars for the transfer or registration of certificates of stock of any class, and may require stock certificates to be countersigned or registered by one or more of such transfer agents and/or registrars.

 

SECTION 5.02 Shares Without Certificates. If the Board of Directors chooses to issue shares of stock without certificates, the Corporation, if required by the DGCL, shall, within a reasonable time after the issue or transfer of shares without certificates, send the stockholder a written statement of the information required by the DGCL. The Corporation may adopt a system of issuance, recordation and transfer of its shares of stock by electronic or other means not involving the issuance of certificates, provided the use of such system by the Corporation is permitted in accordance with applicable law.

 

SECTION 5.03 Transfer of Shares. Shares of stock of the Corporation shall be transferable upon its books by the holders thereof, in person or by their duly authorized attorneys or legal representatives, in the manner prescribed by law, the Certificate of Incorporation and in these Bylaws, upon surrender to the Corporation by delivery thereof (to the extent evidenced by a physical stock certificate) to the person in charge of the stock and transfer books and ledgers. Certificates representing such shares, if any, shall be cancelled and new certificates, if the shares are to be certificated, shall thereupon be issued. Shares of capital stock of the Corporation that are not represented by a certificate shall be transferred in accordance with applicable law. A record shall be made of each transfer. Whenever any transfer of shares shall be made for collateral security, and not absolutely, it shall be so expressed in the entry of the transfer if, when the certificates are presented, both the transferor and transferee request the Corporation to do so. The Board of Directors shall have power and authority to make such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or proper concerning the issue, transfer and registration of certificates for shares of stock of the Corporation.

 

 

SECTION 5.04 Lost, Stolen, Destroyed or Mutilated Certificates. A new certificate of stock or uncertificated shares may be issued in the place of any certificate previously issued by the Corporation alleged to have been lost, stolen or destroyed, and the Corporation may, in its discretion, require the owner of such lost, stolen or destroyed certificate, or his or her legal representative, to give the Corporation a bond, in such sum as the Corporation may direct, in order to indemnify the Corporation against any claims that may be made against it in connection therewith. A new certificate or uncertificated shares of stock may be issued in the place of any certificate previously issued by the Corporation that has become mutilated upon the surrender by such owner of such mutilated certificate and, if required by the Corporation, the posting of a bond by such owner in an amount sufficient to indemnify the Corporation against any claim that may be made against it in connection therewith.

 

SECTION 5.05 List of Stockholders Entitled To Vote. The officer who has charge of the stock ledger shall prepare and make, at least ten days before every meeting of stockholders, a complete list of the stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting (provided, however, that if the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote is less than ten days before the date of the meeting, the list shall reflect the stockholders entitled to vote as of the tenth day before the meeting date), arranged in alphabetical order, and showing the address of each stockholder and the number of shares registered in the name of each stockholder. Such list shall be open to the examination of any stockholder, for any purpose germane to the meeting at least ten days prior to the meeting (a) on a reasonably accessible electronic network, provided that the information required to gain access to such list is provided with the notice of meeting, or (b) during ordinary business hours at the principal place of business of the Corporation. In the event that the Corporation determines to make the list available on an electronic network, the Corporation may take reasonable steps to ensure that such information is available only to stockholders of the Corporation. If the meeting is to be held at a place, then a list of stockholders entitled to vote at the meeting shall be produced and kept at the time and place of the meeting during the whole time thereof and may be examined by any stockholder who is present. If the meeting is to be held solely by means of remote communication, then the list shall also be open to the examination of any stockholder during the whole time of the meeting on a reasonably accessible electronic network, and the information required to access such list shall be provided with the notice of the meeting. Except as otherwise provided by law, the stock ledger shall be the only evidence as to who are the stockholders entitled to examine the list of stockholders required by this Section 5.05 or to vote in person or by proxy at any meeting of stockholders.

 

 

SECTION 5.06 Fixing Date for Determination of Stockholders of Record.

 

(A)            In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to notice of any meeting of stockholders or any adjournment thereof, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall, unless otherwise required by law, not be more than 60 nor less than ten days before the date of such meeting. If the Board of Directors so fixes a date, such date shall also be the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to vote at such meeting unless the Board of Directors determines, at the time it fixes such record date, that a later date on or before the date of the meeting shall be the date for making such determination. If no record date is fixed by the Board of Directors, the record date for determining stockholders entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall be at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which notice is given, or, if notice is waived, at the close of business on the day next preceding the day on which the meeting is held. A determination of stockholders of record entitled to notice of or to vote at a meeting of stockholders shall apply to any adjournment of the meeting; provided, however, that the Board of Directors may fix a new record date for determination of stockholders entitled to vote at the adjourned meeting, and in such case shall also fix as the record date for stockholders entitled to notice of such adjourned meeting the same or an earlier date as that fixed for determination of stockholders entitled to vote in accordance herewith at the adjourned meeting.

 

(B)            In order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to receive payment of any dividend or other distribution or allotment of any rights, or entitled to exercise any rights in respect of any change, conversion or exchange of stock or for the purpose of any other lawful action, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted, and which record date shall not be more than 60 days prior to such action. If no such record date is fixed, the record date for determining stockholders for any such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution relating thereto.

 

(C)            Unless otherwise restricted by the Certificate of Incorporation, in order that the Corporation may determine the stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting, the Board of Directors may fix a record date, which record date shall not precede the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors, and which record date shall not be more than ten days after the date upon which the resolution fixing the record date is adopted by the Board of Directors. If no record date for determining stockholders entitled to express consent to corporate action in writing without a meeting is fixed by the Board of Directors, (a) when no prior action of the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be the first date on which a signed written consent setting forth the action taken or proposed to be taken is delivered to the Corporation in accordance with applicable law, and (b) if prior action by the Board of Directors is required by law, the record date for such purpose shall be at the close of business on the day on which the Board of Directors adopts the resolution taking such prior action.

 

 

SECTION 5.07 Registered Stockholders. Prior to the surrender to the Corporation of the certificate or certificates for a share or shares of stock or notification to the Corporation of the transfer of uncertificated shares with a request to record the transfer of such share or shares, the Corporation may treat the registered owner of such share or shares as the person entitled to receive dividends, to vote, to receive notifications and otherwise to exercise all the rights and powers of an owner of such share or shares. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation shall not be bound to recognize any equitable or other claim to or interest in such share or shares on the part of any other person, whether or not it shall have express or other notice thereof.

 

ARTICLE VI

 

Notice and Waiver of Notice

 

SECTION 6.01 Notice. If mailed, notice to stockholders shall be deemed given when deposited in the United States mail, postage prepaid, directed to the stockholder at such stockholder’s address as it appears on the records of the Corporation. Without limiting the manner by which notice otherwise may be given effectively to stockholders, any notice to stockholders may be given by electronic transmission in the manner provided in Section 232 of the DGCL.

 

SECTION 6.02 Waiver of Notice. A written waiver of any notice, signed by a stockholder or director, or waiver by electronic transmission by such person, whether given before or after the time of the event for which notice is to be given, shall be deemed equivalent to the notice required to be given to such person. Neither the business nor the purpose of any meeting need be specified in such a waiver. Attendance at any meeting (in person or by remote communication) shall constitute waiver of notice except attendance for the express purpose of objecting at the beginning of the meeting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened.

 

 

ARTICLE VII

 

Indemnification

 

SECTION 7.01 Right to Indemnification. Each person who was or is made a party or is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative (hereinafter a “proceeding”), by reason of the fact that he or she is or was a director or an officer of the Corporation or, while a director or officer of the Corporation, is or was serving at the request of the Corporation as a director, manager, officer, employee, agent or trustee of another corporation or of a limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, including service with respect to an employee benefit plan (hereinafter an “indemnitee”), whether the basis of such proceeding is alleged action in an official capacity as a director, manager, officer, employee, agent or trustee or in any other capacity while serving as a director, manager, officer, employee, agent or trustee, shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, as the same exists or may hereafter be amended (but, in the case of any such amendment, if permitted, only to the extent that such amendment permits the Corporation to provide broader indemnification rights than such law permitted the Corporation to provide prior to such amendment), against all expense, liability and loss (including attorneys’ fees, judgments, fines, ERISA excise taxes or penalties and amounts paid in settlement) reasonably incurred or suffered by such indemnitee in connection therewith; provided, however, that, except as provided in Section 7.03 with respect to proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification or advancement of expenses or with respect to any compulsory counterclaim brought by such indemnitee, the Corporation shall indemnify any such indemnitee in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such indemnitee only if such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized by the Board of Directors.

 

SECTION 7.02 Right to Advancement of Expenses. In addition to the right to indemnification conferred in Section 7.01, an indemnitee shall also have the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in appearing at, participating in or defending any such proceeding in advance of its final disposition or in connection with a proceeding brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement of expenses under this Article VII (which shall be governed by Section 7.03 (hereinafter an “advancement of expenses”). Such advancement shall be unconditional, unsecured and interest free and shall be made without regard to indemnitee’s ability to repay any expenses advanced; provided, however, that, if the DGCL requires or in the case of an advance made in a proceeding brought to establish or enforce a right to indemnification or advancement, an advancement of expenses incurred by an indemnitee in his or her capacity as a director or officer (and not in any other capacity in which service was or is rendered by such indemnitee, including, without limitation, service to an employee benefit plan) shall be made solely upon delivery to the Corporation of an unsecured undertaking (hereinafter an “undertaking”), by or on behalf of such indemnitee, to repay all amounts so advanced if it shall ultimately be determined by final judicial decision from which there is no further right to appeal (hereinafter a “final adjudication”) that such indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified or entitled to advancement of expenses under Sections 7.01 and 7.02 or otherwise.

 

 

SECTION 7.03 Right of Indemnitee to Bring Suit. If a claim under Section 7.01 or 7.02 is not paid in full by the Corporation within (a) 60 days after a written claim for indemnification has been received by the Corporation or (b) 20 days after a claim for an advancement of expenses has been received by the Corporation, the indemnitee may at any time thereafter bring suit against the Corporation to recover the unpaid amount of the claim or to obtain advancement of expenses, as applicable. To the fullest extent permitted by law, if successful in whole or in part in any such suit, or in a suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the indemnitee shall be entitled to be paid also the expense of prosecuting or defending such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification hereunder (but not in a suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to an advancement of expenses) it shall be a defense that the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL, and in any suit brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the Corporation shall be entitled to recover such expenses upon a final adjudication that, the indemnitee has not met any applicable standard for indemnification set forth in the DGCL. Neither the failure of the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of such suit that indemnification of the indemnitee is proper in the circumstances because the indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in the DGCL, nor an actual determination by the Corporation (including its directors who are not parties to such action, a committee of such directors, independent legal counsel, or its stockholders) that the indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall create a presumption that the indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct or, in the case of such a suit brought by the indemnitee, be a defense to such suit. In any suit brought by the indemnitee to enforce a right to indemnification or to an advancement of expenses hereunder, or brought by the Corporation to recover an advancement of expenses pursuant to the terms of an undertaking, the burden of proving that the indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified, or to such advancement of expenses, under this Article VII or otherwise shall be on the Corporation.

 

 

SECTION 7.04 Indemnification Not Exclusive.

 

(A)            The provision of indemnification to or the advancement of expenses and costs to any indemnitee under this Article VII, or the entitlement of any indemnitee to indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs under this Article VII, shall not limit or restrict in any way the power of the Corporation to indemnify or advance expenses and costs to such indemnitee in any other way permitted by law or be deemed exclusive of, or invalidate, any right to which any indemnitee seeking indemnification or advancement of expenses and costs may be entitled under any law, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise, both as to action in such indemnitee’s capacity as an officer, director, employee or agent of the Corporation and as to action in any other capacity.

 

(B)            Given that certain jointly indemnifiable claims (as defined below) may arise due to the service of the indemnitee as a director and/or officer of the Corporation at the request of the indemnitee-related entities (as defined below), the Corporation shall be fully and primarily responsible for the payment to the indemnitee in respect of indemnification or advancement of all expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent legally permitted and as required by the terms of the Certificate of Incorporation or these Bylaws (or any other agreement between the Corporation and such persons, including the Stockholders Agreement, as applicable) in connection with any such jointly indemnifiable claims, pursuant to and in accordance with the terms of this Article VII, irrespective of any right of recovery the indemnitee may have from the indemnitee-related entities. Any obligation on the part of any indemnitee-related entities to indemnify or advance expenses to any indemnitee shall be secondary to the Corporation’s obligation and shall be reduced by any amount that the indemnitee may collect as indemnification or advancement from the Corporation. The Corporation irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the indemnitee-related entities from any and all claims against the indemnitee-related entities for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. Under no circumstance shall the Corporation be entitled to any right of subrogation or contribution by the indemnitee-related entities and no right of advancement or recovery the indemnitee may have from the indemnitee-related entities shall reduce or otherwise alter the rights of the indemnitee or the obligations of the Corporation hereunder. In the event that any of the indemnitee-related entities shall make any payment to the indemnitee in respect of indemnification or advancement of expenses with respect to any jointly indemnifiable claim, the indemnitee-related entity making such payment shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of the indemnitee against the Corporation, and the indemnitee shall execute all papers reasonably required and shall do all things that may be reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including the execution of such documents as may be necessary to enable the indemnitee-related entities effectively to bring suit to enforce such rights. Each of the indemnitee-related entities shall be third-party beneficiaries with respect to this Section 7.04(B), entitled to enforce this Section 7.04(B).

 

For purposes of this Section 7.04(B), the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

 

(1)   The term “indemnitee-related entities” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (other than the Corporation or any other corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise for which the indemnitee has agreed, on behalf of the Corporation or at the Corporation’s request, to serve as a director, officer, employee or agent and which service is covered by the indemnity described herein) from whom an indemnitee may be entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses with respect to which, in whole or in part, the Corporation may also have an indemnification or advancement obligation.

 

(2)   The term “jointly indemnifiable claims” shall be broadly construed and shall include, without limitation, any action, suit or proceeding for which the indemnitee shall be entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses from both the indemnitee-related entities and the Corporation pursuant to Delaware law, any agreement or certificate of incorporation, bylaws, partnership agreement, operating agreement, certificate of formation, certificate of limited partnership or comparable organizational documents of the Corporation or the indemnitee-related entities, as applicable.

 

SECTION 7.05 Corporate Obligations; Reliance. The rights granted pursuant to the provisions of this Article VII shall vest at the time a person becomes a director or officer of the Corporation and shall be deemed to create a binding contractual obligation on the part of the Corporation to the persons who from time to time are elected as officers or directors of the Corporation, and such persons in acting in their capacities as officers or directors of the Corporation or any subsidiary shall be conclusively presumed to have relied on the rights to indemnity, advancement of expenses and other rights contained in this Article VII in entering into or continuing the service without being required to give notice thereof to the Corporation. Such rights shall continue as to an indemnitee who has ceased to be a director or officer and shall inure to the benefit of the indemnitee’s heirs, executors and administrators. Any amendment, alteration or repeal of this Article VII that adversely affects any right of an indemnitee or its successors shall be prospective only and shall not limit, eliminate, or impair any such right with respect to any proceeding involving any occurrence or alleged occurrence of any action or omission to act that took place prior to such amendment or repeal.

 

SECTION 7.06 Insurance. The Corporation may maintain insurance, at its expense, to protect itself and any director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation or another corporation, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise against any expense, liability or loss, whether or not the Corporation would have the power to indemnify such person against such expense, liability or loss under the DGCL.

 

SECTION 7.07 Indemnification of Employees and Agents of the Corporation. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, grant rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to any employee or agent of the Corporation to the fullest extent of the provisions of this Article VII with respect to the indemnification and advancement of expenses of directors and officers of the Corporation.

 

 

SECTION 7.08 Successful Defense. In the event that any proceeding to which a indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against the indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that the indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such proceeding for purposes of Section 145(c) of the DGCL. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.

 

ARTICLE VIII

 

Miscellaneous

 

SECTION 8.01 Electronic Transmission. For purposes of these Bylaws, “electronic transmission” means any form of communication, not directly involving the physical transmission of paper, that creates a record that may be retained, retrieved, and reviewed by a recipient thereof, and that may be directly reproduced in paper form by such a recipient through an automated process.

 

SECTION 8.02 Corporate Seal. The Board of Directors may provide a suitable seal, containing the name of the Corporation, which seal shall be in the charge of the Secretary. If and when so directed by the Board of Directors or a committee thereof, duplicates of the seal may be kept and used by the Treasurer or by an Assistant Secretary or Assistant Treasurer.

 

SECTION 8.03 Fiscal Year. The fiscal year of the Corporation shall end on December 31^st of each year, or such other day as the Board of Directors may designate.

 

SECTION 8.04 Section Headings. Section headings in these Bylaws are for convenience of reference only and shall not be given any substantive effect in limiting or otherwise construing any provision herein.

 

SECTION 8.05 Inconsistent Provisions. In the event that any provision of these Bylaws is or becomes inconsistent with any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, the DGCL or any other applicable law, such provision of these Bylaws shall not be given any effect to the extent of such inconsistency but shall otherwise be given full force and effect.

 

 

ARTICLE IX

 

Amendments

 

SECTION 9.01 Amendments. The Board of Directors is authorized to make, repeal, alter, amend and rescind, in whole or in part, these Bylaws without the assent or vote of the stockholders in any manner not inconsistent with the laws of the State of Delaware or the Certificate of Incorporation. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these Bylaws or any provision of law that might otherwise permit a lesser vote of the stockholders, at any time when the Principal Stockholders do not beneficially own, in the aggregate, at least a majority of the voting power of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in the election of directors, in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of capital stock of the Corporation required by the Certificate of Incorporation (including any certificate of designation relating to any series of Preferred Stock (as defined in the Certificate of Incorporation), these Bylaws or applicable law, the affirmative vote of the holders of at least 66⅔% in voting power of all the then-outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class, shall be required in order for the stockholders of the Corporation to alter, amend, repeal or rescind, in whole or in part, any provision of these Bylaws (including, without limitation, this Section 9.01) or to adopt any provision inconsistent herewith.

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.1

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

CREDIT AND GUARANTY AGREEMENT

 

dated as of

 

December 18, 2018

 

among

 

LATHAM PURCHASER, INC.,

as the Borrower prior to the consummation of the Acquisition,

 

LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC.,

as the Borrower immediately upon the consummation of the Acquisition,

 

LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP.,

as Holdings,

 

THE OTHER SUBSIDIARIES OF HOLDINGS

FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO,

 

THE LENDERS FROM TIME TO TIME PARTY HERETO,

 

and

 

NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC,

as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer

 

 

NOMURA SECURITIES INTERNATIONAL, INC.,

as Sole Lead Arranger and Sole Bookrunner

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

		PAGE
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS AND ACCOUNTING TERMS		1
Section 1.01.	Defined Terms	1
Section 1.02.	Other Interpretive Provisions	65
Section 1.03.	Accounting Terms	66
Section 1.04.	Rounding	66
Section 1.05.	References to Agreements and Laws	66
Section 1.06.	Times of Day	67
Section 1.07.	Timing of Payment or Performance	67
Section 1.08.	Certain Calculations and Tests	67
Section 1.09.	Exchange Rates; Currencies Generally	67
Section 1.10.	Cashless Rollovers	68
Section 1.11.	[reserved]	68
Section 1.12.	Additional Alternate Currencies	68
Section 1.13.	Purchaser Discharge	69
Section 1.14.	[Reserved]	69
Section 1.15.	Limited Condition Transactions	69
Section 1.16.	Letter of Credit Amounts	70
ARTICLE 2 THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS		71
Section 2.01.	The Initial Term Borrowings	71
Section 2.02.	Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans	71
Section 2.03.	[Reserved]	73
Section 2.04.	Letters of Credit	73
Section 2.05.	[Reserved]	81
Section 2.06.	Prepayments	82
Section 2.07.	Termination or Reduction of Commitments	89
Section 2.08.	Repayment of Loans	89
Section 2.09.	Interest	89
Section 2.10.	Fees	90
Section 2.11.	Computation of Interest and Fees	90
Section 2.12.	Evidence of Indebtedness	90
Section 2.13.	Payments Generally	90
Section 2.14.	Sharing of Payments	92
Section 2.15.	[Reserved]	93
Section 2.16.	Increase in Commitments	93
Section 2.17.	Defaulting Lenders	95
Section 2.18.	Extension of Maturity Date	97
Section 2.19.	Refinancing Amendments	101
ARTICLE 3 TAXES, INCREASED COSTS AND ILLEGALITY		103
Section 3.01.	Taxes	103
Section 3.02.	Illegality	106
Section 3.03.	Inability to Determine Rates	107
Section 3.04.	Increased Costs	107
Section 3.05.	Capital Requirements	108
Section 3.06.	Reserves on Eurocurrency Rate Loans	108
Section 3.07.	Funding Losses	109
Section 3.08.	Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation	109

 

 

Section 3.09.	Replacement of Lenders Under Certain Circumstances	111
Section 3.10.	Survival	112
ARTICLE 4 CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS		112
Section 4.01.	Conditions of Initial Credit Extension	112
Section 4.02.	Conditions to All Credit Extensions	115
ARTICLE 5 REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES		115
Section 5.01.	Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws	116
Section 5.02.	Authorization; No Contravention	116
Section 5.03.	Governmental Authorization; Other Consents	116
Section 5.04.	Binding Effect	117
Section 5.05.	Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect	117
Section 5.06.	Litigation and Environmental Matters	117
Section 5.07.	Ownership of Property; Liens	117
Section 5.08.	Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions	118
Section 5.09.	Taxes	118
Section 5.10.	ERISA Compliance	118
Section 5.11.	Subsidiaries; Equity Interests	119
Section 5.12.	Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act	119
Section 5.13.	Disclosure	119
Section 5.14.	Solvency	120
Section 5.15.	Perfection, Etc.	120
Section 5.16.	Use of Proceeds	120
Section 5.17.	Labor Disputes	120
ARTICLE 6 AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS		120
Section 6.01.	Financial Statements	121
Section 6.02.	Certificates; Other Information	122
Section 6.03.	Notices	123
Section 6.04.	[Reserved]	123
Section 6.05.	Preservation of Existence, Etc.	123
Section 6.06.	Maintenance of Properties	124
Section 6.07.	Maintenance of Insurance	124
Section 6.08.	Compliance with Laws	124
Section 6.09.	Books and Records	124
Section 6.10.	Inspection Rights	124
Section 6.11.	Use of Proceeds	125
Section 6.12.	Payment of Taxes	125
Section 6.13.	Covenant to Guarantee Guaranteed Obligations and Give Security	125
Section 6.14.	Further Assurances	127
Section 6.15.	Designation of Subsidiaries	127
Section 6.16.	[Reserved]	128
Section 6.17.	[Reserved]	128
Section 6.18.	Ratings	128
Section 6.19.	Lender Calls	128
Section 6.20.	Post-Closing Covenants	128
ARTICLE 7 NEGATIVE COVENANTS		128
Section 7.01.	Liens	128
Section 7.02.	Investments	132
Section 7.03.	Indebtedness	135

 

 

Section 7.04.	Fundamental Changes	138
Section 7.05.	Dispositions	139
Section 7.06.	Restricted Payments	142
Section 7.07.	Transactions with Affiliates	145
Section 7.08.	Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness	147
Section 7.09.	Subsidiary Distributions	148
Section 7.10.	No Changes in Fiscal Year	148
Section 7.11.	Financial Covenant	148
Section 7.12.	Lines of Business	149
ARTICLE 8 EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES		149
Section 8.01.	Events of Default	149
Section 8.02.	Remedies Upon Event of Default	151
Section 8.03.	Application of Funds	152
Section 8.04.	Borrower’s Right to Cure	153
ARTICLE 9 ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND OTHER AGENTS		153
Section 9.01.	Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent	153
Section 9.02.	Delegation of Duties	154
Section 9.03.	Exculpatory Provisions	154
Section 9.04.	Reliance by Administrative Agent	155
Section 9.05.	Credit Decision; Disclosure of Information by Agents	156
Section 9.06.	Indemnification of Agents	156
Section 9.07.	Agents in their Individual Capacities	156
Section 9.08.	Successor Agents	157
Section 9.09.	Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding	158
Section 9.10.	Collateral and Guaranty Matters	160
Section 9.11.	Other Agents; Arrangers and Managers	161
Section 9.12.	ERISA	162
ARTICLE 10 GUARANTY		163
Section 10.01.	Guaranty	163
Section 10.02.	Contribution	163
Section 10.03.	Guaranty Absolute	163
Section 10.04.	Waiver and Acknowledgments	164
Section 10.05.	Subrogation	165
Section 10.06.	Payment Free and Clear of Taxes	165
Section 10.07.	Covenants	165
Section 10.08.	Release of Subsidiary Guarantors	166
Section 10.09.	Guaranty Supplements	166
Section 10.10.	No Waiver; Remedies	165
Section 10.11.	[Reserved]	166
Section 10.12.	Continuing Guaranty; Assignments under this Agreement	166
Section 10.13.	Subordination of Certain Intercompany Indebtedness	166
Section 10.14.	Keepwell	166
Section 10.15.	Maximum Liability	167
ARTICLE 11 MISCELLANEOUS		167
Section 11.01.	Amendments, Etc.	167
Section 11.02.	Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies	170
Section 11.03.	No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies	172
Section 11.04.	Attorney Costs, Expenses and Taxes	172

 

 

Section 11.05.	Indemnification by the Borrower	175
Section 11.06.	Payments Set Aside	174
Section 11.07.	Assigns	174
Section 11.08.	Successors	179
Section 11.09.	Confidentiality	179
Section 11.10.	Set-off	180
Section 11.11.	Interest Rate Limitation	180
Section 11.12.	Counterparts	180
Section 11.13.	Integration	181
Section 11.14.	Survival of Representations and Warranties	181
Section 11.15.	Severability	181
Section 11.16.	Governing Law	181
Section 11.17.	Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury	182
Section 11.18.	Binding Effect	182
Section 11.19.	No Implied Duties	182
Section 11.20.	USA Patriot Act Notice	182
Section 11.21.	Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail-In of EEA Financial Institutions	183
Section 11.22.	Lender Representations	183
Section 11.23.	No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility	183
Section 11.24.	Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents	184
Section 11.25.	The Borrower as Loan Party Representative	184
Section 11.26.	Judgment Currency	185

 

 

SCHEDULES
1.01A	Subsidiary Guarantors
1.01B	Unrestricted Subsidiaries
2.01	Commitments
2.04	L/C Commitments
5.06	Litigation
5.11	Subsidiaries
6.20	Post-Closing Matters
7.01	Existing Liens
7.02	Existing Investments
7.03	Existing Indebtedness
7.07	Transactions with Affiliates
11.02	Administrative Agent’s Office; Certain Addresses for Notices
EXHIBITS    Form of
A-1	Assignment and Assumption
A-2	Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption
B	Compliance Certificate
C	Intercompany Note
D	Loan Notice
E-1	Revolving Credit Note
E-2	Term Note
F	Security Agreement
G	Guaranty Supplement
I-1	Discounted Prepayment Option Notice
I-2	Lender Participation Notice
I-3	Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice
J-1	U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
J-2	U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
J-3	U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
J-4	U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate
K	Letter of Credit Report
L	Solvency Certificate

 

 

CREDIT AND GUARANTY AGREEMENT

 

This CREDIT AND GUARANTY AGREEMENT, dated as of December 18, 2018, by and among LATHAM PURCHASER, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition (as defined below), the “Borrower”), LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and, immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), each other subsidiary of Holdings from time to time party hereto, each lender from time to time party hereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and individually, a “Lender”), the other L/C Issuers party hereto from time to time and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC (acting through one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and an L/C Issuer.

 

Recitals

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of the Acquisition Agreement, Purchaser will acquire, directly or indirectly, all of the issued and outstanding capital stock of LPP Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Target”) (such acquisition, the “Acquisition”);

 

WHEREAS, substantially concurrently with the consummation of the Acquisition, all indebtedness for borrowed money (other than contingent obligations not then due and payable and that by their terms survive the termination of the Existing Facilities (as defined below)) under (i) that certain Second Amended and Restated Credit Agreement, dated as of June 29, 2015, among LPP, the lenders from time to time party thereto, Bank of Montreal, as administrative agent, and the other parties thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Existing ABL Facility”) and (ii) that certain Credit Agreement, dated as of June 29, 2015, among LPP, NewStar Financial, Inc., Franklin Square Holdings, L.P. and the lenders from time to time party thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time (the “Existing Term Facility” and, together with the Existing ABL Facility, the “Existing Facilities”), in each case, will be repaid, redeemed, defeased, discharged, refinanced, replaced or terminated, as applicable and all liens related thereto released (the “Refinancing”);

 

WHEREAS, to fund the Refinancing and a portion of the consideration for the Acquisition, the Borrower has requested that the Lenders extend credit on the Closing Date in the form of (i) Initial Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to $215,000,000 and (ii) the Initial Revolving Credit Facility in an aggregate amount of $30,000,000, subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein; and

 

WHEREAS, the Lenders are willing to extend such credit to the Borrower on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements herein contained, the parties hereto covenant and agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

Definitions and Accounting Terms

 

Section 1.01. Defined Terms. As used in this Agreement, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

“1934 Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

 

“Acceptable Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(iii).

 

 

“Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement” means a customary intercreditor agreement, subordination agreement, collateral trust agreement or other intercreditor arrangement (which may, if applicable, consist of a payment waterfall) in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, which shall be deemed acceptable to the Lenders if it is posted to the Platform and (i) is accepted by the Required Lenders and/or (ii) not otherwise objected to by the Required Lenders within ten (10) Business Days of being posted.

 

“Acceptance Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(ii).

 

“Acquired EBITDA” means, with respect to any Acquired Entity or Business or any Converted Restricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary (determined as if references to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries in the definition of Consolidated EBITDA were references to such Acquired Entity or Business and its Subsidiaries or to such Converted Restricted Subsidiary and its Subsidiaries), as applicable, all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary, as applicable.

 

“Acquired Entity or Business” has the meaning specified in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

“Acquisition” has the meaning specified in the recitals hereto.

 

“Acquisition Agreement” means that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 7, 2018 (together with all exhibits, annexes, schedules and other disclosure letters thereto, collectively, as modified, amended, supplemented, consented to or waived), by and among (i) the Purchaser, (ii) Latham Investment Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, (iii) the Target, (iv) the Stockholders referred to therein, (v) the Optionholders referred to therein and (vi) LPP Seller Rep Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

“Additional Agreements” has the meaning specified in Section 9.10(d).

 

“Additional Guarantor” has the meaning specified in Section 6.13(b)(i).

 

“Additional Loans” means the Additional Revolving Credit Loans and the Additional Term

 

Loans.

 

“Additional Refinancing Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.19(a).

 

“Additional Revolving Credit Commitments” means any revolving credit commitments added pursuant to Sections 2.16, 2.18 or 2.19.

 

“Additional Revolving Credit Facility” means any credit facility comprised of Additional Revolving Credit Commitments added pursuant to Sections 2.16, 2.18 or 2.19.

 

“Additional Revolving Credit Loans” means any revolving loans made pursuant to an Additional Revolving Credit Facility.

 

“Additional Term Commitments” means any term commitments added pursuant to Sections 2.16, 2.18 or 2.19.

 

“Additional Term Facility” means (a) on or prior to the applicable funding date of the applicable Class of Additional Term Loans added pursuant to Sections 2.16, 2.18 or 2.19, the aggregate amount of the Additional Term Commitments of such Class at such time and (ii) thereafter, the aggregate principal amount of the Additional Term Loans of such Class of all Additional Term Lenders of the applicable Class outstanding at such time added pursuant to Sections 2.16, 2.18 or 2.19.

 

 

“Additional Term Loans” means any term loans made pursuant to an Additional Term Facility.

 

“ Administrative Agent” means Nomura, together with (or acting through) one or more Persons acting as sub-agents in accordance with Section 9.02 or its designees (any such designees designated or identified after the Closing Date to be reasonably acceptable to the Borrower), in their respective capacities as administrative agent and collateral agent under any of the Loan Documents, or any successor in such capacities.

 

“Administrative Agent’s Office” means the Administrative Agent’s address and, as appropriate, account as set forth on Schedule 11.02, or such other address or account as the Administrative Agent may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Lenders. The Administrative Agent’s Office shall at all times be located in the United States.

 

“Administrative Questionnaire” means an Administrative Questionnaire in a form supplied by the Administrative Agent.

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, another Person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, Controls or is Controlled by or is under common Control with the Person specified. “Control” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of a Person, through the ability to exercise voting power, by contract or otherwise. “Controlling” and “Controlled” have meanings correlative thereto.

 

“Affiliated Debt Fund” means a Sponsor Affiliated Lender that is a bona fide debt fund or investment vehicle that is primarily engaged in, or advises funds or other investment vehicles that are engaged in, making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans, bonds and similar extensions of credit and that exercise independent discretion from the private equity business of the Sponsor.

 

“Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(k)(5).

 

“Agent-Related Persons” means the Administrative Agent, together with its Affiliates, sub-agents and designees and the officers, directors, employees, agents and attorneys-in-fact of such Persons.

 

“Aggregate Commitments” means the Commitments of all the Lenders.

 

“Aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments of the Revolving Credit Lenders at such time.

 

“Agreement” means this Credit and Guaranty Agreement.

 

“Agreement Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 11.26.

 

“All-In-Rate” means, as to any Indebtedness, the effective yield applicable thereto calculated by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower in a manner consistent with generally accepted financial practices, taking into account (a) interest rate margins (with such interest rate margin and interest spreads to be determined by reference to the Eurocurrency Rate), (b) interest rate floors (subject to the proviso set forth below), (c) any amendment to the relevant interest rate margins and interest rate floors prior to the applicable date of determination and (d) original issue discount and upfront or similar fees (based on an assumed four-year life to maturity) paid by the Borrower to the Lenders in connection with the Initial Term Loans or any applicable Incremental Term Loan Class, but excluding (i) any amendment, arrangement, commitment, structuring or underwriting fees that are not paid to or shared with all relevant lenders generally in connection with the commitment or syndication of such indebtedness, (ii) any consent fees paid to consenting lenders, ticking, unused line or similar fees or (iii) any other fee that is not paid directly by the Borrower generally to all relevant lenders ratably in the primary syndication of such indebtedness; provided, however, that (A) to the extent that the Eurocurrency Rate (with an Interest Period of three months) or Base Rate (without giving effect to any floor specified in the definition thereof) is less than any floor applicable to the Term Loans in respect of which the All-In-Rate is being calculated on the date on which the All-In-Rate is determined, the amount of the resulting difference will be deemed added to the interest rate margin applicable to the relevant Indebtedness for purposes of calculating the All -In-Rate, (B) to the extent that the Eurocurrency Rate (for a period of three months) or Base Rate (without giving effect to any floor specified in the definition thereof) is greater than any applicable floor on the date on which the All-In-Rate is determined, the floor will be disregarded in calculating the All-In-Rate and (C) any stepdowns in interest rate margins shall be disregarded in calculating the All-In-Rate.

 

 

“Alternate Currency” means, (x) in the case of Revolving Credit Loans, Canadian dollars and, (y) in the case of Letters of Credit, Canadian dollars (provided that the aggregate face amount of Letters of Credit issued and outstanding in Canadian dollars shall not exceed $500,000 at any time), and, in each case, each other currency (other than Canadian dollars) that is approved in accordance with Section 1.12.

 

“Applicable Amortization Percentage” means:

 

Applicable Fiscal Quarter		Quarterly Amortization Percentage
From the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2019 through and including the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2020			0.625	%
From the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2021 through the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date			1.25	%

 

“Applicable Asset Sale Proceeds” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(i)(A)(2).

 

“Applicable Discount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(iii).

 

“Applicable ECF Proceeds” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(iii).

 

“Applicable Margin” means a percentage per annum equal to:

 

(a) with respect to (i) any Initial Revolving Credit Loan, (ii) the Commitment Fee in respect of any Initial Revolving Credit Commitments and (iii) the L/C Fee in respect of any Initial Revolving Credit Commitments, (A) until and including the date on which the first financial statements after the Closing Date are delivered under Section 6.01, the percentages per annum set forth below for Pricing Level 2 and (B) thereafter, the following percentages per annum based upon the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio as set forth in the most recent Compliance Certificate received by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.02(a):

 

 

Initial Revolving Credit Facility  

 

				First Lien Net		Eurocurrency								Commitment
Pricing Level				Leverage Ratio		Rate/L/C Fee				Base Rate				Fee
	1			≤ 3.50:1.00			4.50	%			3.50	%			0.375	%
	2			> 3.50:1.00			4.75	%			3.75	%			0.50	%

 

(b)

(i)  with respect to any Initial Term Loans that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans, 6.00% and

 

(ii) with respect to any Initial Term Loans that are Base Rate Loans, 5.00%.

 

Any increase or decrease in the Applicable Margin resulting from a change in the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio shall become effective as of the first Business Day immediately following the date a Compliance Certificate is delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a); provided that at the option of the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders, Pricing Level 2 shall apply as of the first Business Day after the date on which a Compliance Certificate was required to have been delivered but was not delivered, and shall continue to so apply to and including the date on which such Compliance Certificate is so delivered (and thereafter the Pricing Level otherwise determined in accordance with this definition shall apply).

 

“Appropriate Lender” means, at any time, (a) with respect to Loans of any Class, the Lenders of such Class, (b) with respect to the Letter of Credit Sublimit, (i) the L/C Issuers and (ii) if any Letters of Credit have been issued pursuant to Section 2.04, the Revolving Credit Lenders, (c) with respect to Revolving Credit Loans of any Class, the Lenders of such Class and (d) with respect to Term Loans of any Class, the Lenders of such Class.

 

“Approved Foreign Bank” has the meaning specified in clause (k) of the definition of “Cash Equivalents”.

 

“Approved Fund” means any Fund that is administered or managed by (a) a Lender, (b) an Affiliate of a Lender or (c) an entity or an Affiliate of an entity that administers or manages a Lender.

 

“Arranger” means Nomura Securities International, Inc. (acting through such of its Affiliates as it deems appropriate), in its capacity as the sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner of the Facilities.

 

“Assignment and Assumption” means an Assignment and Assumption substantially in the form of Exhibit A or any other form (including electronic documentation generated by DebtDomain or other electronic platform) approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

“ Attorney Costs” means and includes all reasonable and documented, out-of-pocket fees, expenses and disbursements of any law firm or other external counsel.

 

“Attributable Indebtedness” means, on any date, in respect of any Capitalized Lease of any Person, the capitalized amount thereof that would appear on a balance sheet of such Person prepared as of such date in accordance with GAAP.

 

 

“Auto-Renewal Letter of Credit” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(b)(iii).

 

“ Available Amount” means, at any time (the “Available Amount Reference Time”), an amount equal to:

 

(a)

the sum, without duplication, of:

 

(i)

the greater of (x) $5,000,000 and (y) 10.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period; plus

 

(ii)

an amount equal to the Excess Cash Flow Retained Amount (the amount under this clause (ii) is referred to herein as the “Growth Amount”; provided that the Growth Amount shall not be less than zero); plus

 

(iii)

100% of the aggregate amount of contributions (other than in the form of Disqualified Equity Interests) to the common capital of Holdings (including mergers or consolidations that have a similar effect, with the amount of any non-cash contributions made in connection therewith being determined based on the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) thereof) or the net proceeds of the issuance of Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) contributed to Holdings and thereafter contributed to the Borrower as Qualified Equity Interests and, in each case to the extent not otherwise applied under this Agreement and not constituting a Cure Amount, received in cash during the period from and including the Business Day immediately following the Closing Date through and including the Available Amount Reference Time; plus

 

(iv)

the aggregate principal amount of any Indebtedness or Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary issued after the Closing Date (other than Indebtedness or such Disqualified Equity Interests issued to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary), which has been converted into or exchanged for Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings or any Equity Interests of any direct or indirect parent of Holdings; plus

 

(v)

to the extent not already reflected as a return of capital or deemed reduction with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment pursuant to clause (b) below or any other provision of Section 7.02, the net proceeds received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date in connection with the sale or other disposition to a Person (other than Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary) of any Investment made pursuant to Section 7.02(t) received in cash or Cash Equivalents (in an amount not to exceed the original amount of such Investment); plus

 

(vi)

to the extent not already reflected as a return of capital or deemed reduction with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment pursuant to clause (b) below or any other provision of Section 7.02, the proceeds received by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date in connection with returns, profits, distributions and similar amounts, repayments of loans and the release of guarantees received on any Investment made pursuant to Section 7.02(t) (in an amount not to exceed the original amount of such Investment); plus

 

(vii)

to the extent not already reflected as a return of capital or deemed reduction with respect to such Investment for purposes of determining the amount of such Investment pursuant to clause (b) below or any other provision of Section 7.02, an amount equal to the sum of (A) in the event any Unrestricted Subsidiary has been redesignated as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.15 or has been merged, consolidated or amalgamated with or into, or is liquidated into, Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary, the amount of the Investments of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in such Subsidiary made pursuant to Section 7.02(t) (in an amount not to exceed the original amount of such investment) and (B) the fair market value (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) of the property or assets of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that have been transferred, conveyed, or otherwise distributed to the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date from any dividend or other distribution by an Unrestricted Subsidiary; plus

 

(viii)

the amount of any Declined Proceeds; minus

 

 

(b)

the aggregate amount of (i) any Investments outstanding at such time pursuant to Section7.02(t) (net of any return of capital in respect of such Investment or deemed reduction in the amount of such Investment, including, without limitation, upon the redesignation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary or the sale, transfer, lease or other disposition of any such Investment, in each case to the extent any resulting Investment is permitted under another paragraph of Section 7.02), (ii) the initial principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred prior to such time pursuant to Section 7.03(cc) (net of any forgiveness of principal of such Indebtedness by the lender thereof; provided that such forgiveness is not included in clause (a)(iv) above), (iii) any Restricted Payments made prior to such time pursuant to Section 7.06(g) or any Restricted Prepayment made prior to such time pursuant to Section 7.08(c) (and, for purposes of this clause (b), without taking account of the intended usage of the Available Amount at such Available Amount Reference Time).

 

“Bail-In Action” means the exercise of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by the applicable EEA Resolution Authority in respect of any liability of an EEA Financial Institution.

 

“Bail-In Legislation” means, with respect to any EEA Member Country implementing Article 55 of Directive 2014/59/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of the European Union, the implementing law for such EEA Member Country from time to time which is described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

“Bankruptcy Event” means, with respect to any Person, such Person becomes the subject of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding, or has had a receiver, conservator, trustee, administrator, custodian, assignee for the benefit of creditors or similar Person charged with the reorganization or liquidation of its business appointed for it, or, in the good faith determination of the Administrative Agent, has taken any action in furtherance of, or indicating its consent to, approval of, or acquiescence in, any such proceeding or appointment, provided that a Bankruptcy Event shall not result solely by virtue of any ownership interest, or the acquisition of any ownership interest, in such Person by a Governmental Authority or instrumentality thereof, provided, further, that such ownership interest does not result in or provide such Person with immunity from the jurisdiction of courts within the United States or from the enforcement of judgments or writs of attachment on its assets or permit such Person (or such Governmental Authority or instrumentality) to reject, repudiate, disavow or disaffirm any contracts or agreements made by such Person.

 

“Base Rate” means for any day a fluctuating rate per annum equal to the highest of (a) the Federal Funds Rate plus 1/2 of 1%, (b) the rate of interest in effect for such day which is announced and/or published in the Money Rates section of The Wall Street Journal as the “prime rate” (or, if a range of rates is so announced and/or published, the highest of such rates) and (c) the Eurocurrency Rate for a one month Interest Period as determined at or about 11:00 am London time two Business Days prior to such date (or if such day is not a Business Day, the immediately preceding Business Day) plus 1.00%.

 

 

“Base Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest based on the Base Rate. All Base Rate Loans shall be denominated in Dollars.

 

“Basel III” means the agreement on capital adequacy, stress testing and liquidity standards contained in “Basel III: a global regulatory framework for more resilient banks and banking systems”, “Basel III: International framework for liquidity risk measurement, standards and monitoring” and “Guidance for national authorities operating the countercyclical capital buffer” published by the Basel Committee in December 2010, each as amended, and any further guidance or standards published by the Basel Committee in relation to “Basel III”.

 

“Basel Committee” means the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.

 

“Beneficial Ownership Certification” means a certification regarding beneficial ownership as required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation.

 

“Beneficial Ownership Regulation” means 31 C.F.R. § 1010.230.

 

“ Benefit Plan” means any of (a) an “employee benefit plan” (as defined in ERISA) that is subject to Title I of ERISA, (b) a “plan” as defined in Section 4975 of the Code that is subject to Section 4975 of the Code or (c) any Person whose assets include (for purposes of ERISA Section 3(42) or otherwise for purposes of Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Code) the assets of any such “employee benefit plan” or “plan”.

 

“Bona Fide Lending Affiliate” means, with respect to any Competitor, any debt fund, investment vehicle, regulated bank entity or unregulated lending entity (in each case, other than a Person that was separately identified to the Arranger on or prior to November 7, 2018 as a Disqualified Institution) that is (i) engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit in the ordinary course of business and (ii) managed, sponsored or advised by any Person that is Controlling, Controlled by or under common Control with such Competitor or Affiliate thereof, as applicable, but only to the extent that no personnel involved with the investment in such Competitor or affiliate thereof, as applicable, (x) makes (or has the right to make or participate with others in making) investment decisions on behalf of such debt fund, investment vehicle, regulated bank entity or unregulated lending entity or (y) has access to any information (other than information that is publicly available) relating to Holdings or any entity that forms a part of any of its businesses (including any of its subsidiaries).

 

“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

 

“Borrower Materials” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02(d).

 

“Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Loans of the same Type and Class and, in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period.

 

“Business Day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks are authorized to close under the Laws of, or are in fact closed in, the state where the Administrative Agent’s Office with respect to Loan Obligations denominated in Dollars is located and:

 

(i) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or Letter of Credit denominated in Dollars, any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in Dollars in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan or Letter of Credit or any other dealings in Dollars to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, means any such day that is also a London Banking Day;

 

 

(ii) if such day relates to any interest rate settings as to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or Letter of Credit denominated in a currency other than Dollars, means any such day on which dealings in deposits in the relevant currency are conducted by and between banks in the London or other applicable offshore interbank market for such currency; and

 

(iii) if such day relates to any fundings, disbursements, settlements and payments in a currency other than Dollars in respect of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or Letter of Credit denominated in a currency other than Dollars, or any other dealings in any currency other than Dollars to be carried out pursuant to this Agreement in respect of any such Eurocurrency Rate Loan or Letter of Credit (other than any interest rate settings), means any such day on which banks are open for foreign exchange business in the principal financial center of the country of such currency.

 

“Capital Expenditures” means, without duplication, any expenditure for any purchase or other acquisition of any asset that would be classified as a fixed or capital asset on a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries prepared in accordance with GAAP, including capitalized software development costs.

 

“ Capitalized Leases” means all leases that have been or should be, in accordance with GAAP, recorded as capitalized leases on a balance sheet of the lessee.

 

“Cash Collateral” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(g).

 

“Cash Collateral Account” means a deposit account at the Administrative Agent or its designee in the name of the Administrative Agent or its designee and under the sole dominion and control of the Administrative Agent, and otherwise established in a manner satisfactory to the Administrative Agent or its designee.

 

“Cash Collateralize” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(g).

 

“ Cash Equivalents” means any of the following types of Investments, to the extent owned by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries:

 

(a)

operating deposit accounts maintained by the Restricted Companies;

 

(b)

securities issued or unconditionally guaranteed by the United States government or any agency or instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more than 12 months from the date of acquisition thereof or other durations approved by the Administrative Agent;

 

(c)

securities issued by any state of the United States or any political subdivision of any such state or any public instrumentality thereof having maturities of not more than 12 months from the date of acquisition thereof or other durations approved by the Administrative Agent and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least “A-2” or “P-2” (or long-term ratings of at least “A3” or “A-”) from either S&P or Moody’s, or, with respect to municipal bonds, a rating of at least MIG 2 or VMIG 2 from Moody’s (or the equivalent thereof);

 

(d)

commercial paper issued by any Lender that is a commercial bank or any bank holding company owning any Lender;

 

 

(e)

commercial paper maturing not more than 12 months after the date of creation thereof or other durations approved by the Administrative Agent and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least A-1 or P-1 from either S&P or Moody’s and commercial paper maturing not more than 90 days after the creation thereof and, at the time of acquisition, having a rating of at least A-2 or P-2 from either S&P or Moody’s;

 

(f)

domestic and eurocurrency time deposits, certificates of deposit or bankers’ acceptances maturing no more than one year after the date of acquisition thereof or other durations approved by the Administrative Agent which are either issued by any Lender or any other banks having combined capital and surplus of not less than $100,000,000 (or in the case of foreign banks, the Dollar equivalent thereof) or are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for the full amount thereof;

 

(g)

repurchase agreements with a term of not more than 30 days for, and secured by, underlying securities of the type without regard to maturity described in clauses (b), (c) and (f) above entered into with any bank meeting the qualifications specified in clause (f) above or securities dealers of recognized national standing;

 

(h)

investments maintained in money market funds (as well as asset-backed securities and corporate securities that are eligible for inclusion in money market funds); and

 

(i)

solely with respect to any Non-U.S. Subsidiary, non-Dollar denominated (i) certificates of deposit of, bankers acceptances of, or time deposits with, any commercial bank which is organized and existing under the laws of a country other than one that is subject to sanctions administered or enforced by OFAC, the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, Her Majesty’s Treasury, or other relevant sanctioning authority, (any such bank being an “ Approved Foreign Bank”) and maturing within 12 months of the date of acquisition or other durations approved by the Administrative Agent and (ii) equivalents of demand deposit accounts which are maintained with an Approved Foreign Bank.

 

“ Cash Management Obligations” means all obligations of any Loan Party with respect to any overdraft and related liabilities arising from treasury, depository and cash management services, credit card services, including purchasing card services, or any automated clearing house transfers of funds provided by the Administrative Agent, a Lender, an L/C Issuer, the Arranger or any Affiliate of any of the foregoing.

 

“Casualty Event” means any event that gives rise to the receipt by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary of any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of any equipment, fixed assets or real property (including any improvements thereon) to replace or repair such equipment, fixed assets or real property.

 

“CFC” means a direct or indirect Subsidiary of Holdings that is a “controlled foreign corporation” within the meaning of Section 957 of the Code.

 

“Change in Law” means the occurrence, after the date of this Agreement, of any of the following:

 

(a) the adoption or taking effect of any Law, (b) any change in any Law or in the administration, interpretation, implementation or application thereof by any Governmental Authority or (c) the making or issuance of any request, rule, guideline or directive (whether or not having the force of Law) by any Governmental Authority; provided that notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (x) the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd Frank Act”) and all requests, rules, guidelines or directives promulgated by the Bank for International Settlements, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (or any successor or similar authority) or the United States or foreign regulatory authorities, in each case pursuant to Basel III, shall in each case be deemed to be a “Change in Law”, regardless of the date enacted, adopted, implemented or issued.

 

 

“Change of Control” means the earliest to occur of:

 

(a) (i) at any time prior to a Qualifying IPO, the Permitted Holders cease to own, in the aggregate, directly or indirectly, beneficially, Equity Interests representing at least a majority of the aggregate ordinary voting power represented by the issued and outstanding Equity Interests of Holdings, or (ii) at any time upon or after the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, the acquisition by any “person” or “group” (within the meaning of Section 13(d)(3) or Section 14(d)(2) of the 1934 Act, but excluding any employee benefit plan and/or any person acting as the trustee, agent or other fiduciary or administrator therefor), in each case of the foregoing, other than a Permitted Holder, becomes the “beneficial owner” (as defined in Rules 13(d)-3 and 13(d)-5 under such Act), directly or indirectly, of Equity Interests representing more than the greater of (x) 35% of the total voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of Holdings and (y) the percentage of the total voting power of all of the outstanding voting stock of Holdings owned directly or indirectly by the Permitted Holders; unless, in the case of either clauses (a)(i) or (a)(ii) above, the Permitted Holders have, at such time, the right or the ability by voting power, contract or otherwise to elect or designate for election at least a majority of the board of directors of Holdings; or

 

(b) at any time immediately following the consummation of the Acquisition, Holdings shall cease to directly or indirectly own and control 100% of the Equity Interests of the Borrower.

 

“Charges” means any charge, expenses, cost, accrual or reserve of any kind.

 

“Class” when used with respect to (a) any Loan or Credit Extension, refers to whether such Loan, or the Loans comprising such Credit Extension, are Initial Term Loans, Additional Term Loans of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.16, 2.18 and/or 2.19, Initial Revolving Credit Loans or Additional Revolving Credit Loans of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.16, 2.18 and/or 2.19, (b) any Commitment, refers to whether such Commitment is an Initial Term Commitment, an Additional Term Commitment of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.16, 2.18 and/or 2.19, an Initial Revolving Credit Commitment, an Additional Revolving Credit Commitment of any series established as a separate “Class” pursuant to Section 2.16, 2.18 and/or 2.19, (c) any Lender, refers to whether such Lender has a Loan or Commitment of a particular Class and (d) any Revolving Outstandings, refers to whether such Revolving Outstandings is attributable to a Revolving Credit Commitment of a particular Class.

 

“Closing Date” means the first date all the conditions precedent in Section 4.01 are satisfied or waived in accordance with Section 11.01, which date is December 18, 2018.

 

“Closing Date Material Adverse Effect” has the meaning assigned to the term “Material Adverse Effect” in the Acquisition Agreement as in effect on November 7, 2018.

 

“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

 

“Collateral” means all of the “ Collateral” referred to in the Collateral Documents and all of the other property and assets that are or are required under the terms hereof or of the Collateral Documents to be subject to Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties; provided that “Collateral” shall not include any Excluded Asset.

 

“Collateral Documents” means, collectively, (i) the Security Agreement, (ii) each Mortgage, (iii) each Intellectual Property Security Agreement, (iv) any supplement to any of the foregoing delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 6.13 and (v) each of the other agreements, instruments or documents that creates or purports to create a Lien in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties.

 

 

 

“Commitment” means an Initial Term Commitment, Initial Revolving Credit Commitment, an Additional Term Commitment or an Additional Revolving Credit Commitment, as the context may require.

 

“Commitment Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.10(b).

 

“Commodity Exchange Act” means the Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. § 1 et seq.).

 

“Compensation Period” has the meaning specified in Section 2.13(b)(ii).

 

“Competitor” means a competitor of the Borrower or any of its Subsidiaries.

 

“Compliance Certificate” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

 

“Connection Income Taxes” means Other Connection Taxes that are imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated) or that are franchise Taxes or branch profits Taxes.

 

“Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense” means, with respect to any Person for any period, the total amount of depreciation and amortization expense, including the amortization of deferred financing fees or costs, capitalized expenditures, customer acquisition costs and incentive payments, conversion costs and contract acquisition costs, the amortization of original issue discount resulting from the issuance of Indebtedness at less than par and amortization of favorable or unfavorable lease assets or liabilities, of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries for such period on a consolidated basis and otherwise determined in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Consolidated EBITDA” means, as of any date for the applicable period ending on such date with respect to any Person on a consolidated basis, the sum of (a) Consolidated Net Income, plus (b) an amount which, in the determination of Consolidated Net Income for such period, has been deducted (other than with respect to clauses (viii) and (xxii)) and not added back for, without duplication,

 

(i)

provision for taxes based on income or profits, revenue or capital, including, without limitation, state, provincial, territorial, local, foreign, unitary, excise, property, franchise and similar taxes and foreign withholding and similar taxes of such Person paid or accrued during such period, including any additions to such taxes and any penalties and interest relating to any such taxes,

 

(ii)

total interest expense (including (v) net losses or any obligations under any Swap Contracts or other derivative instruments entered into for the purpose of hedging interest rate, currency or commodities risk, (w) bank fees, (x) costs of surety bonds in connection with financing activities, to the extent the same were deducted (and not added back) in calculating such Consolidated Net Income), (y) all cash dividend payments or other distributions (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) on any series of preferred stock and/or Disqualified Equity Interests of such Person or Restricted Subsidiary of such Person and (z) all cash dividend or other distributions (excluding items eliminated in consolidation) made to make interest payments on the Indebtedness of any parent entity,

 

(iii)

Consolidated Depreciation and Amortization Expense of such Person for such period,

 

 

(iv)

any Charges incurred in connection with the Transactions or related to any actual or proposed or contemplated Investment, acquisition, disposition or recapitalization or the incurrence of Indebtedness (including a refinancing thereof) or any Investment (including any Permitted Acquisition), acquisition, disposition, recapitalization, or Equity Issuance (including any expense relating to enhanced accounting functions or other transactions costs associated with becoming a public company) (in each case, whether or not consummated or permitted hereunder), including (A) such fees, expenses or charges (including rating agency fees and related expenses and/or letter of credit fees) related to the offering or incurrence of the Loans and any other credit facilities or the offering or incurrence of any other debt securities and any Securitization Fees and (B) any amendment or other modification of the this Agreement, any Securitization Facility and/or Permitted Receivables Financing and any other credit facilities or any other debt securities, in each case, whether or not consummated,

 

(v)

(i) Charges attributable to the undertaking and/or implementation of cost savings initiatives, operating expense reductions and other synergies and similar initiatives, integration, transition, reconstruction, decommissioning, recommissioning or reconfiguration of fixed assets for alternative uses, facilities opening and preopening (including unused warehouse space costs), business optimization and other restructuring and integration costs (including those related to tax restructurings), charges, accruals, reserves and other Charges (including, without limitation, inventory optimization programs, software development costs, systems implementation and upgrade expenses, costs related to the closure or consolidation of facilities (including but not limited to severance, rent termination costs, moving costs and legal costs), costs related to strategic initiatives and curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employment benefit plans (including any settlement of pension liabilities), costs related to entry into new markets (including unused warehouse space costs), strategic initiatives and contracts, consulting fees, signing costs, retention or completion bonuses, expansion and relocation expenses, severance payments, and modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans, new systems design and implementation costs and project startup costs and consulting fees incurred in connection with any of the foregoing and (ii) Charges associated with acquisition related litigation and settlements thereof,

 

(vi)

non-cash charges, write-downs, expenses, losses or items reducing Consolidated Net Income for such period including (i) any impairment charges, amortization (or write offs) of financing costs (including debt discount, debt issuance costs and commissions and other fees associated with Indebtedness, including the Loans) of such Person and its Subsidiaries, (ii) the impact of acquisition method accounting adjustment and any non-cash write-up, write-down or write-off with respect to re-valuing assets and liabilities in connection with the Transactions or any Investment (including any Permitted Acquisition) and/or (iii) any non-cash losses realized in such period in connection with adjustments to any Plan due to changes in actuarial assumptions, valuation or studies (provided that if any such non-cash charge, write-down or item represents an accrual or reserve for a cash expenditure for a future period then the cash payment in such future period shall be subtracted from Consolidated EBITDA when paid), or other items classified by the Borrower as special items less other non-cash items of income increasing Consolidated Net Income (excluding any such non-cash item of income to the extent it represents a receipt of cash in any future period),

 

(vii)

the amount of board of director fees, management, monitoring, advisory, consulting, refinancing, subsequent transaction and exit fees (including termination fees) and related indemnities and expenses paid or accrued in such period to any member of the board of directors of Holdings, any Permitted Holder or any Affiliate of a Permitted Holder to the extent permitted under Section 7.07,

 

(viii)

without duplication of any such amounts otherwise added back in determining Consolidated EBITDA, whether through pro forma adjustment or otherwise, the amount of (A) pro forma “run rate” cost savings (including cost savings with respect to salary, benefit and other direct savings resulting from workforce reductions and facility, benefit and insurance savings), operating expense reductions and other synergies (in each case, net of amounts actually realized) related to the Transactions that are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions (x) that have been taken, (y) with respect to which substantial steps have been taken or that are expected to be taken (in the good faith determination of the Borrower) within 12 months after the Closing Date (or, to the extent identified in the QoE or otherwise identified to the Administrative Agent, undertaken or implemented prior to the Closing Date) or (B) pro forma adjustments, including pro forma “run rate” cost savings (including cost savings with respect to salary, benefit and other direct savings resulting from workforce reductions and facility, benefit and insurance savings), operating expense reductions, and other synergies (in each case net of amounts actually realized) related to Dispositions, acquisitions, Investments, operating improvements, restructurings, cost savings initiatives and certain other similar initiatives and specific transactions, or related to restructuring initiatives, cost savings initiatives and other initiatives that are reasonably identifiable and factually supportable and projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from actions (x) that have been taken or (y) with respect to which substantial steps have been taken or that are expected to be taken within 12 months after the date of consummation of such acquisition, disposition or other specified transaction or the initiation of such restructuring initiative, cost savings initiative or other initiatives; provided that the amount that may be added back to Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to this clause (viii) shall not, for any Test Period, exceed 20.0% of Consolidated EBITDA (calculated after giving effect to such adjustments),

 

 

(ix)

the amount of loss or discount on sale of Securitization Assets, Receivables Assets and related assets in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Receivables Financing,

 

(x)

(x) any Charges incurred as a result of, in connection with or pursuant to any management equity plan, profits interest or stock option plan or other management or employee benefit plan or agreement, pension plan, any severance agreement, any stock subscription or shareholder agreement, and (y) any Charges in connection with the rollover, acceleration or payout of Equity Interests held by management, in each case under this clause (y), to the extent such Charges, as applicable, are funded with net cash proceeds contributed to such Person as a capital contribution or as a result of the sale or issuance of Qualified Equity Interests of such Person (solely to the extent not increasing the Available Amount or constitutes a Cure Amount),

 

(xi)

cash actually received (or any netting arrangements resulting in reduced cash expenditures) not representing Consolidated EBITDA or Consolidated Net Income in any period to the extent non-cash gains relating to such income were deducted in the calculation of Consolidated EBITDA pursuant to clause (c)(i) below and for any previous period and not added back,

 

(xii)

any Charges included in Consolidated Net Income attributable to non-controlling interests pursuant to the application of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 810-10-45,

 

(xiii)

realized foreign exchange losses resulting from the impact of foreign currency changes on the valuation of assets or liabilities on the balance sheet of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries,

 

(xiv)

net realized losses from Swap Contracts or embedded derivatives that require similar accounting treatment and the application of Accounting Standard Codification Topic 815 and related pronouncements,

 

(xv)

[reserved],

 

 

(xvi)

the amount of any minority interest expense consisting of Subsidiary income attributable to minority equity interests of third parties in any non-wholly owned Subsidiary,

 

(xvii)

non-cash minority interest reductions and with respect to any JV Entity, an amount equal to the proportion of those items described in clauses (ii) and (iii) above relating to such JV Entity’s corresponding to the Borrower’s and the Restricted Subsidiaries’ proportionate share of such JV Entity’s Consolidated Net Income (determined as if such JV Entity were a Restricted Subsidiary) to the extent the same was deducted (and not added back) in calculating Consolidated Net Income,

 

(xviii)

earnout and contingent consideration obligations (including those accounted for as bonuses or otherwise) and adjustments thereof and purchase price adjustments,

 

(xix)

any net pension or other post-employment benefit costs representing amortization of unrecognized prior service costs, actuarial losses, including amortization of such amounts arising in prior periods, amortization of the unrecognized net obligation (and loss or cost) existing at the date of the initial application of FASB Accounting Standards Codification 715, and any other items of a similar nature

 

(xx)

(y) the amount of Charges relating to payments made to option holders of the Borrower or any parent entity in connection with, or as a result of, any distribution being made to equityholders of such Person or its parent entities, which payments are being made to compensate such option holders as though they were equityholders at the time of, and entitled to share in, such distribution, to the extent permitted under this Agreement,

 

(xxi)

Public Company Costs,

 

(xxii)

adjustments and add backs that are consistent with Article 11 of Regulation S-X,

 

(xxiii)

any costs or expenses associated with the Transactions, and

 

(xxiv)

adjustments and add backs (without regard to the amount or time periods specified therein) reflected in (i) the financial model provided to the Arranger on November 7, 2018 (the “Sponsor Model”), (ii) the quality of earnings report provided to the Arranger prior to November 7, 2018 (such report, as updated from time to time after the date thereof and prior to the Closing Date with the consent of the Arranger, the “QoE”) and (iii) any quality of earnings report made available to the Administrative Agent and prepared by a nationally recognized accounting firm (or other accounting firm reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or permitted Investment, as updated from time to time with the consent of the Administrative Agent; minus

 

(c)

an amount which, in the determination of Consolidated Net Income, has been included

 

for:

 

(i)

(A) non-cash gains and (B) all extraordinary, unusual or non-recurring gains,

 

(ii)

any gains realized upon the Disposition of property outside of the ordinary course of business,

 

(iii)

net realized gains from Swap Contracts or embedded derivatives that require similar accounting treatment and the application of Accounting Standard Codification Topic 815 and related pronouncements, in each case, that were entered into for non-speculative purposes,

 

 

(iv)       the amount of gain on sale of Securitization Assets, Receivables Assets and related assets in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Receivables Financing, and

 

(v)        any net pension or other post-employment benefit gains representing actuarial gains, and

 

(d)        excluding the effects of:

 

(i)         any unrealized losses or gains in respect of Swap Contracts, and

 

(ii)        any losses or gains in respect of purchase accounting adjustments for earnout obligations arising from acquisitions, all as determined in accordance with GAAP, where applicable.

 

Unless the context otherwise requires, each reference to “Consolidated EBITDA” in this Agreement shall deemed to refer to the Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries. There shall be included in determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period, without duplication, (A) the Acquired EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset acquired by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (but not the Acquired EBITDA of any related Person, property, business or assets to the extent not so acquired), to the extent not subsequently sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of by the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, property, business or asset acquired and not subsequently so disposed of, an “Acquired Entity or Business”), and the Acquired EBITDA of any Unrestricted Subsidiary that is converted into a Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each a “Converted Restricted Subsidiary”), based on the actual Acquired EBITDA of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition) and (B) without duplication of clause (b)(viii) of the definition of Consolidated EBITDA, an adjustment in respect of each Acquired Entity or Business equal to the amount of the Pro Forma Adjustment with respect to such Acquired Entity or Business for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such acquisition) as specified in a certificate executed by a Responsible Officer and delivered to the Lenders and the Administrative Agent. For purposes of determining Consolidated EBITDA for any period, there shall be excluded the Disposed EBITDA of any Person, property, business or asset (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) sold, transferred or otherwise disposed of, closed or classified as discontinued operations by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary during such period (each such Person, property, business or asset so sold or disposed of, a “ Sold Entity or Business”) and the Disposed EBITDA of any Restricted Subsidiary that is converted into an Unrestricted Subsidiary during such period (each a “Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary”), based on the actual Disposed EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for such period (including the portion thereof occurring prior to such sale, transfer or disposition). Notwithstanding the foregoing, but subject to any adjustment set forth above with respect to any transactions occurring after the Closing Date, Consolidated EBITDA shall be $235,000 for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2018, $28,629,000 for the fiscal quarter ended June 30, 2018 and $19,793,000 for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2018 as may be adjusted on a Pro Forma Basis.

 

“Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt” means, as to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Consolidated Total Debt outstanding on such date that is secured by a first-priority Lien on any assets or property of the Restricted Companies.

 

“Consolidated Net Income” means, as of any date for the applicable period ending on such date with respect to any Person and its Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis, net income, excluding, without duplication,

 

 

(i)         any net income (loss) of any Person if such Person is not a Restricted Subsidiary (including any net income (loss) from investments recorded in such Person under the equity method of accounting), except that Holdings’ equity in the net income of any such Person for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash or Cash Equivalents actually distributed or that (as reasonably determined by an Officer of the Borrower) could have been distributed by such Person during such period to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution or return on investment (subject, in the case of a dividend or other distribution or return on investment to a Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitations contained in clause (ii) below);

 

(ii)        solely for the purpose of determining the Available Amount, any net income (loss) of any Restricted Subsidiary (other than any Guarantor) if such Subsidiary is subject to restrictions, directly or indirectly, on the payment of dividends or the making of distributions by such Restricted Subsidiary, directly or indirectly, to the Borrower or a Guarantor by operation of the terms of such Restricted Subsidiary’s charter or any agreement, instrument, judgment, decree, order, statute or governmental rule or regulation applicable to such Restricted Subsidiary or its shareholders (other than (a) restrictions that have been waived or other-wise released and (b) restrictions pursuant to the Loan Documents), except that the Borrower’s equity in the net income of any such Restricted Subsidiary for such period will be included in such Consolidated Net Income up to the aggregate amount of cash or Cash Equivalents actually distributed or that could have been distributed by such Restricted Subsidiary during such period to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary as a dividend or other distribution (subject, in the case of a dividend to another Restricted Subsidiary, to the limitation contained above in this clause (ii));

 

(iii)       any net gain (or loss), together with any related provisions for taxes on any such gain (or the tax effect of any such loss), realized upon the sale or other disposition of any asset (including pursuant to any sale/leaseback transaction) or disposed or discontinued operations of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiaries which is sold or otherwise disposed outside the ordinary course of business (as determined in good faith by the Borrower);

 

(iv)       any extraordinary, exceptional, unusual or nonrecurring gain, loss, charge or expense (including relating to the Transactions), or any charges, expenses or reserves in respect of any restructuring, relocation, redundancy or severance expense, or relocation costs, one time compensation charges, integration and facilities’ opening costs and other business optimization expenses and operating improvements (including related to new product introductions), systems development and establishment costs, accruals or reserves (including restructuring and integration costs related to acquisitions after the Closing Date and adjustments to existing reserves), whether or not classified as restructuring expense on the consolidated financial statements, signing costs, retention or completion bonuses, transition costs, costs related to closure/consolidation of facilities, internal costs in respect of strategic initiatives and curtailments or modifications to pension and post-retirement employee benefit plans (including any settlement of pension liabilities), contract terminations and professional and consulting fees incurred with any of the foregoing;

 

(v)        the cumulative effect of a change in law, regulation or accounting principles, including any impact resulting from an election by the Borrower to apply IFRS at any time following the Closing Date;

 

(vi)       any (i) non-cash compensation charge or expense arising from any grant of stock, stock options or other equity based awards and any non-cash deemed finance charges in respect of any pension liabilities or other provisions or on the re-valuation of any benefit plan obligation and (ii) income (loss) attributable to deferred compensation plans or trusts;

 

 

(vii)      all deferred financing costs written off and premiums paid or other expenses incurred directly in connection with any early extinguishment of Indebtedness and any net gain (loss) from any write-off or forgiveness of Indebtedness;

 

(viii)     any realized or unrealized gains or losses in respect of any obligations under any Swap Contracts or any ineffectiveness recognized in earnings related to hedge transactions or the fair value of changes therein recognized in earnings for derivatives that do not qualify as hedge transactions, in each case, in respect of any obligations under any Swap Contracts;

 

(ix)        any fees and expenses (including any transaction or retention bonus or similar payment) incurred during such period, or any amortization thereof for such period, in connection with any acquisition, Investment, asset disposition, issuance or repayment of Indebtedness, issuance of Capital Stock, refinancing transaction or amendment or modification of any debt instrument (in each case, including any such transaction consummated prior to the Closing Date and any such transaction undertaken but not completed) and any charges or non-recurring merger costs incurred during such period as a result of any such transaction, in each case whether or not successful (including, for avoidance of doubt, the effects of expensing all transaction related expenses in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Codification No. 805 and gains or losses associated with Financial Accounting Standards Codification No. 460);

 

(x)         any unrealized foreign currency translation increases or decreases or transaction gains or losses in respect of Indebtedness of any Person denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of such Person, including those related to currency remeasurements of Indebtedness (including any net loss or gain resulting from Swap Contracts for currency exchange risk) or other obligations of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary owing to the Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary and any unrealized foreign exchange gains or losses relating to translation of assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies;

 

(xi)        any unrealized or realized gain or loss due solely to fluctuations in currency values and the related tax effects, determined in accordance with GAAP;

 

(xii)       any recapitalization accounting or acquisition method accounting effects including, but not limited to, adjustments to inventory, property and equipment, software and other intangible assets and deferred revenue in component amounts required or permitted by GAAP and related authoritative pronouncements (including the effects of such adjustments pushed down to Holdings and the Restricted Subsidiaries), as a result of any consummated acquisition, or the amortization or write-off of any amounts thereof (including any write-off of in process research and development);

 

(xiii)      any impairment charge, write-down or write-off, including impairment charges, write-downs or write-offs relating to goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets, investments in debt and equity securities (including any losses with respect to the foregoing in bankruptcy, insolvency or similar proceedings) and the amortization of intangibles arising pursuant to GAAP or as a result of a change in law or regulation;

 

(xiv)     any effect of income (loss) from the early extinguishment or cancellation of Indebtedness or any obligations under any Swap Contracts or other derivative instruments;

 

(xv)      accruals and reserves that are established or adjusted (including any adjustment of estimated payouts on existing earn-outs) that are so required to be established as a result of the Transactions in accordance with GAAP, or changes as a result of adoption or modification of accounting policies;

 

  

(xvi)      any net unrealized gains and losses resulting from Hedging Obligations or embedded derivatives that require similar accounting treatment and the application of Topic 815 and related pronouncements or mark to market movement of other financial instruments pursuant to Accounting Standards Codification 825 and related pronouncements;

 

(xvii)     any costs or expenses associated with the Transactions;

 

(xviii)    any non-cash expenses, accruals or reserves related to adjustments to historical tax exposures and any deferred tax expense associated with tax deductions or net operating losses arising as a result of the Transactions, or the release of any valuation allowances related to such item;

 

(xix)      effects of adjustments to accruals and reserves during a period relating to any change in the methodology of calculating reserves for returns, rebates and other chargebacks (including government program rebates); and

 

(xx)       any net gain (or loss) from disposed, abandoned or discontinued operations and any net gain (or loss) on disposal of disposed, discontinued or abandoned operations.

 

In addition, to the extent not already excluded (or included, as applicable) from the Consolidated Net Income of such Person and its Restricted Subsidiaries, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the foregoing, Consolidated Net Income shall be increased by (i) any expenses and charges that are reimbursed by indemnification or other reimbursement provisions in connection with any investment or any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of assets permitted hereunder, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed and only to the extent that such amount is (A) not denied by the applicable payor in writing within 180 days and (B) in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such evidence (with a deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within 365 days), and (ii) to the extent covered by insurance (including business interruption insurance) and actually reimbursed, or, so long as the Borrower has made a determination that there exists reasonable evidence that such amount will in fact be reimbursed by the insurer and only to the extent that such amount is (A) not denied by the applicable carrier in writing within 180 days and (B) in fact reimbursed within 365 days of the date of such evidence (with a deduction for any amount so added back to the extent not so reimbursed within such 365 days), expenses with respect to liability or casualty events or business interruption and/or, with respect to business interruption insurance, an amount representing the earnings for the applicable period that such proceeds are intended to replace and, provided, further that solely for purposes of calculating Excess Cash Flow, the income or loss of any Person accrued prior to the date on which such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary of such Person or is merged into or consolidated with such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person or the date that such other Person’s assets are acquired by such Person or any Restricted Subsidiary of such Person, in each case, shall be excluded in calculating Consolidated Net Income.

 

“Consolidated Senior Secured Debt” means, as to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of Consolidated Total Debt outstanding on such date that is secured by a Lien on any assets or property of the Restricted Companies.

 

“Consolidated Total Assets” means, at any date, all amounts that would, in conformity with GAAP, be set forth opposite the caption “total assets” (or any like caption) on a consolidated balance sheet of the applicable Person at such date.

 

“ Consolidated Total Debt” means, as to any Person at any date of determination, the aggregate principal amount of all third party Indebtedness for borrowed money, Indebtedness evidenced by bonds, debentures and similar instruments, unreimbursed drawings under letters of credit, Capital Leases and purchase money Indebtedness; provided that “Consolidated Total Debt” shall be calculated (i) net of the Unrestricted Cash Amount, (ii) excluding any obligation, liability or indebtedness of such Person if, upon or prior to the maturity thereof, such Person has irrevocably deposited with the proper Person in trust or Escrow the necessary funds (or evidences of indebtedness) for the payment, redemption or satisfaction of such obligation, liability or indebtedness, and thereafter such funds and evidences of such obligation, liability or indebtedness or other security so deposited are not included in the calculation of Unrestricted Cash Amount and (iii) based on the initial stated principal amount of any Indebtedness that is issued at a discount to its initial stated principal amount without giving effect to any such discounts; provided that Consolidated Total Debt shall not include (x) Letters of Credit (or other letters of credit, bankers’ acceptances and bank guarantees), except to the extent of Unreimbursed Amounts (or unreimbursed amounts) thereunder, (y) obligations under Swap Contracts entered into and (z) Indebtedness in respect of any Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Receivables Financing.

 

 

“Contract Consideration” shall have the meaning given to such term in the definition of “Excess Cash Flow”.

 

“Contractual Obligation” means, as to any Person, any provision of any security issued by such Person or of any agreement, instrument or other undertaking to which such Person is a party or by which it or any of its property is bound.

 

“Control”, “Controlled” and “Controlling” have the meanings specified in the definition of “Affiliate.”

 

“Converted Restricted Subsidiary” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

“Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary” has the meaning specified in the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

“ Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” means (i) Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt, (ii) Permitted Junior Priority Refinancing Debt, (iii) Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt or (iv) Indebtedness incurred pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment, in each case, issued, incurred or otherwise obtained (including by means of the extension or renewal of existing Indebtedness) in exchange for, or to extend, renew, replace or refinance, in whole or in part, any Class of existing Term Loans, or any then-existing Refinancing Indebtedness (solely for purposes of this definition, “Refinanced Debt”); provided that (a) such Indebtedness shall not have a greater principal amount than the principal amount of the Refinanced Debt plus accrued interest, fees and premiums (if any) thereon and reasonable fees and expenses associated with the refinancing, (b) such Refinanced Debt shall be repaid, defeased or satisfied and discharged on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and all accrued, interest, fees and premiums (if any) in connection therewith shall be paid, substantially concurrently with the incurrence of such Refinancing Indebtedness in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.06(a), (c) such Indebtedness has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Refinanced Debt and the maturity date of such Indebtedness shall be no earlier than, (x) in the case of any such Refinancing Indebtedness that is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the latest maturity date applicable to the Refinanced Debt and (y) in the case of any such Refinancing Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or is unsecured, the date that is ninety-one (91) days following the latest maturity date applicable to the Refinanced Debt, (d) such Indebtedness is not subject to mandatory redemption, repurchase, prepayment or sinking fund obligation (except customary asset sale or change-of-control provisions that provide for the prior repayment in full of the Loans and all other Obligations), in each case prior to (x) in the case of any such Refinancing Indebtedness that is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the Latest Term Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred and (y) in the case of any such Refinancing Indebtedness that is secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or is unsecured, the date that is ninety-one (91) days following the Latest Term Maturity Date at the time such Indebtedness is incurred, (e) such Indebtedness is not at any time guaranteed by any Subsidiaries other than Subsidiaries that are Guarantors, (f) if secured, such Indebtedness is not secured by any assets that are not Collateral and (g) the terms and conditions of any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness shall be consistent with the requirements for Refinancing Indebtedness required by Section 2.19.

 

 

“Credit Extension” means each of the following: (a) a Borrowing and (b) an L/C Credit Extension.

 

“Cure Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Cure Right” has the meaning specified in Section 8.04.

 

“Debt Issuance” means the issuance by any Person and its Subsidiaries of any Indebtedness for borrowed money.

 

“Debtor Relief Laws” means the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, and all other liquidation, conservatorship, bankruptcy, general assignment for the benefit of creditors, moratorium, rearrangement, receivership, insolvency, reorganization, or similar debtor relief Laws of the United States or other applicable jurisdictions from time to time in effect and affecting the rights of creditors generally.

 

“Declined Proceeds” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(ix).

 

“Default” means any event or condition that constitutes an Event of Default or that, with the giving of any notice, the passage of time, or both, would be an Event of Default.

 

“Default Rate” means an interest rate equal to (a) the Base Rate plus (b) the Applicable Margin, if any, applicable to Base Rate Loans plus (c) 2.0% per annum; provided that with respect to a Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the Default Rate shall be an interest rate equal to the interest rate (including any Applicable Margin) otherwise applicable to such Loan plus 2.0% per annum, in each case, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws.

 

“Defaulting Lender” means any Lender that (a) has failed, within one Business Day of the date required to be funded or paid, to (i) fund any portion of its Loans, (ii) fund any portion of its participations in L/C Obligations or (iii) pay over to the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or any other Lender any other amount required to be paid by it hereunder, unless in the case of clause (i) above, such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in writing that such failure is the result of such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent to funding (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) has not been satisfied, (b) has notified the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or any other Lender in writing, or has made a public statement to the effect, that it does not intend or expect to comply with any of its funding obligations under this Agreement (unless such writing or public statement indicates that such position is based on such Lender’s good faith determination that a condition precedent (specifically identified and including the particular default, if any) to funding a loan under this Agreement cannot be satisfied) or generally under other agreements in which it commits to extend credit, (c) has failed, within three Business Days after request by the Administrative Agent, any L/C Issuer or any other Lender or the Borrower, acting in good faith, to provide a certification in writing from an authorized officer of such Lender that it will comply with its obligations (and is financially able to meet such obligations) to fund prospective Loans and participations in then outstanding L/C Obligations under this Agreement, provided that such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender pursuant to this clause (c) upon such Administrative Agent, L/C Issuer or Lender’s and the Borrower’s receipt of such certification in form and substance satisfactory to it and the Administrative Agent or (d) has become (or any parent company thereof has become) either the subject of a (i) Bankruptcy Event or (ii) a Bail-In Action. Any determination by the Administrative Agent that a Lender is a Defaulting Lender under any one or more of clauses (a) through (d) above, and of the effective date of such status, shall be conclusive and binding absent manifest error, and such Lender shall be deemed to be a Defaulting Lender (subject to Section 2.17(b)) as of the date established therefor by the Administrative Agent in a written notice of such determination, which shall be delivered by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower, the L/C Issuer and each other Lender promptly following such determination.

 

 

“Discount Range” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(ii).

 

“Discounted Prepayment Option Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(ii).

 

“Discounted Voluntary Prepayment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(i).

 

“Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(v).

 

“Disposed EBITDA” means, with respect to any Sold Entity or Business or any Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary for any period, the amount for such period of Consolidated EBITDA of such Sold Entity or Business or such Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary, all as determined on a consolidated basis for such Sold Entity or Business or such Converted Unrestricted Subsidiary.

 

“Disposition” or “Dispose” means the sale, transfer, license, lease or other disposition of any property by any Person (including any sale and leaseback transaction and any sale of Equity Interests, but excluding any issuance by such Person of its own Equity Interests), including any sale, assignment, transfer or other disposal, with or without recourse, of any notes or accounts receivable or any rights and claims associated therewith.

 

“Disqualified Equity Interests” means any Equity Interest which, by its terms (or by the terms of any security or other Equity Interests into which it is convertible or for which it is exchangeable), or upon the happening of any event or condition (a) matures or is mandatorily redeemable, pursuant to a sinking fund obligation or otherwise, (b) is redeemable at the option of the holder thereof, in whole or in part, (c) provides for the scheduled payments of dividends in cash, or (d) is or becomes convertible into or exchangeable for Indebtedness or any other Equity Interests that would constitute Disqualified Equity Interests, in each case, prior to the date that is 91 days after the Latest Maturity Date.

 

“Disqualified Institution” means (i) such Persons (or related funds of such Persons) that have been specified in writing to the Administrative Agent prior to November 7, 2018, (ii) competitors of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries that have been specified in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time, (iii) in the case of clauses (i) and (ii), any Affiliates of Persons described in clauses (i) or (ii) (other than, in the case of clause (ii), Affiliates that are Bona Fide Lending Affiliates) that are (A) specified in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time or (B) readily identifiable as affiliates by virtue of the similarity of their names; it being understood that any subsequent designation of a Disqualified Institution shall not apply retroactively to disqualify any Person that has previously acquired an assignment or participation interest in or for which the “trade date” with respect to an assignment or participation interest has occurred in respect of the Facilities and (iv) any Excluded Affiliates.

 

 

“Dissenting Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 11.01(f).

 

“Dodd Frank Act” has the meaning specified in the definition of the term “Change in Law”.

 

“Dollar” and “$” means lawful money of the United States.

 

“Dollar Equivalent” means, at any time, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, such amount and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in any currency other than Dollars, the equivalent amount thereof in Dollars as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower, at such time on the basis of the Spot Rate (determined in respect of the most recent Revaluation Date or other relevant date of determination) for the purchase of Dollars with such other currency.

 

“EEA Financial Institution” means (a) any institution established in any EEA Member Country which is subject to the supervision of an EEA Resolution Authority, (b) any entity established in an EEA Member Country which is a parent of an institution described in clause (a) of this definition, or (c) any institution established in an EEA Member Country which is a subsidiary of an institution described in clauses (a) or (b) of this definition and is subject to consolidated supervision with its parent.

 

“EEA Member Country” means any of the member states of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway.

 

“EEA Resolution Authority” means any public administrative authority or any Person entrusted with public administrative authority of any EEA Member Country (including any delegee) having responsibility for the resolution of any EEA Financial Institution.

 

“Effective Yield” means, as to any Loans of any Class, the effective yield on such Loans in an amount equal to the sum of (a) the applicable margin, (b) the interest rate (exclusive of applicable margin) after giving effect to any interest rate floors or similar devices and (c) all upfront or similar fees and OID (amortized over the shorter of (x) the original stated life of such Loans and (y) the four years following the date of incurrence thereof) payable generally to Lenders making such Loans, but excluding amendment fees, arrangement fees, structuring fees, commitment fees, underwriting fees or other fees payable to any lead arranger (or its affiliates) in connection with the commitment or syndication of such Indebtedness, consent fees paid to consenting Lenders, ticking fees on undrawn commitments and any other fees not paid or payable generally to all Lenders in the primary syndication of such Indebtedness.

 

“Eligible Assignee” means (i) a Lender, (ii) an Affiliate of a Lender, (iii) an Approved Fund and (iv) any Person (other than a natural person) approved by (A) the Administrative Agent, and in the case of any assignment of a Revolving Credit Commitment or Revolving Lenders, the L/C Issuers and Swingline Lender and (B) unless a Specified Event of Default is continuing, the Borrower (each such approval not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed); provided that “Eligible Assignee” shall not include any Disqualified Institution or, other than as set forth in Section 11.07(k) or (l), Holdings or any Affiliate or Subsidiary of Holdings.

 

“Environmental Laws” means any and all applicable Federal, state, local, and foreign statutes, laws, regulations, ordinances, rules, judgments, orders, decrees, permits, concessions, grants, franchises, licenses, agreements or governmental restrictions relating to pollution, the protection of the environment, human health and safety (as related to exposure to Hazardous Materials) or the release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment.

 

 

“Environmental Liability” means any liability, contingent or otherwise (including any liability for damages, costs of environmental remediation, fines, penalties or indemnities), of any Restricted Company resulting from or based upon (a) any Environmental Law, (b) the generation, use, handling, transportation, storage, treatment or disposal of any Hazardous Materials, (c) exposure to any Hazardous Materials, (d) the release or threatened release of any Hazardous Materials into the environment or (e) any contract, agreement or other consensual arrangement pursuant to which liability is assumed or imposed with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

“Equity Contribution” means cash equity contributions by the Investors equal to at least 40.0% of the sum of (1) the aggregate gross proceeds of the Initial Term Loans and Initial Revolving Facilities borrowed on the Closing Date (excluding the aggregate gross proceeds of the Initial Term Loans and Initial Revolving Facilities borrowed to fund additional upfront fees or OID required by the terms of the “market flex” provisions of the Arranger Fee Letter), and (2) the amount of such cash contribution and the fair market value of the equity of management rolled over or invested and the fair market value of the equity acquired by the Sponsor or any other Investors, in each case on the Closing Date.

 

“Equity Interests” means, with respect to any Person, all of the shares, interests, rights, participations or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock of (or other ownership or profit interests or units in) such Person and all of the warrants, options or other rights for the purchase, acquisition or exchange from such Person of any of the foregoing (including through convertible securities).

 

“Equity Issuance” means any issuance for cash by any Person and its Subsidiaries to any other Person of (a) its Equity Interests, (b) any of its Equity Interests pursuant to the exercise of options or warrants, (c) any of its Equity Interests pursuant to the conversion of any debt securities to equity or (d) any options or warrants relating to its Equity Interests. A Disposition shall not be deemed to be an Equity Issuance.

 

“ERISA” means the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.

 

“ERISA Affiliate” means any trade or business (whether or not incorporated) under common control with Holdings within the meaning of Section 414(b) or (c) of the Code (and Sections 414(m) and (o) of the Code for purposes of provisions relating to Section 412 of the Code).

 

“ERISA Event” means (a) a Reportable Event with respect to a Pension Plan; (b) a withdrawal by Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate from a Pension Plan subject to Section 4063 of ERISA during a plan year in which it was a substantial employer (as defined in Section 4001(a)(2) of ERISA) or a cessation of operations that is treated as such a withdrawal under Section 4062(e) of ERISA; (c) a complete or partial withdrawal by Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate from a Multiemployer Plan or notification that a Multiemployer Plan is in “reorganization” (within the meaning of Section 4241 of ERISA) or is in “endangered” or “critical” status (within the meaning of Section 432 of the Code or Section 304 of ERISA); (d) the filing of a notice of intent to terminate, the treatment of a Plan amendment as a termination under Sections 4041 or 4041A of ERISA, or the commencement of proceedings by the PBGC to terminate a Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (e) the termination of, or the appointment of a trustee to administer, any Pension Plan or Multiemployer Plan; (f) the imposition of any liability under Title IV of ERISA, other than for PBGC premiums not yet due or premiums due but not yet delinquent under Section 4007 of ERISA, upon Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate or (g) the occurrence of any Foreign Plan Event.

 

“Escrow” means an escrow, trust, collateral or similar account or arrangement with a third party that is not Holdings or its Restricted Subsidiaries.

 

“EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule” means the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule published by the Loan Market Association (or any successor Person), as in effect from time to time.

 

 

“Eurocurrency Rate” means:

 

(a)      with respect to any Credit Extension:

 

(i)         denominated in Dollars, the rate per annum equal to the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at approximately 11:00 a.m., London time, two Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period, for deposits in the relevant currency (for delivery on the first day of such Interest Period) with a term equivalent to such Interest Period;

 

(ii)        denominated in Canadian dollars, the rate per annum equal to the Canadian Dealer Offered Rate (“CDOR”), or a comparable or successor rate which rate is approved by the Administrative Agent, as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page (or such other commercially available source providing such quotations as may be designated by the Administrative Agent from time to time) at or about 10:00 a.m. (Toronto, Ontario time) on the Rate Determination Date with a term equivalent to such Interest Period;

 

(iii)       with respect to a Credit Extension denominated in any other Alternate Currency, the rate per annum as designated with respect to such Alternate Currency at the time such Alternate Currency is approved by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 1.12(a); and

 

(b)      for any rate calculation with respect to a Base Rate Loan on any date, the rate per annum equal to LIBOR, at or about 11:00 a.m., London time determined two Business Days prior to such date for U.S. Dollar deposits with a term of one month commencing that day;

 

provided that (i) to the extent a comparable or successor rate is approved by the Administrative Agent in connection with any rate set forth in this definition, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with market practice; provided, further that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent in consultation with the Borrower and (ii) if the Eurocurrency Rate shall be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed zero for purposes of this Agreement.

 

“Eurocurrency Rate Loan” means a Loan that bears interest at a rate based on the Eurocurrency Rate.

 

“Event of Default” has the meaning specified in Section 8.01.

 

“Excess Cash Flow” means for any fiscal year of Holdings, the excess, if any, of:

 

(a)      the sum, without duplication, of

 

(i)         Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal year,

 

(ii)        the amount of all non-cash charges (including depreciation and amortization) deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income but excluding any non-cash charge to the extent that it represents an accrual or reserve for potential cash charge in any future fiscal year or amortization of a prepaid cash gain that was paid in a prior fiscal year, in each case, for such fiscal year,

 

(iii)       decreases in Working Capital for such fiscal year, and

 

(iv)       the aggregate net amount of non-cash loss on the disposition of property by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such fiscal year other than sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business), to the extent deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income;

 

minus

 

 

(b)      the sum, without duplication, of

 

(i)         the amount of all non-cash credits included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income and cash Charges to the extent excluded from Consolidated Net Income pursuant to clauses (i) through (xx) of the definition thereof and not otherwise subtracted therefrom,

 

(ii)        Capital Expenditures, Permitted Acquisitions (including any earnout, installment and deferred purchase price payments or other payment in respect thereof) and other Investments (other than Investments pursuant to Section 7.02(a) , (d), (f) (with respect to Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.06), (l), (r), (w) , (cc) and (dd)), in each case, to the extent made in cash and not financed with (x) the proceeds of long-term Indebtedness (other than any revolving Indebtedness (including under any Revolving Credit Commitment)) or (y) the proceeds of asset Dispositions and Casualty Events referred to in clause (b)(vi) below for such fiscal year or any prior fiscal year,

 

(iii)       without duplication of amounts deducted in calculating the prepayment under Section 2.06(b)(iii), the aggregate amount of all principal payments and purchases of Indebtedness of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries made during such fiscal year (including (A) scheduled principal payments with respect to Indebtedness pursuant to Section 2.08(b) (or any equivalent provision in any Refinancing Amendment with respect to the Term Loans), (B) the principal component of payments in respect of Capitalized Leases, (C) the amount of any mandatory prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(i) of this Agreement, but excluding (1) all other prepayments of the Term Loans, (2) all repayments of any revolving credit facility arrangements (except to the extent there is an equivalent permanent reduction in commitments thereunder that is not being made in connection with a refinancing or replacement thereof and other than in respect of the Revolving Credit Loans and the Revolving Credit Commitments which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall be permitted to be deducted in calculating the prepayment under Section 2.06(b)(iii) as and to the extent provided therein)), and (3) in each case any such payments and purchases to the extent financed with the proceeds of long-term Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness),

 

(iv)       increases in Working Capital for such fiscal year,

 

(v)        the aggregate net amount of non-cash gain on the disposition of property by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such fiscal year (other than sales of inventory in the ordinary course of business), to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

 

 

(vi)       proceeds of all Dispositions of assets pursuant to Sections 7.05(k)(ii), 7.05(p), 7.05(r), 7.05(t) and 7.05(u), and proceeds of all Casualty Events, in each case received in such fiscal year and to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

 

(vii)      proceeds received by the Restricted Companies from insurance claims (including, without limitation, with respect to casualty events, business interruption or product recalls) which reimburse prior business expenses, to the extent included in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

 

(viii)     cash payments made in satisfaction of non-current liabilities (other than (A) payments in respect of Indebtedness under this Agreement or (B) regularly scheduled principal payments of any other Indebtedness),

  

(ix)        cash fees and expenses incurred in connection with any Investment permitted under Section 7.02, Equity Issuance or Debt Issuance (whether or not consummated),

 

(x)         cash indemnity payments received pursuant to indemnification provisions in any agreement in connection with any Permitted Acquisition or any other Investment permitted hereunder,

 

(xi)        costs incurred related to implementations that are deferred in accordance with GAAP,

 

(xii)       any required up-front Cash payments in respect of Swap Contracts to the extent not financed with the proceeds of long-term Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness) and not deducted in arriving at such Consolidated Net Income,

 

(xiii)      the amount of Restricted Payments paid in cash during such fiscal year pursuant to Section 7.06 (other than Section 7.06(b), (c), (g), (i), (m) and (o)) except to the extent that such Restricted Payments were financed with the proceeds of an incurrence or issuance of long-term Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than revolving Indebtedness);

 

(xiv)      the aggregate amount of any premium, make-whole or penalty payments actually paid in cash by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries during such fiscal year that are required to be made in connection with any prepayment of Indebtedness except to the extent that such amounts were financed with the proceeds of a Cure Amount or an incurrence or issuance of long-term Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than revolving Indebtedness);

 

(xv)       the aggregate amount of expenditures actually made by the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries in cash during such fiscal year (including expenditures for the payment of financing fees) to the extent that such expenditures are not expensed during such fiscal year and were not financed with the proceeds of a Cure Amount or an incurrence or issuance of long-term Indebtedness of the Borrower or its Restricted Subsidiaries (other than revolving Indebtedness);

 

(xvi)      the amount of cash taxes and Tax distributions (including penalties and interest) paid or Tax reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such fiscal year to the extent they exceed the amount of Tax expense or Tax income deducted or included, as applicable, in determining Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal year;

 

 

(xvii)    without duplication of amounts deducted from Excess Cash Flow in respect of a prior period, at the option of Holdings, the aggregate consideration (including earn-outs) required to be paid in cash by the Borrower or the Restricted Subsidiaries pursuant to binding contracts, irrevocable notices, commitments, letters of intent or purchase orders (the “Contract Consideration”) entered into or delivered, as applicable, prior to or during such fiscal year relating to Capital Expenditures, any Investments pursuant to Section 7.02 (other than Investments pursuant to 7.02(a), (d), (f) (with respect to Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.06), (l), (w), (cc) and (dd)) and Restricted Payments pursuant to Section 7.06 (other than Section 7.06(b), (c), (g), (i), (m) and (o)), in each case to be consummated or made during the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters of Holdings following the end of such fiscal year (except in each case to the extent financed with a Cure Amount or the proceeds of an incurrence or issuance of long-term Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness)); provided that to the extent the aggregate amount actually utilized in cash to finance such Capital Expenditures, Investments or Restricted Payments during such subsequent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters is less than the Contract Consideration, the amount of such shortfall shall be added to the calculation of Excess Cash Flow at the end of such subsequent period of four consecutive fiscal quarters; and

 

(xviii)   the amount of cash interest paid or reserves set aside or payable (without duplication) in such fiscal year to the extent they exceed the amount of interest expense or interest income deducted or included, as applicable, in determining Consolidated Net Income for such fiscal year.

 

“Excess Cash Flow Percentage” means, as of any date of determination, (a) if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio is greater than 3.50:1.00, 90%, (b) if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 3.50:1.00 and greater than 3.00:1.00, 75%, (c) if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 3.00:1.00 and greater than 2.50:1.00, 50%, (d) if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 2.50:1.00 and greater than 2.00:1.00, 25% and (e) if the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio is less than or equal to 2.00:1.00, 0%; it being understood and agreed that, for purposes of this definition as it applies to the determination of the amount of Excess Cash Flow that is required to be applied to prepay the Term Loans under Section 2.06(b)(iii) for any fiscal year, the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio shall be determined on a Pro Forma Basis on the scheduled date of prepayment (after giving effect to any cash pay-down or reductions made after year-end and prior to the Excess Cash Flow payment date).

 

“Excess Cash Flow Period” means each fiscal year of the Borrower (commencing with the fiscal year ending December 31, 2019).

 

“Excess Cash Flow Retained Amount” means, at any date of determination, an amount, not less than zero that is equal to the aggregate cumulative sum of the Excess Cash Flow that is not required to be applied as a mandatory prepayment under Section 2.06(b)(iii) for all Excess Cash Flow Periods ending after the Closing Date, and prior to such date of determination.

 

“Excess Cash Flow Threshold” means $1,000,000.

 

“Excluded Affiliates” means any Affiliates or employees of a Lender that are engaged as principals primarily in private equity, mezzanine financing or venture capital (other than a limited number of senior employees who are required, in accordance with industry regulations or any Lender's internal policies and procedures to act in a supervisory capacity and any Lender's internal legal, compliance, risk management, credit or investment committee members).

 

 

“Excluded Assets” means with respect to any Loan Party, (i) any (x) fee-owned real property other than Material Real Property and (y) all leasehold interests (it being understood and agreed that no action shall be required with respect to creation or perfection of security interests with respect to such leases, including to obtain landlord waivers, estoppels or collateral access letters); (ii) commercial tort claims in which the amount claimed is less than $3,000,000 individually and letter of credit rights with a value of less than $3,000,000 (to the extent not constituting a supporting obligation), in each case, except to the extent perfection can be achieved by filing a UCC-1 financing statement, (iii) motor vehicles and other assets subject to certificates of title, except to the extent perfection can be achieved by filing a UCC-1 financing statement; (iv) pledges and security interests prohibited by applicable Law, rule or regulation or agreement with any governmental authority after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar applicable law; (v) Equity Interests issued by, or assets of, any Person other than wholly-owned Subsidiaries; (vi) any lease, license or other agreement or any property subject to a purchase money security interest, Capitalized Lease or similar arrangement permitted hereunder to the extent that a grant of a security interest therein would violate or invalidate such lease, license or agreement, purchase money arrangement or Capitalized Lease or create a right of termination in favor of any other party thereto (other than Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries) after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar applicable Law, other than proceeds and receivables thereof; (vii) any governmental licenses (but not the proceeds thereof) or state or local franchises, charters and authorizations and any other property or asset the grant or perfection of a security interest in which would require governmental consent, except to the extent such consent has been obtained, to the extent security interests in such licenses, franchises, charters or authorizations, properties or assets are prohibited or restricted thereby including any legally effective prohibition on restriction after giving effect to the applicable anti-assignment provisions of the Uniform Commercial Code or other similar applicable law other than proceeds thereof; (viii) “intent-to-use” trademark applications prior to the filing of a “Statement of Use” or “Amendment to Alleged Use” with respect thereto and to the extent, and solely during the period, if any, in which the grant of a security interest therein would impair the validity or enforceability of such intent-to-use trademark application under applicable federal Law; (ix) Equity Interests issued by, or assets of, Unrestricted Subsidiaries, Immaterial Subsidiaries, captive insurance subsidiaries, not-for-profit subsidiaries, broker-dealer subsidiaries or special purpose entities, (x) margin stock (within the meaning of Regulation U), (xi) [reserved], (xii) assets the grant or perfection of a security interest in which would result in material adverse Tax consequences to the Borrower or Holdings (or such other direct or indirect parent entity of the Borrower) or any of their respective subsidiaries as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent, (xiii) Equity Interests of any CFC or FSHCO in excess of 65% of the issued and outstanding voting stock, (xiv) any segregated funds held in escrow for a the benefit of an unaffiliated third party (including such funds in Escrow) and (xv) other assets as to which the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall reasonably and mutually determine that the costs, burden, difficulty or consequence of obtaining or perfecting a security interest therein outweigh the benefit to the Lenders of the security afforded thereby.

 

“Excluded Subsidiary” means (a) any Subsidiary that is prohibited or restricted by (i) applicable Law, rule or regulation or (ii) by any contractual obligation that, in the case of this clause (ii), is existing on the Closing Date or at the time of acquisition thereof after the Closing Date (to the extent not entered into in contemplation of such acquisition) for so long as such restriction is continuing, in each case, from guaranteeing the Facilities or which would require governmental (including regulatory) consent, approval, license or authorization to provide a Guarantee unless such consent approval, license or authorization has been received, (b) any Subsidiary for which the provision of a Guarantee would result in material adverse Tax consequences to the Borrower or Holdings (or such other direct or indirect parent entity of the Borrower) or any of their respective subsidiaries (as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent), (c) any non-wholly owned Subsidiary or any JV Entity, (d) any Unrestricted Subsidiary, (e) any Immaterial Subsidiary, (f) any direct or indirect U.S. Subsidiary of a Non-U.S. Subsidiary of the Borrower that is a CFC, (g) any CFC or any FSHCO, (h) not-for-profit Subsidiaries, captive insurance Subsidiaries and special purpose entities, if any, used for permitted securitization facilities or other facilities requiring non-consolidation, (i) solely in the case of any Secured Hedging Obligation that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of section 1(a)(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act, any subsidiary of Holdings that is not an “Eligible Contract Participant” as defined under the Commodity Exchange Act, (j) any Restricted Subsidiary acquired pursuant to a Permitted Acquisition or similar investment financed with Indebtedness permitted to be assumed pursuant to Section 7.03 (and not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition) and any Restricted Subsidiary thereof that guarantees such Indebtedness, in each case to the extent, and so long as, such Indebtedness prohibits any such Restricted Subsidiary from becoming a Guarantor, (k) any Subsidiary that is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and (l) any other Subsidiary in circumstances where the Borrower and the Administrative Agent reasonably agree that the cost or burden of providing a Guaranty outweighs the benefit afforded thereby.

 

 

“Excluded Swap Obligation” means with respect to any Guarantor (a) any Swap Obligation if, and to the extent that, all or a portion of the guarantee of such Guarantor of, or the grant by such Guarantor of a security interest to secure, as applicable, such Swap Obligation (or any guarantee thereof) is or becomes illegal under the Commodity Exchange Act or any rule, regulation, or order of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (or the application or official interpretation of any thereof) by virtue of such Guarantor’s failure for any reason to constitute an “eligible contract participant” as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder at the time the guarantee of (or grant of such security interest by, as applicable) such Guarantor becomes or would become effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or (b) any other Swap Obligation designated as an “Excluded Swap Obligation” of such Guarantor as specified in any agreement between the relevant Loan Party and swap counterparty applicable to such Swap Obligations. If a Swap Obligation arises under a master agreement governing more than one swap, such exclusion shall apply only to the portion of such Swap Obligation that is attributable to swaps for which such Guarantee or security interest is or becomes illegal.

 

“Excluded Taxes” means any of the following Taxes imposed on or with respect to any Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to a Recipient, (a) Taxes imposed on or measured by net income (however denominated), franchise Taxes, and branch profits Taxes, in each case,

 

(i) imposed as a result of such Recipient being organized under the laws of, or having its principal office or, in the case of any Lender, its Lending Office located in, the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (or any political subdivision thereof) or (ii) that are Other Connection Taxes, (b) in the case of a Lender, U.S. federal withholding Taxes imposed on amounts payable to or for the account of such Lender with respect to an applicable interest in a Loan or Commitment pursuant to a law in effect on the date on which (i) such Lender acquires such interest in the Loan or Commitment (other than pursuant to an assignment request by the Borrower under Section 3.09) or (ii) such Lender changes its Lending Office, except in each case to the extent that, pursuant to Section 3.01, amounts with respect to such Taxes were payable either to such Lender’s assignor immediately before such Lender became a party hereto or to such Lender immediately before it changed its Lending Office, (c) Taxes attributable to such Recipient’s failure to comply with Section 3.01(e) and (d) any withholding Taxes imposed pursuant to FATCA.

 

“Excluded Unrestricted Subsidiary” has the meaning specified in Section 6.15.

 

“Existing ABL Facility” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.

 

“Existing Facilities” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.

 

 

 

“Existing Term Facility” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.

 

“Extended Revolving Credit Commitment” has the meaning specified in Section 2.18(a)(ii).

 

“Extended Revolving Credit Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.18(a)(ii).

 

“Extended Term Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.18(a)(iii).

 

“Extension” has the meaning specified in Section 2.18(a).

 

“Extension Amendment” means an amendment to this Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower executed by each of (a) the Borrower, (b) the Administrative Agent (to the extent required by Section 2.18), (c) each Lender that agrees to an Extension and (d) to the extent relating to the Revolving Credit Commitments and the L/C Issuer, in accordance with Section 2.18, and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Extension Offer” has the meaning specified in Section 2.18(a).

 

“Facility” means each Term Facility or each Revolving Credit Facility, as the context may require.

 

“FATCA” means Sections 1471 through 1474 of the Code, as of the date of this Agreement (or any amended or successor version that is substantively comparable and not materially more onerous to comply with) and any current or future regulations or official interpretations thereof and any agreement entered into pursuant to Section 1471(b)(1) of the Code, and any fiscal or regulatory legislation, rules or practices adopted pursuant to any intergovernmental agreement, treaty or convention among Governmental Authorities and implementing such Sections of the Code or any of the foregoing.

 

“FCPA” has the meaning specified in Section 5.08(b).

 

“ Federal Funds Rate” means, for any day, the rate per annum equal to the weighted average of the rates on overnight Federal funds transactions with members of the Federal Reserve System, as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York on the Business Day next succeeding such day; provided that (a) if such day is not a Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be such rate on such transactions on the immediately preceding Business Day as so published on the next succeeding Business Day, and (b) if no such rate is so published on such next succeeding Business Day, the Federal Funds Rate for such day shall be the average rate (rounded upward, if necessary, to a whole multiple of 1/100 of 1%) quoted to the Administrative Agent on such day on such transactions by three (3) federal funds brokers of recognized standing as determined by the Administrative Agent.

 

“Fee Letters” means (i) that certain Agency Fee Letter, dated as of November 7, 2018, by and between Purchaser and Nomura and (ii) that certain Agency Fee Letter, dated as of November 7, 2018, by and between Purchaser and Nomura (the “Arranger Fee Letter”).

 

“Financial Covenant” means the covenant set forth in Section 7.11.

 

“First Lien Net Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated First Lien Secured Debt on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period, in each case, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

 

“Fixed Amounts” has the meaning specified in Section 1.08(c).

 

“ Fixed Incremental Amount” means (i) the greater of $26,500,000 and 50% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period minus (ii) the aggregate principal amount of all Incremental Facilities and/or Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred or issued in reliance on amounts under this definition and the aggregate amount of Ratio Debt incurred or issued under clause (a)(i) of the definition thereof.

 

“Flood Insurance Laws” means, collectively, (i) the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (ii) the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto, (iii) the National Flood Insurance Reform Act of 1994 as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute thereto and (iv) the Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2004, and any regulations promulgated thereunder, as now or hereafter in effect or any successor statute or regulations thereto.

 

“Foreign Asset Sale” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(viii).

 

“Foreign Lender” means (a) if the Borrower is a U.S. Person, a Recipient that is not a U.S. Person, and (b) if the Borrower is not a U.S. Person, a Recipient that is resident or organized under the laws of a jurisdiction other than that in which the Borrower is resident for Tax purposes. For purposes of this definition, the United States, each State thereof and the District of Columbia shall be deemed to constitute a single jurisdiction.

 

“Foreign Plan” means any material written employee benefit plan, program, policy, arrangement or agreement maintained or contributed to by any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries with respect to employees employed outside the United States.

 

“Foreign Plan Event” means, with respect to any Foreign Plan, (a) the existence of unfunded liabilities in excess of the amount permitted under any applicable law, or in excess of the amount that would be permitted absent a waiver from a Governmental Authority, (b) the failure in any material respect to make the required contributions or payments, under any applicable law, on or before the due date for such contributions or payments, (c) the receipt of a notice from a Governmental Authority relating to the intention to terminate any such Foreign Plan, or alleging the insolvency of any such Foreign Plan, (d) the incurrence of liability by any Loan Party or any their respective Subsidiaries under applicable law on account of the complete or partial termination of such Foreign Plan or the complete or partial withdrawal of any participating employer therein, or (e) the occurrence of any material transaction that is prohibited under any applicable law and that would reasonably be expected to result in the incurrence of any material liability by any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries, or the imposition on any Loan Party or any of their respective Subsidiaries of any material fine, excise tax or penalty resulting from any noncompliance with any applicable law.

 

“Foreign Recovery Event” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(viii).

 

“FRB” means the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States.

 

“Fronting Exposure” means, at any time there is a Defaulting Lender, with respect to any L/C Issuer, such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the outstanding L/C Obligations other than L/C Obligations as to which such Defaulting Lender’s participation obligation has been reallocated to other Lenders or Cash Collateralized in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

 

“FSHCO” means any direct or indirect U.S. Subsidiary of the Borrower that has no material assets other than the equity (including instruments treated as equity for U.S. federal income tax purposes) and/or debt of one or more Non-U.S. Subsidiaries that are CFCs and/or FSHCOs of the Borrower.

 

“Fund” means any Person (other than a natural person) that is engaged in making, purchasing, holding or otherwise investing in commercial loans and similar extensions of credit.

 

“GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles in the United States set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and statements and pronouncements of the Financial Accounting Standards Board or such other principles as may be approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession in the United States, that are applicable to the circumstances as of the date of determination, consistently applied.

 

“Governmental Authority” means any nation or government, any state or other political subdivision thereof, any agency, authority, instrumentality, regulatory body, court, administrative tribunal, central bank or other entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, Taxing, regulatory or administrative powers or functions of or pertaining to government (including any supranational bodies such as the European Union or the European Central Bank) and any group or body charged with setting financial accounting or regulatory capital rules or standards (including, without limitation, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, the Bank for International Settlements or the Basel Committee or any successor or similar authority to any of the foregoing).

 

“Granting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(i).

 

“Growth Amount” has the meaning specified in clause (a)(ii) of the definition of “Available Amount.”

 

“Guarantee” means, as to any Person, without duplication, (a) any obligation, contingent or otherwise, of such Person guaranteeing or having the economic effect of guaranteeing any Indebtedness or other obligation payable or performable by another Person (the “primary obligor”) in any manner, whether directly or indirectly, and including any obligation of such Person, direct or indirect, (i) to purchase or pay (or advance or supply funds for the purchase or payment of) such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (ii) to purchase or lease property, securities or services for the purpose of assuring the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, (iii) to maintain working capital, equity capital or any other financial statement condition or liquidity or level of income or cash flow of the primary obligor so as to enable the primary obligor to pay such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation, or (iv) entered into for the purpose of assuring in any other manner the obligee in respect of such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of the payment or performance thereof or to protect such obligee against loss in respect thereof (in whole or in part), or (b) any Lien on any assets of such Person securing any Indebtedness or other monetary obligation of any other Person, whether or not such Indebtedness or other monetary obligation is assumed by such Person (or any right, contingent or otherwise, of any holder of such Indebtedness to obtain any such Lien); provided that the term “Guarantee” shall not include endorsements for collection or deposit, in either case in the ordinary course of business, or customary and reasonable indemnity obligations in effect on the Closing Date or entered into in connection with any acquisition or Disposition of assets or other transactions permitted under this Agreement (other than such obligations with respect to Indebtedness). The amount of any Guarantee shall be deemed to be an amount equal to the stated or determinable amount of the related primary obligation, or portion thereof, in respect of which such Guarantee is made or, if not stated or determinable, the maximum reasonably anticipated liability in respect thereof as determined by the guaranteeing Person in good faith. The term “Guarantee” as a verb has a corresponding meaning.

 

 

“Guaranteed Obligations” means (a) in respect of the Guarantee by the Borrower set forth in Article 10 of this Agreement, (i) all Secured Hedging Obligations of each other Loan Party and (ii) all Cash Management Obligations of each other Loan Party and (b) in respect of the Guarantee by Holdings and any other Loan Party (other than the Borrower) set forth in Article 10 of this agreement or in any other guaranty or guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 6.13, (i) all Obligations of each other Loan Party, (ii) all Secured Hedging Obligations of each other Loan Party and (iii) all Cash Management Obligations of each other Loan Party, in each case of the obligations described in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above, now or hereafter existing (including, without limitation, any extensions, modifications, substitutions, amendments or renewals of any or all of the foregoing obligations), whether direct or indirect, absolute or contingent, and whether for principal, interest, fees, indemnities, contract causes of action, costs, expenses or otherwise. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Guaranteed Obligations of any Guarantor shall not include any Excluded Swap Obligations of such Guarantor.

 

“Guarantors” means, collectively, (i) Holdings, (ii) the Borrower and (ii) each Subsidiary Guarantor (with each Subsidiary Guarantor as of the Closing Date listed on Schedule 1.01A). The Borrower shall be considered a Guarantor hereunder solely with respect to its Guaranteed Obligations under Article 10.

 

“Guaranty” means, collectively, the Guarantee by the Guarantors set forth in Article 10 of this Agreement together with any other guaranty or guaranty supplement delivered pursuant to Section 6.13 (which Guarantee provided by the Borrower shall refer solely to its Guarantee with respect to its Guaranteed Obligations under Article 10).

 

“Guaranty Supplement” has the meaning specified in Section 10.09.

 

“Hazardous Materials” means all explosive or radioactive substances or wastes and all hazardous or toxic substances, wastes or other pollutants, including petroleum or petroleum distillates, asbestos or asbestos-containing materials, polychlorinated biphenyls, radon gas, infectious or medical wastes and all other substances or wastes of any nature regulated pursuant to any Environmental Law as hazardous, toxic, pollutants or contaminants or words of similar meaning or effect.

 

“Hedge Agreement” means any Swap Contract permitted under Article 6 or 7 that is entered into by and between Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries and any Hedge Bank.

 

“Hedge Bank” means any Person that is, at the time that it enters into a Hedge Agreement, the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, a Lender, L/C Issuer or an Affiliate of the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, a Lender, L/C Issuer or any other Person designated in writing to the Administrative Agent from time to time; provided that such Person, if not already bound by the provisions thereof, acknowledges and agrees to be bound by the provisions of Article 9, Section 11.06, Section 11.09, Section 11.17, Section 11.21, Section 11.22 and other provisions applicable to Lenders generally.

 

“Holdings” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

 

“Honor Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(c)(i).

 

“ Immaterial Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings contributing less than 2.50% of the consolidated revenues of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in each case, for the most recently ended Test Period for which financial statements have been delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable; provided that the aggregate Consolidated Total Assets (as so determined) and aggregate revenues (as so determined) of all Immaterial Subsidiaries shall not exceed 5.0% of the consolidated revenues of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries for the relevant Test Period, as the case may be.

 

 

“Incremental Cap” means

 

(a)      the Fixed Incremental Amount, plus

 

(b)      [reserved], plus

 

(c)      [reserved], plus

 

(d)      (i) the amount of any optional prepayment of any Loan in accordance with Section 2.06(a) and/or the amount of any permanent reduction of any Revolving Credit Commitment, (ii) the amount paid in Cash in respect of any reduction in the outstanding amount of any Term Loan resulting from any assignment of such Term Loan to (and/or purchase of such Term Loan by) Holdings and/or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (including in connection with debt buybacks made by the Borrower in an amount equal to the discounted amount actually paid in respect thereof pursuant to Section 2.06(d), Section 10.07 and/or otherwise, and/or the application of yank-a-bank provisions that result in a reduction of such Loans) and (iii) the amount of any optional prepayment of any Indebtedness (together with a permanent reduction of the applicable commitment in the case of revolving Indebtedness) that is pari passu with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, so long as, in the case of any such optional prepayment, the relevant prepayment or assignment and/or purchase was not funded with the proceeds of any long-term Indebtedness (other than revolving Indebtedness), in each case to the extent any Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt have not been incurred in reliance of such amounts, plus

 

 

(e)      an unlimited amount so long as, in the case of this clause (e), after giving effect to the relevant Incremental Facility or Incremental Equivalent Debt, (i) if such Incremental Facility or Incremental Equivalent Debt is secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu with the Lien securing the Obligations that are secured on a first lien basis, the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 3.25:1.00, (ii) if such Incremental Facility or Incremental Equivalent Debt is secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations that are secured on a first lien basis, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 3.75:1.00 or (iii) if such Incremental Facility or Incremental Equivalent Debt is unsecured, the Total Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 4.50:1.00, in each case described in this clause (e), calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, including the application of the proceeds thereof (without “netting” the cash proceeds of the applicable Incremental Facility or Incremental Equivalent Debt), and in the case of any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, assuming a full drawing of such Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments.

 

provided that:

 

(x)      Incremental Facilities and Incremental Equivalent Debt may be incurred under one or more of clauses (a) through (e) of this definition as selected by the Borrower in its sole discretion,

 

 

(y)      if Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt are intended to be incurred under clause (e) of this definition and any other clause of this definition in a single transaction or series of substantially concurrent related transactions, (A) incurrence of the portion of such Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt to be incurred under clause (e) of this definition shall first be calculated without giving effect to any Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt to be incurred under all other clauses of this definition, but giving full pro forma effect the use of proceeds of all such Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt and related transactions, and (B) thereafter, incurrence of the portion of such Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt to be incurred under such other applicable clauses of this definition shall be calculated, and

 

 

(z)      any portion of Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred under clauses (a) through (d) of this definition may be reclassified, as the Borrower elects from time to time, as incurred under clause (e) of this definition if such portion of Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt could at such time be incurred under clause (e) of this definition on a pro forma basis; provided, that upon delivery of any financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01 following the initial incurrence of such Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt under clauses (a) through (d) of this definition, if such Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt could, based on any such financial statements, have been incurred under clause (e) of this definition, then such Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt shall automatically be reclassified as incurred under the applicable provision of clause (e) above. Once such Incremental Facilities or Incremental Equivalent Debt is reclassified in accordance with the preceding sentence, it shall not further be reclassified as incurred under the original basket pursuant to which such item was originally incurred.

 

“Incremental Effective Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(e).

 

“Incremental Equivalent Debt” means Indebtedness incurred by any Loan Party (other than Holdings) in the form of senior secured or unsecured notes or loans or junior secured or unsecured notes or loans and/or commitments in respect of any of the foregoing issued, incurred or implemented in lieu of loans under an Incremental Facility; provided, that:

 

(a)      the aggregate outstanding amount thereof shall not exceed the Incremental Cap (as in effect at the time of determination, including giving effect to any reclassification on or prior to such date of determination),

 

(b)      no Event of Default exists immediately prior to or after giving effect to such loans or notes; provided that if the proceeds of such Incremental Equivalent Debt are intended to be applied to finance a Limited Condition Transaction, (i) at the option of the Borrower, the date of determination for compliance with this clause (b) shall be an LCT Test Date and (ii) no Specified Event of Default shall exist on such date,

 

(c)      the Weighted Average Life to Maturity applicable to such notes or loans (other than customary bridge loans; provided, that any loans, notes, securities or other Indebtedness which are exchanged for or otherwise replace such bridge loans shall be subject to the requirements of this clause (c)) is no shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the then-existing Initial Term Loans (without giving effect to any prepayments thereof),

 

(d)      the final maturity date with respect to such notes or loans (other than customary bridge loans; provided, that any loans, notes, securities or other Indebtedness which are exchanged for or otherwise replace such bridge loans shall be subject to the requirements of this clause (d)) is no earlier than (x) in the case of any such notes or loans that are secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of the issuance or incurrence, as applicable, thereof and (y) in the case of any such notes or loans that are secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or that are unsecured, the date that is ninety-one (91) days following the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of the issuance or incurrence, as applicable, thereof,

 

 

(e)      subject to clauses (c) and (d), may otherwise have an amortization schedule as determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Incremental Equivalent Debt,

 

(f)      in the case of any such Indebtedness in the form of term loans secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the All-In-Rate applicable thereto will not be more than 0.50% per annum higher than the All-In-Rate in respect of the Initial Term Loans unless the Applicable Margin (and/or, as provided in the proviso below, the Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor) with respect to the Initial Term Loans is adjusted to be equal to the All-In-Rate applicable to such Indebtedness, minus 0.50% per annum, provided that, unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower in its sole discretion, that any increase in All-In-Rate to any Initial Term Loan due to the application or imposition of a Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor on any such Indebtedness shall be effected solely through an increase in (or implementation of, as applicable) any Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor applicable to such Initial Term Loan,

 

(g)      if such Incremental Equivalent Debt is secured, such Incremental Equivalent Debt shall (x) not be secured by any assets that are not Collateral (provided that, in the case of any Incremental Equivalent Debt that is funded into Escrow pursuant to customary escrow arrangements, such Incremental Equivalent Debt may be secured only by the applicable funds and related assets held in Escrow (and the proceeds thereof) until the time of the release from Escrow of such funds (and may not be secured by any other assets prior to such release)) and (y) be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement (which may be effective (or entered into) only immediately after such release from Escrow referred to in clause (x)),

 

(h)      if guaranteed, shall not be guaranteed by any Person that is not a Loan Party,

 

(i)      (x) any such Incremental Equivalent Debt secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security may share on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not a greater than pro rata basis) in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans and (y) any such Incremental Equivalent Debt secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or are unsecured may not share in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans, and

 

(j)      except as otherwise specified above (including with respect to margin, pricing, maturity and/or fees), the other terms of any such Incremental Equivalent Debt, shall be on terms and pursuant to documentation to be determined between the Borrower and the lenders providing such Incremental Equivalent Debt; provided, that to the extent such terms and documentation are more favorable to the lenders providing such Incremental Equivalent Debt (except to the extent permitted above) than the terms of this Agreement are to the Lenders, such terms shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (except for covenants or other provisions applicable only to the periods after the latest maturity date of all of the existing Facilities) (it being understood that if any financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of any such Incremental Equivalent Debt, such financial maintenance covenant (except to the extent only applicable after the maturity date of such Incremental Equivalent Debt) may also be added for the benefit of all of the Facilities; it being understood and agreed that no consent of any Lender shall be required in connection with any amendment adding such financial maintenance covenant; it being acknowledged and agreed by each Lender that the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such, shall have no liability with respect to such acknowledgment and each Lender hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by Law any claims with respect to such acknowledgment.

 

 

“Incremental Facility” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(a).

 

“Incremental Joinder” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(d).

 

“Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(c).

 

“Incremental Term Loan Class” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(b).

 

“Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.16(b).

 

“Incurrence-Based Amounts” has the meaning specified in Section 1.08(c).

 

“Indebtedness” means, as to any Person at a particular time, without duplication, all of the following, whether or not included as indebtedness or liabilities in accordance with GAAP:

 

(a)      (i) all obligations of such Person for borrowed money and (ii) all obligations of such Person evidenced by bonds, debentures, notes, loan agreements or other similar instruments or agreements to the extent the same would appear as a liability on a balance sheet (excluding footnotes thereto) of such Person in accordance with GAAP;

 

(b)      the maximum available amount of all letters of credit (including standby and commercial), bankers’ acceptances, bank guaranties, surety bonds, performance bonds and similar instruments issued or created by or for the account of such Person;

 

(c)      net obligations of such Person under Swap Contracts (with the amount of such net obligations being deemed to be the aggregate Swap Termination Value thereof as of such date);

 

(d)      all obligations of such Person to pay the deferred purchase price of property or services, (other than (i) accrued expenses and trade accounts payable in the ordinary course of business (including on an inter-company basis), (ii) any earn-out obligation until such obligation (A) appears in the liabilities section of the balance sheet of such Person (excluding the footnotes thereto) in accordance with GAAP and (B) has not been paid within 7 days after becoming due and payable, (iii) any earn-out obligation that appears in the liabilities section of the balance sheet of such Person, to the extent (A) such Person is indemnified for the payment thereof by a solvent Person reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent or (B) amounts to be applied to the payment therefor are in escrow and (iv) liabilities associated with customer prepayments and deposits in the ordinary course of business);

 

(e)      indebtedness (excluding prepaid interest thereon) secured by a Lien on property owned or being purchased by such Person (including indebtedness arising under conditional sales or other title retention agreements and mortgage, industrial revenue bond, industrial development bond and similar financings), whether or not such indebtedness shall have been assumed by such Person or is limited in recourse;

 

(f)       all Attributable Indebtedness;

 

(g)      all obligations of such Person in respect of Disqualified Equity Interests;

 

(h)      indebtedness or similar financing obligations of such Person under any Permitted Recourse Receivables Financing; and

 

(i)       all Guarantees of such Person in respect of the obligations under any of the foregoing paragraphs of other Persons;

 

provided that (i) the amount of Indebtedness of any Person for purposes of clause (e) shall be deemed to be equal to the lesser of (A) the aggregate unpaid amount of such Indebtedness and (B) the fair market value of the property encumbered thereby as determined by such Person in good faith, (ii) Indebtedness of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries shall exclude intercompany Indebtedness incurred in the ordinary course of business so long as such intercompany Indebtedness (A) has a term not exceeding 364 days (inclusive of any roll-over or extensions of terms) and (B) of any Loan Party owed to any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party is unsecured and subordinated to the Obligations and evidenced by the Intercompany Note and (iii) the Indebtedness of any person shall exclude Indebtedness incurred in advance of, and the proceeds of which are to be applied in connection with, the consummation of a transaction solely to the extent the proceeds thereof are and continue to be held in an Escrow and are not otherwise made available to such person.

 

For all purposes hereof, the Indebtedness of any Person shall (A) include the Indebtedness of any partnership or JV Entity (other than a JV Entity that is itself a corporation, company, or limited liability company) in which such Person is a general partner or a joint venturer, except to the extent such Person’s liability for such Indebtedness is expressly limited and only to the extent such Indebtedness would be included in the calculation of Consolidated Total Debt, (B) exclude (i) deferred or prepaid revenue, (ii) purchase price holdbacks in respect of a portion of the purchase price of an asset to satisfy warranty or other unperformed obligations of the seller and (iii) Indebtedness of any parent entity of Holdings appearing on the balance sheet of Holdings and/or the Borrower solely by reason of push down accounting under GAAP and (C) exclude obligations under or in respect of Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Non-Recourse Factoring.

 

 

“Indemnified Liabilities” has the meaning specified in Section 11.05.

 

“Indemnified Taxes” means (a) Taxes, other than Excluded Taxes, imposed on or with respect to any payment made by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document and (b) to the extent not otherwise described in (a) hereof, Other Taxes.

 

“Indemnitees” has the meaning specified in Section 11.05.

 

“Information” has the meaning specified in Section 11.09.

 

“Initial Revolver Maturity Date” means December 18, 2023, or, as to any Initial Revolving Credit Lender for which the Initial Revolver Maturity Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.18, the date to which the Initial Revolver Maturity Date is so extended or, in each case, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day.

 

“Initial Revolving Credit Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Initial Revolving Credit Loans of the same Type and in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Initial Revolving Credit Lenders pursuant to Section 2.01(b).

 

“Initial Revolving Credit Commitment” means, as to each Initial Revolving Credit Lender, its obligation to (a) make Initial Revolving Credit Loans to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(b) and (b) purchase participations in L/C Obligations, in an aggregate principal or face amount at any one time outstanding not to exceed the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Lender’s name under the caption “Initial Revolving Credit Commitment” (i) on Schedule 2.01 or (ii) in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Lender becomes a party hereto, and as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The aggregate Initial Revolving Credit Commitments of all Initial Revolving Credit Lenders is $30,000,000 on the Closing Date.

 

“Initial Revolving Credit Facility” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments at such time.

 

“Initial Revolving Credit Lender” means, at any time, any Lender that has an Initial Revolving Credit Commitment at such time.

 

“Initial Revolving Credit Loan” means a Loan made by an Initial Revolving Credit Lender pursuant to its Initial Revolving Credit Commitment. The aggregate principal amount of Initial Revolving Credit Loans borrowed on the Closing Date (excluding Letters of Credit issued on the date thereof) shall not exceed $2,500,000.

 

“Initial Revolving Termination Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.10(b).

 

“Initial Term Borrowing” means a Borrowing consisting of simultaneous Initial Term Loans made by each of the Initial Term Lenders of such Class pursuant to Section 2.01(a), 2.16, 2.18 or 2.19.

 

 

“Initial Term Commitment” as to each Initial Term Lender, its obligation to make an Initial Term Loan to the Borrower pursuant to Section 2.01(a) in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the Dollar amount set forth opposite such Initial Term Lender’s name on Schedule 2.01 under the caption “Initial Term Commitment” or in the Assignment and Assumption pursuant to which such Initial Term Lender becomes a party hereto, as applicable, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The initial aggregate amount of the Initial Term Lenders’ Initial Term Commitments on the Closing Date is $215,000,000 as such commitment may be reduced or increased from time to time pursuant to (a) assignments by or to such Initial Term Lender pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption, (b) an Incremental Joinder, (c) a Refinancing Amendment or (d) an Extension Amendment.

 

“Initial Term Facility” means, (a) on or prior to the applicable funding date of such Initial Term Loans, the aggregate amount of the Initial Term Commitments and (b) thereafter, the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Loans.

 

“Initial Term Lender” means any Lender with an Initial Term Loan Commitment or an outstanding Initial Term Loan.

 

“Initial Term Loan Maturity Date” means June 18, 2025, or, as to any Initial Term Lender for which the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date is extended pursuant to Section 2.18, the date to which the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date is so extended or, in each case, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day.

 

“Initial Term Loans” means a term loan made by an Initial Term Lender pursuant to its Initial Term Commitment.

 

“Intellectual Property Security Agreement” means, collectively, the Intellectual Property Security Agreement, substantially in the form attached to the Security Agreement together with each other intellectual property security agreement executed and delivered pursuant to Section 6.13 or the Security Agreement.

 

“Intercompany Note” means a promissory note substantially in the form of Exhibit C.

 

“Interest Payment Date” means, (a) as to any Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the last day of each Interest Period applicable to such Loan and the Maturity Date applicable to such Loan; provided that if any Interest Period for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan exceeds three months, the respective dates that fall every three months after the beginning of such Interest Period shall also be Interest Payment Dates; (b) as to any Base Rate Loan, the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December and the Maturity Date applicable to such Loan and (c) to the extent necessary to create a fungible Class of Term Loans, the date of the incurrence of the relevant Class of Incremental Term Loans.

 

“Interest Period” means as to each Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the period commencing on the date such Eurocurrency Rate Loan is disbursed or converted to or continued as a Eurocurrency Rate Loan and ending on the date that is one month, two months, three months or six months thereafter, or if agreed by each Lender participating therein, twelve months or such other period (including any shorter period), as selected by the Borrower in its Loan Notice; provided that:

 

(i)         any Interest Period that would otherwise end on a day that is not a Business Day shall be extended to the next succeeding Business Day unless such Business Day falls in another calendar month, in which case such Interest Period shall end on the immediately preceding Business Day;

 

(ii)        any Interest Period that begins on the last Business Day of a calendar month (or on a day for which there is no numerically corresponding day in the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period) shall end on the last Business Day of the calendar month at the end of such Interest Period;

 

(iii)       no Interest Period shall extend beyond the Maturity Date applicable to such Loan; and

 

(iv)       to the extent necessary to create a fungible Class of Term Loans, any Interest Period may end on the date of the incurrence of the relevant Class of Incremental Term Loans.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may select an initial Interest Period for the Term Loans ending on the date that is no more than 3 months after the Closing Date that is, subject to clause (i) of this definition of “Interest Period,” the last Business Day of the first calendar quarter following the Closing Date.

 

 

“Investment” means, as to any Person, any direct or indirect acquisition or investment by such Person, whether by means of (a) the purchase or other acquisition of Equity Interests or debt or other securities of another Person, (b) a loan, advance or capital contribution to, Guarantee or assumption of debt of, or purchase or other acquisition of any other debt or equity participation or interest in, another Person, including any partnership or JV Entity interest in such other Person and any arrangement pursuant to which the investor incurs debt of the type referred to in clause (h) of the definition of “Indebtedness” set forth in this Section 1.01 in respect of such Person or (c) the purchase or other acquisition (in one transaction or a series of transactions) of all or substantially all of the property and assets or business of another Person or assets constituting a business unit, line of business or division of such Person. For purposes of covenant compliance, the amount of any Investment shall be the amount actually invested, without adjustment for subsequent increases or decreases in the value of such Investment, but in each case, net of any return in respect thereof, including dividends, interest, distributions, returns of principal, profits on sale, repayments, income and similar amounts.

 

“Investors” means (a) the Sponsor, (b) certain other investors which own Qualified Equity Interests directly or indirectly in Holdings as of the Closing Date, but not including any portfolio company of the foregoing and (c) the Management Investors.

 

“IP Rights” has the meaning specified in Section 5.07.

 

“IPO Entity” has the meaning specified in the definition of the term “Qualifying IPO”.

 

“IRS” means the United States Internal Revenue Service.

 

“Issuer Documents” means with respect to any Letter of Credit, the Letter of Credit Application, and any other document, agreement and instrument entered into by the L/C Issuer and the Borrower (or any Subsidiary) or in favor of the L/C Issuer and relating to such Letter of Credit.

 

“Judgment Currency” has the meaning specified in Section 11.26.

 

“Junior Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness that is contractually junior to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations and/or contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations.

 

“JV Entity” means any joint venture of the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Subsidiary.

 

“Latest Maturity Date” means the later of the Latest Term Maturity Date and the Latest Revolving Termination Date.

 

“Latest Term Maturity Date” means, as at any date, the latest to occur of (a) the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, (b) the latest maturity date in respect of any outstanding Extended Term Loans, (c) the latest maturity date in respect of any outstanding Incremental Term Loans and (d) the latest maturity date in respect of any outstanding Refinancing Term Loans.

 

“ Latest Revolving Termination Date” means, as at any date, the latest to occur of (a) the Initial Revolver Maturity Date, (b) the latest termination date in respect of any outstanding Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, (c) the latest termination date in respect of any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments and (d) the latest termination date in respect of any outstanding Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments.

 

“Laws” means, collectively, all applicable international, foreign, federal, state and local statutes, treaties, rules, guidelines, regulations, ordinances, codes and administrative or judicial precedents or authorities, including the interpretation or administration thereof by any Governmental Authority charged with the enforcement, interpretation or administration thereof, and all applicable administrative orders, directed duties, requests, licenses, authorizations and permits of, and agreements with, any Governmental Authority, in each case whether or not having the force of law.

 

 

“L/C Advance” means, with respect to each Initial Revolving Credit Lender, such Lender’s funding of its participation in any L/C Borrowing in accordance with its Pro Rata Share. All L/C Advances shall be denominated in Dollars.

 

“L/C Borrowing” means an extension of credit resulting from a drawing under any Letter of Credit which has not been reimbursed on the date when made or refinanced as an Initial Revolving Credit Borrowing. All L/C Borrowings shall be denominated in Dollars.

 

“L/C Commitment” means, as to any L/C Issuer, its commitment to issue Letters of Credit, and to amend, increase or extend Letters of Credit previously issued by it, pursuant to Section 2.04, in an aggregate Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer at any time outstanding not to exceed (a) in the case of any L/C Issuer party hereto on the Closing Date, the amount set forth opposite such L/C Issuer’s name on Schedule 2.04 under the heading “L/C Commitments”; and (b) in the case of any Revolving Credit Lender that becomes an L/C Issuer hereunder thereafter, the amount which shall be set forth in the written agreement by which such Revolving Credit Lender shall become an L/C Issuer hereunder, in each case as such commitment may be changed from time to time pursuant to the terms hereof or with the agreement in writing of such L/C Issuer, the Borrower and the Administrative Agent. The aggregate L/C Commitments of all the L/C Issuers shall be less than or equal to the Letter of Credit Sublimit at all times.

 

“L/C Credit Extension” means, with respect to any Letter of Credit, the issuance thereof or extension of the expiry date thereof, or the renewal or increase of the amount thereof.

 

“L/C Fee” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(i).

 

“L/C Issuer” means (i) Nomura (acting through one or more sub-agents or designees), (ii) [reserved] and/or (iii) any other Revolving Credit Lender (or Affiliate thereof) that agrees in writing with the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to act as an L/C Issuer with respect to any Revolving Credit Facility, in each case of clauses (i) , (ii) and (iii), in its capacity as issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder, or any successor issuer of Letters of Credit hereunder. Each L/C Issuer may, in its discretion, arrange for one or more Letters of Credit to be issued by branches, Affiliates, sub-agents or designees of such L/C Issuer, in which case the term “L/C Issuer” shall include any such branch, Affiliate or designee with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such branch, Affiliate or designee; provided that any designees designated or identified to the Borrower after the Closing Date shall be reasonably acceptable to the Borrower. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, Nomura shall not be required to issue any Letter of Credit other than standby Letters of Credit denominated in U.S. Dollars or Canadian dollars; provided that the aggregate of Letters of Credit issued in Canadian dollars shall not exceed $500,000.

 

“L/C Obligations” means, as at any date of determination, the aggregate undrawn amount of all outstanding Letters of Credit plus the aggregate of all Unreimbursed Amounts, including all L/C Borrowings. For purposes of computing the amount available to be drawn under any Letter of Credit, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be determined in accordance with Section 1.16. For all purposes of this Agreement, if on any date of determination a Letter of Credit has expired by its terms but any amount may still be drawn thereunder by reason of the operation of Rule 3.14 of the ISP, such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be “outstanding” in the amount so remaining available to be drawn.”

 

“LCT Election” has the meaning specified in Section 1.15(a).

 

“LCT Provisions” means the provisions, qualifications and exceptions specified in Section 1.15.

 

“LCT Test Date” has the meaning specified in Section 1.15(a).

 

“Lender” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement and, as the context requires, includes each L/C Issuer.

 

“Lending Office” means, as to any Lender, the office, offices or account of such Lender described as such in such Lender’s Administrative Questionnaire, or such other office, offices or account as a Lender may from time to time notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent.

 

“Lender Participation Notice” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(iii).

 

 

“Letter of Credit” means any letter of credit issued hereunder. A Letter of Credit may be a commercial letter of credit or a standby letter of credit.

 

“Letter of Credit Application” means an application and agreement for the issuance or amendment of a Letter of Credit in the form from time to time in use by the relevant L/C Issuer.

 

“ Letter of Credit Expiration Date” means the day that is five days prior to the Initial Revolver Maturity Date (or, if such day is not a Business Day, the next preceding Business Day).

 

“Letter of Credit Report” means a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit K or any other form approved by the Administrative Agent.

 

“Letter of Credit Sublimit” means, at any time, an amount equal to the lesser of (a) $3,000,000 and (b) the Initial Revolving Credit Facility. The Letter of Credit Sublimit is part of, and not in addition to, the Initial Revolving Credit Facility.

 

“Lien” means any mortgage, pledge, hypothecation, assignment for security, deposit arrangement for security, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), charge, or preference, priority or other security interest or preferential arrangement of any kind or nature whatsoever (including any conditional sale or other title retention agreement, any easement, right of way or other encumbrance on title to real property, and any Capitalized Lease having substantially the same economic effect as any of the foregoing but excluding operating leases).

 

“Limited Condition Acquisition” means any Permitted Acquisition or similar Investment, including by way of merger, amalgamation or consolidation, by one or more of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries of any assets, business or Person, the consummation of which is not conditioned on the availability of, or on obtaining, third party financing.

 

“Limited Condition Transaction” means (i) a Limited Condition Acquisition, (ii) any redemption, repurchase, prepayment, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment of Junior Indebtedness requiring irrevocable notice in advance of such redemption, repurchase, prepayment, defeasance, satisfaction and discharge or repayment and/or (iii) any Restricted Payment requiring the declaration thereof in advance thereof.

 

“Loan” means an extension of credit by a Lender to the Borrower under Article 2 in the form of a Term Loan or a Revolving Credit Loan.

 

“Loan Documents” means, collectively, (a) this Agreement, (b) the Collateral Documents, (c) the Notes, (d) each Incremental Joinder, (e) each Refinancing Amendment and (f) each Extension Amendment.

 

“Loan Notice” means a written notice of (a) a Borrowing, (b) a conversion of Loans from one Type to the other or (c) a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, pursuant to Section 2.02, which shall be substantially in the form of Exhibit D-1 or such other form as may be approved by the Administrative Agent (including any form on an electronic platform or electronic transmission system as shall be approved by the Administrative Agent), appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower.

 

“Loan Obligations” means all advances to, and debts, liabilities, obligations, covenants and duties of, any Loan Party arising under any Loan Document or otherwise with respect to any Loan or Letter of Credit, whether direct or indirect (including those acquired by assumption), absolute or contingent, due or to become due, now existing or hereafter arising and including interest and fees that accrue after the commencement by or against any Loan Party of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Laws naming such Person as the debtor in such proceeding, regardless of whether such interest and fees are allowed claims in such proceeding. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Obligations of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents include (a) the obligation to pay principal, interest, Letter of Credit commissions, charges, expenses, fees, Attorney Costs, indemnities and other amounts payable by any Loan Party under any Loan Document and (b) the obligation of any Loan Party to reimburse any amount in respect of any of the foregoing that any Lender, in its sole discretion, may elect to pay or advance on behalf of such Loan Party.

 

 

“Loan Parties” means, collectively, Holdings, the Borrower and the Subsidiary Guarantors.

 

“London Banking Day” means any day on which dealings in Dollar deposits are conducted by and between banks in the London interbank market.

 

“LPP” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

 

“Management Investors” means the officers, directors and members of management of the Target, any Subsidiary of the Target and any direct or indirect parent company of the Target as of the Closing Date.

 

“Market Capitalization” means an amount equal to (i) the total number of issued and outstanding shares of common Equity Interests of the IPO Entity on the date of the declaration of the applicable Restricted Payment multiplied by (ii) the arithmetic mean of the closing prices per share of such common Equity Interests on the principal securities exchange on which such common Equity Interests are traded for the 30 consecutive trading days immediately preceding the date of declaration of such Restricted Payment.

 

“Material Adverse Effect” means (a) on the Closing Date, a Closing Date Material Adverse Effect and (b) after the Closing Date, a circumstance or condition that would materially and adversely affect (i) the business, results of operations or financial condition of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, taken as a whole, (ii) the ability of the Loan Parties, taken as a whole, to perform their payment obligations under the Loan Documents or (iii) the rights and remedies of the Administrative Agent (on behalf of itself and the Lenders) under the Loan Documents.

 

“Material Companies” means Holdings, the Borrower and all other Restricted Subsidiaries (other than other Restricted Subsidiaries that are Immaterial Subsidiaries).

 

“Material Real Property” means any real property located in the U.S. and owned in fee by any Loan Party with a fair market value (as determined in good faith by the Borrower) in excess of the greater of (x) $5,300,000 and (y) ten percent (10%) of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period, in each case as of the Closing Date (with respect to each real property owned on the Closing Date) or as of the date of acquisition of such real property or Additional Guarantor, as applicable (with respect to any such real property acquired after the Closing Date).

 

“ Maturity Date” means (a) with respect to the Initial Term Loans, the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, (b) with respect to the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments and the Initial Revolving Credit Loans, the Initial Revolver Maturity Date, (c) with respect to any Incremental Term Loans, Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments and Incremental Revolving Credit Loans, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Incremental Joinder, (d) with respect to any Extended Term Loans or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Extension Amendment and (e) with respect to any Refinancing Term Loans or Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments, the final maturity date as specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment.

 

 

 

“Maximum Rate” has the meaning specified in Section 11.11.

 

“Minimum Extension Condition” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.18(b).

 

“Moody’s” means Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

“Mortgage” has the meaning specified in Section 6.13(c).

 

“Mortgage Notification Date” has the meaning specified in Section 6.13(c).

 

“Mortgaged Properties” has the meaning specified in Section 6.07.

 

“Multiemployer Plan” means any employee benefit plan covered by Section 4001(a)(3) of ERISA, to which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate makes or is obligated to make contributions, or during the preceding five plan years, has made or been obligated to make contributions.

 

“Net Cash Proceeds” means:

 

(a)        with respect to the Disposition of any asset by any Restricted Company or any Casualty Event, the excess, if any, of (i) the sum of cash and Cash Equivalents received in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (including any cash or Cash Equivalents received by way of deferred payment pursuant to, or by monetization of, a note receivable or otherwise, but only as and when so received and, with respect to any Casualty Event, any insurance proceeds or condemnation awards in respect of such Casualty Event actually received by or paid to or for the account of such Restricted Company) over (ii) the sum of (A) the principal amount of any Indebtedness that is secured by the asset subject to such Disposition or Casualty Event and that is repaid in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event (other than Indebtedness under the Loan Documents and Indebtedness that is secured by Liens ranking junior to or pari passu with the Liens securing any Indebtedness under the Loan Documents), (B) the out-of-pocket expenses (including attorneys’ fees, investment banking fees, survey costs, title insurance premiums, and related search and recording charges, transfer Taxes, deed or mortgage recording Taxes, other customary expenses and brokerage, consultant and other customary fees) actually incurred by such Restricted Company in connection with such Disposition or Casualty Event, (C) Taxes paid or reasonably estimated to be payable by such Restricted Company or any of the direct or indirect members thereof (including, without limitation, any amounts permitted to be distributed under Section 7.06(j)) and attributable to such Disposition (including, in respect of any proceeds received in connection with a Disposition or Casualty Event of any asset of any Non-U.S. Subsidiary, deductions in respect of withholding Taxes that are or would be payable in cash if such funds were repatriated to the United States), (D) payments required to be made to holders of minority interests in Restricted Subsidiaries as a result of such Disposition, and (E) any reserve for adjustment in respect of (1) the sale price of such asset or assets established in accordance with GAAP and (2) any liabilities associated with such asset or assets and retained by such Restricted Company after such sale or other disposition thereof, including pension and other post-employment benefit liabilities and liabilities related to environmental matters or against any indemnification obligations associated with such transaction and it being understood that “Net Cash Proceeds” shall include any cash or Cash Equivalents (I) received upon the Disposition of any non-cash consideration received by such Restricted Company in any such Disposition and (II) upon the reversal (without the satisfaction of any applicable liabilities in cash in a corresponding amount) of any reserve described in clause (E) of the preceding sentence or, if such liabilities have not been satisfied in cash and such reserve not reversed within 365 days after such Disposition or Casualty Event, the amount of such reserve; provided that (x) no proceeds realized in a single transaction or series of related transactions shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds unless such proceeds shall exceed $3,000,000 and (y) no proceeds shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a) in any fiscal year until the aggregate amount of all such proceeds in such fiscal year shall exceed $5,000,000 (and thereafter only proceeds in excess of such amount shall constitute Net Cash Proceeds under this clause (a)); and

 

 

(b)        with respect to the incurrence or issuance of any Indebtedness by any Restricted Company, the excess, if any, of (x) the aggregate amount of cash received in connection with such incurrence over (y) the Taxes, investment banking fees, underwriting discounts, commissions, costs and other out-of-pocket fees and expenses and other customary expenses, incurred by such Restricted Company (or, in the case of Taxes, any member thereof) in connection with such incurrence or issuance and, in the case of Indebtedness of any Non-U.S. Subsidiary, deductions in respect of withholding Taxes that are or would otherwise be payable in cash if such funds were repatriated to the United States.

 

“Nomura” means Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC and its successors.

 

“Non-Core Proceeds” means the net proceeds of a Disposition pursuant to Section 7.05(p) calculated in accordance with the definition of Net Cash Proceeds (without giving effect to the proviso set forth therein).

 

“Non-ECP Guarantor” means each Guarantor other than a Qualified ECP Guarantor.

 

“Non-Extension Notice Date” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(b)(iii).

 

“Non-U.S. Subsidiary” means any direct or indirect Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings that is not a U.S. Subsidiary.

 

“Note” means a Term Note or a Revolving Credit Note, as the context may require.

 

“Obligations” means all (x) Loan Obligations, (y) Secured Hedging Obligations and (z) Cash Management Obligations; provided that the “Obligations” shall exclude any Excluded Swap Obligations.

 

“OFAC” means the Office of Foreign Assets Control of the U.S. Treasury Department.

 

“Offered Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(iii).

 

“Organization Documents” means, (a) with respect to any corporation, the charter or certificate or articles of incorporation and the bylaws; (b) with respect to any limited liability company, the certificate or articles of formation or organization and operating agreement; and (c) with respect to any partnership, JV Entity, trust or other form of business entity, the partnership, JV Entity or other applicable agreement of formation or organization and any agreement, instrument, filing or notice with respect thereto filed in connection with its formation or organization with the applicable Governmental Authority in the jurisdiction of its formation or organization and, if applicable, any certificate or articles of formation or organization of such entity (or, in each case, equivalent or comparable constitutive documents with respect to any non-U.S. jurisdiction, in each case, if applicable or relevant).

 

“Other Applicable Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(i)(A)(2).

 

“Other Connection Taxes” means, with respect to any Recipient, Taxes imposed as a result of a present or former connection between such Recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such Tax (other than connections arising from such Recipient having executed, delivered, become a party to, performed its obligations under, received payments under, received or perfected a security interest under, engaged in any other transaction pursuant to or enforced any Loan Document, or sold or assigned an interest in any Loan, Letter of Credit or Loan Document).

 

 

“ Other Taxes” means all present or future stamp, court or documentary, intangible, recording, filing or similar Taxes that arise from any payment made under, from the execution, delivery, performance, enforcement or registration of, from the receipt or perfection of a security interest under, or otherwise with respect to, any Loan Document or Letter of Credit, except any such Taxes that are Other Connection Taxes imposed with respect to an assignment (other than an assignment made pursuant to Section 3.09) or sale of a participation.

 

“Outstanding Amount” means (a) with respect to the Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans on any date, the principal amount thereof after giving effect to any borrowings and prepayments or repayments of Term Loans and Revolving Credit Loans (including any refinancing of outstanding unpaid drawings under Letters of Credit or L/C Borrowings as a Revolving Credit Borrowing), as the case may be, occurring on such date; and (b) with respect to any L/C Obligations on any date, the aggregate outstanding amount thereof on such date after giving effect to any L/C Credit Extension occurring on such date and any other changes thereto as of such date, including as a result of any reimbursements of outstanding unpaid drawings under any Letters of Credit (including any refinancing of outstanding unpaid drawings under Letters of Credit or L/C Credit Extensions as a Revolving Credit Borrowing) or any reductions in the maximum amount available for drawing under Letters of Credit taking effect on such date.

 

“Overnight Rate” means, for any day, (a) with respect to any amount denominated in Dollars, the greater of (i) the Federal Funds Rate and (ii) an overnight rate determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be, in accordance with banking industry rules on interbank compensation, and (b) with respect to any amount denominated in an Alternate Currency, the rate of interest per annum at which overnight deposits in the applicable Alternate Currency, in an amount approximately equal to the amount with respect to which such rate is being determined, would be offered for such day by a branch or Affiliate of Nomura in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency to major banks in such interbank market.

 

“Participant” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(f).

 

“Participant Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(g).

 

“PBGC” means the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.

 

“Pension Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA), other than a Multiemployer Plan, that is subject to Title IV of ERISA and is sponsored or maintained by Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate or to which Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate contributes or has an obligation to contribute or has any liability.

 

“Perfection Certificate” means a certificate attached as Exhibit B to the Security Agreement that provides information relating to Uniform Commercial Code filings of each Loan Party.

 

“Perfection Requirements” means, the making of the appropriate notarizations, registrations, filings, endorsements, stampings and/or notifications or taking of other steps with respect to the Collateral as contemplated by (x) any legal opinion required to be delivered hereby or under the terms of a Loan Document, including the making of such filings and taking of such other actions required to be taken thereby, (y) the applicable Loan Documents or (z) pursuant to applicable Requirements of Law (including the filing of appropriate financing statements with the office of the Secretary of State of the state of organization of each Loan Party, the filing of appropriate assignments or notices with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Copyright Office, the proper recording or filing, as applicable, of Mortgages and fixture filings with respect to any Material Real Property and any other recordings, filings, registrations, notifications or other actions required to be taken in any other jurisdiction), in each case in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and the delivery to the Administrative Agent (or its sub-agent or designee) of any stock certificates or promissory notes required to be delivered pursuant to the applicable Loan Documents.

 

 

“Permitted Acquisition” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(j).

 

“Permitted First Priority Refinancing Debt” means any secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower in the form of one or more series of senior secured notes or loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis (but without regard to the control of remedies) with the Obligations and is not secured by any property or assets of Holdings or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness satisfies the requirements of the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” and (iii) the holders of such Indebtedness (or their Senior Representative) and the Administrative Agent shall be party to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement.

 

“Permitted Holders” means (a) the Investors, (b) any person with which one or more Investors form a “group” (within the meaning of Section 14(d) of the Act) so long as, in the case of this clause (b), the relevant Investors own more than 50% of the relevant voting stock owned by such group.

 

“Permitted Junior Priority Refinancing Debt” means secured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower in the form of one or more series of junior lien secured notes or junior lien secured loans; provided that (i) such Indebtedness shall be secured by the Collateral on a junior priority basis to the Liens securing the Obligations and not be secured by any property or assets of Holdings or any Subsidiary other than the Collateral, (ii) such Indebtedness shall satisfy the requirements of the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness” and (iii) the holders of any such Indebtedness (or their Senior Representative) and Administrative Agent shall be party to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement.

 

“Permitted Non-Recourse Factoring” means one or more non-recourse (except for customary representations, warranties, covenants and indemnities made in connection with such non-recourse facilities, including Securitization Repurchase Obligations) receivables purchase facilities made available to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on then-market terms (as reasonably determined by the Borrower).

 

“Permitted Receivables Financing” means a Permitted Non-Recourse Factoring or a Permitted Recourse Receivables Financing.

 

“Permitted Recourse Receivables Financing” means one or more receivables purchase facilities made available to the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries on then-market terms (as reasonably determined by the Borrower) in an aggregate principal amount for all such receivables subject to such facilities not exceeding the greater of (x) $8,000,000 and (y) 15% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period at any time outstanding minus the amount of any receivables subject to any then-outstanding Securitization Financing transactions.

 

 

“Permitted Refinancing” means, with respect to any Person, any modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension of any Indebtedness of such Person; provided that (a) the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) thereof does not exceed the principal amount (or accreted value, if applicable) of the Indebtedness so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended except by an amount equal to unpaid accrued interest and premium thereon plus other reasonable amount paid, and fees and expenses reasonably incurred, in connection with such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension and by an amount equal to any existing commitments unutilized thereunder or as otherwise permitted pursuant to Section 7.03, (b) other than with respect to a Permitted Refinancing in respect of Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(f) and/or Indebtedness of the type described in Section 7.03(f) assumed or incurred in reliance on another clause of Section 7.03, such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension has a final maturity date equal to or later than the final maturity date of, and has a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of, the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (c)(i) to the extent such Indebtedness being so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is secured by a Lien on the Collateral, the Lien securing such Indebtedness as modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended shall not be senior in priority to the Lien on the Collateral securing the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended unless such Lien is otherwise permitted hereunder and an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement is entered into and shall not be secured by any additional Collateral unless such additional Collateral substantially simultaneously secures the Obligations or is otherwise permitted under this Agreement, (ii) to the extent such Indebtedness being so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is secured by a Lien on the Collateral that ranks junior to the Lien on the Collateral that secures the Secured Obligations, the Lien securing such Indebtedness as modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended shall be junior in priority to the Lien on the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended unless such Lien is otherwise permitted hereunder and an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement is entered into and shall not be secured by any additional Collateral unless such additional Collateral substantially simultaneously secures the Obligations or is otherwise permitted under this Agreement, and (iii) to the extent such Indebtedness being so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is unsecured, such Indebtedness as modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended shall remain unsecured unless a Lien is otherwise permitted hereunder and an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement is entered into and shall not be secured by any additional Collateral unless such additional Collateral substantially simultaneously secures the Obligations or is otherwise permitted under this Agreement, (d) to the extent such Indebtedness being so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is guaranteed by a Guarantee, such Indebtedness as modified, refinanced, renewed or extended shall not have any additional guarantees unless such additional guarantees are substantially simultaneously provided in respect of the Loans and Commitments under this Agreement and (e) if such Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is Indebtedness permitted pursuant to Section 7.03(c), (i) to the extent such Indebtedness being so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended is subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Obligations, such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the documentation governing the Indebtedness being so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended, (ii) the terms and conditions (including, if applicable, as to collateral but excluding as to subordination, interest rate, redemptions and redemption premium) of any such modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended Indebtedness, taken as a whole, are not materially less favorable to the Loan Parties or the Lenders than the terms and conditions of the Indebtedness being modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended (other than in the case of terms applying to periods after the then Latest Maturity Date or otherwise added for the benefit of the Lenders hereunder); provided that a certificate of a Responsible Officer delivered to the Administrative Agent at least five (5) Business Days prior to the incurrence of such Indebtedness, together with a reasonably detailed description of the material terms and conditions of such Indebtedness or drafts of the documentation relating thereto, stating that the Borrower has determined in good faith that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement, shall be conclusive evidence that such terms and conditions satisfy the foregoing requirement unless the Administrative Agent notifies the Borrower within such five Business Day period that it disagrees with such determination (including a reasonable description of the basis upon which it disagrees) and (iii) such modification, refinancing, refunding, renewal or extension is incurred by a Person who is the obligor of the Indebtedness being so modified, refinanced, refunded, renewed or extended.

 

 

“Permitted Sale Leaseback” means any Sale Leaseback consummated by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date; provided that any such Sale Leaseback not between (a) a Loan Party and another Loan Party or (b) a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party and another Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party must be, in each case, consummated for fair value as determined at the time of consummation in good faith by (i) Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary and (ii) in the case of any Sale Leaseback (or series of related Sales Leasebacks) the aggregate proceeds of which exceed the greater of (x) $11,000,000 and (y) 20.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period, the board of managers or directors, as applicable, of Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary (which such determination may take into account any retained interest or other Investment of the Borrower or such Restricted Subsidiary in connection with, and any other material economic terms of, such Sale Leaseback).

 

“Permitted Tax Restructuring” means any reorganizations and other activities related to tax planning and tax reorganization entered into prior to, on or after the Closing Date so long as such Permitted Tax Restructuring does not impair in any material respect the Guaranty or the security interests in favor of, and is not otherwise materially adverse to, in each case, the Lenders, taken as a whole, in their capacity as such (as determined by the Borrower in good faith in consultation with the Administrative Agent).

 

“Permitted Unsecured Refinancing Debt” means unsecured Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower in the form of one or more series of senior or subordinated unsecured notes or loans; provided that such Indebtedness satisfies the requirements of the definition of “Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness”.

 

“Person” means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, trust, joint venture, association, company, partnership, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

“Plan” means any “employee pension benefit plan” (as such term is defined in Section 3(2) of ERISA) maintained or sponsored by Holdings, other than a Pension Plan or a Multiemployer Plan.

 

“Plan Assets” means “plan assets” within the meaning of 29 C.F.R. §2510.3-101, as modified by Section 3(42) of ERISA

 

“Platform” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

“Pledged Debt” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

 

“Pledged Equity” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

 

“Post-Acquisition Period” means, with respect to any Permitted Acquisition or the conversion of any Unrestricted Subsidiary into a Restricted Subsidiary, the period beginning on the date such Permitted Acquisition or conversion is consummated and ending on the last day of the fourth full consecutive fiscal quarter immediately following the date on which such Permitted Acquisition or conversion is consummated.

 

“Prepayment Asset Sale” means any Disposition by a Restricted Company of any property or assets pursuant to Section 7.05(i), 7.05(k)(ii), 7.05(q), 7.05(r), 7.05(s), 7.05(u) or 7.05(z).

 

 

“Private Side Information” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02(d).

 

“Pro Forma Adjustment” means, for any Test Period that includes all or any part of a fiscal quarter included in any Post-Acquisition Period, with respect to the Acquired EBITDA of the applicable Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary or the Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings, the pro forma increase or decrease in such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, and without duplication of actual amounts realized in the applicable period, that is projected by the Borrower in good faith to result from cost savings initiatives attributable to such transaction and additional costs associated with the combination of the operations of such Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary with the operations of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, to the extent such amounts (i) have been realized or (ii) will be implemented following such transaction and are reasonably identified, factually supportable and expected in good faith to be realized within the succeeding twenty-four (24) months and, in each case, including, but not limited to, (w) reduction in personnel expenses, (x) reduction of costs related to administrative functions, (y) reductions of costs related to leased or owned properties and (z) reductions from the consolidation of operations and streamlining of corporate overhead) taking into account, for purposes of determining such compliance, the historical financial statements of the Acquired Entity or Business or Converted Restricted Subsidiary and the consolidated financial statements of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, assuming such Permitted Acquisition or conversion, and all other Permitted Acquisitions or conversions that have been consummated during the period, and any Indebtedness or other liabilities repaid in connection therewith had been consummated and incurred or repaid at the beginning of such period (and assuming that such Indebtedness to be incurred bears interest during any portion of the applicable measurement period prior to the relevant acquisition at the interest rate which is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness as at the relevant date of determination); provided that, so long as such actions are initiated during such Post-Acquisition Period or such costs are incurred during such Post-Acquisition Period, as applicable, for purposes of projecting such pro forma increase or decrease to such Acquired EBITDA or such Consolidated EBITDA, as the case may be, it may be assumed that such cost savings will be realizable during the entirety of such Test Period, or such additional costs, as applicable, will be incurred during the entirety of such Test Period.

 

“Pro Forma Basis” and “Pro Forma Effect” means, for purposes of calculating compliance with the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Total Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated Total Assets (in each case, including component definitions thereof) or the Financial Covenant, in each case, that (1) to the extent applicable, the Pro Forma Adjustment shall have been made (but without duplication of clause (b)(viii) of the definition of Consolidated EBITDA) and (2) in respect of a Specified Transaction, that such Specified Transaction shall be deemed to have occurred as of the first day of the applicable period of measurement (or, in the case of Consolidated Total Assets, as of the last day of such period of measurement) and that:

 

(a)        income statement items (whether positive or negative) attributable to the property or Person subject to such Specified Transaction, (i) in the case of a Permitted Acquisition or Investment described in the definition of “Specified Transaction”, shall be included and (ii) in the case of a Specified Disposition described in the definition of “Specified Transaction”, shall be excluded,

 

(b)        any retirement or repayment of Indebtedness (other than normal fluctuation in revolving Indebtedness incurred for working capital purposes) shall be deemed to have occurred as of the last day of the applicable Test Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made, and

 

 

(c)        any Indebtedness incurred or assumed by any Restricted Company in connection with such Specified Transaction shall be deemed to have occurred as of the last day of the applicable Test Period with respect to any test or covenant for which the relevant determination is being made, and (x) if such Indebtedness has a floating or formula rate, such Indebtedness shall have an implied rate of interest for the applicable Test Period for purposes of this definition determined by utilizing the rate that is or would be in effect with respect to such Indebtedness at the relevant date of determination (taking into account any interest hedging arrangements applicable to such Indebtedness), (y) interest on any obligation with respect to any capital lease shall be deemed to accrue at an interest rate reasonably determined by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower to be the rate of interest implicit in such obligation in accordance with GAAP and (z) interest on any Indebtedness that may optionally be determined at an interest rate based upon a factor of a prime or similar rate, a eurocurrency interbank offered rate or other rate shall be determined to have been based upon the rate actually chosen, or if none, then based upon such optional rate chosen by the Borrower;

 

provided that (x) without limiting (but without duplication of) the application of the Pro Forma Adjustment pursuant to clause (1) above, the foregoing pro forma adjustments may be applied to the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Total Net Leverage Ratio, Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated Total Assets (in each case, including component definitions thereof) or the Financial Covenant solely to the extent that such adjustments are consistent with the definition of Consolidated EBITDA and give effect to events (including cost savings, synergies and operating expense reductions) that are (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) (i) directly attributable to such transaction, (ii) expected to have a continuing impact on Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (iii) factually supportable (as determined by the Borrower in good faith), (y) when calculating the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio for purposes of (i) the definition of “Applicable Margin” and (ii) determining actual compliance (and not Pro Forma Compliance or compliance on a Pro Forma Basis) with Section 7.11, the events that occurred subsequent to the end of the applicable four quarter period shall not be given pro forma effect and (z) in connection with any Specified Transaction that is the incurrence of Indebtedness in respect of which compliance with any specified leverage ratio test is by the terms of this Agreement required to be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, (1) the proceeds of such Indebtedness shall not be netted from Indebtedness in the calculation of the applicable leverage ratio test and (2) if such Indebtedness is a revolving facility, (other than in respect of actual compliance with the Financial Covenant) the incurrence or repayment of any indebtedness in respect of such revolving facility (including the Initial Revolving Credit Facility) included in such financial covenant ratio or incurrence test calculation immediately prior to or simultaneously with the incurrence of such indebtedness for which the pro forma calculation of such ratio or test is being made and/or any drawing under any revolving facilities used to finance working capital needs of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries (as reasonably determined by the Borrower), shall be disregarded.

 

“Pro Forma Financial Statements” has the meaning specified in Section 5.05(b).

 

“Pro Rata Share” means, with respect to each Lender at any time, a fraction (expressed as a percentage, carried out to the ninth decimal place), the numerator of which is the amount of the Commitments of such Lender (and, if applicable, in the case of Term Loans, the principal amount thereof) under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time and the denominator of which is the amount of the Aggregate Commitments (and, if applicable, in the case of Term Loans, the principal amount thereof) under the applicable Facility or Facilities at such time; provided that in the case of Section 2.17 when a Defaulting Lender shall exist under the Initial Revolving Credit Facility, “Pro Rata Share” shall mean the percentage of the total Initial Revolving Credit Commitments (disregarding any Defaulting Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Commitment) represented by such Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Commitment.

 

“Projections” has the meaning specified in Section 5.13.

 

 

“Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(ii).

 

“PTE” means a prohibited transaction class exemption issued by the U.S. Department of Labor, as any such exemption may be amended from time to time.

 

“Public Company Costs” means, as to any Person, costs associated with, or in anticipation of, or preparation for, compliance with the requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and the rules and regulations promulgated in connection therewith and costs relating to compliance with the provisions of the Securities Act and the Exchange Act or any other comparable body of laws, rules or regulations, as companies with listed equity, directors’ compensation, fees and expense reimbursement, costs relating to investor relations, shareholder meetings and reports to shareholders, directors’ and officers’ insurance and other executive costs, legal and other professional fees, and listing fees, in each case to the extent arising by virtue of the listing of such Person’s equity or issuance of public debt securities.

 

“Public Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02.

 

“Public Offer” has the meaning specified in Section 1.15(a).

 

“Public Side Information” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02(d).

 

“Public-Side” has the meaning specified in Section 6.02(d).

 

“Purchaser” has the meaning specified in the introductory paragraph to this Agreement.

 

“Qualified ECP Guarantor” means, in respect of any Swap Obligations, each Loan Party that has assets exceeding $10,000,000 at the time the relevant Guarantee or grant of the relevant security interest becomes effective with respect to such Swap Obligation or such other person constitutes an “eligible contract participant” under the Commodity Exchange Act or any regulations promulgated thereunder and can cause another person to qualify as an “eligible contract participant” at such time by entering into a keepwell under §1a(180(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

“Qualified Equity Interests” means Equity Interests other than Disqualified Equity Interests.

 

“Qualified Securitization Financing” means any Securitization Financing that meets the following conditions: (i) the Borrower shall have determined in good faith that such Securitization Financing is in the aggregate economically fair and reasonable to the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, (ii) all sales of Securitization Assets and related assets by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Securitization Subsidiary or any other Person are made for fair consideration (as determined in good faith by the Borrower) and (iii) the financing terms, covenants, termination events and other provisions thereof shall be fair and reasonable terms (as determined in good faith by the Borrower) and may include Standard Securitization Undertakings.

 

“Qualifying IPO” means any transaction or series of transactions (other than a public offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-8) that results in the common Equity Interests of Holdings or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings (the “IPO Entity”) being publicly traded on any United States national securities exchange or over the counter market.

 

“Qualifying Lenders” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(iv).

 

“Qualifying Loans” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(d)(iv).

 

 

“Rate Determination Date” means two (2) Business Days prior to the commencement of such Interest Period (or such other day as is generally treated as the rate fixing day by market practice in such interbank market, as determined by the Administrative Agent; provided that to the extent such market practice is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such other day as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent).

 

“Ratio Debt” means any Indebtedness secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, secured by the Collateral on a junior Lien basis to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security, or unsecured Indebtedness, in each case incurred or assumed by any Loan Party (other than Holdings) for any purpose (including in connection with Permitted Acquisitions or other permitted Investments); provided, that:

 

(a)        the aggregate outstanding amount thereof shall not exceed (i)(x) the greater of $26,500,000 and 50% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period minus (y) the aggregate principal amount of all Incremental Facilities and/or Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred or issued in reliance on amounts under the definition “Fixed Incremental Amount”, plus (ii) an unlimited amount so long as, in the case of this clause (ii), after giving effect to such Indebtedness, (A) if such Indebtedness is secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is pari passu with the Lien securing the Obligations that are secured on a first lien basis, the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 3.25:1.00, (ii) if such Indebtedness is secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations that are secured on a first lien basis, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 3.75:1.00 or (iii) if such Indebtedness is unsecured, the Total Net Leverage Ratio does not exceed 4.50:1.00, in each case described in this clause (ii), calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, including the application of the proceeds thereof (without “netting” the cash proceeds of the applicable Indebtedness); provided that such Indebtedness incurred or assumed by any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party shall not exceed the greater of (1) $5,000,000 and (2) 10.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(b)        no Event of Default exists immediately prior to or after giving effect to such Indebtedness; provided that if the proceeds of such Indebtedness are intended to be applied to finance a Limited Condition Transaction, (i) at the option of the Borrower, the date of determination for compliance with this clause (b) shall be an LCT Test Date and (ii) no Specified Event of Default shall exist on such date;

 

(c)        the Weighted Average Life to Maturity applicable to such Indebtedness (other than customary bridge loans; provided, that any Indebtedness which is exchanged for or otherwise replace such bridge loans shall be subject to the requirements of this clause (c)) is no shorter than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the then-existing Initial Term Loans (without giving effect to any prepayments thereof);

 

(d)        the final maturity date with respect to such Indebtedness (other than customary bridge loans; provided, that any Indebtedness which is exchanged for or otherwise replace such bridge loans shall be subject to the requirements of this clause (d)) is no earlier than (x) in the case of any Indebtedness that is secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness and (y) in the case of any Indebtedness that is are secured by a Lien that is junior to the Lien securing the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or is unsecured, the date that is ninety-one (91) days following the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of incurrence of such Indebtedness;

 

 

(e)        in the case of any such Indebtedness in the form of term loans secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the All- In-Rate applicable thereto will not be more than 0.50% per annum higher than the All-In-Rate in respect of the Initial Term Loans unless the Applicable Margin (and/or, as provided in the proviso below, the Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor) with respect to the Initial Term Loans is adjusted to be equal to the All-In-Rate applicable to such Indebtedness, minus 0.50% per annum, provided that, unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower in its sole discretion, that any increase in All-In-Rate to any Initial Term Loan due to the application or imposition of a Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor on any such Indebtedness shall be effected solely through an increase in (or implementation of, as applicable) any Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor applicable to such Initial Term Loan;

 

(f)        with regard to any such Indebtedness incurred by a Loan Party, if such Indebtedness is (i) secured, such Indebtedness shall (x) not be secured by any assets that are not Collateral (provided that, in the case of any Indebtedness that is funded into Escrow pursuant to customary escrow arrangements, such Indebtedness may be secured by the applicable funds and related assets held in Escrow (and the proceeds thereof) until the time of the release from Escrow of such funds (and may not be secured by any other assets prior to such release)) and (y) be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement (which may be effective (or entered into) only immediately after such release from Escrow referred to in clause (x)), and

(ii)

guaranteed, shall not be guaranteed by any Person that is not a Loan Party;

 

(g)       any such Indebtedness secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security may share on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not a greater than pro rata basis) in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans and any such Indebtedness secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or are unsecured may not share in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans; and

 

(h)       except as otherwise specified above (including with respect to margin, pricing, maturity and/or fees), the other terms of any such Indebtedness, shall be on terms and pursuant to documentation to be determined between the Borrower and the lenders providing such Indebtedness; provided, that to the extent such terms and documentation are more favorable to the lenders providing such Indebtedness than the terms of this Agreement are to the Lenders (except to the extent permitted by above, such terms shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (except for covenants or other provisions applicable only to the periods after the latest maturity date of all of the existing Facilities) (it being understood that if any financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of any such Indebtedness, such financial maintenance covenant (except to the extent only applicable after the maturity date of such Indebtedness) may also be added for the benefit of all of the Facilities; it being understood and agreed that no consent of any Lender shall be required in connection with any amendment adding such financial maintenance covenant and the Administrative Agent hereby agrees to acknowledge such amendment as promptly as possible, and in any case, within three (3) Business Days of written request by the Borrower; it being acknowledged and agreed by each Lender that the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such shall have no liability with respect to such acknowledgment and each Lender hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by Law any claims with respect to such acknowledgment.

 

“Receivables Assets” means (a) any accounts receivable owed to the Borrower or a Restricted Subsidiary subject to a Permitted Receivables Financing and the proceeds thereof and (b) all security interests securing such accounts receivable, all contracts and con-tract rights, guarantees or other obligations in respect of such accounts receivable, all records with respect to such accounts receivable and any other assets customarily transferred together with accounts receivable in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing and which are sold, conveyed, assigned or otherwise transferred or pledged by the Borrower to a commercial bank or Affiliate thereof in connection with a Permitted Receivables Financing.

 

 

“Recipient” means (a) the Administrative Agent, (b) any Lender and (c) any L/C Issuer, as applicable.

 

“Refinanced Debt” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.19(a).

 

“Refinancing” has the meaning assigned to such term in the recitals hereto.

 

“Refinancing Amendment” means an amendment to this Agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower executed by each of (a) the Borrower, (b) to the extent required by Section 2.19, the Administrative Agent, (c) each Additional Refinancing Lender and Lender that agrees to provide any portion of the Refinancing Indebtedness being incurred pursuant thereto and (d) to the extent relating to the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments and the L/C Issuer, in accordance with Section 2.19, and delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

“Refinancing Indebtedness” has the meaning specified in Section 2.19(a).

 

“Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments” means Revolving Credit Commitments established pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment.

 

“Refinancing Term Loans” means Term Loans that result from a Refinancing Amendment.

 

“Register” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(e).

 

“Rejecting Lender” has the meaning specified in Section 2.06(b)(ix).

 

“Reportable Event” means any of the events set forth in Section 4043(c) of ERISA, other than events for which the 30-day notice period has been waived or a safe-harbor is available.

 

“Repricing Event” shall mean (a) the refinancing or repricing by the Borrower of all or any portion of the Initial Term Loans with the proceeds of, or any conversion of the Initial Term Loans into, any new or replacement tranche of third-party term loans and (b) any amendment to the Initial Term Loans, in each case of the foregoing clauses (a) and (b), the primary purpose of which is to have or result in an Effective Yield as of the date of such refinancing, repricing or amendment that is (and not by virtue of any fluctuation in any “base” rate) less than the Effective Yield applicable to the Initial Term Loans as of the date of such refinancing, repricing or amendment, but excluding, in any such case, any refinancing, repricing or amendment of the Initial Term Loans in connection with (i) any Qualifying IPO, (ii) a Transformative Acquisition or (iii) a “Change of Control” transaction.

 

“Request for Credit Extension” means (a) with respect to a Borrowing, conversion or continuation of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans, a Loan Notice and (b) with respect to an L/C Credit Extension, a Letter of Credit Application.

 

“Required Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of the (a) Total Outstandings (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition), (b) aggregate unused Term Commitments, if any, and (c) aggregate unused Revolving Credit Commitments, if any; provided that the unused Term Commitment, unused Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders.

 

 

“Required Revolving Credit Lenders” means, as of any date of determination, Initial Revolving Credit Lenders having more than 50% of the sum of the (a) Outstanding Amount of all Initial Revolving Credit Loans and all L/C Obligations (with the aggregate amount of each Lender’s risk participation and funded participation in L/C Obligations being deemed “held” by such Lender for purposes of this definition) and (b) aggregate unused Initial Revolving Credit Commitments, if any; provided that the unused Initial Revolving Credit Commitment of, and the portion of the Outstanding Amounts held or deemed held by, any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded for purposes of making a determination of Required Revolving Credit Lenders.

 

“Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, controller, president, any executive vice president, chief financial officer, treasurer or assistant treasurer, other similar officer, legal representative or signatory of a Loan Party, and solely for purposes of the delivery of incumbency certificates pursuant to Section 4.01, the Secretary or any assistant secretary of a Loan Party, and, solely for purposes of notices given pursuant to Article 2, any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party so designated by any of the foregoing officers in a notice to the Administrative Agent or any other officer or employee of the applicable Loan Party designated in or pursuant to an agreement between the applicable Loan Party and the Administrative Agent. Any document delivered hereunder that is signed by a Responsible Officer of a Loan Party shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by all necessary corporate, partnership and/or other action on the part of such Loan Party and such Responsible Officer shall be conclusively presumed to have acted on behalf of such Loan Party.

 

“Restricted Companies” means Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, and “Restricted Company” means any of the foregoing.

 

“Restricted Payment” means any dividend or other distribution (whether in cash, securities or other property) on account of any Equity Interest of Holdings, or any payment (whether in cash, securities or other property), including any sinking fund or similar deposit, on account of the purchase, redemption, retirement, defeasance, acquisition, cancellation or termination of any such Equity Interest, or on account of any return of capital to Holdings’ stockholders, partners or members (or the equivalent Persons thereof); it being agreed that the amount expended in any Restricted Payment, if other than in cash, will be deemed to be the fair market value of the relevant non-cash assets, as determined in good faith by the board of directors of the Borrower and evidenced by a board resolution.

 

“Restricted Prepayment” has the meaning specified in Section 7.08.

 

“Restricted Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of Holdings other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary; it being agreed that, unless otherwise specified, “Restricted Subsidiary” shall mean any Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings.

 

“Revaluation Date” means (a) with respect to any Revolving Credit Loan denominated in an Alternate Currency, each of the following: (i) each date of a Borrowing of such Revolving Credit Loan, (ii) each date of a continuation of such Revolving Credit Loan pursuant to the terms of this Agreement and (iii) the date of any voluntary reduction of a Revolving Credit Commitment pursuant to Section 2.08(c); (b) with respect to any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternate Currency, each of the following: (i) each date of issuance of such a Letter of Credit and (ii) each date of an amendment, extension or renewal of such a Letter of Credit that would have the effect of increasing the face amount thereof; (c) each date of any payment under any Letter of Credit and (d) such additional dates as the Administrative Agent (acting at the request of the Required Revolving Credit Lenders) shall require, at any time when (i) an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or (ii) to the extent that, and for so long as, the aggregate Revolving Outstandings (for such purpose, using the Dollar Equivalent in effect for the most recent Revaluation Date) exceeds 80% of the total outstanding Revolving Credit Commitments.

 

 

“ Revolving Credit Borrowing” means a borrowing consisting of simultaneous Revolving Credit Loans of the same Class and Type and in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Revolving Credit Lenders of such Class.

 

“Revolving Credit Commitment” means, as to each Revolving Credit Lender, its Initial Revolving Credit Commitment and Additional Revolving Credit Commitments.

 

“Revolving Credit Facility” means, at any time, the aggregate amount of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments and Additional Revolving Credit Commitments at such time.

 

“Revolving Credit Lender” means, at any time, any Initial Revolving Credit Lender and any Additional Revolving Credit Lender.

 

“Revolving Credit Loans” means Initial Revolving Credit Loans and Additional Revolving Credit Loans.

 

“Revolving Credit Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Revolving Credit Lender or its registered permitted assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit E-1, evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of the Borrower owed to such Revolving Credit Lender resulting from the Revolving Credit Loans made by such Revolving Credit Lender.

 

“Revolving Outstandings” means, with respect to any Revolving Credit Lender at any time, the sum of the aggregate Outstanding Amount of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Loans plus its Pro Rata Share, determined for this purpose solely among the Commitments under the Revolving Credit Facility, of the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations.

 

“S&P” means Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC, a subsidiary of S&P Global Inc. and any successor thereto.

 

“ Sale Leaseback” means any transaction or series of related transactions pursuant to which the Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries (a) sells, transfers or otherwise disposes of any property, real or personal, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, and (b) as part of such transaction, thereafter rents or leases such property or other property that it intends to use for substantially the same purpose or purposes as the property being sold, transferred or disposed.

 

“ Same Day Funds” means, with respect to disbursements and payments in Dollars, immediately available funds.

 

“Sanctions” has the meaning specified in Section 5.08(a).

 

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission, or any Governmental Authority succeeding to any of its principal functions.

 

“Secured Hedging Obligations” means all obligations of any Loan Party in respect of any Hedge Agreement.

 

“Secured Obligations” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

 

“Secured Parties” means, collectively, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders, the Hedge Banks, the holders of Cash Management Obligations and each co-agent or sub-agent appointed by the Administrative Agent from time to time pursuant to Section 9.02.

 

 

“Securitization Asset” means (a) any accounts receivable, mortgage receivables, loan receivables, receivables or loans relating to the financing of insurance premiums, royalty, patent or other revenue streams and other rights to payment or related assets and the proceeds thereof and (b) all collateral securing such receivable or asset, all contracts and contract rights, guarantees or other obligations in respect of such receivable or asset, lockbox accounts and records with respect to such account or asset and any other assets customarily transferred (or in respect of which security interests are customarily granted) together with accounts or assets in connection with a securitization, factoring or receivable sale transaction.

 

“Securitization Fees” means distributions or payments made directly or by means of discounts with respect to any Securitization Asset or participation interest therein issued or sold in connection with, and other fees and expenses (including reasonable fees and expenses of legal counsel) paid in connection with, any Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Receivables Financing.

 

“Securitization Financing” means any of one or more securitization transactions, as amended, supplemented, modified, extended, renewed, restated or refunded from time to time, pursuant to which the Borrower or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries sells, transfers, pledges or otherwise conveys any Securitization Assets (whether now existing or arising in the future) to a Securitization Subsidiary or any other Person on a non-recourse basis (other than Securitization Repurchase Obligations) for the purpose of obtaining financing) in an aggregate principal amount for all such receivables subject to such facilities not exceeding the greater of (x) $8,000,000 and (y) 15% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period at any time outstanding minus the amount of all receivables subject to any then-outstanding Permitted Recourse Receivables Financing transactions.

 

“Securitization Repurchase Obligation” means any obligation of a seller of Securitization Assets or Receivables Assets in a Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Receivables Financing to repurchase or otherwise make payments with respect to Securitization Assets arising as a result of a breach of a representation, warranty or covenant or otherwise, including as a result of a receivable or portion thereof becoming subject to any asserted defense, dispute, offset or counterclaim of any kind as a result of any action taken by, any failure to take action by or any other event relating to the seller.

 

“Securitization Subsidiary” means any Subsidiary of the Borrower in each case formed for the purpose of and that solely engages in one or more Qualified Securitization Financings and other activities reasonably related thereto or another Person formed for this purpose.

 

“Security Agreement” means that certain Security Agreement, dated as of the Closing Date, among the Loan Parties and the Administrative Agent, substantially in the form of Exhibit F.

 

“Security Agreement Supplement” has the meaning specified in the Security Agreement.

 

“Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Senior Secured Debt on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period, in each case, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

“Similar Business” means (a) any businesses, services or activities engaged in by Holdings and its Subsidiaries on the Closing Date and (b) any businesses, services and activities engaged in by Holdings and its Subsidiaries that are related, complementary, incidental, ancillary or similar to any of the foregoing or are extensions or developments of any thereof.

 

 

“Sold Entity or Business” has the meaning specified in the definition of the term “Consolidated EBITDA.”

 

“Solvent” and “Solvency” mean, with respect to any Person on any date of determination, that on such date (a) the fair value of the property of such Person is greater than the total amount of liabilities, including contingent liabilities, of such Person, (b) the present fair salable value of the assets of such Person is not less than the amount that will be required to pay the probable liability of such Person on its debts as they become absolute and matured, (c) such Person does not intend to, and does not believe that it will, incur debts or liabilities beyond such Person’s ability to pay such debts and liabilities as they mature and (d) such Person is not engaged in business or a transaction, and is not about to engage in business or a transaction, for which such Person’s property would constitute an unreasonably small capital. The amount of contingent liabilities at any time shall be computed as the amount that, in light of all the facts and circumstances existing at such time, represents the amount that can reasonably be expected to become an actual or matured liability.

 

“SPC” has the meaning specified in Section 11.07(i).

 

“Special Notice Currency” means at any time an Alternate Currency, other than the currency of a country that is a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development at such time located in North America or Europe.

 

“Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations” means the representations and warranties made by, or with respect to, the Target and its subsidiaries in the Acquisition Agreement as are material to the interests of the Lenders, but only to the extent that Purchaser (or Purchaser’s Affiliates) has the right to terminate Purchaser’s (or such Affiliate’s) obligations under the Acquisition Agreement, or to decline to consummate the Acquisition (in each case, in accordance with the terms thereof), as a result of a breach of such representations and warranties.

 

“Specified Disposition” means any sale, transfer or other disposition, or series of related sales, transfers or other dispositions (other than (x) in the ordinary course of business or (y) among Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries), that involves assets comprising all or substantially all of an operating unit of a business or common Equity Interests of any Person, in each case owned by any Restricted Company.

 

“Specified Event of Default” means an Event of Default resulting from Section 8.01(a) and Section 8.01(f) (with respect to the Borrower).

 

“Specified Financial Statements” means, the audited consolidated financial statements of the Target and its consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 and the unaudited interim consolidated financial statements for the Target and its consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal quarters ending March 31, 2018, June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2018.

 

“Specified Representations” means the representations and warranties of the Loan Parties set forth in Sections 5.01(a) (solely as it relates to the Loan Parties), 5.01(b)(ii), 5.02(a) (in each case of the foregoing, as it relates to the entering into, guaranteeing under and performance of the applicable Loan Documents and the incurrence of the extensions of credit thereunder and the granting of Liens in the Collateral), 5.02(b) (related to the entering into, guaranteeing under and performance of the applicable Loan Documents and the incurrence of the extensions of credit thereunder), 5.02(c)(i) (limited to the execution delivery and performance by the Loan Parties of the Loan Documents to which it is a party), 5.04, 5.08 (as it relates to OFAC, FCPA, the USA Patriot Act and all other applicable anti-terrorism laws and with respect to OFAC and FCPA limited to the use of proceeds of the Loans on Closing Date or as of the applicable Incremental Facility Closing Date), 5.12, 5.14 and 5.15 (subject to the last paragraph of Section 4.01).

 

 

 

“Specified Responsible Officer” means the chief executive officer, president, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, treasurer, chief accounting officer or general counsel of Holdings.

 

“Specified Transaction” means, any Investment, Restricted Payment, Restricted Prepayment, operating improvement, restructuring, cost savings initiative, any similar initiative and/or specified transaction, designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or incurrence of Indebtedness in respect of which compliance with the financial covenants set forth in Section 7.11 or a specified level of the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Total Net Leverage Ratio and/or other financial ratio or metric, is by the terms of this Agreement required to be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis, or any Specified Disposition; provided that, at the Borrower’s election, any such Specified Transaction (other than (x) a Restricted Payment or (y) a Disposition pursuant to Section 7.05(q)) having an aggregate value of less than $5,000,000 shall not be calculated on a “Pro Forma Basis” or after giving “Pro Forma Effect” thereto.

 

“Sponsor Affiliated Lender” means the Sponsor and any Affiliate of the Sponsor (including Affiliated Debt Funds, Holdings, the Borrower and their respective Subsidiaries).

 

“ Sponsor Management Agreement” means, collectively, each of the management agreements be-tween certain of the management companies associated with the Sponsor or its advisors, the Borrower, certain of its Subsidiaries and/or certain of its direct or indirect parents.

 

“Sponsor Termination Fees” means the one-time payment under the Sponsor Management Agreement of a termination fee to the Sponsor and their respective Affiliates in the event of either a Change of Control or the completion of a Qualifying IPO.

 

“Sponsor” means Pamplona Capital Management LLP (together with its respective Affiliates and funds managed or advised by it or its Affiliates or any of their respective controlled Affiliates).

 

“Spot Rate” means, for a currency, the rate determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, to be the rate as published on the applicable Bloomberg screen page at approximately 11:00 a.m. on the date two Business Days prior to the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made; provided that the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer may obtain such spot rate from another financial institution designated by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer if the Person acting in such capacity does not have as of the date of determination a spot buying rate for any such currency; and provided further that the L/C Issuer may use such spot rate quoted on the date as of which the foreign exchange computation is made in the case of any Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternate Currency.

 

“Statutory Reserve Rate” means a fraction (expressed as a decimal), the numerator of which is the number one and the denominator of which is the number one minus the aggregate of the maximum reserve percentages (including any marginal, special, emergency or supplemental reserves) expressed as a decimal established by the Board to which the Administrative Agent is subject with respect to the Eurocurrency Rate, for eurocurrency funding (currently referred to as “Eurocurrency Liabilities” in Regulation D of the Board). Such reserve percentages shall include those imposed pursuant to such Regulation D. Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be deemed to constitute eurocurrency funding and to be subject to such reserve requirements without benefit of or credit for proration, exemptions or offsets that may be available from time to time to any Lender under such Regulation D or any comparable regulation.

 

 

The Statutory Reserve Rate shall be adjusted automatically on and as of the effective date of any change in any reserve percentage.

 

“Subsidiary” of a Person means a corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other business entity of which a majority of the shares of securities or other interests having ordinary voting power for the election of directors or other governing body (other than securities or interests having such power only by reason of the happening of a contingency) are at the time beneficially owned, or the management of which is otherwise controlled, directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, or both, by such Person. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to a “Subsidiary” or to “Subsidiaries” shall refer to a Subsidiary or Subsidiaries of Holdings.

 

“Subsidiary Guarantor” means (a) on the Closing Date, each Subsidiary listed on Part C of Schedule 1.01A and (b) thereafter, each other Subsidiary that is or becomes a party to Article 10 pursuant to Section 6.13 and 10.09, in each case, until such time as the respective Subsidiary is released from its obligations under Article 10 in accordance with the terms and provisions hereof, but in each case of clauses (a) and (b), excluding the Borrower.

 

“Successor Borrower” has the meaning specified in Section 7.04(a).

 

“Survey” means a survey of any Material Real Property subject to a Mortgage (and all improvements thereon) which is (a) (i) prepared by a surveyor or engineer licensed to perform surveys in the jurisdiction where such Material Real Property is located, (ii) dated (or redated) as of a date reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent; provided that if the title company shall provide survey coverage, such date shall be deemed acceptable, (iii) certified by the surveyor (in a manner reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) to the Administrative Agent and the title company, (iv) complying with the detail requirements of the American Land Title Association reasonably required by the Administrative Agent and customary in similar transactions, and (v) sufficient for the title company to provide survey coverage in any Title Policy required herein (together with any affidavits of “no-change” as may be required), (b) otherwise reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent and/or (c) a survey existing as of the later of the Closing Date and the date of the acquisition of the applicable Material Real Property together with an “affidavit of no change” satisfactory to the title company is delivered to the Administrative Agent and the title company.

 

“Swap Contract” means (a) any and all rate swap transactions, basis swaps, credit derivative transactions, forward rate transactions, commodity swaps, commodity options, forward contracts, futures contracts, equity or equity index swaps or options, bond or bond price or bond index swaps or options or forward bond or forward bond price or forward bond index transactions, interest rate options, forward foreign exchange transactions, cap transactions, floor transactions, collar transactions, currency swap transactions, cross-currency rate swap transactions, currency options, spot contracts, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, sell buy backs and buy sell back agreements, and securities lending and borrowing agreements or any other similar transactions or any combination of any of the foregoing (including any options to enter into any of the foregoing), whether or not any such transaction is governed by or subject to any master agreement, and (b) any and all transactions of any kind, and the related confirmations, which are subject to the terms and conditions of, or governed by, any form of master agreement published by the International Swaps and Derivatives Association, Inc., any International Foreign Exchange Master Agreement, or any other master agreement or related schedules, including any such obligations or liabilities arising therefrom.

 

“Swap Obligation” means any obligation to pay or perform under any agreement, contract or transaction that constitutes a “swap” within the meaning of Section 1a(47) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

 

“Swap Termination Value” means, in respect of any one or more Swap Contracts, after taking into account the effect of any legally enforceable netting agreement relating to such Swap Contracts, (a) for any date on or after the date such Swap Contracts have been closed out and termination value(s) determined in accordance therewith, such termination value(s), and (b) for any date prior to the date referenced in clause (a), the amount(s) determined as the mark-to-market value(s) for such Swap Contracts, as determined based upon one or more mid-market or other readily available quotations provided by any recognized dealer in such Swap Contracts (which may include a Lender or any Affiliate of a Lender).

 

“Target” has the meaning specified in the recitals hereto.

 

“Target Person” has the meaning specified in Section 7.02(dd).

 

“Taxes” means all present or future taxes, levies, imposts, duties, deductions, withholdings (including backup withholding), assessments or other charges imposed by any Governmental Authority, including any interest, additions to tax or penalties applicable thereto.

 

“Term Borrowing” means a Borrowing consisting of simultaneous Term Loans of the same Class and Type and in the case of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, having the same Interest Period made by each of the Term Lenders of such Class.

 

“Term Commitment” as to each Term Lender, its Initial Term Commitment and Additional Term Commitments.

 

“Term Facility” means, collectively, the Initial Term Facility and each Additional Term Facility.

 

“Term Lenders” means, at any time, any Initial Term Lender or Additional Term Lender.

 

“Term Loans” means the Initial Term Loans and Additional Term Loans.

 

“Term Note” means a promissory note of the Borrower payable to any Term Lender or its registered permitted assigns, in substantially the form of Exhibit E-2, evidencing the aggregate indebtedness of the Borrower owed to such Term Lender resulting from the Term Loans made by such Term Lender.

 

“Termination Date” has the meaning specified in Article 6.

 

“Test Period” means, as of any date, the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters then most recently ended for which financial statements under Section 6.01(a) or 6.01(b), as applicable, have been delivered (or are required to have been delivered); it being understood and agreed that prior to the first delivery of financial statements pursuant to Section 6.01(b), “Test Period” means the period of four consecutive fiscal quarters in respect to which the financial statements of Holdings and its Subsidiaries are available.

 

“Threshold Amount” means $12,500,000.

 

“Title Policy” means a policy of title insurance (or marked-up title insurance commitment having the effect of a policy of title insurance) insuring the Lien of a Mortgage as a valid mortgage Lien (subject only to Liens permitted under this Agreement (other than Section 7.01(g)(ii)) and other Liens reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) on the mortgaged property and fixtures described therein in the amount equal to no more than the fair market value of such mortgaged property and fixtures, issued by a title company reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent which shall (a) to the extent necessary, include such reinsurance arrangements (with provisions for direct access, if necessary) as shall be reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent; (b) contain a “tie-in” or “cluster” endorsement, if available under applicable law (i.e., policies which insure against losses regardless of location or allocated value of the insured property up to a stated maximum coverage amount); (c) have been supplemented by such endorsements as shall be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent (provided that in lieu of a zoning endorsement, a zoning opinion, report or other letter in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent may be provided); and (d) affirmatively insure against loss arising out of or contain no exceptions to title other than Liens permitted hereunder.

 

 

“Total Assets” means at any time, the total assets appearing on the most recently prepared consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries as of the end of the most recent fiscal quarter of Holdings for which such balance sheet is available, prepared in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Total Net Leverage Ratio” means, as of any date of determination, the ratio of (a) Consolidated Total Debt on such date to (b) Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period, in each case, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis.

 

“Total Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

“Total Revolving Outstandings” means the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Revolving Credit Loans and all L/C Obligations.

 

“Transactions” means, collectively (a) the Acquisition and the other transactions contemplated by the Acquisition Agreement, (b) the Refinancing, (c) the funding of the Loans and the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents, (d) the making of the equity investment by the Investors, (e) any other transactions required in connection with, the foregoing clauses and (f) the payment of costs and expenses related to the foregoing clauses.

 

“Transformative Acquisition” means any acquisition or Investment by the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary that either (a) is not permitted by the terms of this Agreement immediately prior to the consummation of such acquisition or Investment or (b) if permitted by the terms of this Agreement immediately prior to the consummation of such acquisition or Investment, would not provide the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries with adequate flexibility under this Agreement for the continuation and/or expansion of their combined operations following such consummation, as determined by the Borrower acting in good faith.

 

“Type” means with respect to a Loan, its character as a Base Rate Loan or a Eurocurrency Rate Loan.

 

“USA Patriot Act” has the meaning specified in Section 11.20

 

“U.S. Person” means a “United States person” within the meaning of Section 7701(a)(30) of the

Code.

 

“U.S. Subsidiary” means any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower that is organized under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the District of Columbia.

 

“U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate” has the meaning specified in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(B)(3).

 

 

“Uniform Commercial Code” means the Uniform Commercial Code as the same may from time to time be in effect in the State of New York or the Uniform Commercial Code (or similar code or statute) of another jurisdiction, to the extent it may be required to apply to any item or items of Collateral.

 

“United States” and “U.S.” mean the United States of America.

 

“Unreimbursed Amount” has the meaning specified in Section 2.04(c)(i).

 

“Unrestricted Cash Amount” means, as to any Person on any date of determination, the amount of (a) unrestricted cash and Cash Equivalents of such Person whether or not held in an account pledged to the Administrative Agent and (b) cash and Cash Equivalents of such Person restricted in favor of the Facilities (which may also include cash and Cash Equivalents securing other Indebtedness secured by a Lien on the Collateral on a pari passu or junior basis to the Liens securing the Secured Obligations), in each case as determined in accordance with GAAP; it being understood and agreed that proceeds subject to Escrow shall not be included in the Unrestricted Cash Amount.

 

“Unrestricted Subsidiary” means (a) each Subsidiary of Holdings listed on Schedule 1.01B and (b) any Subsidiary of Holdings designated by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.15 subsequent to the Closing Date (and continuing until such time that such designation may be thereafter revoked by the Borrower).

 

“Weighted Average Life to Maturity” means, when applied to any Indebtedness at any date, the number of years obtained by dividing: (a) the sum of the products obtained by multiplying (i) the amount of each then remaining installment, sinking fund, serial maturity or other required payments of principal, including payment at final maturity, in respect thereof, by (ii) the number of years (calculated to the nearest one-twelfth) that will elapse between such date and the making of such payment; by (b) the then outstanding principal amount of such Indebtedness.

 

“Working Capital” means, at any date, the excess of current assets of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date (excluding cash and Cash Equivalents) over current liabilities of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries on such date (excluding current liabilities in respect to Indebtedness), all determined on a consolidated basis in accordance with GAAP.

 

“Write-Down and Conversion Powers” means, with respect to any EEA Resolution Authority, the write-down and conversion powers of such EEA Resolution Authority from time to time under the Bail-In Legislation for the applicable EEA Member Country, which write-down and conversion powers are described in the EU Bail-In Legislation Schedule.

 

Section 1.02. Other Interpretive Provisions. With reference to this Agreement and each other Loan Document, unless otherwise specified herein or in such other Loan Document:

 

(a)           The meanings of defined terms are equally applicable to the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

 

(b)           The words “herein,” “hereto,” “hereof” and “hereunder” and words of similar import when used in any Loan Document shall refer to such Loan Document as a whole and not to any particular provision thereof.

 

(c)           Article, Section, Exhibit and Schedule references are to the Loan Document in which such reference appears.

 

 

(d)           The term “including” is by way of example and not limitation.

 

(e)           In the computation of periods of time from a specified date to a later specified date, the word “from” means “from and including;” the words “to” and “until” each mean “to but excluding;” and the word “through” means “to and including.”

 

(f)           Section headings herein and in the other Loan Documents are included for convenience of reference only and shall not affect the interpretation of this Agreement or any other Loan Document.

 

Section 1.03. Accounting Terms. (a) All accounting terms not specifically or completely defined herein shall be construed in conformity with, and all financial data (including the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Total Net Leverage Ratio, any other financial ratios, Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated Total Assets and other financial calculations pursuant to Section 7.11) required to be submitted pursuant to this Agreement shall be prepared in conformity with, GAAP, as in effect from time to time, applied on a basis consistent (except for changes approved by Holdings’ independent public accountants) with the most recent audited consolidated financial statements of the Borrower delivered to the Lenders pursuant to Section 6.01 or, prior to such delivery, the Specified Financial Statements for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2018.

 

(b)           If at any time any change in GAAP would affect the computation of any financial ratio set forth in any Loan Document, and either the Borrower or the Required Lenders shall so request, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall negotiate in good faith to amend such ratio to preserve the original intent thereof in light of such change in GAAP (subject to the approval of the Required Lenders); provided that, until so amended, (i) such ratio shall continue to be computed in accordance with GAAP prior to such change therein and (ii) the Borrower shall provide to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders a written reconciliation in form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, between calculations of such ratio made before and after giving effect to such change in GAAP.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, financial ratios and other financial calculations pursuant to this Agreement (including the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Total Net Leverage Ratio, any other financial ratios, Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated Total Assets and other financial calculations pursuant to Section 7.11) shall, following any Specified Transaction, be calculated on a Pro Forma Basis until the completion of four full fiscal quarters following such Specified Transaction.

 

Section 1.04. Rounding. Any financial ratios required to be maintained by the Borrower pursuant to this Agreement (or required to be satisfied in order for a specific action to be permitted under this Agreement) shall be calculated by dividing the appropriate component by the other component, carrying the result to one place more than the number of places by which such ratio is expressed herein and rounding the result up or down to the nearest number (with a rounding-up if there is no nearest number).

 

Section 1.05. References to Agreements and Laws. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, (a) references to Organization Documents, agreements (including the Loan Documents) and other contractual instruments shall be deemed to include all subsequent amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications thereto, but only to the extent that such amendments, restatements, extensions, supplements and other modifications are not prohibited by any Loan Document; and (b) references to any Law shall include all statutory and regulatory provisions consolidating, amending, replacing, supplementing or interpreting such Law.

 

 

Section 1.06. Times of Day. Unless otherwise specified, all references herein to times of day shall be references to Eastern time (daylight or standard, as applicable).

 

Section 1.07. Timing of Payment or Performance. When the payment of any obligation or the performance of any covenant, duty or obligation is stated to be due or performance required on a day which is not a Business Day, the date of such payment or performance shall extend to the immediately succeeding Business Day and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing interest or fees, as the case may be; provided that, with respect to any payment of interest on or principal of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, if such extension would cause any such payment to be made in the next succeeding calendar month, such payment shall be made on the immediately preceding Business Day.

 

Section 1.08. Certain Calculations and Tests.

 

(a)           [Reserved].

 

(b)           For purposes of determining the permissibility of any action, change, transaction or event that requires a calculation of any financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Total Net Leverage Ratio, any other financial ratios, Consolidated EBITDA, Consolidated Total Assets and other financial calculations pursuant to Section 7.11), such financial ratio or test shall be calculated on a pro forma basis at the time such action is taken (subject to Section 1.15), such change is made, such transaction is consummated or such event occurs, as the case may be, and no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred solely as a result of a change in such financial ratio or test occurring after the time such action is taken, such change is made, such transaction is consummated or such event occurs, as the case may be.

 

(c)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, with respect to any amounts incurred or transactions entered into (or consummated) in reliance on a provision of this Agreement that does not require compliance with a financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 7.11 hereof, any First Lien Net Leverage Ratio test, any Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio test and/or any Total Net Leverage Ratio test) (any such amounts, the “Fixed Amounts”) substantially concurrently with any amounts incurred or transactions entered into (or consummated) in reliance on a provision of this Agreement within the same covenant (including for purposes of Section 7.03, any Incremental Facility and/or Incremental Equivalent Debt incurred in reliance on the Incremental Cap and any Ratio Debt incurred in reliance on clause (a)(i) of the definition thereof) that requires compliance with a financial ratio or test (including, without limitation, Section 7.11 hereof, any First Lien Net Leverage Ratio test, any Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio test and/or any Total Net Leverage Ratio test) (any such amounts, the “Incurrence-Based Amounts”), it is understood and agreed that the Fixed Amounts shall be disregarded in the calculation of the financial ratio or test applicable to the Incurrence-Based Amounts.

 

Section 1.09. Exchange Rates; Currencies Generally.

 

(a)           For purposes of determining compliance with any U.S. dollar-denominated restriction on the incurrence of Indebtedness, Lien, Restricted Payment, Restricted Prepayment, Investment or an affiliate transaction, the U.S. dollar-equivalent principal amount of Indebtedness, or amount of Lien, Restricted Payment, Restricted Prepayment, Investment or affiliate transaction, in each case, denominated in a foreign currency shall be calculated based on the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date such Indebtedness was incurred, in the case of term Indebtedness, or first committed, in the case of revolving credit Indebtedness incurred or made in the case of any Lien, Restricted Payment, Restricted Prepayment, Investment or affiliate transaction; provided that if any such Indebtedness is incurred to refinance other Indebtedness denominated in a foreign currency, and such refinancing would cause the applicable U.S. dollar-denominated restriction to be exceeded if calculated at the relevant currency exchange rate in effect on the date of such refinancing, such U.S. dollar-denominated restriction shall be deemed not to have been exceeded so long as the principal amount of such refinancing Indebtedness does not exceed the principal amount of such Indebtedness being refinanced. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, the maximum amount of any Indebtedness, Liens, Restricted Payments, Restricted Prepayments, Investments or affiliate transactions that the Restricted Companies may incur in compliance with this Agreement shall not be deemed to be exceeded solely as a result of fluctuations in the exchange rate of currencies. The principal amount of any Indebtedness incurred to refinance other Indebtedness, if incurred in a different currency from the Indebtedness being refinanced, shall be calculated based on the currency exchange rate applicable to the currencies in which such refinancing Indebtedness is denominated that is in effect on the date of such refinancing.

 

 

(b)           The Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, shall determine the Spot Rates as of each Revaluation Date to be used for calculating Dollar Equivalent amounts of Credit Extensions and Outstanding Amounts denominated in Alternate Currencies. Such Spot Rates shall become effective as of such Revaluation Date and shall be the Spot Rates employed in converting any amounts between the applicable currencies until the next Revaluation Date to occur. Except for purposes of financial statements delivered by Loan Parties hereunder or calculating financial covenants hereunder or except as otherwise provided herein, the applicable amount of any currency (other than Dollars) for purposes of the Loan Documents shall be such Dollar Equivalent amount as so determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as applicable.

 

(c)           Wherever in this Agreement in connection with an Initial Revolving Credit Borrowing, conversion, continuation or prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or the issuance, amendment or extension of a Letter of Credit, an amount, such as a required minimum or multiple amount, is expressed in Dollars, but such Borrowing, Eurocurrency Rate Loan or Letter of Credit is denominated in an Alternate Currency, such amount shall be the relevant Alternate Currency Equivalent of such Dollar amount (rounded to the nearest unit of such Alternate Currency, with 0.5 of a unit being rounded upward), as determined by the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, as the case may be.

 

(d)           The Administrative Agent does not warrant, nor accept responsibility, nor shall the Administrative Agent have any liability with respect to the administration, submission or any other matter related to the rates in the definition of “Eurocurrency Rate” or with respect to any comparable or successor rate thereto.

 

Section 1.10. Cashless Rollovers. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement or in any other Loan Document, to the extent that any Lender extends the maturity date of, or replaces, renews or refinances, any of its then-existing Loans with Additional Loans, Refinancing Term Loans, Loans in connection with any Refinancing Revolving Credit Facility, Extended Term Loans, Extended Revolving Credit Loans or loans incurred under a new credit facility, in each case, to the extent such extension, replacement, renewal or refinancing is effected with such Lender’s consent by means of a “cashless roll” by such Lender, such extension, replacement, renewal or refinancing shall be deemed to comply with any requirement hereunder or any other Loan Document that such payment be made “in Dollars” or the relevant Alternate Currency, “in immediately available funds”, “in cash” or any other similar requirement.

 

Section 1.11. [reserved]

 

Section 1.12. Additional Alternate Currencies.

 

(a)            The Borrower may from time to time request that Revolving Credit Loans be made and/or Letters of Credit be issued in a currency other than those specifically listed in the definition of “Alternate Currency”; provided that such requested currency is a lawful currency (other than Dollars) that is readily available and freely transferable and convertible into Dollars. In the case of any such request with respect to the making of Revolving Credit Loans, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and each of the Revolving Credit Lenders; and in the case of any such request with respect to the issuance of Letters of Credit, such request shall be subject to the approval of the Administrative Agent and the applicable L/C Issuer.

 

 

(b)           Any such request shall be made in writing to the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m., ten (10) Business Days prior to the date of the desired Credit Extension (or such other time or date as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent and, in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the relevant L/C Issuer in its reasonable discretion). In the case of any such request pertaining to Revolving Credit Loans, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Revolving Credit Lender of the applicable Class thereof, and in the case of any such request pertaining to Letters of Credit, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the relevant L/C Issuer thereof. Each such Revolving Credit Lender (in the case of any such request pertaining to Revolving Credit Loans) and the relevant L/C Issuer (in the case of a request pertaining to Letters of Credit) shall notify the Administrative Agent, not later than 11:00 a.m., five (5) Business Days after receipt of such request whether it consents, in its sole discretion, to the making of Revolving Credit Loans or the issuance of Letters of Credit, in such requested currency.

 

(c)           Any failure by a Revolving Credit Lender or the relevant L/C Issuer to respond to such request within the time period specified in the preceding paragraph (b) shall be deemed to be a refusal by such Revolving Credit Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, to permit Revolving Credit Loans to be made or Letters of Credit, as applicable, to be issued in such requested currency. If the Administrative Agent and all the Revolving Credit Lenders that would be obligated to make Credit Extensions denominated in such requested currency consent to making Revolving Credit Loans in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternate Currency hereunder for purposes of any Borrowings of Revolving Credit Loans; and if the Administrative Agent and the relevant L/C Issuer consent to the issuance of Letters of Credit in such requested currency, the Administrative Agent shall so notify the Borrower and such currency shall thereupon be deemed for all purposes to be an Alternate Currency hereunder for purposes of any Letter of Credit. If the Administrative Agent shall fail to obtain the requisite consent to any request for an additional currency under this Section 1.12, the Administrative Agent shall promptly so notify the Borrower.

 

Section 1.13. Purchaser Discharge and LPP Assumption. Immediately upon the consummation of the Acquisition, (x) the Purchaser shall immediately, automatically and without any further action by the Purchaser or any other Person be forever released and discharged from all of its obligations, liabilities and duties incurred hereunder, or under any other Loan Document, as the “Borrower” and (y) LPP shall immediately, automatically and without any further action by LPP or any other Person assume all rights, liabilities and obligations of Purchaser as the “Borrower”.

 

Section 1.14. [Reserved].

 

Section 1.15. Limited Condition Transactions.

 

(a)           In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Transaction, for purposes of (i) determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires the calculation of the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio, the Total Net Leverage Ratio and/or any other financial ratio; or (ii) testing availability under baskets set forth in this Agreement (including baskets measured as a percentage of Consolidated Total Assets or Consolidated EBITDA, if any), in each case, at the option of the Borrower (the Borrower’s election to exercise such option in connection with any Limited Condition Transaction, an “LCT Election”), the date of determination of whether any such transaction is permitted hereunder shall be deemed to be the date the definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Transaction is entered into (or, in respect of any transaction described in clauses (b) or (c) of the definition of a Limited Condition Transaction, delivery of irrevocable notice or similar event) (such date, the “LCT Test Date”), and not at the time of consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction and if, after giving pro forma effect to the Limited Condition Transaction and the other transactions to be entered into in connection therewith (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and the use of proceeds thereof) as if they had occurred at the beginning of the most recent test period ending prior to the LCT Test Date, the Borrower could have taken such action on the relevant LCT Test Date in compliance with such ratio or basket, such ratio or basket shall be deemed to have been complied with.

 

 

(b)           For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has made an LCT Election and any of the ratios or baskets for which compliance was determined or tested as of the LCT Test Date are exceeded as a result of fluctuations in any such ratio or basket, including due to fluctuations in Consolidated Total Assets or Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings or the Person subject to such Limited Condition Transaction, at or prior to the consummation of the relevant transaction or action, such baskets or ratios will not be deemed to have been exceeded as a result of such fluctuations solely for purposes of determining whether the relevant transaction or action is permitted to be consummated or taken; provided that if such ratios or baskets improve as a result of such fluctuations, such improved ratios and/or baskets may be utilized. If the Borrower has made an LCT Election for any Limited Condition Transaction, then in connection with any subsequent calculation of any ratio or basket availability with respect to the incurrence of Indebtedness or Liens, or the making of Restricted Payments, mergers, the conveyance, lease or other transfer of all or substantially all of the assets of Holdings or the Borrower, the prepayment, redemption, purchase, defeasance or other satisfaction of Indebtedness, or the designation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary on or following the relevant LCT Test Date and prior to the earlier of (x) the date on which such Limited Condition Transaction is consummated or the (y) definitive agreement for such Limited Condition Transaction is terminated or expires (or, if applicable, the irrevocable notice is terminated or expires) without consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction, any such ratio or basket shall be tested by calculating the availability under such ratio or basket on a Pro Forma Basis assuming such Limited Condition Transaction and other transactions in connection therewith have been consummated (including any incurrence of Indebtedness and any associated Lien and the use of proceeds thereof).

 

(c)           In connection with any action being taken in connection with a Limited Condition Transaction, for purposes of determining compliance with any provision of this Agreement which requires that no Default, Event of Default or Specified Event of Default, as applicable, has occurred, is continuing or would result from any such action, as applicable, such condition shall, at the option of the Borrower, be deemed satisfied, so long as no Default, Event of Default or Specified Event of Default, as applicable, exists on the LTC Test Date. For the avoidance of doubt, if the Borrower has exercised its option under this Section 1.15, and any Default, Event of Default or Specified Event of Default occurs following the LTC Test Date and prior to the consummation of such Limited Condition Transaction, any such Default, Event of Default or specified Event of Default shall be deemed to not have occurred or be continuing for purposes of determining whether any action being taken in connection with such Limited Condition Transaction is permitted hereunder.

 

Section 1.16. Letter of Credit Amounts. Unless otherwise specified herein, the amount of a Letter of Credit at any time shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the stated amount of such Letter of Credit in effect at such time; provided, however, that with respect to any Letter of Credit that, by its terms or the terms of any Issuer Document related thereto, provides for one or more automatic increases in the stated amount thereof, the amount of such Letter of Credit shall be deemed to be the Dollar Equivalent of the maximum stated amount of such Letter of Credit after giving effect to all such increases, whether or not such maximum stated amount is in effect at such time.

 

 

ARTICLE 2

THE COMMITMENTS AND CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

Section 2.01. The Initial Term Borrowings. (a) The Initial Term Borrowings. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Initial Term Lender has severally agreed to make, on the Closing Date, a single loan in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to its Initial Term Commitment. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01(a) and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Initial Term Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

(b)           The Initial Revolving Credit Borrowings. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, each Initial Revolving Credit Lender severally agrees to make loans to the Borrower in Dollars or an Alternate Currency from time to time, on any Business Day until the Initial Revolver Maturity Date, in an aggregate amount not to exceed at any time outstanding the amount of such Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Commitment; provided that after giving effect to any Initial Revolving Credit Borrowing, (x) the Revolving Outstandings of any Lender under the Initial Revolving Credit Facility shall not exceed such Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Commitment, and (y) the Total Revolving Outstandings with respect to the Initial Revolving Credit Facility shall not exceed the aggregate Initial Revolving Credit Commitments (in each case, taking the Dollar Equivalent of all amounts in an Alternate Currency). Within the foregoing limits and subject to the terms, conditions and limitations set forth herein, (x) Revolving Credit Loans denominated in Dollars may consist of Base Rate Loans, Eurocurrency Rate Loans, or a combination thereof, and may be borrowed, paid, repaid and reborrowed and (y) Revolving Credit Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency shall consist of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, and may be borrowed, paid, repaid and reborrowed. All Initial Revolving Credit Loans will be made by all Initial Revolving Credit Lenders in accordance with their Pro Rata Share of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility until the Initial Revolver Maturity Date.

 

Section 2.02. Borrowings, Conversions and Continuations of Loans. (a) Each Term Borrowing, each Revolving Credit Borrowing, each conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, and each continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be made upon the Borrower’s irrevocable notice to the Administrative Agent, in the form of a written Loan Notice, appropriately signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. Each such Loan Notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than (i) 12:00 p.m. three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Credit Loans, continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Credit Loans or any conversion of Base Rate Revolving Credit Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Credit Loans denominated in Dollars, (ii) 12:00 p.m. three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans, continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans or any conversion of Base Rate Term Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans denominated in Dollars (provided that, if such Borrowing is an initial Credit Extension to be made on the Closing Date, notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than, in the case of Initial Term Loans, 1:00 p.m. one Business Day prior to the Closing Date), (iii) 12:00 p.m. four Business Days (or five Business Days in the case of a Special Notice Currency) prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans or any conversion of Base Rate Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency, and (iv) 11:00 a.m. on the requested date of any Borrowing of Base Rate Loans. Each Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of the Dollar Equivalent of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof in the case of any Borrowing denominated in any other Alternate Currency). Except as provided in Section 2.04(c)(i) and Section 2.05(c)(i), each Borrowing of or conversion to Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of a Dollar Equivalent of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or the Dollar Equivalent thereof in the case of any Borrowing denominated in any other Alternate Currency). Each Loan Notice shall specify (i) whether the Borrower is requesting a Term Borrowing, a Revolving Credit Borrowing, a conversion of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans, (ii) the requested date of the Borrowing, conversion or continuation, as the case may be (which shall be a Business Day), (iii) the principal amount of Loans to be borrowed, converted or continued (in Dollars or in an Alternate Currency), (iv) the Type of Loans to be borrowed or which existing Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans are to be converted, (v) whether such Borrowing will be made in Dollars or an Alternate Currency, (vi) if applicable, the duration of the Interest Period with respect thereto and (vii) the Borrower’s wire instructions. If the Borrower fails to specify a Type of Loan in a Loan Notice or fails to give a timely notice requesting a conversion or continuation, then the applicable Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans shall be made as, or converted to, a Eurocurrency Rate Loan with an Interest Period of one month (subject to the definition of Interest Period). Any such automatic conversion to Eurocurrency Rate Loans with an Interest Period of one month shall be effective as of the last day of the Interest Period then in effect with respect to the applicable Eurocurrency Rate Loans. If the Borrower requests a Borrowing of, conversion to, or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in any such Loan Notice, but fails to specify an Interest Period, it will be deemed to have specified an Interest Period of one month. Notwithstanding the foregoing each Revolving Credit Loan denominated in an Alternate Currency shall be a Eurocurrency Rate Loans.

 

 

(b)           Following receipt of a Loan Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of the amount of its Pro Rata Share of the applicable Class of Loans, and if no timely notice of a conversion or continuation is provided by the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall notify each Lender of the details of any automatic conversion to Eurocurrency Rate Loans with an Interest Period of one month or continuation described in Section 2.02(a). In the case of each Borrowing, each Appropriate Lender shall make the amount of its Loan available to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Administrative Agent’s Office not later than 2:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in the applicable Loan Notice. Upon receipt of all funds, and satisfaction of the applicable conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (and, if such Borrowing is the initial Credit Extension, Section 4.01), the Administrative Agent shall make all funds so received available to the Borrower in like funds as received by the Administrative Agent by wire transfer of such funds, in each case in accordance with instructions provided to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower; provided that if, on the date the Loan Notice with respect to such Borrowing is given by the Borrower, there are L/C Borrowings outstanding, then the proceeds of such Borrowing shall be applied, first, to the payment in full of any such L/C Borrowings, and second, to the Borrower as provided above.

 

(c)           Except as otherwise provided herein, a Eurocurrency Rate Loan may be continued or converted only on the last day of an Interest Period for such Eurocurrency Rate Loan unless the Borrower pays the amount due, if any, under Section 3.07 in connection therewith. During the existence of an Event of Default, the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders may require that no Loans may be converted to or continued as Eurocurrency Rate Loans.

 

(d)           The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the Lenders of the interest rate applicable to any Interest Period for Eurocurrency Rate Loans upon determination of such interest rate. The determination of the Eurocurrency Rate by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error.

 

(e)           After giving effect to all Term Borrowings, all Revolving Credit Borrowings, all conversions of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans from one Type to the other, and all continuations of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Loans as the same Type, there shall not be more than 12 Interest Periods in effect with respect to Loans.

 

 

(f)           The failure of any Lender to make the Loan to be made by it as part of any Borrowing shall not relieve any other Lender of its obligation, if any, hereunder to make its Loan on the date of such Borrowing, but no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to make the Loan to be made by such other Lender on the date of any Borrowing.

 

Section 2.03.	[Reserved].
Section 2.04.	Letters of Credit.

 

(a)           The Letter of Credit Commitment. (i) Subject to the terms and conditions set forth herein, (A) each L/C Issuer agrees, in reliance upon the agreements of the other Initial Revolving Credit Lenders set forth in this Section 2.04, (1) from time to time on any Business Day during the period from the Closing Date until the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, to issue Letters of Credit denominated in Dollars or an Alternate Currency for the account of the Borrower and to amend or renew Letters of Credit previously issued by it, in accordance with Section 2.04(b), and (2) to honor drafts under the Letters of Credit; and (B) the Initial Revolving Credit Lenders severally agree to participate in Letters of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower; provided that no L/C Issuer shall be obligated to issue any commercial Letter of Credit, and no Lender shall be obligated to participate in any Letter of Credit if as of the date of such L/C Credit Extension or after giving effect thereto, (w) the Total Revolving Outstandings with respect to the Initial Revolving Credit Facility would exceed the aggregate Initial Revolving Credit Commitments, (x) the Revolving Outstandings of any Lender under the Initial Revolving Credit Facility would exceed such Lender’s Initial Revolving Credit Commitment, (y) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations would exceed the Letter of Credit Sublimit or (z) the Outstanding Amount of the L/C Obligations with respect to Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer would exceed such L/C Issuer’s L/C Commitment (in each case, taking the Dollar Equivalent of all amounts in an Alternate Currency). Within the foregoing limits, and subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the Borrower’s ability to obtain Letters of Credit shall be fully revolving, and accordingly the Borrower may, during the foregoing period, obtain Letters of Credit to replace Letters of Credit that have expired or that have been drawn upon and reimbursed.

 

(ii)

An L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to issue any Letter of Credit if:

 

(A)          any order, judgment or decree of any Governmental Authority or arbitrator shall by its terms purport to enjoin or restrain such L/C Issuer from issuing such Letter of Credit, or any Law applicable to such L/C Issuer or any request or directive (whether or not having the force of law) from any Governmental Authority with jurisdiction over such L/C Issuer shall prohibit, or request that such L/C Issuer refrain from, the issuance of letters of credit generally or such Letter of Credit in particular or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer with respect to such Letter of Credit any restriction, reserve or capital requirement (for which such L/C Issuer is not otherwise compensated hereunder) not in effect on the Closing Date, or shall impose upon such L/C Issuer any unreimbursed loss, cost or expense which was not applicable on the Closing Date and which, in each case, such L/C Issuer in good faith deems material to it;

 

 

(B)           subject to Section 2.04(b)(iii), the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur more than twelve months after the date of issuance or last renewal, unless all Initial Revolving Credit Lenders (other than any Initial Revolving Credit Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) have approved such expiry date;

 

(C)           the expiry date of such requested Letter of Credit would occur after the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, unless all Initial Revolving Credit Lenders (other than any Initial Revolving Credit Lender that is a Defaulting Lender) have approved such expiry date; or

 

(D)           the issuance of such Letter of Credit would violate any Laws or one or more policies of such L/C Issuer.

 

(iii)           An L/C Issuer shall be under no obligation to amend any Letter of Credit if (A) such L/C Issuer would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its amended form under the terms hereof, or (B) the beneficiary of such Letter of Credit does not accept the proposed amendment to such Letter of Credit.

 

(b)           Procedures for Issuance and Amendment of Letters of Credit; Auto-Renewal Letters of Credit. (i) Each Letter of Credit shall be issued or amended, as the case may be, upon the request of the Borrower delivered to an L/C Issuer (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) in the form of a Letter of Credit Application, appropriately completed and signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms and conditions of this Agreement and the terms and conditions of any Letter of Credit Application or other agreement submitted by the Borrower to, or entered into by the Borrower with the applicable L/C Issuer relating to any Letter of Credit, the terms and conditions of this Agreement shall control. Such Letter of Credit Application must be received by the relevant L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent not later than 1:00 p.m. at least five Business Days prior to the proposed issuance date or date of amendment, as the case may be, or such later date and time as the relevant L/C Issuer may agree in a particular instance in its sole discretion. In the case of a request for an initial issuance of a Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the relevant L/C Issuer: (A) the proposed issuance date of the requested Letter of Credit (which shall be a Business Day); (B) the amount and currency thereof; (C) the expiry date thereof; (D) the name and address of the beneficiary thereof; (E) the documents to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; (F) the full text of any certificate to be presented by such beneficiary in case of any drawing thereunder; and (G) such other matters as the relevant L/C Issuer may reasonably request. In the case of a request for an amendment of any outstanding Letter of Credit, such Letter of Credit Application shall specify in form and detail reasonably satisfactory to the relevant L/C Issuer: (1) the Letter of Credit to be amended; (2) the proposed date of amendment thereof (which shall be a Business Day); (3) the nature of the proposed amendment; and (4) such other matters as the relevant L/C Issuer may reasonably request. No Letter of Credit, Letter of Credit Application or other document entered into by the Borrower with any L/C Issuer relating to any Letter of Credit shall contain any representations or warranties, covenants or events of default not set forth in this Agreement (and to the extent inconsistent herewith shall be rendered null and void (or reformed automatically without further action by any Person to conform to the terms of this Agreement), and if any Letter of Credit Application includes representations and warranties, covenants and/or events of default that do not contain the materiality qualifiers, exceptions or thresholds that are applicable to the analogous provisions of this Agreement or other Loan Documents, or are otherwise more restrictive, the relevant qualifiers, exceptions and thresholds contained herein shall be incorporated therein or, to the extent more restrictive, shall be deemed for purposes of such Letter of Credit Application to be the same as the analogous provisions herein.

 

(ii)           Promptly after receipt of any Letter of Credit Application, the relevant L/C Issuer will confirm with the Administrative Agent in writing that the Administrative Agent has received a copy of such Letter of Credit Application from the Borrower and, if not, the relevant L/C Issuer will provide the Administrative Agent with a copy thereof. Upon receipt by the relevant L/C Issuer of confirmation from the Administrative Agent that the requested issuance or amendment is permitted in accordance with the terms hereof (such confirmation to be promptly provided by the Administrative Agent), then, subject to the terms and conditions hereof, the relevant L/C Issuer shall, on the requested date, issue a Letter of Credit for the account of the Borrower or enter into the applicable amendment, as the case may be. Immediately upon the issuance of each Letter of Credit, each Initial Revolving Credit Lender shall be deemed to, and hereby irrevocably and unconditionally agrees to, purchase from the relevant L/C Issuer a risk participation in such Letter of Credit in an amount equal to the product of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share times the amount of such Letter of Credit.

 

 

(iii)        If the Borrower so requests in any applicable Letter of Credit Application, the relevant L/C Issuer may, in its sole and absolute discretion, agree to issue a Letter of Credit that has automatic renewal provisions (each, an “Auto-Extension Letter of Credit”); provided that any such Auto-Extension Letter of Credit must permit the relevant L/C Issuer to prevent any such renewal at least once in each twelve month period (commencing with the date of issuance of such Letter of Credit) by giving prior notice to the beneficiary thereof not later than a day (the “Non-Extension Notice Date”) in each such twelve month period to be agreed upon at the time such Letter of Credit is issued. Unless otherwise directed by the relevant L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall not be required to make a specific request to such L/C Issuer for any such renewal. Once an Auto-Renewal Letter of Credit has been issued, the Lenders shall be deemed to have authorized (but may not require) the relevant L/C Issuer to permit the renewal of such Letter of Credit at any time to an expiry date not later than the Letter of Credit Expiration Date; provided that the relevant L/C Issuer shall not permit any such renewal if (A) such L/C Issuer has determined that it would have no obligation at such time to issue such Letter of Credit in its renewed form under the terms hereof (by reason of the provisions of Section 2.04(a)(ii) or otherwise), or (B) to the extent the face amount of the applicable Letter of Credit is increasing, it has received notice (which may be by telephone or in writing) on or before the day that is five Business Days before the Nonrenewal Notice Date from the Administrative Agent, any Initial Revolving Credit Lender or the Borrower that one or more of the applicable conditions specified in Section 4.02 is not then satisfied.

 

(iv)       Promptly after its delivery of any Letter of Credit or any amendment to a Letter of Credit to an advising bank with respect thereto or to the beneficiary thereof, the relevant L/C Issuer will also deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent a true and complete copy of such Letter of Credit or amendment.

 

(c)          Drawings and Reimbursements; Funding of Participations. (i) Upon receipt from the beneficiary of any Letter of Credit of any notice of a drawing under such Letter of Credit, the relevant L/C Issuer shall notify the Borrower (through the Administrative Agent) and the Administrative Agent thereof. Not later than 3:00 p.m. on the date of any payment by the relevant L/C Issuer under a Letter of Credit (each such date, an “Honor Date”), the Borrower shall reimburse the L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing and in Dollars or the applicable Alternate Currency; provided that if notice of such drawing is not provided to the Borrower prior to 12:00 noon on the Honor Date, then the Borrower shall reimburse such L/C Issuer through the Administrative Agent in an amount equal to the amount of such drawing and in Dollars on the next succeeding Business Day and such extension of time shall be reflected in computing fees in respect of any such Letter of Credit. If the Borrower fails to so reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer by such time, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Initial Revolving Credit Lender of the Honor Date, the amount of the unreimbursed drawing (the “Unreimbursed Amount”), and the amount of such Initial Revolving Credit Lender’s Pro Rata Share thereof. In such event, the Borrower shall be deemed to have requested an Initial Revolving Credit Borrowing of (x) in the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in Dollars, a Base Rate Loan denominated in Dollars in an equivalent amount and (y) in the case of a Letter of Credit denominated in an Alternate Currency, a Eurocurrency Rate Loan denominated in such Alternate Currency to be disbursed on the Honor Date in an amount equal to the Unreimbursed Amount, without regard to the minimum and multiples specified in Section 2.02(a) for the principal amount of Base Rate Loans, but subject to the amount of the unutilized portion of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments and the conditions set forth in Section 4.02.

 

 

(ii)         Each Initial Revolving Credit Lender (including the Lender acting as the relevant L/C Issuer) shall upon any notice pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) make funds available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant L/C Issuer at the Administrative Agent’s Office in an amount equal to its Pro Rata Share of the Unreimbursed Amount not later than 1:00 p.m. on the Business Day specified in such notice by the Administrative Agent (if such notice is provided to the Initial Revolving Credit Lenders prior to 11:00 a.m. on such date, and otherwise, by no later than two hours after receipt of such notice), whereupon, subject to the provisions of Section 2.04(c)(ii), each Initial Revolving Credit Lender that so makes funds available shall be deemed to have made a Base Rate Loan to the Borrower in such amount. The Administrative Agent shall remit the funds so received to the relevant L/C Issuer in Dollars.

 

(iii)        With respect to any Unreimbursed Amount that is not fully refinanced by an Initial Revolving Credit Borrowing of Base Rate Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have incurred from the relevant L/C Issuer an L/C Borrowing in the amount of the Unreimbursed Amount that is not so refinanced, which L/C Borrowing shall be due and payable on demand (together with interest) and shall bear interest at the Default Rate. In such event, each Initial Revolving Credit Lender’s payment to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) shall be deemed payment in respect of its participation in such L/C Borrowing and shall constitute an L/C Advance from such Lender in satisfaction of its participation obligation under this Section 2.04.

 

(iv)       Until each Initial Revolving Credit Lender funds its Initial Revolving Credit Loan or L/C Advance pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) to reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer for any amount drawn under any Letter of Credit, interest in respect of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such amount shall be solely for the account of such L/C Issuer.

 

(v)        Each Initial Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Initial Revolving Credit Loans or L/C Advances to reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer for amounts drawn under Letters of Credit, as contemplated by this Section 2.04(c), shall be absolute and unconditional and shall not be affected by any circumstance, including (A) any setoff, counterclaim, recoupment, defense or other right which such Lender may have against such L/C Issuer, the Borrower or any other Person for any reason whatsoever; (B) the occurrence or continuance of a Default; or (C) any other occurrence, event or condition, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing; provided that each Initial Revolving Credit Lender’s obligation to make Initial Revolving Credit Loans pursuant to this Section 2.04(c) is subject to the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 (other than delivery by the Borrower of a Loan Notice or the occurrence of a Default). No such making of an L/C Advance shall relieve or otherwise impair the obligation of the Borrower to reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer for the amount of any payment made by such L/C Issuer under any Letter of Credit, together with interest as provided herein.

 

(vi)       If any Initial Revolving Credit Lender fails to make available to the Administrative Agent for the account of the relevant L/C Issuer any amount required to be paid by such Lender pursuant to the foregoing provisions of this Section 2.04(c) by the time specified in Section 2.04(c)(i), such L/C Issuer shall be entitled to recover from such Lender (acting through the Administrative Agent), on demand, such amount with interest thereon for the period from the date such payment is required to the date on which such payment is immediately available to such L/C Issuer at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect. If such Lender pays such amount (with interest as aforesaid), the amount so paid shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in the relevant Borrowing or L/C Advance in respect of the relevant L/C Borrowing, as the case may be. A certificate of the relevant L/C Issuer submitted to any Initial Revolving Credit Lender (through the Administrative Agent) with respect to any amounts owing under this Section 2.04(c)(v) shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

 

(d)          Repayment of Participations. (i) If, at any time after the relevant L/C Issuer has made a payment under any Letter of Credit and has received from any Initial Revolving Credit Lender such Lender’s L/C Advance in respect of such payment in accordance with Section 2.04(c), the Administrative Agent receives for the account of such L/C Issuer any payment in respect of the related Unreimbursed Amount or interest thereon (whether directly from the Borrower or otherwise, including proceeds of Cash Collateral applied thereto by the Administrative Agent), the Administrative Agent will distribute to such Lender its Pro Rata Share thereof in Dollars or Alternate Currency and in the same funds as those received by the Administrative Agent.

 

(ii)         If any payment received by the Administrative Agent for the account of relevant L/C Issuer pursuant to Section 2.04(c)(i) is required to be returned under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such L/C Issuer in its discretion), each Initial Revolving Credit Lender shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of such L/C Issuer its Pro Rata Share thereof on demand of the Administrative Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such amount is returned by such Lender, at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Overnight Rate from time to time in effect.

 

 

(e)          Obligations Absolute. The obligation of the Borrower to reimburse any L/C Issuer for each drawing under each Letter of Credit and to repay each L/C Borrowing shall be absolute, unconditional and irrevocable, and shall be paid strictly in accordance with the terms of this Agreement under all circumstances, including the following:

 

(i)          any lack of validity or enforceability of such Letter of Credit, this Agreement, or any other Loan Document, or any term or provision therein;

 

(ii)         the existence of any claim, counterclaim, setoff, defense or other right that the Borrower may have at any time against any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit (or any Person for whom any such beneficiary or any such transferee may be acting), the relevant L/C Issuer or any other Person, whether in connection with this Agreement, the transactions contemplated hereby or by such Letter of Credit or any agreement or instrument relating thereto, or any unrelated transaction;

 

(iii)        any draft, demand, certificate or other document presented under such Letter of Credit proving to be forged, fraudulent, invalid or insufficient in any respect or any statement therein being untrue or inaccurate in any respect; or any loss or delay in the transmission or otherwise of any document required in order to make a drawing under such Letter of Credit;

 

 

(iv)       any payment by the relevant L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit against presentation of a draft or certificate that does not comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit; or any payment made by the relevant L/C Issuer under such Letter of Credit to any Person purporting to be a trustee in bankruptcy, debtor-in-possession, assignee for the benefit of creditors, liquidator, receiver or other representative of or successor to any beneficiary or any transferee of such Letter of Credit, including any arising in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law;

 

(v)        any exchange, release or nonperfection of any Collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent to departure from the Guaranty or any other guarantee, for all or any of the Obligations of the Borrower in respect of such Letter of Credit; or

 

(vi)       any other circumstance or happening whatsoever, whether or not similar to any of the foregoing, including any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a legal or equitable discharge of, or provide a right of setoff against, the Borrower’s obligations hereunder;

 

Neither the Administrative Agent, the Lenders nor the L/C Issuer, nor any of their Agent-Related Persons, shall have any liability or responsibility by reason of or in connection with the issuance or transfer of any Letter of Credit or any payment or failure to make any payment thereunder (irrespective of any of the circumstances referred to in the preceding sentence), or any error, omission, interruption, loss or delay in transmission or delivery of any draft, notice or other communication under or relating to any Letter of Credit (including any document required to make a drawing thereunder), any error in interpretation of technical terms or any consequence arising from causes beyond the control of the relevant L/C Issuer; provided that the foregoing shall not excuse any L/C Issuer from liability to the Borrower to the extent of any direct damages (as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages) suffered by the Borrower that are caused by such L/C Issuer’s gross negligence or willful misconduct (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction). The Borrower shall promptly examine a copy of each Letter of Credit and each amendment thereto that is delivered to it and, in the event of any claim of noncompliance with the Borrower’s instructions or other irregularity, the Borrower will promptly notify the relevant L/C Issuer.

 

(f)           Role of L/C Issuer. Each Lender and the Borrower agree that, in paying any drawing under a Letter of Credit, the relevant L/C Issuer shall not have any responsibility to obtain any document (other than any sight draft, certificates and documents expressly required by the Letter of Credit) or to ascertain or inquire as to the validity or accuracy of any such document or the authority of the Person executing or delivering any such document. None of any L/C Issuer, any Agent-Related Person nor any of the respective correspondents, participants or assignees of such L/C Issuer shall be liable to any Lender for (i) any action taken or omitted in connection herewith at the request or with the approval of the Lenders or the Required Lenders, as applicable; (ii) any action taken or omitted in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct; or (iii) the due execution, effectiveness, validity or enforceability of any document or instrument related to any Letter of Credit or Letter of Credit Application. The Borrower hereby assumes all risks of the acts or omissions of any beneficiary or transferee with respect to its use of any Letter of Credit; provided that this assumption is not intended to, and shall not, preclude the Borrower from pursuing such rights and remedies as it may have against the beneficiary or transferee at Law or under this Agreement or any other agreement. None of any L/C Issuer, any Agent-Related Person, nor any of the respective correspondents, participants or assignees of such L/C Issuer, shall be liable or responsible for any of the matters described in clauses (i) through (vi) of Section 2.04(e); provided that anything in such clauses to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower may have a claim against any L/C Issuer, and any L/C Issuer may be liable to the Borrower, to the extent, but only to the extent, of any direct, as opposed to special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages suffered by the Borrower which the Borrower proves were caused by such L/C Issuer’s willful misconduct or gross negligence or such L/C Issuer’s willful or grossly negligent failure to pay under any Letter of Credit after the presentation to it by the beneficiary of a sight draft and certificate(s) strictly complying with the terms and conditions of a Letter of Credit (as finally determined by a court of competent jurisdiction). In furtherance and not in limitation of the foregoing, the relevant L/C Issuer may accept documents that appear on their face to be in order, without responsibility for further investigation, regardless of any notice or information to the contrary, and the relevant L/C Issuer shall not be responsible for the validity or sufficiency of any instrument transferring or assigning or purporting to transfer or assign a Letter of Credit or the rights or benefits thereunder or proceeds thereof, in whole or in part, which may prove to be invalid or ineffective for any reason.

 

 

(g)          Cash Collateral. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent or the relevant L/C Issuer, (i) if the relevant L/C Issuer has honored any full or partial drawing request under any Letter of Credit and such drawing has resulted in an L/C Borrowing, or (ii) if, as of the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, any Letter of Credit may for any reason remain outstanding and partially or wholly undrawn, the Borrower shall, within three Business Days, Cash Collateralize the then Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to 103% of such Outstanding Amount determined as of the date of such L/C Borrowing or the Letter of Credit Expiration Date, as the case may be) or, in the case of clause (ii), provide a back-to-back letter of credit in a face amount at least equal to 103% of the then undrawn amount of such Letter of Credit from an issuer and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the relevant L/C Issuer. For purposes hereof, “Cash Collateralize” means to pledge and deposit with or deliver to the Administrative Agent, or its designee, for the benefit of the relevant L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as collateral for the L/C Obligations, cash or deposit account balances (“Cash Collateral”) pursuant to documentation in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the relevant L/C Issuer (which documents are hereby consented to by the Lenders). Derivatives of such term have corresponding meanings. Cash Collateral shall be maintained in a Cash Collateral Account. If at any time the Administrative Agent determines that any funds held as Cash Collateral are subject to any right or claim of any Person other than rights or claims of the Administrative Agent arising by operation of law or that the total amount of such funds is less than 103% of the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations, the Borrower will, forthwith upon demand by the Administrative Agent, pay to the Administrative Agent, as additional 103% of funds to be deposited and held in the Cash Collateral Account, an amount equal to the excess of (A) such aggregate Outstanding Amount over (B) the total amount of funds, if any, then held as Cash Collateral that the Administrative Agent determines to be free and clear of any such right and claim. Upon the drawing of any Letter of Credit for which funds are on deposit as Cash Collateral, such funds shall be applied, to the extent permitted under applicable Law, to reimburse the relevant L/C Issuer. To the extent the amount of any Cash Collateral exceeds 103% of the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations and so long as no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the excess shall be refunded to the Borrower.

 

(h)          Applicability of ISP98 and UCP. Unless otherwise expressly agreed by the relevant L/C Issuer and the Borrower when a Letter of Credit is issued, (i) the rules of the “International Standby Practices 1998” published by the Institute of International Banking Law & Practice (or such later version thereof as may be in effect at the time of issuance) shall apply to each standby Letter of Credit, and (ii) the rules of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits, as most recently published by the International Chamber of Commerce at the time of issuance shall apply to each commercial Letter of Credit and on an exception basis only, shall apply to certain standby Letters of Credit as may be required by local law or statute.

 

(i)           Letter of Credit Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the account of each Initial Revolving Credit Lender in accordance with its Pro Rata Share a Letter of Credit fee (each an “L/C Fee”) for each Letter of Credit issued for the account of the Borrower equal to the Applicable Margin times the daily maximum amount then available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit (whether or not such maximum amount is then in effect under such Letter of Credit if such maximum amount increases periodically pursuant to the terms of such Letter of Credit). Such letter of credit fees shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such letter of credit fees shall be due and payable on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. If there is any change in the Applicable Margin during any quarter, the daily maximum amount of each Letter of Credit shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Margin separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Margin was in effect.

 

 

(j)           Fronting Fee and Documentary and Processing Charges Payable to L/C Issuer. The Borrower shall pay directly to each L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, a fronting fee with respect to each Letter of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer for the account of the Borrower in an amount equal to 0.125% per annum of the daily maximum amount then available to be drawn under such Letter of Credit (whether or not such maximum amount is then in effect under such Letter of Credit if such maximum amount increases periodically pursuant to the terms of such Letter of Credit). Such fronting fees shall be computed on a quarterly basis in arrears. Such fronting fees shall be due and payable on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the issuance of such Letter of Credit, on the Letter of Credit Expiration Date and thereafter on demand. In addition, the Borrower shall pay directly to each L/C Issuer for its own account, in Dollars, the customary issuance, presentation, amendment and other processing fees, and other standard costs and charges, of such L/C Issuer relating to letters of credit as from time to time in effect. Such customary fees and standard costs and charges are due and payable within five Business Days of invoice and are nonrefundable.

 

(k)          Conflict with Letter of Credit Application. In the event of any conflict between the terms hereof and the terms of any Letter of Credit Application, the terms hereof shall control.

 

(l)           Defaulting Lenders. This Section 2.04 shall be subject to the applicable provisions of Section 2.17 in the event any Initial Revolving Credit Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender.

 

(m)         Provisions Related to Extended Revolving Credit Commitments. If the maturity date in respect of any tranche of Initial Revolving Credit Commitments occurs prior to the expiration of any Letter of Credit, then (i) if one or more other tranches of Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of which the maturity date shall not have occurred are then in effect and which the Revolving Credit Lenders thereunder have agreed to participate in the L/C Obligations, (x) the outstanding Initial Revolving Credit Loans shall be repaid pursuant to Section 2.09 on such maturity date to the extent and in an amount sufficient to permit the reallocation of the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations relating to the outstanding Letters of Credit contemplated by clause (y) below and (y) such Letters of Credit shall automatically be deemed to have been issued (including for purposes of the obligations of the Revolving Credit Lenders to purchase participations therein and to make payments in respect thereof pursuant to Section 2.04(c)) under (and ratably participated in by the applicable Revolving Credit Lenders pursuant to) the Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of such non-terminating tranches up to an aggregate amount not to exceed the aggregate principal amount of the Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of such nonterminating tranches at such time (it being understood that (1) the participations therein of Initial Revolving Credit Lenders under the maturing tranche shall be correspondingly released and (2) no partial face amount of any Letter of Credit may be so reallocated) and (ii) to the extent not reallocated pursuant to the immediately preceding clause (i), but without limiting the obligations with respect thereto, the Borrower shall provide a backstop letter of credit or Cash Collateral with respect to any such Letter of Credit in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer. If, for any reason, such backstop letter of credit or Cash Collateral is not provided, or the reallocation does not occur, the Initial Revolving Credit Lenders under the maturing tranche shall continue to be responsible for their participating interests in the Letters of Credit; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, upon any subsequent repayment of the Initial Revolving Credit Loans, the reallocation set forth in clause (i) shall automatically and concurrently occur to the extent of such repayment (it being understood that no partial face amount of any Letter of Credit may be so reallocated). Except to the extent of reallocations of participations pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 2.04(m), the occurrence of a maturity date with respect to the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments shall have no effect upon (and shall not diminish) the percentage participations of the Initial Revolving Credit Lenders in any Letter of Credit issued before such maturity date. Commencing with the maturity date of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments, the Letter of Credit Sublimit under any tranche of Revolving Credit Commitments that has not so then matured shall be as agreed by the Borrower with such Revolving Credit Lenders; provided that in no event shall such sublimit be less than the sum of (x) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations with respect to the Revolving Credit Lenders under such extended tranche immediately prior to such maturity date and (y) the face amount of the Letters of Credit reallocated to such tranche of Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to clause (i) of this Section 2.04(m) (assuming Initial Revolving Credit Loans are repaid in accordance with clause (i)(x)).

 

 

(n)          L/C Issuer Reports to the Administrative Agent. Unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer shall, in addition to its notification obligations set forth elsewhere in this Section 2.04, provide the Administrative Agent a Letter of Credit Report, as follows: (i) reasonably prior to the time that such L/C Issuer issues, amends, renews, increases or extends a Letter of Credit, the date of such issuance, amendment, renewal, increase or extension and the stated amount of the Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer after giving effect to such issuance, amendment, renewal or extension (and whether the amounts thereof shall have changed); (ii) on each Business Day on which such L/C Issuer makes a payment pursuant to a Letter of Credit, the date and amount of such payment; (iii) on any Business Day on which the Borrower fails to reimburse a payment made pursuant to a Letter of Credit required to be reimbursed to such L/C Issuer on such day, the date of such failure and the amount of such payment; (iv) on any Business Day, such other information as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably request as to the Letters of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer; and (v) for so long as any Letter of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer is outstanding, such L/C Issuer shall deliver to the Administrative Agent (A) on the last Business Day of each calendar month, (B) at all other times a Letter of Credit Report is required to be delivered pursuant to this Agreement, and (C) on each date that (1) a L/C Credit Extension occurs, or (2) there is any expiration, cancellation and/or disbursement, in each case, with respect to any such Letter of Credit, a Letter of Credit Report appropriately completed with the information for every outstanding Letter of Credit issued by such L/C Issuer.

 

Section 2.05.       [Reserved].

 

 

Section 2.06.       Prepayments. (a) Optional. (i) The Borrower may, upon written notice from the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, at any time or from time to time, voluntarily prepay the Term Loans of any Class or Class and/or Revolving Credit Loans of any Class or Class in whole or in part without premium or penalty; provided that (A) such notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than 11:00 a.m. (1) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Revolving Credit Loans denominated in Dollars, (2) three Business Days prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans, denominated in Dollars, (3) four Business Days (or five Business Days in the case of a Special Notice Currency) prior to any date of prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency and (4) one Business Day prior to the date of prepayment of Base Rate Loans; (B) any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be in a minimum principal amount of $1,000,000 or a whole multiple of $500,000 in excess thereof; (C) any prepayment of Base Rate Loans shall be in a principal amount of $500,000 or a whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof (or, the same numerical number with respect to the applicable Alternate Currency in the case of any prepayment of Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency) or, in each case, if less, the entire principal amount thereof then outstanding. Each such notice shall specify the date and amount of such prepayment and the Class(es) and Type(s) of Loans to be prepaid. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of its receipt of each such notice, and of the amount of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of such prepayment. If such notice is given by the Borrower, the Borrower shall make such prepayment and the payment amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable on the date specified therein. Any prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall be accompanied by all accrued interest thereon, together with any additional amounts required pursuant to Section 3.07. Each prepayment of the Loans pursuant to this Section 2.06(a) shall be applied among the Facilities, Classes and/or Class in such amounts as the Borrower may direct in its sole discretion and in the absence of such direction, any such prepayment shall be applied in direct order of maturity. Each prepayment in respect of a particular Facility shall be paid to the Appropriate Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.

 

(ii)        [Reserved].

 

(iii)       [Reserved].

 

(iv)       Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Agreement, any notice of prepayment under Section 2.06(a)(i) or 2.06(a)(iii) may be conditioned upon the effectiveness of other transactions, in which case such notice may be revoked by the Borrower (by notice to the Administrative Agent on or prior to the specified effective date) if such condition is not satisfied.

 

(v)        [Reserved].

 

(vi)       In the event that, on or prior to the date that is 12 months after the Closing Date, the Borrower (x) prepays, repays, refinances, substitutes or replaces any Initial Term Loans in connection with a Repricing Event (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any prepayment made pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(ii) that constitutes a Repricing Event) or (y) effects any amendment, modification or waiver of, or consent under, this Agreement resulting in a Repricing Event, the Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of each of the applicable Lenders, (I) in the case of clause (x), a premium of 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Loans so prepaid, repaid, refinanced, substituted or replaced and (II) in the case of clause (y), a fee equal to 1.00% of the aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Loans that are the subject of such Repricing Event outstanding immediately prior to such amendment. Such amounts shall be due and payable on the date of effectiveness of such Repricing Event; provided, however, that for the avoidance of doubt, in the case of the exercise by the Borrower of its rights under Section 11.01(f) in connection with a Repricing Event effected through an amendment, the prepayment premium described in the immediately preceding clause (I) shall be payable to any Lender replaced or repaid pursuant to Section 11.01(f) (and not any Person who replaces such Lender) in respect of the Initial Term Loans assigned pursuant to Section 11.01(f) immediately prior to such Repricing Event.

 

 

(b)         Mandatory.

 

(i)          (A) If (1) any Prepayment Asset Sale occurs or (2) any Casualty Event occurs, which in the aggregate results in the realization or receipt by any Restricted Company of Net Cash Proceeds, the Borrower shall cause to be prepaid on or prior to the date which is five Business Days after the date of the realization or receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds an aggregate principal amount of Initial Term Loans in an amount equal to 100% of all Net Cash Proceeds received (the “Applicable Asset Sale Proceeds”); provided that (x) no such prepayment shall be required pursuant to this Section 2.06(b)(i)(A) if, on or prior to such date, the Borrower shall have given written notice to the Administrative Agent of its intention to reinvest all or a portion of such Net Cash Proceeds in accordance with Section 2.06(b)(i)(B) and (y) if at the time that any such prepayment would be required, the Borrower is required to offer to repurchase any Indebtedness outstanding at such time that is secured by a Lien on the Collateral ranking pari passu with the Lien securing the Initial Term Loans pursuant to the terms of the documentation governing such Indebtedness with the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition or Casualty Event (such Indebtedness required to be offered to be so repurchased, “Other Applicable Indebtedness”), then the Borrower, at its election, may apply the Applicable Asset Sale Proceeds on a pro rata basis (determined on the basis of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and Other Applicable Indebtedness at such time) and the remaining Net Cash Proceeds so received to the prepayment of such Other Applicable Indebtedness; provided, further, that (x) the portion of the Applicable Asset Sale Proceeds (but not the other Net Cash Proceeds received) allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness shall not exceed the amount of Applicable Asset Sale Proceeds required to be allocated to the Other Applicable Indebtedness pursuant to the terms thereof, and the remaining amount, if any, of such Net Cash Proceeds shall be allocated to the Initial Term Loans in accordance with the terms hereof to the prepayment of the Initial Term Loans and the amount of prepayment of the Initial Term Loans that would have otherwise been required pursuant to this Section 2.05(b)(i) shall be reduced accordingly and (y) to the extent the holders of Other Applicable Indebtedness decline to have such indebtedness repurchased or prepaid, the declined amount shall promptly (and in any event within ten (10) Business Days after the date of such rejection) be applied to prepay the Term Loans in accordance with the terms hereof;

 

(B)       With respect to any Net Cash Proceeds realized or received with respect to any Disposition or any Casualty Event required to be applied in accordance with Section 2.06(b)(i)(A), at the option of the Borrower, the Borrower may reinvest all or any portion of such Net Cash Proceeds in the acquisition, improvement or maintenance of assets useful in the operations of the Restricted Companies and/or to fund Permitted Acquisitions or permitted Investments within (x) 12 months following receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds or (y) if the Borrower enters into a contract to reinvest such Net Cash Proceeds within such 12 month period following receipt thereof, 18 months following receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds; provided that if any Net Cash Proceeds are no longer intended to be so reinvested at any time after delivery of a notice of reinvestment election or are not so reinvested during such 12 month period or 18 month period, as applicable, an amount equal to any such Net Cash Proceeds shall within ten Business Days be applied to the prepayment of the Initial Term Loans as set forth in this Section 2.06.

 

(ii)         If any Restricted Company incurs or issues any Indebtedness not expressly permitted to be incurred or issued pursuant to Section 7.03 (other than Refinancing Indebtedness which shall be treated in accordance with Section 2.19), the Borrower shall cause to be prepaid an aggregate principal amount of Initial Term Loans in an amount equal to 100% of all Net Cash Proceeds received therefrom on or prior to the date which is five Business Days after the receipt of such Net Cash Proceeds.

 

 

(iii)        Within fifteen (15) Business Days after financial statements have been or are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) and the related Compliance Certificate has been or is required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) for the relevant Excess Cash Flow Period, the Borrower shall cause to be prepaid an aggregate principal amount of the Initial Term Loans and any other Term Loans then subject to ratable prepayment requirements in accordance with Section 2.06(b)(iv) in an amount equal to the Excess Cash Flow Percentage of Excess Cash Flow, if any, for the Excess Cash Flow Period covered by such financial statements minus the sum of (1) the amount of any voluntary prepayments of the Term Loans and any other prepayments of Incremental Equivalent Debt and/or other Indebtedness secured by Liens on the Collateral on a pari passu or senior basis with the Liens on the Collateral securing the Initial Term Loans during the Excess Cash Flow Period covered by such financial statements and after the end of such Excess Cash Flow Period and prior to the fifteenth Business Day after the financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) (including in connection with debt buybacks made by the Borrower in an amount equal to the discounted amount actually paid in respect thereof pursuant to Section 2.06(d), Section 10.07 and/or otherwise, and/or the application of yank-a-bank provisions that result in a reduction of such Loans), (2) solely to the extent the Revolving Credit Commitments (or revolving commitments, as applicable) are reduced in connection therewith (and solely to the extent of the amount of such reduction), the amount of any prepayments of the Revolving Credit Loans and/or other revolving indebtedness secured by Liens on the Collateral on a pari passu or senior basis to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Initial Term Loans during the Excess Cash Flow Period covered by such financial statements and after the end of such Excess Cash Flow Period and prior to the fifteenth Business Day after the financial statements are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a), except, in the case of each of clause (1) and (2), to the extent such prepayments were financed with the proceeds of long-term Indebtedness (other than revolving debt) and (3) the aggregate amount of Revolving Credit Loans borrowed to fund additional upfront fees or OID required by the terms of the “market flex” provisions of the Arranger Fee Letter (the amount of Excess Cash Flow required to be prepaid hereunder, the “Applicable ECF Proceeds”); provided that, (x) if at the time that any such prepayment would be required, the Borrower is required to offer to repurchase any Other Applicable Indebtedness, then the Borrower, at its election, may apply the Applicable ECF Proceeds on a pro rata basis (determined on the basis of the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the Term Loans and Other Applicable Indebtedness at such time) and the remaining Excess Cash Flow so received to the prepayment of such Other Applicable Indebtedness and (y) such Applicable ECF Proceeds (calculated without giving effect to clause (x) above) shall only be required to be prepaid under this Section 2.06(b)(iii) if (and only to the extent) in excess of the Excess Cash Flow Threshold.

 

(iv)       Except as otherwise provided in any Incremental Joinder, Refinancing Amendment or Extension Amendment, in each case with respect to the Class or Classes of Term Loans covered thereby, each prepayment of Term Loans pursuant to this Section 2.06(b) shall be applied in a manner as directed by the Borrower among any Class or Classes of Term Loans, and without any such direction, ratably to each Class of the Term Loans (based on the amount of outstanding principal) and in direct order of maturities to the principal repayment installments of the Term Loans that are due after the date of such prepayment; provided that, the Borrower may not direct any mandatory prepayments under one Class or Class of Term Loans to a later maturing Class or Classes of Term Loans. Each such prepayment shall be paid to the Term Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares.

 

(v)        The Borrower shall notify the Administrative Agent in writing of any mandatory prepayment of Initial Term Loans required to be made pursuant to this Section 2.06(b) by 2:00 pm at least (A) in the case of the prepayment of Initial Term Loans which are Base Rate Loans, three Business Day and (B) in the case of prepayments of Initial Term Loans which are Eurocurrency Rate Loans, three Business Days, in each case prior to the date of such prepayment. Each such notice shall specify the date of such prepayment and provide a reasonably detailed calculation of the amount of such prepayment. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify each Appropriate Lender of the contents of the Borrower’s prepayment notice and of such Appropriate Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the prepayment.

 

 

(vi)       In the event that on any Revaluation Date (after giving effect to the determination of the Total Revolving Outstandings with respect to the applicable Revolving Credit Facility) the Total Revolving Outstandings with respect to such Revolving Credit Facility exceeds an amount equal to 105% of the total Revolving Credit Commitments under such Revolving Credit Facility, the Borrower shall, within two Business Days of receipt of notice from the Administrative Agent, prepay the Revolving Credit Loans and/or reduce L/C Obligations (in each case, taking the Dollar Equivalent of any amounts in an Alternate Currency), in an aggregate amount sufficient to reduce such Total Revolving Outstandings as of the date of such payment to an amount not to exceed 100% of the total Revolving Credit Commitment then in effect with respect to such Revolving Credit Facility by taking any of the following actions as it shall determine at its sole discretion: (I) prepayment of Revolving Credit Loans in accordance with Section 2.06, (II) with respect to such excess L/C Obligations, deposit of Cash in a Cash Collateral Account or “backstopping” or replacement of such Letters of Credit, in each case, in an amount equal to 103% of such excess L/C Obligations (minus the amount then on deposit in the Cash Collateral Account).

 

(vii)      [Reserved].

 

(viii)     Notwithstanding any other provisions of Section 2.06(b), to the extent any or all of the Net Cash Proceeds of any Disposition of property or assets by a Non-U.S. Subsidiary (a “Foreign Asset Sale”), the Net Cash Proceeds of any Casualty Event received by a Non-U.S. Subsidiary (a “Foreign Recovery Event”), or Excess Cash Flow attributable to Non-U.S. Subsidiaries are prohibited or delayed by any applicable Law (including, without limitation, capital maintenance, financial assistance, corporate benefit or other restrictions (including as to lack of distributable reserves) on up streaming of cash intragroup and the fiduciary and statutory duties of the management of the relevant members of the relevant Non-U.S. Subsidiary giving rise to any risk of personal liability, including any civil or criminal liability) from being repatriated to or passed on to or used for the benefit of the Borrower, the portion of such Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow so affected will not be required to be applied to prepay the Initial Term Loans at the times provided in Section 2.06(b) but may be retained by the applicable Non-U.S. Subsidiary so long, but only so long, as the applicable Law will not permit repatriation or the passing on to or otherwise using for the benefit of the Borrower (the Borrower hereby agreeing to use (or cause the applicable Non-U.S. Subsidiary to use) all commercially reasonable efforts to promptly overcome or eliminate any such restrictions on repatriation, passing on or other use for the benefit of the Borrower and/or use the other cash sources of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries to make the relevant prepayment) and once such repatriation of any of such affected Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow is permitted under the applicable Law, such repatriation will be promptly effected and such repatriated Net Cash Proceeds or Excess Cash Flow will be applied promptly (and in any event not later than two Business Days after such repatriation) (net of additional Taxes payable or reserved against as a result thereof) to the prepayment of the Initial Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.06(b). In addition, notwithstanding any other provision of Section 2.06(b), no prepayment relating to (i) any Net Cash Proceeds of any Foreign Asset Sale, (ii) Net Cash Proceeds of any Foreign Recovery Event or (iii) Excess Cash Flow attributable to Non-U.S. Subsidiaries shall be required to be made by Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries to the extent there could reasonably be expected to be material adverse tax consequences (taking into account any applicable foreign tax credit or other similar tax benefit actually received in connection with such prepayment) to Holdings (or such other direct or indirect parent entity of Holdings) or its subsidiaries as reasonably determined by the Borrower in consultation with the Administrative Agent; provided that, once such material adverse tax consequences no longer exist, Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries shall make the relevant payment otherwise required by this Section 2.06(b).

 

(ix)        Notwithstanding the foregoing, each Term Lender shall have the right to reject its applicable percentage of any mandatory prepayment of the Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(i) and (ii) (each such Lender, a “Rejecting Lender”) by providing written notice of such to the Administrative Agent no later than 2:00 p.m. one Business Day prior to the date of such mandatory prepayment (if any Term Lender fails to provide such notice, they shall be deemed to have accepted their applicable percentage of such mandatory repayment), in which case the amounts so rejected may be retained by the Borrower (the aggregate amount of such proceeds so rejected as of any date of determination, the “Declined Proceeds”).

 

 

(c)          Funding Losses, Etc. All prepayments under this Section 2.06 shall be made together with, in the case of any such prepayment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan on a date other than the last day of an Interest Period therefor, any amounts owing in respect of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan pursuant to Section 3.07. Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of Section 2.06(b), so long as no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, if any prepayment of Eurocurrency Rate Loans is required to be made under Section 2.06(b), other than on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, the Borrower may, in its sole discretion, deposit the amount of any such prepayment otherwise required to be made thereunder into a Cash Collateral Account until the last day of such Interest Period, at which time the Administrative Agent shall be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of such Loans in accordance with Section 2.06(b). Upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, the Administrative Agent shall also be authorized (without any further action by or notice to or from the Borrower or any other Loan Party) to apply such amount to the prepayment of the outstanding Loans in accordance with Section 2.06(b).

 

(d)         Discounted Voluntary Prepayments.

 

(i)          Notwithstanding anything to the contrary set forth in this Agreement or any other Loan Document, the Borrower shall have the right at any time and from time to time to prepay one or more Classes of Term Loans to the Lenders at a discount to the par value of such Loans and on a non pro rata basis (each, a “Discounted Voluntary Prepayment”) pursuant to the procedures described in this Section 2.06(d), provided that (A) no proceeds from Revolving Credit Loans shall be used to consummate any such Discounted Voluntary Prepayment, (B) any Discounted Voluntary Prepayment shall be offered to all Term Lenders of such Class on a pro rata basis, (C) after giving effect to the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment, the aggregate Outstanding Amount of all Term Loans that are held by Sponsor Affiliated Lenders (other than Affiliated Debt Funds) shall not exceed 25.0% of the aggregate Outstanding Amount of the Term Loans then outstanding and (D) the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent, together with each Discounted Prepayment Option Notice, a certificate of a Responsible Officer of the Borrower (1) stating that no Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment, (2) stating that each of the conditions to such Discounted Voluntary Prepayment contained in this Section 2.06(d) has been satisfied and (3) specifying the aggregate principal amount of Term Loans of any Class offered to be prepaid pursuant to such Discounted Voluntary Prepayment.

 

(ii)         To the extent the Borrower seeks to make a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment, the Borrower will provide written notice to the Administrative Agent substantially in the form of Exhibit I-1 hereto (each, a “Discounted Prepayment Option Notice”) that the Borrower desires to prepay Term Loans of one or more specified Classes in an aggregate principal amount specified therein by the Borrower (each, a “Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount”), in each case at a discount to the par value of such Loans as specified below. The Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount of any Loans shall not be less than $2,500,000 (or, the same numerical number with respect to the applicable Alternate Currency in the case any Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency). The Discounted Prepayment Option Notice shall further specify with respect to the proposed Discounted Voluntary Prepayment (A) the Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount for Loans to be prepaid, (B) a discount range (which may be a single percentage) selected by the Borrower with respect to such proposed Discounted Voluntary Prepayment equal to a percentage of par of the principal amount of the Loans to be prepaid (the “Discount Range”), and (C) the date by which Lenders are required to indicate their election to participate in such proposed Discounted Voluntary Prepayment, which shall be at least three (3) Business Days from and including the date of the Discounted Prepayment Option Notice (the “Acceptance Date”).

 

 

(iii)        Upon receipt of a Discounted Prepayment Option Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each applicable Lender thereof. On or prior to the Acceptance Date, each such Lender may specify by written notice substantially in the form of Exhibit I-2 hereto (each, a “Lender Participation Notice”) to the Administrative Agent (A) a maximum discount to par (the “Acceptable Discount”) within the Discount Range (for example, a Lender specifying a discount to par of 20% would accept a purchase price of 80% of the par value of the Loans to be prepaid) and (B) a maximum principal amount (subject to rounding requirements specified by the Administrative Agent) of the Term Loans to be prepaid held by such Lender with respect to which such Lender is willing to permit a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment at the Acceptable Discount (“Offered Loans”). Based on the Acceptable Discounts and principal amounts of the Term Loans to be prepaid specified by the Lenders in the applicable Lender Participation Notice, the Administrative Agent, in consultation with the Borrower, shall determine the applicable discount for such Term Loans to be prepaid (the “Applicable Discount”), which Applicable Discount shall be (A) the percentage specified by the Borrower if the Borrower has selected a single percentage pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(ii)) for the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment or (B) otherwise, the highest Acceptable Discount at which the Borrower can pay the Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount in full (determined by adding the Outstanding Amount of Offered Loans commencing with the Offered Loans with the highest Acceptable Discount); provided, however, that in the event that such Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount cannot be repaid in full at any Acceptable Discount, the Applicable Discount shall be the lowest Acceptable Discount specified by the Lenders that is within the Discount Range. The Applicable Discount shall be applicable for all Lenders who have offered to participate in the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment and have Qualifying Loans. Any Lender with outstanding Term Loans to be prepaid whose Lender Participation Notice is not received by the Administrative Agent by the Acceptance Date shall be deemed to have declined to accept a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment of any of its Loans at any discount to their par value within the Applicable Discount.

 

(iv)       The Borrower shall make a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment by prepaying those Term Loans to be prepaid (or the respective portions thereof) offered by the Lenders (“Qualifying Lenders”) that specify an Acceptable Discount that is equal to or greater than the Applicable Discount (“Qualifying Loans”) at the Applicable Discount, provided that if the aggregate proceeds required to prepay all Qualifying Loans (disregarding any interest payable at such time) would exceed the amount of aggregate proceeds required to prepay the Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount, such amounts in each case calculated by applying the Applicable Discount, the Borrower shall prepay such Qualifying Loans ratably among the Qualifying Lenders based on their respective principal amounts of such Qualifying Loans (subject to rounding requirements specified by the Administrative Agent). If the aggregate proceeds required to prepay all Qualifying Loans (disregarding any interest payable at such time) would be less than the amount of aggregate proceeds required to prepay the Proposed Discounted Prepayment Amount, such amounts in each case calculated by applying the Applicable Discount, the Borrower shall prepay all Qualifying Loans.

 

 

(v)        Each Discounted Voluntary Prepayment shall be made within five (5) Business Days of the Acceptance Date (or such later date as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably agree, given the time required to calculate the Applicable Discount and determine the amount and holders of Qualifying Loans), without premium or penalty (but subject to Section 3.04), upon irrevocable written notice substantially in the form of Exhibit I-3 hereto (each a “Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice”), delivered to the Administrative Agent no later than 1:00 p.m., New York City time, three (3) Business Days prior to the date of such Discounted Voluntary Prepayment, which notice shall specify the date and amount of the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment and the Applicable Discount determined by the Administrative Agent. Upon receipt of any Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice, the Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each relevant Lender thereof. If any Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice is given, the amount specified in such notice shall be due and payable to the applicable Lenders, subject to the Applicable Discount on the applicable Loans, on the date specified therein together with accrued interest (on the par principal amount) to but not including such date on the amount prepaid. The par principal amount of each Discounted Voluntary Prepayment of a Term Loan shall be applied ratably to reduce the remaining installments of such Class of Term Loans (as applicable).

 

(vi)       To the extent not expressly provided for herein, each Discounted Voluntary Prepayment shall be consummated pursuant to procedures (including as to timing, rounding, minimum amounts, Type and Interest Periods and calculation of Applicable Discount in accordance with Section 2.06(d)(ii) above) established by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, each acting reasonably.

 

(vii)      Prior to the delivery of a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice, (A) upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, the Borrower may withdraw or modify its offer to make a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment pursuant to any Discounted Prepayment Option Notice and (B) no Lender may withdraw its offer to participate in a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment pursuant to any Lender Participation Notice unless the terms of such proposed Discounted Voluntary Prepayment have been modified by the Borrower after the date of such Lender Participation Notice.

 

(viii)     Nothing in this Section 2.06(d) shall require the Borrower to undertake any Discounted Voluntary Prepayment.

 

(ix)        Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to act as manager for any Discounted Voluntary Prepayment.

 

 

Section 2.07.       Termination or Reduction of Commitments. (a) Optional. The Borrower may, upon written notice to the Administrative Agent, terminate the aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments, or from time to time permanently reduce the Aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments of any Class; provided that (i) any such notice shall be received by the Administrative Agent three Business Days prior to the date of termination or reduction, (ii) any such partial reduction shall be in an aggregate amount (A) of $500,000 or any whole multiple of $100,000 in excess thereof or (B) equal to the Aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments, at such time, (iii) if, after giving effect to any reduction of the Aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments or the Letter of Credit Sublimit exceeds the amount of the Aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments, such sublimit shall be automatically reduced by the amount of such excess and (iv) the Borrower may not reduce Revolving Credit Commitments under one Class prior to any reduction under an earlier maturing Class of Revolving Credit Commitments. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower may rescind or postpone any notice of reduction or termination of the Aggregate Revolving Credit Commitments if such reduction or termination would have resulted from a refinancing of all or any part of the Facilities, which refinancing shall not be consummated or otherwise shall be delayed.

 

(b)          Mandatory. The Initial Term Commitment of each Initial Term Lender shall be automatically and permanently reduced to $0 on the Closing Date upon the making of the Initial Term Loans in accordance with Section 2.01. The Revolving Credit Commitments shall be automatically and permanently reduced to $0 on the Initial Revolver Maturity Date applicable to such Class.

 

(c)          Application of Commitment Reductions; Payment of Fees. The Administrative Agent will promptly notify the Lenders of any termination or reduction of unused portions of the Letter of Credit Sublimit or the unused Commitments of any Class or Class under this Section 2.07. Upon any reduction of unused Commitments of any Class or Class, the Commitment of each Lender of such Class or Class shall be reduced by such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the amount by which such Commitments are reduced (other than the termination of the Commitment of any Lender as provided in Section 3.09). All Commitment Fees accrued until the effective date of any termination of the Revolving Credit Commitments shall be paid on the effective date of such termination.

 

Section 2.08.        Repayment of Loans.

 

(a)          [Reserved].

 

(b)          Initial Term Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Initial Term Lenders: (A) on or prior to the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December that occurs prior to the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to the Applicable Amortization Percentage of the initial aggregate principal amount of all Initial Term Loans made on the Closing Date, with the first such payment to be made on the last Business Day of the first full calendar quarter ending after the Closing Date and (B) on the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Term Loans outstanding on such date.

 

(c)          Revolving Credit Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the applicable Revolving Credit Lenders of any Class on the Maturity Date applicable to such Class of the aggregate principal amount of all of its Revolving Credit Loans of such Class outstanding on such date.

 

Section 2.09.        Interest.

 

(a)           Subject to the provisions of Section 2.09(b), (i) each Eurocurrency Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof for each Interest Period at a rate per annum equal to the Eurocurrency Rate for such Loan Notice plus the Applicable Margin and (ii) each Base Rate Loan shall bear interest on the outstanding principal amount thereof from the applicable borrowing date at a rate per annum equal to the Base Rate plus the Applicable Margin.

 

(b)          While any Specified Event of Default exists, the Borrower shall pay interest on all overdue Obligations hereunder (regarding which all applicable grace periods set forth in Section 8.01 have expired) at a fluctuating interest rate per annum at all times equal to the Default Rate to the fullest extent permitted by applicable Laws. Accrued and unpaid interest on past due amounts (including interest on past due interest) shall be due and payable upon demand.

 

 

 

 

(c)            Interest on each Loan shall be due and payable in arrears on each Interest Payment Date applicable thereto and at such other times as may be specified herein. Interest hereunder shall be due and payable in accordance with the terms hereof before and after judgment, and before and after the commencement of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law.

 

Section 2.10.   Fees. In addition to certain fees described in Section 2.04(i) and 2.04(j):

 

(a)            [Reserved].

 

(b)           Commitment Fee for Initial Revolving Credit Commitments. The Borrower shall pay to the Administrative Agent a commitment fee (the “Commitment Fee”) for the account of each Initial Revolving Credit Lender (other than any Defaulting Lender) in accordance with its Pro Rata Share of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility, in Dollars equal to the Applicable Margin times the actual daily amount by which the aggregate Initial Revolving Credit Commitments exceed the sum of (A) the Outstanding Amount of Initial Revolving Credit Loans, and (B) the Outstanding Amount of L/C Obligations. The Commitment Fee shall accrue at all times from the Closing Date until the date on which the aggregate Initial Revolving Credit Commitments have terminated, the Outstanding Amounts on all Initial Revolving Credit Loans have been paid and the Outstanding Amounts on all L/C Obligations have been paid or Cash Collateralized (the “Initial Revolving Termination Date”), including at any time during which one or more of the conditions in Article 4 is not met, and shall be due and payable quarterly in arrears on the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December, commencing with the first such date to occur after the Closing Date, and on the Initial Revolving Termination Date. The Commitment Fee shall be calculated quarterly in arrears, and if there is any change in the Applicable Margin during any quarter, the actual daily amount shall be computed and multiplied by the Applicable Margin separately for each period during such quarter that such Applicable Margin was in effect.

 

(c)           Other Fees. The Borrower shall pay to the Agents such fees as shall have been separately agreed upon in writing in the amounts and at the times so specified.

 

Section 2.11.   Computation of Interest and Fees. All computations of interest for Base Rate Loans when the Base Rate is determined by the “prime rate” shall be made on the basis of a year of 365 or 366 days, as the case may be, and actual days elapsed. All other computations of fees and interest shall be made on the basis of a 360-day year and actual days elapsed (which results in more fees or interest, as applicable, being paid than if computed on the basis of a 365-day year). Interest shall accrue on each Loan for the day on which the Loan is made, and shall not accrue on a Loan, or any portion thereof, for the day on which the Loan or such portion is paid; provided that any Loan that is repaid on the same day on which it is made shall, subject to Section 2.13(a), bear interest for one day. Each determination by the Administrative Agent of an interest rate or fee hereunder shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes, absent manifest error.

 

Section 2.12.   Evidence of Indebtedness. Upon the request of any Lender to the Borrower, the Borrower shall execute and deliver to such Lender a Note payable to such Lender and its registered assigns, which shall evidence such Lender’s Loans to the Borrower. Each Lender may attach schedules to a Note and endorse thereon the date, Type (if applicable), amount and maturity of its Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

Section 2.13.    Payments Generally. (a) All payments to be made by the Borrower shall be made without condition or deduction for any counterclaim, defense, recoupment or setoff. Except as otherwise expressly provided herein, all payments by the Borrower hereunder shall be made to the Administrative Agent, for the account of the respective Lenders to which such payment is owed, at the Administrative Agent’s Office in Dollars and in Same Day Funds not later than 2:00 p.m. (or, in the case of Section 2.06(a)(iii), 3:00 p.m.) on the date specified herein. The Administrative Agent will promptly distribute to each Lender its Pro Rata Share (or other applicable share as provided herein) of such payment in like funds as received by wire transfer to such Lender’s Lending Office. All payments received by the Administrative Agent after 2:00 p.m. (or, in the case of Section 2.06(a)(iii), 3:00 p.m.) may, in the discretion of the Administrative Agent, be deemed received on the next succeeding Business Day and any applicable interest or fee shall continue to accrue.

 

 

(b)           Unless the Borrower or any Lender has notified the Administrative Agent, prior to the date any payment is required to be made by it to the Administrative Agent hereunder, that the Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, will not make such payment, the Administrative Agent may assume that the Borrower or such Lender, as the case may be, has timely made such payment and may (but shall not be so required to), in reliance thereon, make available a corresponding amount to the Person entitled thereto. If and to the extent that such payment was not in fact made to the Administrative Agent in immediately available funds, then:

 

(i)      if the Borrower failed to make such payment, each Lender shall forthwith on demand repay to the Administrative Agent the portion of such assumed payment that was made available to such Lender in immediately available funds, together with interest thereon in respect of each day from and including the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to such Lender to the date such amount is repaid to the Administrative Agent in Same Day Funds at the Overnight Rate; and

 

(ii)     if any Lender failed to make such payment with respect to any Borrowing, such Lender shall forthwith on demand pay to the Administrative Agent the amount thereof in Same Day Funds together with interest thereon for the period from the date such amount was made available by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower to the date such amount is recovered by the Administrative Agent (the “Compensation Period”) at a rate per annum equal to the Overnight Rate. When such Lender makes payment to the Administrative Agent (together with all accrued interest thereon), then such payment amount (excluding the amount of any interest which may have accrued and been paid in respect of such late payment) shall constitute such Lender’s Loan included in the applicable Borrowing. If such Lender does not pay such amount forthwith upon the Administrative Agent’s demand therefor, the Administrative Agent may make a demand therefor upon the Borrower, and the Borrower shall pay such amount to the Administrative Agent, together with interest thereon for the Compensation Period at a rate per annum equal to the rate of interest applicable to the applicable Borrowing. Nothing herein shall be deemed to relieve any Lender from its obligation to fulfill its Commitment or to prejudice any rights which the Administrative Agent or the Borrower may have against any Lender as a result of any default by such Lender hereunder.

 

A notice of the Administrative Agent to any Lender or the Borrower with respect to any amount owing under this Section 2.13(b) shall be conclusive, absent manifest error.

 

(c)            If any Lender makes available to the Administrative Agent funds for any Loan to be made by such Lender as provided in the foregoing provisions of this Article 2, and such funds are not made available to the Borrower by the Administrative Agent because the conditions to the applicable Credit Extension set forth in Article 4 are not satisfied or waived in accordance with the terms hereof, the Administrative Agent shall return such funds (in like funds as received from such Lender) to such Lender, without interest.

 

 

(d)          The obligations of the Lenders hereunder to make Loans and to fund participations in Letters of Credit are several and not joint. The failure of any Lender to make any Loan or to fund any such participation on any date required hereunder shall not relieve any other Lender of its corresponding obligation to do so on such date, and no Lender shall be responsible for the failure of any other Lender to so make its Loan or purchase its participation.

 

(e)           Nothing herein shall be deemed to obligate any Lender to obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner or to constitute a representation by any Lender that it has obtained or will obtain the funds for any Loan in any particular place or manner.

 

(f)           Whenever any payment received by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any of the other Loan Documents is insufficient to pay in full all amounts due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders under or in respect of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents on any date, such payment shall be distributed by the Administrative Agent and applied by the Administrative Agent and the Lenders in the order of priority set forth in Section 8.03. If the Administrative Agent receives funds for application to the Obligations of the Loan Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents under circumstances for which the Loan Documents do not specify the manner in which such funds are to be applied, the Administrative Agent may, but shall not be obligated to, elect to distribute such funds to each of the Lenders in accordance with such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of the sum of (i) the Outstanding Amount of all Loans outstanding at such time and (ii) the Outstanding Amount of all L/C Obligations outstanding at such time, in repayment or prepayment of such of the outstanding Loans or other Obligations then owing to such Lender.

 

(g)           If any Lender shall fail to make any payment required to be made by it pursuant to Section 2.04(c), 2.04(d), 2.05(c) or 9.07 (or if the Borrower shall have paid any amount or posted any cash collateral in respect of such Lender’s Pro Rata Share of L/C Obligations pursuant to Section 2.17(c)(ii)), then notwithstanding any contrary provision hereof, with respect to any amounts thereafter received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Lender, the Administrative Agent (i) shall apply such amounts (A) first, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer to satisfy such Lender’s obligations to it under such Section until all such unsatisfied obligations are fully paid, and (B) second, unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, to reimburse the Borrower for any cash collateral posted by the Borrower until the Borrower is fully reimbursed, and (ii) thereafter, may, in its sole discretion, hold any such remaining amounts in a segregated account as cash collateral for, and application to, any future funding obligations of such Lender under any such Section; provided any amounts held pursuant to clause (ii) hereof shall be released to such Lender upon the earlier of (x) the date on which any of the actions described in Section 8.02(a), 8.02(b) or 8.02(c) or the proviso to Section 8.02 shall have been taken or occurred and (y) the Initial Revolver Maturity Date.

 

Section 2.14.   Sharing of Payments. If, other than as expressly provided elsewhere herein, any Lender shall obtain on account of the Loans made by it, or the participations in L/C Obligations held by it, any payment (whether voluntary, involuntary, through the exercise of any right of setoff, or otherwise) in excess of its ratable share (or other share contemplated hereunder) thereof, such Lender shall immediately (a) notify the Administrative Agent of such fact, and (b) purchase from the other Lenders such participations in the Loans made by them and/or such subparticipations in the participations in L/C Obligations held by them, as the case may be, as shall be necessary to cause such purchasing Lender to share the excess payment in respect of such Loans or such participations, as the case may be, pro rata with each of them; provided that if all or any portion of such excess payment is thereafter recovered from the purchasing Lender under any of the circumstances described in Section 11.06 (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by the purchasing Lender in its discretion), such purchase shall to that extent be rescinded and each other Lender shall repay to the purchasing Lender the purchase price paid therefor, together with an amount equal to such paying Lender’s ratable share (according to the proportion of (i) the amount of such paying Lender’s required repayment to (ii) the total amount so recovered from the purchasing Lender) of any interest or other amount paid or payable by the purchasing Lender in respect of the total amount so recovered, without further interest thereon. The Borrower agrees that any Lender so purchasing a participation from another Lender may, to the fullest extent permitted by law, exercise all its rights of payment (including the right of setoff, but subject to Section 11.10) with respect to such participation as fully as if such Lender were the direct creditor of the Borrower in the amount of such participation. The Administrative Agent will keep records (which shall be conclusive and binding in the absence of manifest error) of participations purchased under this Section 2.14 and will in each case notify the Lenders following any such purchases or repayments. Each Lender that purchases a participation pursuant to this Section 2.14 shall from and after such purchase have the right to give all notices, requests, demands, directions and other communications under this Agreement with respect to the portion of the Obligations purchased to the same extent as though the purchasing Lender were the original owner of the Obligations purchased.

 

 

Section 2.15.    [Reserved].

 

Section 2.16.    Increase in Commitments.

 

(a)           Upon written notice to the Administrative Agent (which shall promptly notify the Lenders), the Borrower may request: additional Term Commitments and/or additional Revolving Credit Commitments (each, an “Incremental Facility”) denominated in any currency agreed to by the lenders providing such Incremental Facility pursuant to any Incremental Joinder; provided that after giving effect to any such addition, the aggregate amount of all additional Term Commitments and additional Revolving Credit Commitments that have been added pursuant to this Section 2.16(a) shall not exceed the Incremental Cap. Each such addition under this Section 2.16(a) shall be in an aggregate amount of $5,000,000 or any whole multiple of $1,000,000 in excess thereof.

 

(b)           Any loans made in respect of any such additional Term Commitments (the “Incremental Term Loans”) may be made, at the option of the Borrower, either by (i) increasing the Initial Term Loans with the same terms (including pricing) as the existing Initial Term Loans or (ii) creating a new tranche of terms loans (an “Incremental Term Loan Class”); provided that any Incremental Term Loan Class (A)(x) in the case of any Incremental Term Loans that are secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, shall not mature prior to the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of incurrence of such Incremental Term Loans and (y) in the case of any Incremental Term Loans that are secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or that are unsecured, shall not mature prior to the date that is ninety-one (91) days following the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of incurrence of such Incremental Term Loans, (B) the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Incremental Term Loan Class shall be no less than the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of such latest maturing Class of Term Loans, (C) any Incremental Term Loans secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security may share on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not a greater than pro rata basis) in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans and (D) any Incremental Term Loans that are secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or that are unsecured may not share in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans.

 

(c)           Any such additional Revolving Credit Commitments may be made by (x) establishing one or more additional Classes of revolving credit commitments (an “Incremental Revolving Facility”); provided the (i) final maturity date of any such Incremental Revolving Facility shall be no earlier than the final maturity date of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility, (ii) such Incremental Revolving Facility shall require no scheduled amortization or mandatory commitment reduction prior to the final maturity date of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility and (iii) any Incremental Revolving Facility may participate on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not a greater than pro basis) in any reduction or termination as compared to earlier maturing Revolving Credit Commitments or (y) increasing any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (the “Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments”) with the same terms as such existing Class of Revolving Credit Commitments (it being understood that, if required to consummate an Incremental Revolving Facility, the pricing, interest rate margins, rate floors and undrawn fees on the Revolving Facility being increased may be increased for all Revolving Lenders of the Revolving Credit Facility being increased, but additional upfront or similar fees may be payable to the Lenders participating in the Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments without any requirement to pay such amounts to any existing Revolving Lenders).

 

 

(d)           The Borrower may invite any Lender or any additional Eligible Assignees to become Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as applicable, pursuant to a commitment increase and joinder agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (each, an “Incremental Joinder”). No Lender will be obligated to provide all or any portion of any Incremental Facility and the determination to provide such commitment shall be within the sole and absolute discretion of such Lender. Any failure by a Lender to respond to any such invitation shall not be deemed an acceptance or agreement to provide such Incremental Facility.

 

(e)            If any Term Commitments or Revolving Credit Commitments are added in accordance with this Section 2.16, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall determine the effective date (the “Incremental Effective Date”) and the final allocations of such additional Commitments. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify the Borrower and the lenders providing such Incremental Facility of the final allocation thereof and the Incremental Effective Date. As a condition precedent to such addition, before and after giving effect to such increase, (i) (A) the representations and warranties contained in Article 5 and the other Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified) on and as of the Incremental Effective Date, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date, and (B) no Event of Default shall exist after giving effect to such addition; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 2.16 or in any other provisions of any Loan Document, if the proceeds of any Incremental Facility are intended to be applied to finance a Limited Condition Transaction, at the option of the Borrower, (1) the conditions to the Incremental Effective Date shall be subject to the LCT Provisions, (2) the only representations and warranties that will be required to be true and correct in all material respects as of the applicable Incremental Effective Date shall be the Specified Representations and (3) no Specified Event of Default shall exist on the Incremental Effective Date).

 

(f)           On each Incremental Effective Date, (i) each Lender or Eligible Assignee which is providing an Incremental Term Loan Class (A) shall become a “Term Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and (B) shall make an Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower in a principal amount equal to such additional Term Commitment, and such Incremental Term Loan shall be deemed a “Term Loan” for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and (ii) each Lender or Eligible Assignee which is providing an Incremental Revolving Credit Commitment shall become a “Revolving Credit Lender” for all purposes of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, with a Revolving Credit Commitment of the applicable Class.

 

 

(g)            The interest rate applicable to any Incremental Term Loans will be determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Incremental Term Loans; provided that in the case of any such Incremental Term Loans secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the All-In-Rate applicable thereto will not be more than 0.50% per annum higher than the All-In-Rate in respect of the Initial Term Loans unless the Applicable Margin (and/or, as provided in the proviso below, the Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor) with respect to the Initial Term Loans is adjusted to be equal to the All-In-Rate applicable to such Indebtedness, minus 0.50% per annum, provided that, unless otherwise agreed by the Borrower in its sole discretion, that any increase in All-In-Rate to any Initial Term Loan due to the application or imposition of an Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor on any such Indebtedness shall be effected solely through an increase in (or implementation of, as applicable) any Base Rate floor or Eurocurrency Rate floor applicable to such Initial Term Loan.

 

(h)           Any Incremental Facility may be secured only by the Collateral (provided that, in the case of any Incremental Facility that is funded into Escrow pursuant to customary escrow arrangements, such Incremental Facility may be secured by the applicable funds and related assets held in Escrow (and the proceeds thereof) until the time of the release from Escrow of such funds (and may not be secured by any other assets prior to such release)) and rank pari passu or junior with respect to security with the Facilities (and if secured, subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement (which may be effective (or entered into) only immediately after such release from Escrow referred to herein)) or may be unsecured, and will not be guaranteed by an entity which is not (or does not become) a Loan Party.

 

(i)             Except as otherwise specified above (including with respect to margin, pricing, maturity and/or fees), the other terms of any Incremental Facility, shall be on terms and pursuant to documentation to be determined between the Borrower and the lenders providing such Incremental Facility than the terms of this Agreement are to the Lenders; provided, that to the extent such terms and documentation are more favorable to the lenders providing such Incremental Facility (except to the extent permitted by clauses (b), (c) and (g) above), such terms shall be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (except for covenants or other provisions applicable only to the periods after the latest maturity date of all of the existing Facilities) (it being understood that if any financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of (A) any Incremental Term Loan Class, such financial maintenance covenant (except to the extent only applicable after the maturity date of the Initial Term Facility) may also be added for the benefit of all of the Facilities or (B) any Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments, such financial maintenance covenant (except to the extent only applicable after the maturity date of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility) may also added for the benefit of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility; it being understood and agreed that in each such case of clauses (A) and (B), no consent of any Lender shall be required in connection with any amendment adding such financial maintenance covenant and the Administrative Agent hereby agrees to acknowledge such amendment as promptly as possible, and in any case, within three (3) Business Days of written request by the Borrower; it being acknowledged and agreed by each Lender that the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such shall have no liability with respect to such acknowledgment and each Lender hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by Law any claims with respect to such acknowledgment.

 

(j)             The proceeds of any Incremental Facility may be used by the Borrower and its Subsidiaries for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including the financing of permitted acquisitions and other Investments and any other use not prohibited by this Agreement.

 

Section 2.17.   Defaulting Lenders. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, if any Revolving Credit Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the following provisions shall apply for so long as such Lender is a Defaulting Lender:

 

 

(a)           The Commitment Fee shall cease to accrue on the unused portion of the Revolving Credit Commitments of such Defaulting Lender under Section 2.10(b);

 

(b)           Any payment of principal, interest, fees or other amounts received by the Administrative Agent for the account of such Defaulting Lender (whether voluntary or mandatory, at maturity, pursuant to Article 8 or otherwise) or received by the Administrative Agent from a Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 11.10 shall be applied at such time or times as may be determined by the Administrative Agent as follows: first, to the payment of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the Administrative Agent hereunder; second, to the payment on a pro rata basis of any amounts owing by such Defaulting Lender to the L/C Issuer hereunder; third, to Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender in accordance with Section 2.04(g) fourth, as the Borrower may request (so long as no Default exists), to the funding of any Loan in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has failed to fund its portion thereof as required by this Agreement, as determined by the Administrative Agent; fifth, if so determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to be held in a deposit account and released pro rata in order to (x) satisfy such Defaulting Lender’s potential future funding obligations with respect to Loans under this Agreement and (y) Cash Collateralize the L/C Issuer’s future Fronting Exposure with respect to such Defaulting Lender with respect to future Letters of Credit issued under this Agreement, in accordance with Section 2.04(g) sixth, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Lenders or the L/C Issuer as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by any Lender or the L/C Issuer against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; seventh, so long as no Default exists, to the payment of any amounts owing to the Borrower as a result of any judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction obtained by the Borrower against such Defaulting Lender as a result of such Defaulting Lender’s breach of its obligations under this Agreement; and eighth, to such Defaulting Lender or as otherwise directed by a court of competent jurisdiction; provided that if (x) such payment is a payment of the principal amount of any Loans or L/C Borrowings in respect of which such Defaulting Lender has not fully funded its appropriate share, and (y) such Loans were made or the related Letters of Credit were issued at a time when the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 were satisfied or waived, such payment shall be applied solely to pay the Loans of, and L/C Obligations owed to, all Non-Defaulting Lenders on a pro rata basis prior to being applied to the payment of any Loans of, or L/C Obligations owed to, such Defaulting Lender until such time as all Loans and funded and unfunded participations in L/C Obligations are held by the Lenders pro rata in accordance with the Commitments hereunder without giving effect to Section 2.17(c)(i). Any payments, prepayments or other amounts paid or payable to a Defaulting Lender that are applied (or held) to pay amounts owed by a Defaulting Lender or to post Cash Collateral pursuant to this Section 2.17(b) shall be deemed paid to and redirected by such Defaulting Lender, and each Lender irrevocably consents hereto.

 

(c)            if any L/C Obligations exist at the time any Revolving Credit Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender then:

 

(i)      all or any part of the L/C Obligations of such Defaulting Lender shall be reallocated among the non-Defaulting Lenders that are Revolving Credit Lenders in accordance with their respective Pro Rata Shares of the L/C Obligations but only to the extent (A) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing at such time and (B) the sum of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Outstandings plus such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations does not exceed the total of all non-Defaulting Lenders’ Revolving Credit Commitments;

 

(ii)      if the reallocation described in clause (i) above cannot, or can only partially, be effected, the Borrower shall within three Business Days following notice by the Administrative Agent cash collateralize for the benefit of the L/C Issuer only the Borrower’s obligations corresponding to such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations (after giving effect to any partial reallocation pursuant to clause (i) above) in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.04(g) for so long as such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations is outstanding;

 

 

(iii)     if the Borrower cash collateralizes any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations pursuant to clause (ii) above, the Borrower shall not be required to pay any fees to such Defaulting Lender pursuant to Section 2.04(i) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations during the period such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations is cash collateralized;

 

(iv)     if such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations is reallocated to the non-Defaulting Lenders pursuant to clause (i) above, then the fees payable to the non-Defaulting Lenders pursuant to Sections 2.04(i) and 2.10(b) shall be adjusted in accordance with such non-Defaulting Lenders’ Pro Rata Shares; and

 

(v)      if all or any portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations is neither reallocated nor cash collateralized pursuant to clause (i) or (ii) above, then, without prejudice to any rights or remedies of the L/C Issuer or any other Lender hereunder, all facility fees and commitment fees that otherwise would have been payable to such Defaulting Lender (solely with respect to the portion of such Defaulting Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment that was utilized by such L/C Obligations) and letter of credit fees payable under Section 2.04(i) with respect to such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations shall be payable to the L/C Issuer until and to the extent that such Defaulting Lender’s Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations is reallocated and/or cash collateralized; and

 

(d)           so long as any Revolving Credit Lender is a Defaulting Lender, the L/C Issuer shall not be required to issue, amend or increase any Letter of Credit, unless they are satisfied (in their reasonable judgment) that the related exposure and the Defaulting Lender’s then outstanding Pro Rata Share of all L/C Obligations will be 100% covered by the Revolving Credit Commitments of the non-Defaulting Lenders and/or cash collateral will be provided by the Borrower in accordance with Section 2.17(b), and participating interests in any newly issued or increased Letter of Credit shall be allocated among non-Defaulting Lenders in a manner consistent with Section 2.17(c)(i) (and such Defaulting Lender shall not participate therein).

 

(e)           In the event that each of the Administrative Agent, the Borrower and the L/C Issuers agrees that a Defaulting Lender has adequately remedied all matters that caused such Lender to be a Defaulting Lender, then the Revolving Credit Lenders’ Pro Rata Shares of the L/C Obligations shall be readjusted to reflect the inclusion of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitment and on such date such Lender shall purchase at par such of the Revolving Credit Loans of the other Lenders as the Administrative Agent shall determine may be necessary in order for such Lender to hold such Revolving Credit Loans in accordance with its Pro Rata Share, and such Lender shall cease to be a Defaulting Lender.

 

Section 2.18.    Extension of Maturity Date.

 

(a)           Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement, pursuant to one (1) or more offers (each, an “Extension Offer”) made from time to time by the Borrower to all Lenders holding Term Loans with a like maturity date or Revolving Credit Commitments with a like maturity date, in each case on a pro rata basis (based on the aggregate outstanding principal amount of the respective Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments with a like maturity date, as the case may be) and on the same terms to each such Lender, the Borrower is hereby permitted to consummate from time to time transactions with individual Lenders that accept the terms contained in such Extension Offers to extend the maturity date of all or a portion of each such Lender’s Term Loans and/or all of such Lender’s Revolving Credit Commitments and otherwise modify the terms of such Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Commitments pursuant to the terms of the relevant Extension Offer (including by changing the interest rate or fees payable in respect of such Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings) and/or modifying the amortization schedule in respect of such Term Loans) (each, an “Extension”, and any Extended Term Loans shall constitute a separate Class of Term Loans from the Class of Term Loans from which they were converted and any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments shall constitute a separate Class of Revolving Credit Commitments from the Class of Revolving Credit Commitments from which they were converted), so long as the following terms are satisfied:

 

 

(i)       [reserved];

 

(ii)      except as to interest rates, fees and final maturity (which shall be determined by the Borrower and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), the Revolving Credit Commitment of any Lender that agrees to an extension with respect to such Revolving Credit Commitment extended pursuant to an Extension (an “Extended Revolving Credit Commitment”; and the Loans thereunder, “Extended Revolving Credit Loans”), and the related outstandings, shall be a Revolving Credit Commitment (or related outstandings, as the case may be) with the same terms (or terms not materially less favorable to existing Lenders, taken as a whole) as the original Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings); provided that, (x) subject to the provisions of Section 2.04(m) and Section 2.05(h) to the extent dealing with Letters of Credit which mature or expire after a maturity date when a Class of Revolving Credit Commitments is extended such that there exists an Extended Revolving Credit Commitments with a longer maturity date with respect to such original Class, all Letters of Credit of the original Class shall be participated in on a pro rata basis by all Lenders with Extended Revolving Credit Commitments with respect to such Class in accordance with their Pro Rata Share (and except as provided in Section 2.04(m) and Section 2.05(h), without giving effect to changes thereto on an earlier maturity date with respect to Letters of Credit theretofore incurred or issued), (y) all borrowings and repayments (except for (A) payments of interest and fees at different rates on Extended Revolving Credit Commitments (and related outstandings), (B) repayments required upon the maturity date of the non-extending Revolving Credit Commitments and (C) repayments made in connection with a permanent repayment and reduction or termination of commitments of any Class of Revolving Credit Commitments) of Extended Revolving Loans after the applicable Extension date shall be made on a pro rata basis with the original Class of Revolving Credit Commitments as to which such Extended Revolving Credit Commitments relate and (z) at no time shall there be Revolving Credit Commitments hereunder that have more than three different maturity dates;

 

(iii)    except as to interest rates, fees, amortization, final maturity date, premium, required prepayment dates and participation in prepayments (which shall, subject to immediately succeeding clauses (iv), (v) and (vi), be determined by the Borrower and set forth in the relevant Extension Offer), the other terms of the Term Loans of any Lender that agrees to an extension with respect to such Term Loans extended pursuant to any Extension (any such Extended Term Loans, “Extended Term Loans”) shall, if not substantially consistent with the terms of the applicable Term Loan Class prior to such Extension, be reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (except for covenants or other provisions applicable only to the periods after the latest maturity date of all of the existing Facilities; it being understood that, to the extent any financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of (A) any Class of Extended Term Loans, such financial maintenance covenant (except to the extent only applicable after the maturity date of the Initial Term Facility) may also be added for the benefit of all of the Facilities or (B) any Extended Revolving Credit Commitments, such financial maintenance covenant (except to the extent only applicable after the maturity date of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility) may also added for the benefit of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility; it being understood and agreed that in each such case of clauses (A) and (B), no consent of any Lender shall be required in connection with any amendment adding such financial maintenance covenant and the Administrative Agent hereby agrees to acknowledge such amendment as promptly as possible, and in any case, within three (3) Business Days of written request by the Borrower; it being acknowledged and agreed by each Lender that the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such shall have no liability with respect to such acknowledgment and each Lender hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by Law any claims with respect to such acknowledgment;

 

 

(iv)     the Weighted Average Life to Maturity of any Extended Term Loans shall be no shorter than the remaining Weighted Average Life to Maturity of the Term Loans extended thereby;

 

(v)      any Extended Term Loans (A) secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security may share on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not a greater than pro rata basis) in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans and (B) that are secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or that are unsecured may not share in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans;

 

(vi)    if the aggregate principal amount of the Class of Term Loans (calculated on the face amount thereof) or Revolving Credit Commitments, as the case may be, in respect of which Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as the case may be, shall have accepted the relevant Extension Offer shall exceed the maximum aggregate principal amount of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class, as the case may be, offered to be extended by the Borrower pursuant to such Extension Offer, then the Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments of such Class, as the case may be, of such Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as the case may be, shall be extended ratably up to such maximum amount based on the respective principal amounts (but not to exceed actual holdings of record) with respect to which such Term Lenders or Revolving Credit Lenders, as the case may be, have accepted such Extension Offer,

 

(vii)    all documentation in respect of such Extension (including the Extension Amendment) shall be consistent with the foregoing; and

 

(viii)   any applicable Minimum Extension Condition shall be satisfied unless waived by the Borrower and no Lender shall be obligated to extend its Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments unless it so agrees.

 

(b)           With respect to all Extensions consummated by the Borrower pursuant to this Section 2.18, (i) such Extensions shall not constitute voluntary or mandatory payments or prepayments or commitment reductions for purposes of Sections 2.06, 2.07 or 2.08, (ii) the amortization schedules (in so far as such schedule affects payments due to Lenders participating in the relevant Facility) set forth in Section 2.08 shall be adjusted to give effect to the Extension of the relevant Facility and (iii) except as set forth in clause (a)(vii) above, no Extension Offer is required to be in any minimum amount or any minimum increment; provided that the Borrower may at its election specify as a condition (a “Minimum Extension Condition”) to consummating any such Extension that a minimum amount (to be determined and specified in the relevant Extension Offer in the Borrower’s sole discretion and which may be waived by the Borrower) of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments (as applicable) of any or all applicable Class to be tendered. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders hereby consent to the transactions contemplated by this Section 2.18 (including, for the avoidance of doubt, payment of any interest, fees or premium in respect of any Extended Term Loans and/or Extended Revolving Credit Commitments on such terms as may be set forth in the relevant Extension Offer) and hereby waive the requirements of any provision of this Agreement (including Sections 2.06, 2.07 or 2.08) or any other Loan Document that may otherwise prohibit any such Extension or any other transaction contemplated by this Section 2.18.

 

 

(c)            No consent of any Lender or the Administrative Agent shall be required to effectuate any Extension, other than (A) the consent of each Lender agreeing to such Extension with respect to one or more of its Term Loans and/or Revolving Credit Commitments (or a portion thereof) and (B) with respect to any Extension of the Revolving Credit Commitments (or a portion thereof), the consent of the L/C Issuer applicable to such Revolving Credit Commitment (if such L/C Issuer is being requested to issue letters of credit with respect to the Class of Extended Revolving Credit Commitments), which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. All Extended Term Loans and Extended Revolving Credit Commitments and all obligations in respect thereof shall be Obligations under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; provided that if such Indebtedness is secured by a Lien on the Collateral that is junior to the Lien securing the Secured Obligations, it shall be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement. The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize and direct the Administrative Agent to acknowledge amendments to this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, which is entered into among the Borrower and the Lenders providing such Extension, as may be necessary in order to establish new Classes or sub-Classes in respect of Revolving Credit Commitments or Term Loans so extended and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new Classes or sub-Classes, in each case on terms consistent with this Section 2.18, which amendment shall be effective to amend this Agreement notwithstanding the provisions of Section 11.01, and the Administrative Agent hereby agrees to (and is directed by each Lender to) acknowledge such amendment as promptly as possible, and in any case, within three (3) Business Days of written request by the Borrower; it being acknowledged and agreed by each Lender that the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such shall have no liability with respect to such acknowledgment and each Lender hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by Law any claims with respect to such acknowledgment. In addition, if so provided in such amendment and with the consent of the L/C Issuer, participants in Letters of Credit expiring on or after the latest maturity date (but in no event later than the date that is five Business Days prior to the Initial Revolver Maturity Date) in respect of the Revolving Credit Commitments shall be re-allocated from Lenders holding non-Extended Revolving Credit Commitments to Lenders holding Extended Revolving Credit Commitments in accordance with the terms of such amendment; provided, however, that such participation interests shall, upon receipt thereof by the relevant Lenders holding Revolving Credit Commitments, be deemed to be participation interests in respect of such Revolving Credit Commitments and the terms of such participation interests shall be adjusted accordingly.

 

(d)            In connection with any Extension, the Borrower shall provide the Administrative Agent at least three Business Days’ (or such shorter period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent) prior written notice thereof, and shall agree to such procedures (including regarding timing, rounding and other adjustments and to ensure reasonable administrative management of the credit facilities hereunder after such Extension), if any, as may be established by, or acceptable to, the Administrative Agent, in each case acting reasonably to accomplish the purposes of this Section 2.18; provided that, failure to give such notice shall in no way affect the effectiveness of any amendment entered into to effectuate such Extension in accordance with this Section 2.18 The Loan Parties hereby expressly consent to any such Extension and agree and acknowledge that any security granted or to be granted shall also cover and apply to such Extension.

 

 

Section 2.19.    Refinancing Amendments.

 

(a)            The Borrower may, by written notice to the Administrative Agent from time to time, request Indebtedness in exchange for, or to extend, renew, replace or refinance, in whole or in part, existing Term Loans or existing Revolving Credit Loans (or unused Revolving Credit Commitments), or any then existing Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness (solely for purposes of this Section 2.19, “Refinanced Debt”) in the form of (i) Refinancing Term Loans in respect of all or any portion of any Class of Term Loans then outstanding under this Agreement or (ii) Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments in respect of all or any portion of any Revolving Credit Loans (and the unused Revolving Credit Commitments with respect to such Revolving Credit Loans) then outstanding under this Agreement, in each case pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment (such Indebtedness, “Refinancing Indebtedness”). Each written notice to the Administrative Agent requesting a Refinancing Amendment shall set forth (i) the amount of the Refinancing Term Loans or Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments being requested (which shall be in minimum increments of $1,000,000 and a minimum amount of $5,000,000) and (ii) the date on which such Refinancing Term Loans or Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments are requested to become effective (which shall not be less than three Business Days (or such shorter period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree) after the date of such notice); provided that, failure to give such notice shall in no way affect the effectiveness of any amendment entered into to effectuate such Refinancing Indebtedness in accordance with this Section 2.18. The Borrower may seek Refinancing Indebtedness from existing Lenders (each of which shall be entitled to agree or decline to participate in its sole discretion) or any Person that is an Eligible Assignee (each such Person that is not an existing Lender and that agrees to provide any portion of the Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness pursuant to a Refinancing Amendment in accordance with this Section 2.19, an “Additional Refinancing Lender”).

 

(b)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, the effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment shall be subject to (i) on the date of effectiveness thereof, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or shall be caused thereby, (ii) the terms of the applicable Refinancing Indebtedness shall comply with Section 2.19(c), (iii) before and after giving effect to the incurrence of any Refinancing Indebtedness, each of the conditions set forth in Section 4.02 shall be satisfied and (iv) except as otherwise specified in the applicable Refinancing Amendment, the Administrative Agent shall have received legal opinions, board resolutions and other closing certificates reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent and consistent with those delivered on the Closing Date under Section 4.01.

 

 

(c)            Except as otherwise specified below (including with respect to margin, pricing, maturity and/or fees), the other terms and conditions of any Refinancing Indebtedness (excluding pricing, interest rate margins, rate floors, discounts, fees, premiums and prepayment or redemption terms and provisions which shall be determined by the Borrower and the lenders thereunder) shall be on terms and pursuant to documentation to be determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Refinancing Indebtedness; provided that, to the extent not consistent with the terms of the applicable Facility being refinancing, such Refinancing Indebtedness shall either (A) reflect market terms and conditions (taken as a whole) at the time of incurrence, issuance or effectiveness thereof (as determined by the Borrower in good faith) or (B) not be materially more restrictive to Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries (when taken as a whole) than the terms and conditions of this Agreement (when taken as a whole) (except, in each case of clauses (A) and (B) above, for covenants and other provisions applicable only to periods after the latest maturity date of any Facility remaining outstanding after giving effect to the incurrence or issuance of such Refinancing Indebtedness (it being understood that, to the extent any more restrictive financial maintenance covenant is added for the benefit of (x) any Refinancing Term Loans, such financial maintenance covenant shall also be added for the benefit of each Facility remaining outstanding after the incurrence of such Refinancing Term Loans and (y) any Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments, such financial maintenance covenant shall also be added for the benefit of the Initial Revolving Credit Facility to the extent it remains outstanding after the incurrence of such Refinancing Revolving Facility; it being understood and agreed that in each case, no consent of any Lender shall be required in connection with adding such financial maintenance covenant; provided that (i) such Refinancing Indebtedness consisting of Refinancing Term Loans shall have (A) a maturity date no earlier than (x) in the case of any such Refinancing Term Loans that are secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security, the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of incurrence of such Refinancing Term Loans and (y) in the case of any such Refinancing Term Loans that are secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or that are unsecured, the date that is ninety-one (91) days following the stated Maturity Date applicable to the latest maturing Class of Term Loans on the date of incurrence of such Refinancing Term Loans and (B) a Weighted Average Life to Maturity equal to or greater than that of the Refinanced Debt, (ii) there shall be no scheduled amortization of such Refinancing Indebtedness consisting of Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments and the scheduled termination date of such Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments shall not be earlier than the scheduled termination date of the Refinanced Debt, (iii) such Refinancing Indebtedness will rank pari passu or junior in right of payment and of security with the applicable Refinanced Debt (and, if applicable, be subject to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement) or be unsecured (and shall not be secured by any assets that are not Collateral), (iv) such Refinancing Indebtedness shall be guaranteed by the Guaranty and shall not be guaranteed by any person that is not a Guarantor, (v) the interest rate margin, rate floors, fees, original issue discount and premiums applicable to such Refinancing Indebtedness shall be determined by the Borrower and the lenders providing such Refinancing Indebtedness, (vi) such Refinancing Indebtedness (including, if such Indebtedness includes any Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments, the unused portion of such Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments) shall not have a greater principal amount than the principal amount of the Refinanced Debt plus accrued interest, fees and premiums (if any) thereon and reasonable fees and expenses associated with the refinancing, and the aggregate unused Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments shall not exceed the unused Revolving Credit Commitments being replaced, (vii) such Refinanced Debt shall be repaid, defeased or satisfied and discharged on a dollar-for-dollar basis, and all accrued interest, fees and premiums (if any) in connection therewith shall be paid, substantially concurrently with the incurrence of such Refinancing Indebtedness in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.13; provided, further, that to the extent that such Refinancing Indebtedness consists of Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments, the Revolving Credit Commitments being refinanced by such Refinancing Indebtedness shall be terminated, and all accrued fees in connection therewith shall be paid, on the date such Refinancing Indebtedness is issued, incurred or obtained and (viii) any such Refinancing Term Loans that are secured by the Collateral on a pari passu basis with the Initial Term Loans in right of payment and with respect to security may share on a pro rata basis or a less than pro rata basis (but not a greater than pro rata basis) in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans and any such Refinancing Term Loans secured by a Lien that is junior to the Initial Term Loans in right of payment or with respect to security or that are unsecured may not share in any mandatory or voluntary prepayments with the then outstanding Term Loans.

 

 

(d)            In connection with any Refinancing Indebtedness pursuant to this Section 2.19, the Borrower and each applicable Lender or Additional Refinancing Lender shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a Refinancing Amendment as may be necessary or appropriate, in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of this Section 2.19, including any amendments necessary to establish the Refinancing Term Loans and Refinancing Revolving Credit Commitments as new Classes, Class or sub-Class of Term Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments and such other technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection therewith, in each case on terms not inconsistent with this Section 2.19. The Administrative Agent hereby agrees to (and is directed by each Lender to) acknowledge such amendment as promptly as possible, and in any case, within three (3) Business Days of written request by the Borrower; it being acknowledged and agreed by each Lender that the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such shall have no liability with respect to such acknowledgment and each Lender hereby irrevocably waives to the fullest extent permitted by Law any claims with respect to such acknowledgment. The Administrative Agent shall promptly notify each Lender as to the effectiveness of each Refinancing Amendment; provided that, failure to give such notice shall in no way affect the effectiveness of any amendment entered into to effectuate such Extension in accordance with this Section 2.18. Each of the parties hereto hereby agrees that, upon the effectiveness of any Refinancing Amendment, this Agreement shall be deemed amended to the extent reasonably necessary to reflect the existence and terms of the Refinancing Indebtedness incurred pursuant thereto.

 

ARTICLE 3

TAXES, INCREASED COSTS AND ILLEGALITY

 

Section 3.01.    Taxes. (a) Payments Free of Taxes; Obligation to Withhold; Payments on Account of Taxes.

 

(i)       Any and all payments by or on account of any obligation of the Borrower under any Loan Document or any Letters of Credit shall be made without deduction or withholding for any Taxes, except as required by applicable Laws. If any applicable Laws (as determined in the good faith discretion of the Administrative Agent or the Borrower) require the deduction or withholding of any Tax from any such payment by the Administrative Agent or the Borrower, then the Administrative Agent or the Borrower shall be entitled to make such deduction or withholding.

 

(ii)      If the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall be required by applicable Laws to withhold or deduct any Taxes (including United States Federal backup withholding) from any payment, then (A) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent shall withhold or make such deductions as are determined by it to be required, (B) the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, shall timely pay the full amount withheld or deducted to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with such Laws, and (C) to the extent that the withholding or deduction is made on account of Indemnified Taxes, the sum payable by the Borrower shall be increased as necessary so that after any required withholding or the making of all required deductions (including withholdings or deductions applicable to additional sums payable under this Section 3.01) the applicable Recipient receives an amount equal to the sum it would have received had no such withholding or deduction been made.

 

(b)           Payment of Other Taxes by the Borrower. Without limiting the provisions of subsection (a) above, the Borrower shall timely pay to the relevant Governmental Authority in accordance with applicable Laws, or at the option of the Administrative Agent timely reimburse it for the payment of, any Other Taxes.

 

(c)           Tax Indemnifications.

 

(i)      The Borrower shall, and does hereby, indemnify each Recipient, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor accompanied by the certificate described below in this clause (c)(i), for the full amount of any Indemnified Taxes (including Indemnified Taxes imposed or asserted on or attributable to amounts payable under this Section 3.01) payable or paid by such Recipient or required to be withheld or deducted from a payment to such Recipient, and any penalties, interest and reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Indemnified Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to the Borrower by a Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), or by the Administrative Agent on its own behalf or on behalf of a Lender, shall be conclusive absent manifest error.

 

 

(ii)      Each Lender shall, and does hereby, severally indemnify, and shall make payment in respect thereof within 10 days after demand therefor, the Administrative Agent (x) against any Indemnified Taxes attributable to such Lender (but only to the extent that the Borrower has not already indemnified the Administrative Agent for such Indemnified Taxes and without limiting or expanding any obligation of the Borrower to do so), (y) against any Taxes attributable to such Lender’s failure to comply with the provisions of Section 11.07 relating to the maintenance of a Participant Register and (z) against any Excluded Taxes attributable to such Lender, in each case, that are payable or paid by the Administrative Agent in connection with any Loan Document, and any reasonable expenses arising therefrom or with respect thereto, whether or not such Taxes were correctly or legally imposed or asserted by the relevant Governmental Authority. A certificate as to the amount of such payment or liability delivered to any Lender by the Administrative Agent shall be conclusive absent manifest error. Each Lender hereby authorizes the Administrative Agent to set off and apply any and all amounts at any time owing to such Lender under this Agreement or any other Loan Document against any amount due to the Administrative Agent under this clause (c)(ii).

 

(d)           Evidence of Payments. As soon as practicable after any payment of Taxes by the Borrower or by the Administrative Agent to a Governmental Authority as provided in this Section 3.01, the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent the original or a certified copy of a receipt issued by such Governmental Authority evidencing such payment, a copy of any return required by Laws to report such payment or other evidence of such payment reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent.

 

(e)            Status of Lenders; Tax Documentation.

 

(i)       Any Recipient that is entitled to an exemption from or reduction of withholding Tax with respect to payments made under any Loan Document shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, at the time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, such properly completed and executed documentation prescribed by applicable Law or the taxing authorities of a jurisdiction pursuant to such applicable Law reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will permit such payments to be made without withholding or at a reduced rate of withholding. In addition, any Recipient, if reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, shall deliver such other documentation prescribed by applicable Law or reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as will enable the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine whether or not such Recipient is subject to backup withholding or information reporting requirements. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the preceding two sentences, the completion, execution and submission of such documentation (other than such documentation set forth in Section 3.01(e)(ii)(A), (ii)(B) and (ii)(D)) shall not be required if in the Recipient’s reasonable judgment such completion, execution or submission would subject such Recipient to any material unreimbursed cost or expense or would materially prejudice the legal or commercial position of such Recipient.

 

 

 

(ii)        Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in the event that the Borrower is a U.S. Person,

 

(A)        any Recipient that is a U.S. Person shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent on or prior to the date on which such Recipient becomes a Recipient under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), copies of executed originals of IRS Form W-9 certifying that such Lender is exempt from U.S. federal backup withholding tax;

 

(B)        any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Recipient under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), whichever of the following is applicable:

 

(1)        in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of an income Tax treaty to which the United States is a party (x) with respect to payments of interest under any Loan Document, copies of executed originals of an applicable IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “interest” article of such Tax treaty and (y) with respect to any other applicable payments under any Loan Document, an applicable IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E establishing an exemption from, or reduction of, U.S. federal withholding Tax pursuant to the “business profits” or “other income” article of such Tax treaty;

 

(2)        copies of executed originals of IRS Form W-8ECI;

 

(3)        in the case of a Foreign Lender claiming the benefits of the exemption for portfolio interest under Section 881(c) of the Code, (x) a certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-1 to the effect that such Foreign Lender is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, a “10 percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(B) of the Code, or a “controlled foreign corporation” described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code (a “U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate”) and (y) copies of executed originals of an applicable IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E; or

 

(4)        to the extent a Foreign Lender is not the beneficial owner, copies of executed originals of IRS Form W-8IMY, accompanied by IRS Form W-8ECI, an applicable IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-2 or Exhibit J-3, IRS Form W-9, and/or other certification documents from each beneficial owner, as applicable; provided that if the Foreign Lender is a partnership and one or more direct or indirect partners of such Foreign Lender are claiming the portfolio interest exemption, such Foreign Lender may provide a U.S. Tax Compliance Certificate substantially in the form of Exhibit J-4 on behalf of each such direct and indirect partner;

 

(C)        any Foreign Lender shall, to the extent it is legally entitled to do so, deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent (in such number of copies as shall be requested by the recipient) on or prior to the date on which such Foreign Lender becomes a Recipient under this Agreement (and from time to time thereafter upon the reasonable request of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent), copies of executed originals of any other form prescribed by applicable Law as a basis for claiming exemption from or a reduction in U.S. federal withholding Tax, duly completed, together with such supplementary documentation as may be prescribed by applicable Law to permit the Borrower or the Administrative Agent to determine the withholding or deduction required to be made; and

 

 

(D)        such Recipient shall deliver to the Borrower and the Administrative Agent at the time or times prescribed by law and at such time or times reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent such documentation prescribed by applicable Law (including as prescribed by Section 1471(b)(3)(C)(i) of the Code) and such additional documentation reasonably requested by the Borrower or the Administrative Agent as may be necessary for the Borrower and the Administrative Agent to comply with their obligations under FATCA and to determine that such Recipient has complied with such Recipient’s obligations under FATCA or to determine the amount to deduct and withhold from such payment. Solely for purposes of this clause (D), “FATCA” shall include any amendments made to FATCA after the date of this Agreement.

 

(iii)        Each Recipient agrees that if any form or certification it previously delivered pursuant to this Section 3.01 expires or becomes obsolete or inaccurate in any respect, it shall promptly update such form or certification or promptly notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent in writing of its legal inability to do so.

 

(f)        Treatment of Certain Refunds. Unless required by applicable Laws, at no time shall the Administrative Agent have any obligation to file for or otherwise pursue on behalf of a Lender, or have any obligation to pay to any Lender, any refund of Taxes withheld or deducted from funds paid for the account of such Lender. If any Recipient determines, in its sole discretion exercised in good faith, that it has received a refund of any Taxes as to which it has been indemnified by the Borrower or with respect to which the Borrower has paid additional amounts pursuant to this Section 3.01, it shall pay to the Borrower an amount equal to such refund (but only to the extent of indemnity payments made, or additional amounts paid, by the Borrower under this Section 3.01 with respect to the Taxes giving rise to such refund), net of all out-of-pocket expenses (including Taxes) incurred by such Recipient, and without interest (other than any interest paid by the relevant Governmental Authority with respect to such refund), provided that the Borrower, upon the request of the Recipient, agrees to repay the amount paid over to the Borrower (plus any penalties, interest or other charges imposed by the relevant Governmental Authority) to the Recipient in the event the Recipient is required to repay such refund to such Governmental Authority. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, in no event will the applicable Recipient be required to pay any amount to the Borrower pursuant to this subsection the payment of which would place the Recipient in a less favorable net after-Tax position than such Recipient would have been in if the Tax subject to indemnification and giving rise to such refund had not been deducted, withheld or otherwise imposed and the indemnification payments or additional amounts with respect to such Tax had never been paid. This subsection shall not be construed to require any Recipient to make available its tax returns (or any other information relating to its Taxes that it deems confidential) to the Borrower or any other Person.

 

(g)        Survival. Each party’s obligations under this Section 3.01 shall survive the resignation or replacement of the Administrative Agent or any assignment of rights by, or the replacement of, a Lender, the termination of the Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all other Obligations.

 

Section 3.02.        Illegality. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law has made it unlawful, or that any Governmental Authority has asserted after the Closing Date that it is unlawful, for any Lender or its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurocurrency Rate Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate, then, on notice thereof by such Lender to the Borrower through the Administrative Agent, any obligation of such Lender to make or continue Eurocurrency Rate Loans in Dollars or to convert Base Rate Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Loans, shall be suspended until such Lender notifies the Administrative Agent and the Borrower that the circumstances giving rise to such determination no longer exist. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower shall, upon demand from such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), prepay or, if applicable, convert all Eurocurrency Rate Loans of such Lender to Base Rate Loans, either on the last day of the Interest Period therefor, if such Lender may lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans to such day, or immediately, if such Lender may not lawfully continue to maintain such Eurocurrency Rate Loans. Upon any such prepayment or conversion, the Borrower shall also pay accrued interest on the amount so prepaid or converted. Each Lender agrees to designate a different Lending Office if such designation will avoid the need for such notice and will not, in the good faith judgment of such Lender, otherwise be materially disadvantageous to such Lender.

 

 

Section 3.03.        Inability to Determine Rates. If in connection with any request for a Eurocurrency Rate Loan or a conversion to or continuation thereof, (a) (i) the Administrative Agent reasonably determines that deposits (whether in Dollars or an Alternate Currency) are not being offered to banks in the applicable offshore interbank market for such currency for the applicable amount and Interest Period of such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, or (ii) adequate and reasonable means do not exist for determining the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan (whether denominated in Dollars or an Alternate Currency) or in connection with an existing or proposed Base Rate Loan, or (b) the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders determine that for any reason the Eurocurrency Rate for any requested Interest Period with respect to a proposed Eurocurrency Rate Loan does not adequately and fairly reflect the cost to such Lenders of funding such Eurocurrency Rate Loan, the Administrative Agent will promptly so notify the Borrower and each Lender. Thereafter, (x) the obligation of the Lenders to make or maintain Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies shall be suspended, (to the extent of the affected Eurocurrency Rate Loans or Interest Periods), and (y) in the event of a determination described in the preceding sentence with respect to the Eurocurrency Rate component of the Base Rate, the utilization of the Eurocurrency Rate component in determining the Base Rate shall be suspended, in each case until the Administrative Agent (upon the instruction of the Required Lenders) revokes such notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Borrower may revoke any pending request for a Borrowing of, conversion to or continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans in the affected currency or currencies (to the extent of the affected Eurocurrency Rate Loans or Interest Periods) or, failing that, will be deemed to have converted such request into a request for a Borrowing of Base Rate Loans in the amount specified therein.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Administrative Agent has made the determination that either (i) the circumstances set forth above have arisen and such circumstances are unlikely to be temporary or (ii) the circumstances set forth above have not arisen, but the supervisor for the administrator of the components of the Eurodollar Rate or a governmental authority having jurisdiction over the Administrative Agent has made a public statement identifying a specific date after which the Eurodollar Rate shall no longer be used for determining interest rates for loans (in the case of either such clause (i) or (ii), an “Alternative Interest Rate Election Event”), the Administrative Agent and the Borrower shall endeavor to establish an alternate rate of interest to the Eurodollar Rate that gives due consideration to the then prevailing market convention for determining a rate of interest for leveraged syndicated loans in the United States at such time, and shall enter into an amendment to this Agreement to reflect such alternate rate of interest and such other related changes to this Agreement as may be applicable or reasonably required in connection therewith as agreed between the Administrative Agent and the Borrower. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement (including without limitation Section 11.01), such amendment shall become effective without any further action or consent of any other party to this Agreement or any other Person (other than the Administrative Agent and the Borrower) so long as, with respect to the Lenders, the Administrative Agent shall not have received, within five (5) Business Days after the date that notice of such alternate rate of interest and related modifications is provided to the Lenders, a written notice from the Required Lenders stating that they object to such amendment (which amendment shall not be effective prior to the end of such five (5) Business Day notice period). To the extent an alternate rate of interest is adopted as contemplated hereby, the approved rate shall be applied in a manner consistent with prevailing market convention; provided, that, to the extent such prevailing market convention is not administratively feasible for the Administrative Agent, such approved rate shall be applied in a manner as otherwise reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, if such alternate rate of interest as determined in this paragraph is determined to be less than zero, such rate shall be deemed to be zero for the purposes of this Agreement.

 

Section 3.04.        Increased Costs. If any Change in Law shall:

 

(a)        impose, modify or deem applicable any reserve, special deposit compulsory loan, insurance charge or similar requirement against assets of, deposits with or for the account of, or credit extended or participated in by, any Lender;

 

(b)        subject any Lender or L/C Issuer to any Taxes (other than (A) Indemnified Taxes, (B)  Taxes described in clauses (b) through (d) of the definition of Excluded Taxes and (C) Connection Income Taxes) on its loans, loan principal, letters of credit, commitments, or other obligations, or its deposits, reserves, other liabilities or capital attributable thereto; or

 

 

(c)        impose on any Lender or the L/C Issuer or the London interbank market any other condition, cost or expense (other than Taxes) affecting this Agreement or Eurocurrency Rate Loans made by such Lender or any Letter of Credit or participation therein;

 

and the result of any of the foregoing shall be to increase the cost to such Lender of making, converting to, continuing or maintaining any Loan or of maintaining its obligation to make any such Loan, or to increase the cost to such Lender, or such L/C Issuer of participating in, issuing or maintaining any Letter of Credit (or of maintaining its obligation to participate in or to issue any Letter of Credit), or to reduce the amount of any sum received or receivable by such Lender or L/C Issuer hereunder (whether of principal, interest or any other amount) then, upon request of such Lender or L/C Issuer, the Borrower will pay to such Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or L/C Issuer, as the case may be, for such additional costs incurred or reduction suffered; provided further that no Lender or L/C Issuer shall make a demand for payment hereunder unless such Lender or such L/C Issuer is also making demand for reimbursement of the relevant amounts from similarly situated borrowers under comparable syndicated credit facilities.

 

Section 3.05.        Capital Requirements. If any Lender determines that any Change in Law affecting such Lender or any Lending Office of such Lender or such Lender’s holding company, if any, regarding capital or liquidity requirements has or would have the effect of reducing the rate of return on such Lender’s capital or on the capital of such Lender’s holding company, if any, as a consequence of this Agreement, the Commitments of such Lender or the Loans made by such Lender to a level below that which such Lender or such Lender’s holding company could have achieved but for such Change in Law other than due to Taxes (taking into consideration such Lender’s policies and the policies of such Lender’s holding company with respect to capital adequacy and liquidity), then from time to time, the Borrower will pay to such Lender such additional amount or amounts as will compensate such Lender or such Lender’s holding company for any such reduction suffered; provided that no Lender shall make a demand for payment hereunder unless such Lender is also making demand for reimbursement of the relevant amounts from similarly situated borrowers under comparable syndicated credit facilities.

 

Section 3.06.        Reserves on Eurocurrency Rate Loans.

 

(a)        If any Lender is required to maintain reserves with respect to liabilities or assets consisting of or including Eurocurrency funds or deposits (currently known as “Eurocurrency liabilities”), the Borrower shall pay to such Lender additional interest on the unpaid principal amount of each Eurocurrency Rate Loan equal to the actual costs of such reserves allocated to such Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error), which shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan, provided the Borrower shall have received at least fifteen days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) of such additional interest from such Lender. If a Lender fails to give notice fifteen days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest shall be due and payable fifteen days from receipt of such notice.

 

(b)        If any Lender is required to comply with any reserve ratio requirement or analogous requirement of any central banking or financial regulatory authority or other Governmental Authority imposed in respect of the maintenance of the Commitments or the funding of the Eurocurrency Rate Loans, the Borrower shall pay such additional costs (expressed as a percentage per annum and rounded upwards, if necessary, to the nearest five decimal places) equal to the actual costs allocated to such Commitment or Loan by such Lender (as determined by such Lender in good faith, which determination shall be conclusive absent manifest error) which in each case shall be due and payable on each date on which interest is payable on such Loan. Any Lender requesting payment from the Borrower under Section 3.06(a) or (b) shall give the Borrower at least fifteen days’ prior notice (with a copy to the Administrative Agent). If a Lender fails to give notice fifteen days prior to the relevant Interest Payment Date, such additional interest or cost shall be due and payable fifteen days from receipt of such notice.

 

 

Section 3.07.        Funding Losses. Upon demand of any Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), the Borrower shall promptly compensate such Lender for and hold such Lender harmless from any actual loss, cost or expense incurred by it as a result of:

 

(a)        any continuation, conversion, payment or prepayment of any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period for such Loan (whether voluntary, mandatory, automatic, by reason of acceleration, or otherwise);

 

(b)        any failure by the Borrower (for a reason other than the failure of such Lender to make a Loan) to prepay, borrow, continue or convert any Loan other than a Base Rate Loan on the date or in the amount notified by the Borrower; or

 

(c)        any assignment of a Eurocurrency Rate Loan on a day other than the last day of the Interest Period therefor as a result of a request by the Borrower pursuant to Section 3.09(a) or Section 11.01; including any actual loss or expense arising from the liquidation or reemployment of funds obtained by such Lender to maintain such Loan, or from fees payable to terminate the deposits from which such funds were obtained.

 

Section 3.08.        Matters Applicable to All Requests for Compensation.

 

(a)        Any Agent or any Lender claiming compensation under this Article 3 shall deliver a certificate to the Borrower contemporaneously with the demand for payment setting forth in reasonable detail a calculation of the additional amount or amounts to be paid to it hereunder which shall be conclusive in the absence of manifest error. In determining such amount, such Agent or such Lender may use any reasonable averaging and attribution methods. The Borrower shall pay such Lender the amount shown as due on any such certificate within 30 days after receipt thereof. For the avoidance of doubt, any additional amounts required to be paid pursuant to Section 3.01 are not subject to the limitations set forth in this Section 3.08(a).

 

(b)        Except as provided in the following sentence, failure or delay on the part of any Lender to demand compensation pursuant to the provisions of this Article 3 shall not constitute a waiver of such Lender’s right to demand such compensation. With respect to any Lender’s claim for compensation under any of Sections 3.02 through 3.07, the Borrower shall not be required to compensate such Lender for any amount incurred more than 180 days prior to the date that such Lender notifies the Borrower of the event that gives rise to such claim; provided that, if the circumstance giving rise to such increased cost or reduction is retroactive, then such 180-day period referred to above shall be extended to include the period of retroactive effect thereof. If any Lender requests compensation from the Borrower under any of Sections 3.04 through 3.06, the Borrower may, by notice to such Lender (with a copy to the Administrative Agent), suspend the obligation of such Lender to make or continue from one Interest Period to another Eurocurrency Rate Loans, or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurocurrency Rate Loans, until the event or condition giving rise to such request ceases to be in effect (in which case the provisions of Section 3.08(c) shall be applicable); provided that such suspension shall not affect the right of such Lender to receive the compensation so requested.

 

 

(c)        If the obligation of any Lender to make or continue from one Interest Period to another any Eurocurrency Rate Loan (or to convert Base Rate Loans into Eurocurrency Rate Loans) shall be suspended pursuant to Section 3.08(b) hereof, such Lender’s Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be automatically converted into Base Rate Loans on the last day(s) of the then current Interest Period(s) for such Eurocurrency Rate Loans (or, in the case of an immediate conversion required by Section 3.02, on such earlier date as required by Law) and, unless and until such Lender gives notice as provided below that the circumstances specified in Sections 3.02 through 3.06 hereof that gave rise to such conversion no longer exist:

 

(i)        to the extent that such Lender’s Eurocurrency Rate Loans have been so converted, all payments and prepayments of principal that would otherwise be applied to such Lender’s Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be applied instead to its Base Rate Loans; and

 

(ii)        all Loans that would otherwise be made or continued from one Interest Period to another by such Lender as Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall be made or continued instead as Base Rate Loans, and all Base Rate Loans of such Lender that would otherwise be converted into Eurocurrency Rate Loans shall remain as Base Rate Loans.

 

(d)        If any Lender gives notice to the Borrower (with a copy to the Administrative Agent) that the circumstances specified in any of Sections 3.02 through 3.06 that gave rise to the conversion of such Lender’s Eurocurrency Rate Loans pursuant to this Section 3.08 no longer exist (which such Lender agrees to do promptly upon such circumstances ceasing to exist) at a time when Eurocurrency Rate Loans made by other Lenders are outstanding, such Lender’s Base Rate Loans shall be automatically converted, on the first day(s) of the next succeeding Interest Period(s) for such outstanding Eurocurrency Rate Loans, to the extent necessary so that, after giving effect thereto, all Loans held by the Lenders holding Eurocurrency Rate Loans and by such Lender are held pro rata (as to principal amounts, interest rate basis, and Interest Periods) in accordance with their respective Commitments.

 

(e)           (i)        If the Borrower is required to pay any Indemnified Taxes or additional amounts to any Recipient or any Governmental Authority for the account of any Recipient pursuant to Section 3.01, then such Recipient shall use reasonable efforts to designate a different Lending Office for funding or booking its Loans hereunder or to assign its rights and obligations hereunder to another of its offices, branches or affiliates, if, in the judgment of such Recipient, such designation or assignment (A) would eliminate amounts payable pursuant to Section 3.01 in the future and (B) would not subject such Recipient to any unreimbursed cost or expense and would not otherwise be disadvantageous to such Recipient. The Borrower hereby agrees to pay all reasonable costs and expenses incurred by any Recipient in connection with any such designation or assignment.

 

(ii)        Each Lender agrees that if any Lender (A) requests compensation under any of Sections 3.04 through 3.06, or (B) notifies the Borrower that it has determined that it is unlawful for its applicable Lending Office to make, maintain or fund Eurocurrency Rate Loans, or to determine or charge interest rates based upon the Eurocurrency Rate and/or the provisions of Section 3.03 apply, then such Lender will, if requested by the Borrower, use commercially reasonable efforts to designate another Lending Office for any Loan or Letter of Credit affected by such event; provided that in each case, such efforts are made on terms that, in the reasonable judgment of such Lender, cause such Lender and its Lending Office(s) to suffer no material economic, legal or regulatory disadvantage, and provided further that nothing in this Section 3.08(e) shall affect or postpone any of the Obligations of the Borrower or the rights of such Lender pursuant to Sections 3.02 or 3.04 through 3.06.

 

 

Section 3.09.        Replacement of Lenders Under Certain Circumstances.

 

(a) If at any time:

 

(i)        the Borrower becomes obligated to pay additional amounts or indemnity payments described in Section 3.01 or Sections 3.04 through 3.06, as a result of any condition described in such Sections or any Lender ceases to make Eurocurrency Rate Loans as a result of any condition described in Section 3.02, Section 3.03 or Sections 3.04 through 3.06 and, in each case, such Lender has declined or is unable to designate a different Lending Office to eliminate such costs in accordance with Section 3.08(e), or

 

(ii)       any Lender becomes a Defaulting Lender, then the Borrower may, on three Business Days’ prior written notice to the Administrative Agent and such Lender, and at its sole expense and effort, either:

 

(A)        replace such Lender by causing such Lender to (and such Lender shall be obligated to) assign 100% of its relevant Commitments and the principal of its relevant outstanding Loans at par plus any accrued and unpaid interest pursuant to Section 11.07(d) (with the assignment fee to be paid by the Borrower unless waived by the Administrative Agent in such instance) all of its relevant rights other than its existing rights to payments under Section 3.01 or Section 3.04 and obligations under this Agreement to one or more Eligible Assignees; provided that in the case of any such assignment resulting from a claim for compensation under Section 3.04 or payments required to be made pursuant to Section 3.01, such assignment will result in a reduction in such compensation or payments thereafter; provided further that neither the Administrative Agent nor any Lender shall have any obligation to the Borrower to find a replacement Lender or other such Person; or

 

(B)        terminate the Commitment of such Lender and repay all obligations of the Borrower owing to such Lender relating to the Loans and participations in L/C Obligations held by such Lender as of such termination date; provided, however, that in the case of a Defaulting Lender only, the Borrower shall have the right to take such action as it may elect (including no action) under the immediately preceding clauses (A) and/or (B) independently and at different times with respect to any one or more Class or Classes of Loans (and the related Commitments) of such Defaulting Lender, without being obligated to take the same action with respect to all Classes of Loans and related Commitments of such Defaulting Lender.

 

(b)        Any Lender being replaced pursuant to Section 3.09(a) above shall (i) execute and deliver an Assignment and Assumption with respect to such Lender’s applicable Commitment and outstanding Loans and related participations in L/C Obligations, and (ii) deliver any Notes evidencing such Loans to the Borrower or the Administrative Agent.

 

 

(c)        Pursuant to an Assignment and Assumption arising by operation of Section 3.09(b), (i) the assignee Lender shall acquire all or a portion, as the case may be, of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and outstanding Loans and participations in L/C Obligations, (ii) all obligations of the Borrower owing to the assigning Lender relating to the Loans and participations so assigned shall be paid in full by the assignee Lender to such assigning Lender concurrently with the execution of such Assignment and Assumption and (iii) upon such payment and, if so requested by the assignee Lender, delivery to the assignee Lender of the appropriate Note or Notes executed by the Borrower, the assignee Lender shall become a Lender hereunder and the assigning Lender shall cease to be a Lender hereunder with respect to such assigned Loans, Commitments and participations, except with respect to indemnification provisions under this Agreement, which shall survive as to such assigning Lender. In the event the assignee Lender has not executed the Assignment and Assumption within one (1) Business Day following request, the Administrative Agent is hereby authorized to execute such Assignment and Assumption on behalf of such Lender.

 

(d)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, (i) any Lender that acts as L/C Issuer may not be replaced by operation of this Section 3.09 at any time that it has any Letter of Credit outstanding unless arrangements reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer (including the furnishing of a back-up standby letter of credit in form and substance, and issued by an issuer reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer or the depositing of cash collateral into a Cash Collateral Account in amounts and pursuant to arrangements reasonably satisfactory to such L/C Issuer) have been made with respect to such outstanding Letter of Credit and (ii) any Lender that acts as Administrative Agent may not be replaced by operation of this Section 3.09 except in accordance with the terms of Section 9.09.

 

(e)        The Borrower shall also be entitled to replace a Dissenting Lender in accordance with Section 11.01(f).

 

Section 3.10.        Survival. All of the Borrower’s obligations under this Article 3 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations hereunder.

 

ARTICLE 4

 

CONDITIONS PRECEDENT TO CREDIT EXTENSIONS

 

Section 4.01.        Conditions of Initial Credit Extension. The obligation of each Lender to make its initial Credit Extension hereunder is subject to satisfaction of the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)        The Administrative Agent’s (or its counsel’s) receipt of the following, each properly executed by a Responsible Officer of the signing Loan Party (as applicable), each in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent:

 

(i)        executed counterparts of this Agreement, the Security Agreement and each Intellectual Property Security Agreement (or written evidence satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (which may include a facsimile or other electronic transmission) that such party has signed a counterpart);

 

(ii)        a Note executed by the Borrower in favor of each Lender requesting a Note to the extent such Lender requests such Note at least two Business Days prior to the Closing Date;

 

 

(iii)         a certificate dated the Closing Date and executed by a Responsible Officer of each of the Loan Parties, certifying (A)(x) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of the articles or certificate of incorporation or other comparable organizational documents of such Loan Party, certified by the relevant authority of the jurisdiction of organization of such Loan Party and a true and complete copy of the bylaws, operating or comparable governing document of such Loan Party, if applicable, and (y) that such documents or agreements have not been amended (except as otherwise attached to such certificate and certified therein as being the only amendments thereto as of such date) and (B)(x) that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions or written consents of its shareholders or board of directors or other relevant governing body, as the case may be, authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party, and that such resolutions or written consents have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect without amendment, modification or rescission, and (y) as to the incumbency and genuineness of the signature of the officers, directors, managers or other authorized signatories of each Loan Party, executing this Agreement and the other Loan Documents to which it is a party.

 

(iv)         the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate as of a recent date of the good standing (or equivalent) of each of the Loan Parties under the laws of its jurisdiction of organization from the relevant authority of its jurisdiction of organization (solely to the extent such concept is applicable for the relevant jurisdiction);

 

(v)          the legal opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, acting as New York counsel for the Borrower and each other Loan Party, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender and reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent;

 

(vi)         a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, dated as of the Closing Date, as to the matters set forth in Section 4.01(c), (g), (h) and (i);

 

(vii)        a Loan Notice or Letter of Credit Application, as applicable, relating to the initial Credit Extension;

 

(viii)       a certificate from the chief financial officer, chief accounting officer or other Responsible Officer of the Borrower attesting to the Solvency of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis after giving effect to the Transactions on the Closing Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit L hereto;

 

(ix)         subject to the last paragraph of this Section 4.01, each document (including any UCC (or similar) financing statement) required by the applicable Collateral Documents to be filed, registered or recorded in order to create in favor of the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, a perfected Lien on the Collateral required to be delivered on the Closing Date, prior and superior in right to any other Person (other than with respect to Liens permitted under this Agreement), shall be in proper form for filing, registration or recordation;

 

(x)          certificates representing any certificated Pledged Equity referred to therein accompanied by undated stock powers executed in blank and instruments evidencing the Pledged Debt endorsed in blank;

 

(xi)         a completed Perfection Certificate, dated the Closing Date and executed by a Responsible Officer of the Loan Parties; and

 

(xii)        Intellectual Property Security Agreements, if any, duly executed by each Loan Party required to execute such Intellectual Property Security Agreement pursuant to the Security Agreement, in proper form for filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, as applicable;

 

(b)        all fees and expenses required to be paid by (or on behalf of) the Borrower to the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers and the Lenders on or before the Closing Date (including fees pursuant to the Fee Letters) shall have been paid in full in cash (which amounts may be offset against the loan proceeds funded on the Closing Date) (and in the case of expenses, to the extent invoiced at least three (3) Business Days prior to the Closing Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower)).

 

 

(c)        since November 7, 2018, there shall not have occurred and be continuing any Closing Date Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)        No later than three Business Days prior to the Closing Date, the Administrative Agent shall have received the applicable IRS Form W-8 or IRS Form W-9 (or other applicable tax form) and all documentation and other information reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent (on behalf of any Lender) in writing at least ten (10) days in advance of the Closing Date, which documentation or other information is reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent or applicable lender to be required by United States regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including without limitation the USA PATRIOT Act (including, for the avoidance of doubt, a Beneficial Ownership Certification).

 

(e)        The Arranger shall have received the Specified Financial Statements and the Pro Forma Financial Statements.

 

(f)        The Refinancing shall have been consummated, or shall be consummated substantially simultaneously with the borrowing of the Initial Term Loans.

 

(g)        The Equity Contribution shall have been made, or will be made substantially simultaneously with the borrowing of the Initial Term Loans.

 

(h)        The Acquisition shall have been consummated, or substantially simultaneously with the borrowings of the initial Credit Extension hereunder, shall be consummated, in all material respects in accordance with the terms of the Acquisition Agreement, after giving effect to any modifications, amendments, consents or waivers, other than those modifications, amendments, consents or waivers by the Borrower that are materially adverse to the interests of the Lenders.

 

(i)        The Specified Acquisition Agreement Representations and the Specified Representations shall be true and correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date (except in the case of any such representation that (a) is made as of a specified date, such representations and warranties shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such specified date and (b) is by its terms qualified by materiality or Material Adverse Effect, such representation shall be true and correct in all respects).

 

Without limiting the generality of the provisions of Section 9.03(b), for purposes of determining compliance with the conditions specified in this Section 4.01, each Lender that has signed this Agreement shall be deemed to have consented to, approved or accepted or to be satisfied with, each document or other matter required thereunder to be consented to or approved by or acceptable or satisfactory to a Lender unless the Administrative Agent shall have received notice from such Lender prior to the proposed Closing Date specifying its objection thereto.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, none of the making of any representation under Article 5 (except as expressly set forth in Section 4.01(i)) or the accuracy of any such representation or any supplement thereto (except as expressly set forth in Section 4.01(i)) shall constitute a condition precedent to the availability and/or initial funding of the Facilities on the Closing Date, and the only conditions (express or implied) to the availability of the Facilities on the Closing Date are those expressly set forth in this Section 4.01, and such conditions shall be subject in all respects to the provisions of this Section 4.01, including the paragraph below.

 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, to the extent any Guaranty or Collateral (including the creation or perfection of any security interest) is not or cannot be provided on the Closing Date (other than, (i) the Guaranties executed by the Loan Parties, (ii) a Lien on Collateral of the Loan Parties that may be perfected solely by the filing of a financing statement under the UCC and (iii) a pledge of the Equity Interests of the Loan Parties (other than Holdings) with respect to which a Lien may be perfected on the Closing Date by the delivery of a stock or equivalent certificate (or entry in a stock register or equivalent)) after the Borrower’s or Holdings’ use of commercially reasonable efforts to do so without undue burden or expense, then the provision of any such Guaranty or Lien search and the provision and/or perfection of such Collateral (and, in the case of any such Guaranty or Collateral, any legal opinion or other deliverables with respect thereto required under Sections 4.01(a)(v)) shall not constitute a condition precedent to the availability and initial funding of the Loans on the Closing Date but instead shall be required to be delivered and/or perfected within (X) in the case of certificated equity interests, ten (10) business days after the Closing Date and (Y) in the case of other Collateral, ninety (90) days after the Closing Date (or, in each case, such longer period as may be agreed by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion) pursuant to arrangements to be mutually agreed by the Borrower and the Administrative Agent acting reasonably.

 

Section 4.02.        Conditions to All Credit Extensions. The obligation of each Lender to honor any Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type, or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans and/or any Credit Extension governed by Sections 2.16, but only with respect to the applicable Commitments) is, in each case, as qualified by the LCT Provisions, if applicable, subject to the following conditions precedent:

 

(a)        The representations and warranties of each Loan Party contained in Article 5 or any other Loan Document shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified) on and as of the date of such Credit Extension, except to the extent that such representations and warranties specifically refer to an earlier date, in which case they shall be true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date.

 

(b)        No Default or Event of Default shall exist, or would result from such Credit Extension or from the application of the proceeds therefrom.

 

(c)        The Administrative Agent and, if applicable, the relevant L/C Issuer shall have received a Request for Credit Extension in accordance with the requirements hereof.

 

Each Request for Credit Extension (other than a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Loans and/or any Credit Extension governed by Sections 2.16) submitted by the Borrower shall be deemed to be a representation and warranty that the conditions specified in Section 4.02(a) and 4.02(b) have been satisfied on and as of the date of the applicable Credit Extension.

 

ARTICLE 5

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

 

On the dates and solely to the extent required pursuant to Sections 4.01 or 4.02 hereof, as applicable, each of Holdings and each other Loan Party party hereto hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders that:

 

 

Section 5.01.        Existence, Qualification and Power; Compliance with Laws. Each Restricted Company (a) is a Person, validly existing and (where applicable) in good standing under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization, (b) has all requisite power and authority to (i) own or lease its assets and carry on its business and (ii) execute, deliver and perform its obligations under the Loan Documents to which it is a party, (c) is duly qualified and (where applicable) in good standing under the Laws of each jurisdiction where its ownership, lease or operation of properties or the conduct of its business requires such qualification, (d) is in compliance with all Laws (including, without limitation, Environmental Laws), orders, writs and injunctions, and (e) has all requisite governmental permits, licenses, authorizations, consents and approvals to operate its business as currently conducted; except in each case referred to in clauses (a) (other than with respect to Holdings and the Borrower), (c), (d) or (e), to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 5.02.        Authorization; No Contravention. The execution, delivery and performance by each Loan Party of each Loan Document to which such Person is a party, and, as of the Closing Date, the consummation of the Transactions, are (a) within such Loan Party’s corporate or other powers, (b) have been duly authorized by all necessary corporate, shareholder or other organizational action, and (c) do not and will not (i) contravene the terms of any of such Person’s Organization Documents, (ii) conflict with or result in any breach or contravention of, or the creation of any Lien under (other than as permitted by Section 7.01), or require any payment to be made under, (A) any Contractual Obligation to which such Person is a party or affecting such Person or the properties of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries or (B) any order, injunction, writ or decree, of or with any Governmental Authority or any arbitral award to which such Person or its property is subject, or (iii) violate, in any material respect, any Law; except with respect to any conflict, breach or contravention or payment (but not creation of Liens) referred to in clause (ii) to the extent that such conflict, breach, contravention or payment could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 5.03.        Governmental Authorization; Other Consents. No material approval, consent, exemption, authorization, or other action by, or notice to, or filing with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person is necessary or required to be made or obtained by any Loan Party in connection with (a) the execution, delivery or performance by any Loan Party of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (b) the grant by any Loan Party of the Liens granted by it pursuant to the Collateral Documents, (c) the perfection or maintenance of the Liens created under the Collateral Documents (including the priority thereof) or (d) the exercise by the Administrative Agent or any Lender of its rights under the Loan Documents or the remedies in respect of the Collateral pursuant to the Collateral Documents, except for (i) the Perfection Requirements, (ii) the approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices and filings which have been duly obtained, taken, given or made and are in full force, (iii) those approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices or filings described in the Security Agreement and (iv) those approvals, consents, exemptions, authorizations, actions, notices or filings, the failure of which to obtain or make could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

Section 5.04.        Binding Effect. This Agreement and each other Loan Document has been duly executed and delivered by each Loan Party that is party thereto. This Agreement and each other Loan Document constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of each Loan Party that is a party thereto, enforceable against such Loan Party in accordance with its terms.

 

Section 5.05.        Financial Statements; No Material Adverse Effect.

 

(a)        The Specified Financial Statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition of the Target and its Subsidiaries as of the date thereof and their results of operations and cash flows for the period covered thereby in accordance with GAAP consistently applied throughout the period covered thereby, except as otherwise expressly noted therein (and, with respect to unaudited financial statements, the absence of footnotes and subject to such adjustments as would be made in connection with the audit of financial statements for the relevant period).

 

(b)        The unaudited pro forma consolidated balance sheet and related pro forma unaudited consolidated statement of operations of the Target and its consolidated subsidiaries as and for the twelve-month period ending on September 30, 2018 (the “Pro Forma Financial Statements”), have been prepared in good faith based on assumptions believed by the Borrower to be reasonable as of the date of delivery thereof as if the Transactions had occurred as of such date (in the case of such balance sheet) or at the beginning of such period (in the case of such statement of operations).

 

(c)        Since the Closing Date, there has been no change, effect, event or, occurrence that has had or would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 5.06.        Litigation and Environmental Matters.

 

(a)        Except as disclosed in Schedule 5.06, there are no actions, suits, proceedings, claims or disputes pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings or the Borrower, threatened in writing, at law, in equity, in arbitration or before any Governmental Authority, by or against Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or against any of their properties or revenues that, either individually or in the aggregate, would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(b)        Other than as would not, individually or in the aggregate, reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (i) none of Holdings nor any of its Subsidiaries is subject to, or has received notice of any claim with respect to, any Environmental Liability and (ii) Holdings and its Subsidiaries have been and are in compliance with all Environmental Laws and have obtained, maintained and complied with all permits, licenses or other approvals required under any Environmental Law.

 

Section 5.07.        Ownership of Property; Liens. Each of the Restricted Companies has good record title in fee simple to, or valid leasehold interests in, or easements or other limited property interests in, all real property necessary in the ordinary conduct of its business, free and clear of all Liens, except (i) for minor defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business (ii) Liens permitted by Section 7.01 and (iii) except where the failure to have such title or the existence of such Lien could not reasonably be expected to have, individually or in the aggregate, a Material Adverse Effect. Each of the Restricted Companies own, or to the knowledge of the Borrower, possess the right to use, all of the trademarks, service marks, trade names, copyrights, patents, patent rights, franchises, licenses, database rights and design rights and other intellectual property rights (collectively, “ IP Rights”) that are reasonably necessary for the operation of its business, without conflict with the rights of any other Person. To the knowledge of Holdings, the conduct of the business of each Restricted Company does not infringe upon any IP Rights held by any other Person. No claim or litigation regarding any of the foregoing is pending or, to the knowledge of Holdings, threatened.

 

 

Section 5.08.        Anti-Corruption Laws and Sanctions.

 

(a)        None of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of Holdings or any of the other Loan Parties, directors, officers, employees, agents or Affiliates of Holdings or any of the Loan Parties, is a Person that is, or is owned or controlled by Persons that are (i) the subject or target of any economic, financial or trade sanctions administered or enforced by the U.S. government (including OFAC and the U.S. State Department), the United Nations Security Council, the European Union, the United Kingdom (including the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation of Her Majesty’s Treasury) or any relevant national or supra-national governmental authority with jurisdiction over any Loan Party (collectively, “Sanctions”) or (ii) located, organized or resident in a country or territory that is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions (including, without limitation, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria). The Borrower will not, directly or indirectly, use the proceeds of the Loans, or lend, contribute or otherwise make available such proceeds to any subsidiary, joint venture partner or other Person to fund any activities or business of or with any Person, or in any country or territory that, at the time of such funding, is, or whose government is, the subject of Sanctions, or in any other manner that would constitute or give rise to a violation of Sanctions by any party hereto.

 

(b)        None of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries nor, to the knowledge of Holdings or any of the other Loan Parties, directors, officers employees, agents or Affiliates of Holdings or any of the other Loan Parties, has taken any action, directly or indirectly, that would constitute or give rise to a material violation by such persons of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder (the “FCPA”) or any other applicable anti-corruption law; and Holdings and its Subsidiaries have instituted and maintain policies and procedures designed to promote and achieve continued compliance therewith. The Borrower will not, directly or indirectly, use any part of the proceeds of the Loans for any payments to any governmental official or employee, political party, official of a political party, candidate for political office, or anyone else acting in an official capacity in violation of the FCPA or any other applicable anti-corruption law. Holdings and its Subsidiaries are in compliance, in all material respects, with the USA Patriot Act and all other applicable anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing laws and regulations.

 

Section 5.09.        Taxes. Holdings and its Subsidiaries have filed all U.S. Federal income and other material tax returns and reports required to be filed, and have paid or made provision for payment of all Taxes, assessments and other governmental charges levied or imposed upon them or their properties, income or assets otherwise due and payable, except those (a) that are being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted and for which adequate reserves have been provided in accordance with GAAP, or (b) with respect to which the failure to make such filing or payment could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 5.10.        ERISA Compliance.

 

(a)        Each Plan and Pension Plan is in compliance in all material respects with the applicable provisions of ERISA and the Code except to the extent that non-compliance could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. In the preceding five years, each Loan Party and, to the knowledge of Holdings, each ERISA Affiliate have made all required contributions to each Pension Plan subject to Section 412 of the Code, and in the preceding five years, no application for a waiver of the minimum funding standard or an extension of any amortization period pursuant to Section 412 of the Code has been made with respect to any Plan or Pension Plan, except to the extent a failure to make such contributions or application, as the case may be, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

(b)        There are no pending or, to the knowledge of any Specified Responsible Officer of Holdings or the Borrower, threatened claims, actions or lawsuits, or action by any Governmental Authority, with respect to any Plan or Pension Plan that would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect. There has been no prohibited transaction or violation of the fiduciary responsibility rules with respect to any Plan or Pension Plan that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)        (i) No ERISA Event has occurred or is reasonably expected to occur and (ii) neither Holdings nor to the knowledge of Holdings, any ERISA Affiliate has engaged in a transaction that could be subject to Sections 4069 or 4212(c) of ERISA, except, with respect to each of the foregoing clauses of this Section 5.10(c), as could not reasonably be expected, individually or in the aggregate, to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(d)        As of the Closing Date, no Loan Party is and no Loan Party will become (i) an “employee benefit plan” as defined in, and subject to Title I of ERISA, (ii) a “plan” as defined in, and subject to Section 4975 of the Code; (iii) an entity deemed to hold Plan Assets of any such plans; or (iv) a “governmental plan” within the meaning of Section 3(32) of ERISA.

 

Section 5.11.        Subsidiaries; Equity Interests. (a) As of the Closing Date, the Equity Interests of each Restricted Subsidiary that are owned directly or indirectly by Holdings are owned free and clear of all Liens except for any Lien permitted under Section 7.01 and (b) as of the Closing Date, Schedule 5.11 sets forth the name and jurisdiction of organization of each Subsidiary (other than Immaterial Subsidiaries) and (i) sets forth the ownership interest of Holdings and any other Subsidiary in each such Subsidiary, including the percentage of such ownership.

 

Section 5.12.        Margin Regulations; Investment Company Act.

 

(a)        No proceeds of any Borrowings or drawings under any Letter of Credit will be used to purchase or carry any margin stock or to extend credit to others for the purpose of purchasing or carrying any margin stock in violation of Regulation U, T or X issued by the FRB. Neither Holdings nor any of its Restricted Subsidiaries is engaged or will engage, principally or as one of its important activities, in the business of extending credit for the purpose of “purchasing” or “carrying” “margin stock” within the respective meanings of each of the quoted terms under Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

 

(b)        Neither Holdings nor any of its Restricted Subsidiary is or is required to be registered as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

Section 5.13.        Disclosure. As of the Closing Date (a) all written information and written data other than (i) customary financial estimates, forecasts and other projections delivered to the any Agent or any Lender by any Loan Party (such financial estimates, forecasts and projections, the “Projections”) and (ii) Information that has been or will be made available to any Agent or any Lender by the Borrower in connection with the Transactions did not or will not when furnished, taken as a whole, contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary in order to make the statements contained therein not materially misleading in light of the circumstances under which such statements are made (after giving effect to all supplements and updates thereto from time to time) and (b) the Projections contained in the Information have been or will be prepared in good faith based upon assumptions that are believed to be reasonable by such Loan Party at the time such Projections are so furnished based on information provided by any such Loan Party or its representatives; it being understood that the Projections are (i) as to future events and are not to be viewed as facts, the Projections are subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, that no assurance can be given that any particular Projections will be realized and that actual results during the period or periods covered by any such Projections may differ significantly from the projected results and such differences may be material and (ii) not a guarantee of performance. For the avoidance of doubt, no representation is made with respect to information of a general economic or general industry nature and to the extent the representations made in this Section 5.13 relate to the Target and its Subsidiaries, such representations are made to the best of the knowledge of each Loan Party.

 

 

 

Section 5.14.     Solvency.  On the Closing Date, after giving effect to the Transactions, the Borrower and its Subsidiaries are, on a consolidated basis, Solvent.

 

Section 5.15.     Perfection, Etc.  All filings and other actions necessary to perfect and protect the Liens in the Collateral, created under and in the manner contemplated by the Collateral Documents (including any Perfection Requirements set forth herein or therein) have been duly made or taken or otherwise provided for and are in full force and effect, and the Collateral Documents create in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties a valid and, together with such filings and other actions, perfected first priority Lien in the Collateral, securing the payment of the Secured Obligations, subject to Liens permitted by Section 7.01. The Loan Parties are the legal and beneficial owners of the Collateral free and clear of any Lien, except for the Liens created or permitted under the Loan Documents.

 

Section 5.16.     Use of Proceeds.  The Borrower will use the proceeds of the Loans and will request the issuance of Letters of Credit only for the purposes specified in Section 6.11 of this Agreement. The proceeds of the Loans and Letters of Credit will not be used in violation of FCPA or applicable Sanctions.

 

Section 5.17.     Labor Disputes.  As of the Closing Date, except as, individually or in the aggregate, would not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect: (a) there are no strikes, lockouts or slowdowns against any Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries pending or, to the knowledge of the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries, threatened and (b) the hours worked by and payments made to employees of any Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries have not been in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act or any other applicable Law dealing with such matters.

 

ARTICLE 6

AFFIRMATIVE COVENANTS

 

From the Closing Date to the date all Commitments hereunder have expired or terminated, all Loans or other Loan Obligations which are accrued and payable have been paid and satisfied, any Letter of Credit shall have been terminated or otherwise have been provided for in full in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer (such date, the “Termination Date”), Holdings and the Borrower shall, and shall (except in the case of the covenants set forth in Sections 6.01, 6.02, 6.03, 6.14, 6.18 and 6.19) cause each Restricted Subsidiary to:

 

 

Section 6.01.      Financial Statements.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender:

 

(a)           as soon as available, but in any event within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of Holdings ending after the Closing Date (or, with respect to the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, 150 days), a consolidated balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal year, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal year, setting forth in each case in comparative form, the figures for the previous fiscal year, and including a customary management’s discussion and analysis, all in reasonable detail and prepared in accordance with GAAP, and audited and accompanied by a report and opinion of KPMG or any other independent certified public accountant of nationally recognized standing, which report and opinion shall be prepared in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards and shall not be subject to any “going concern” qualification (other than an emphasis of matter paragraph) (other than with respect to, or resulting from, (x) a current debt maturity and/or (y) any potential default or event of default of any financial covenant under this Agreement and/or any other Indebtedness) or any qualification or exception as to the scope of such audit;

 

(b)           as soon as available, but in any event within 45 days after the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year of Holdings beginning with the first fiscal quarter ending after the Closing Date (or, with respect to the fiscal quarter ending March 31, 2019, 60 days), a consolidated and segmented balance sheet of Holdings and its Subsidiaries as at the end of such fiscal quarter, and the related consolidated statements of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows for such fiscal quarter and for the portion of the fiscal year then ended, setting forth, in each case, in comparative form, the figures for the corresponding fiscal quarter of the previous fiscal year and the corresponding portion of the previous fiscal year and including a customary management’s discussion and analysis, all in reasonable detail and certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as fairly presenting in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of Holdings and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes;

 

(c)          as soon as available, but in any event no later than the deadline for delivery of the financial statements in Section 6.01(a), commencing with the deadline for the financial statements for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018 and for each fiscal year thereafter prior to the consummation of a Qualifying IPO, forecasts prepared by management of the Borrower, a consolidated balance sheet, statements of operations and cash flow statements of Holdings and its Subsidiaries for the fiscal year after the fiscal year covered by such financial statements, which shall be prepared in good faith upon reasonable assumptions at the time of preparation), it being understood that actual results may vary from such forecasts and that such variations may be material; and

 

(d)           if there are any Unrestricted Subsidiaries as of the last day of any fiscal quarter, simultaneously with the delivery of a Compliance Certificate referred to in Section 6.02(a) below, the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries from such consolidated financial statements.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the obligations in paragraphs (a) through (b) of this Section 6.01 may be satisfied by furnishing (A) the applicable financial statements or other information required by such paragraphs of Holdings (or any other direct or indirect parent company of Holdings) and/or (B) Holdings’ (or any other direct or indirect parent company of Holdings), as applicable, Form 10-K or 10-Q, as applicable, filed with the SEC or otherwise made available to the Administrative Agent for delivery to the Lenders, in each case, within the time periods specified in such paragraphs; provided that with respect to each of clauses (A) and (B) hereof, (i) to the extent such financial statements relate to Holdings (or any other direct or indirect parent company of Holdings), the Compliance Certificate delivered in connection with such financial statements shall be accompanied by consolidating information that explains in reasonable detail the differences between the information relating to Holdings (or such other parent company), on the one hand, and the information relating to Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a standalone basis, on the other hand, which consolidating information shall be certified by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower as having been fairly presented in all material respects and (ii) to the extent such financial statements are in lieu of statements required to be provided under Section 6.01(a), the Compliance Certificate delivered in connection with such financial statements shall be accompanied by a report of an independent certified public accounting firm of nationally recognized standing, which statements, report and opinion may be subject to the same exceptions and qualifications as contemplated in Section 6.01(a).

 

 

Section 6.02.     Certificates; Other Information.  Deliver to the Administrative Agent for further distribution to each Lender:

 

(a)           no later than five Business Days after the delivery of each set of consolidated financial statements referred to in Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b), a duly completed Compliance Certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of the Borrower;

 

(b)           [reserved];

 

(c)           promptly after the receipt thereof by a Specified Responsible Officer of the Borrower and to the extent permitted by applicable Law, copies of each notice or other correspondence

received from any Governmental Authority concerning any material investigation or other material inquiry regarding any material violation of applicable Law by any Restricted Company, in each case of the foregoing, which would reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect (in each case, excluding any privileged information);

 

(d)           promptly after any request therefor, such additional information regarding the business or financial condition of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, or compliance with the terms of the Loan Documents, as the Administrative Agent may from time to time reasonably request; provided that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.02(f), none of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary will be required to disclose or permit the inspection or discussion of, any document, information or other matter (x) that constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (y) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) would be in breach of any confidentiality obligations, fiduciary duty or Law or (z) that is subject to attorney client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product; provided that, in the event the Borrower does not provide information in reliance on this sentence, the Borrower shall provide notice to the Administrative Agent that such information is being withheld and the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to communicate the applicable information in a way that would not violate the applicable obligation or risk waiver of such privilege.

 

Documents required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a), 6.01(b), 6.02(a) or 6.02(c) may be delivered electronically and, if so delivered, shall be deemed to have been delivered on the date (i) on which the Borrower (or any parent entity thereof) posts such documents, or provides a link thereto on the Borrower’s (or any such parent entity’s) website on the Internet at the website address listed on Schedule 11.02; or (ii) on which such documents are posted on the Borrower’s behalf on SyndTrak, IntraLinks, DebtDomain or other relevant website, to which each Lender and the Administrative Agent are granted access (whether a commercial, third-party website or whether sponsored by the Administrative Agent); provided that the Borrower shall notify (which may be by facsimile or electronic mail or by an automated electronic alert of a posting) the Administrative Agent of any such posting by the Borrower of any such documents which notice may be included in the certificate delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a). The Borrower hereby acknowledges that (A) the Administrative Agent will make available to the Lenders and the L/C Issuers materials and/or information provided by or on behalf of the Borrower hereunder (collectively, “ Borrower Materials”) by posting the Borrower Materials on SyndTrak, IntraLinks or another similar electronic system (the “Platform”) and (B) certain of the Lenders may be “Public-Side” Lenders (i.e., Lenders that wish to receive only information that (i) is publicly available, (ii) is not material with respect to Holdings, its subsidiaries or their respective securities for purposes of United States federal or state securities laws or (iii) constitutes information of the type that would be publicly available if Holdings, the Borrower or their respective subsidiaries were public reporting companies (collectively, the “Public Side Information”; any information that is not Public Side Information, “Private Side Information”)) (each, a “Public Lender”) . Each of the Borrower and Holdings hereby agrees that (x) it will identify that portion of the Borrower Materials that are to be made available to Public Lenders (including, by marking such materials “PUBLIC”) and (y) by marking Borrower Materials “PUBLIC,” it shall be deemed to have authorized the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders to treat such Borrower Materials as not containing any Private Side Information (it being understood that none of Holdings or its Restricted Subsidiaries or any parent entity thereof shall be under any obligation to mark the Borrower Materials “PUBLIC”). Each of the Administrative Agent and each Lender agrees that it shall treat any Borrower Materials that are not marked “PUBLIC” as being deemed to contain Private Side Information. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Borrower agrees that (i) any Loan Documents, (ii) any financial statements delivered pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and 6.01(b)), (iii) any Compliance Certificates delivered pursuant to Section 6.02(a) and (iv) notices delivered pursuant to Section 6.03(a) will be deemed to be Public Side Information and may be made available to Public Lenders.

 

 

Section 6.03.     Notices.  Promptly (but in no event later than five (5) Business Days after obtaining knowledge thereof) notify the Administrative Agent after a Specified Responsible Officer obtains knowledge of:

 

(a)          the occurrence of any Default; and

 

(b)           any matter that has resulted or would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, including any matter arising out of or resulting from (i) breach or non-performance of, or any default under, a Contractual Obligation of any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, (ii) any dispute, litigation, investigation, proceeding or suspension between any Loan Party or any Restricted Subsidiary and any Governmental Authority, (iii) the commencement of, or any material adverse development in, any litigation, investigation or proceeding affecting any Loan Party or any Subsidiary, or (iv) the occurrence of any ERISA Event.

 

Each notice pursuant to this Section 6.03 shall be accompanied by a written statement of a Responsible Officer of Holdings (x) that such notice is being delivered pursuant to Section 6.03(a) or 6.03(b) (as applicable) and (y) setting forth details of the occurrence referred to therein and stating what action Holdings has taken and proposes to take with respect thereto. Each notice pursuant to Section 6.03(a) shall describe to the extent known the provisions of this Agreement and any other Loan Document in respect of which such Default exists.

 

Section 6.04.      [Reserved].

 

Section 6.05.     Preservation of Existence, Etc.  (a) Preserve, renew and maintain in full force and effect its legal existence under the Laws of the jurisdiction of its organization except in a transaction permitted by Section 7.04 or Section 7.05 (and, in the case of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not the Borrower, to the extent the failure to do so, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect) and (b) take all reasonable action to maintain all rights, privileges (including its good standing), permits, licenses and franchises necessary or desirable in the normal conduct of its business, except to the extent that failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

 

Section 6.06.     Maintenance of Properties.  Except if the failure to do so could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect, (a) maintain, preserve and protect all of its material properties and equipment necessary in the operation of its business in good working order, ordinary wear and tear excepted and casualty and condemnation excepted, and (b) make all necessary renewals, replacements, modifications, improvements, upgrades, extensions and additions to material properties and equipment in accordance with prudent industry practice.

 

Section 6.07.     Maintenance of Insurance.  Maintain with financially sound and reputable insurance companies, insurance of such types and in such amounts (after giving effect to any self-insurance) reasonable and customary for similarly situated Persons engaged in the same or similar businesses as Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries as are customarily carried under similar circumstances by such other Persons (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, cyber liability insurance or directors and officers insurance, in each case except to the extent required by Law), except, in the case of Non-U.S. Subsidiaries, to the extent that the failure to maintain such insurance with respect to one or more Non-U.S. Subsidiaries could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect. With respect to any Material Real Property that is subject to a Mortgage (collectively, the “Mortgaged Properties”) and located in an area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as having special flood or mudslide hazards, obtain flood insurance from such provider, on such terms, and in such total amount as to comply with the National Flood Insurance Program as set forth in the Flood Insurance Laws or as otherwise required by the Required Lenders.

 

Section 6.08.     Compliance with Laws.  Comply with the requirements of all Laws (including, without limitation, Environmental Laws, ERISA, OFAC, FCPA and other applicable anti-corruption law and other laws applicable to sanctioned persons) and, in each case, all orders, writs, injunctions, and decrees applicable to it or to its business or property, except if the failure to comply therewith could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect or the necessity of compliance therewith is being contested in good faith by appropriate proceedings; provided that with respect to (i) Sanctions, the Borrower shall, and shall cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, comply in all respects and (ii) the FCPA and other applicable anti-corruption laws, the Borrower shall, and shall cause each Restricted Subsidiary to, comply in all material respects.

 

Section 6.09.     Books and Records.  Maintain proper books of record and account, in a manner to allow financial statements to be prepared in conformity with GAAP consistently applied shall be made of all material financial transactions and matters involving the assets and business of Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be.

 

Section 6.10.      Inspection Rights.  With respect to any Loan Party, permit representatives or agents of the Administrative Agent or, subject to the following provisions, any Lender to visit and inspect any of its properties, to examine its corporate, financial and operating records, and make copies thereof or abstracts therefrom, and to discuss its affairs, finances and accounts with its directors and officers, all at such reasonable times during normal business hours and as often as may be reasonably desired, upon reasonable advance notice to Holdings; provided that, absent the existence of a Specified Event of Default, only the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders may exercise rights under this Section 6.10 and the Administrative Agent shall not exercise such rights more often than once during any calendar year and such inspections shall be conducted at the sole expense of the Administrative Agent without charge to the Borrower; provided further that when a Specified Event of Default exists the Administrative Agent (or any of its representatives or agents, or any Lender if accompanying the Administrative Agent) may do any of the foregoing at the expense of Holdings at any time during normal business hours and upon reasonable advance notice. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 6.10, none of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary will be required to disclose or permit the inspection or discussion of, any document, information or other matter (i) that constitutes non-financial trade secrets or non-financial proprietary information, (ii) in respect of which disclosure to the Administrative Agent or any Lender (or their respective representatives or contractors) would be in breach of any confidentiality obligations, fiduciary duty or Law or (iii) that is subject to attorney client or similar privilege or constitutes attorney work product provided that, in the event the Borrower does not provide information in reliance on this sentence, the Borrower shall provide notice to the Administrative Agent that such information is being withheld and the Borrower shall use commercially reasonable efforts to communicate the applicable information in a way that would not violate the applicable obligation or risk waiver of such privilege.

 

 

Section 6.11.     Use of Proceeds.  Use the proceeds of the Credit Extensions (i) to effectuate the Transactions, including, without limitation, to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Transactions and (ii) to provide ongoing working capital and for other general corporate purposes of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries and for any other purpose not prohibited by this Agreement.

 

Section 6.12.     Payment of Taxes.  Holdings shall, and shall cause each of its Subsidiaries to, pay and discharge Taxes, assessments and governmental charges or levies upon it or upon its income or profits, or upon any properties belonging to it, prior to the date on which material penalties attach thereto, and all lawful material claims that, if unpaid, could reasonably be expected to become a Lien upon any of its material properties; provided that neither Holdings nor any of its Subsidiaries shall be required hereunder to pay any such Tax, assessment, charge, levy or claim that is (a) being contested in good faith and by proper proceedings if it has maintained adequate reserves (in the good faith judgment of the management of Holdings) with respect thereto in accordance with GAAP or (b) with respect to which the failure to pay or discharge could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 6.13.      Covenant to Guarantee Guaranteed Obligations and Give Security.   (a) On the Closing Date, cause all Loan Parties to guarantee the Guaranteed Obligations.

 

(b)          Upon (x) the formation or acquisition of any Subsidiaries of Holdings organized under the laws of the United States (or any state thereof) (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) or (y) any Excluded Subsidiary ceasing to constitute an Excluded Subsidiary (each, an “Additional Guarantor”), the Borrower shall within sixty (60) days after such formation, acquisition or cessation occurred (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), notify the Administrative Agent and:

 

(i)      cause any Additional Guarantor to duly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a guaranty substantially in the form of the Guaranty Supplement or such other form of guaranty or guaranty supplement to guarantee the Guaranteed Obligations in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, it being understood and agreed that each Loan Party shall duly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent a Subsidiary Guaranty on the Closing Date;

 

(ii)     cause such Additional Guarantor to duly execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent Mortgages (subject to the time periods and other requirements of Section 6.13(c)), Security Agreement Supplements (including Perfection Certificates), Intellectual Property Security Agreements and other security documents, as specified by and in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (consistent with the Collateral Documents in effect on the Closing Date), granting a Lien in substantially all of the assets that would constitute Collateral (in each case, other than any Excluded Asset) directly held by such Restricted Subsidiary, in each case securing the Secured Obligations of such Additional Guarantor;

 

(iii)      cause such Additional Guarantor to deliver, to the extent required to be pledged hereunder or under the Collateral Documents, any and all certificates representing Equity Interests owned by such Loan Party accompanied by undated stock powers or other appropriate instruments of transfer executed in blank;

 

 

(iv)      to the extent required by the Collateral Documents and subject to clause (d)  below, take and cause such Additional Guarantor to take whatever action (including the filing of Uniform Commercial Code financing statements, and delivery of stock and membership interest certificates) as may be necessary in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent to vest in the Administrative Agent (or in any representative of the Administrative Agent designated by it) valid and subsisting Liens on the properties purported to be subject to the Collateral Documents delivered pursuant to this Section 6.13, enforceable against all third parties in accordance with their terms; and

 

(c) With respect to any Material Real Property, within 90 days after the Closing Date or within 90 days after the acquisition of any other Material Real Property (or in each case such longer period as the Administrative Agent may agree in its reasonable discretion), the applicable Loan Party shall grant to the Administrative Agent a security interest in and deliver a mortgage, deed of trust or deed to secure debt in a form reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent (a “Mortgage”) as additional security for the Obligations. Any such Mortgage in a mortgage Tax state shall be capped at the fair market value of the applicable property. The Mortgages or instruments related thereto shall be duly recorded or filed in such manner and in such places as are required by Law to perfect the Liens in favor of the Administrative Agent. All Taxes, fees and other charges payable in connection therewith shall be paid in full. Such Loan Party shall otherwise take such actions and execute and/or deliver to the Administrative Agent such documents as the Administrative Agent shall reasonably require, including to confirm the validity, perfection and priority of the Lien of any existing Mortgage or new Mortgage against such after acquired Material Real Property (including, to the extent so required, a Title Policy, a Survey, a local counsel opinion (in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent), and to the extent existing and available, environmental assessment reports and (i) a completed “Life-of-Loan” Federal Emergency Management Agency standard flood hazard determination, (ii) in the event that such after acquired Material Real Property is located in a special flood hazard area, a notice executed by such Loan Party about such special flood hazard area status in respect of such Mortgage and (iii) if the Loan Party notice described in the immediately preceding clause (ii) is required to be given and, to the extent flood insurance is required by any applicable Flood Insurance Laws, evidence, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, of a flood insurance policy in compliance in all material respects with the Flood Insurance Laws (including without limitation, in an amount required under the Flood Insurance Laws)). No later than 45 days prior to the date on which a Mortgage is to be executed by the Administrative Agent, the Administrative Agent shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide any Lenders notice of entry into such Mortgage (which notice may be delivered electronically and which notice shall be delivered promptly (and, in any event, within five Business Days) after the Administrative Agent has received notice from the Borrower of the intention to enter into such Mortgage (the date of delivery of such notice to the Lenders, the “Mortgage Notification Date”)), together with copies of the deliverables specified in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) above and upon confirmation from each Lender that the flood insurance due diligence required to be conducted by such Lender has been completed and any other flood insurance requirements applicable to such Lender have been complied with, in each case under applicable Flood Insurance Laws, the relevant Loan Party may provide such Mortgage. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, if due to the Administrative Agent’s failure to deliver the notice to the Lenders set forth in this clause (c), a Mortgage cannot be executed within the time period set forth in clause (b) above, then (i) the Administrative Agent agrees that the extension of the deadline to execute such Mortgage to the date that is 45 days after the Mortgage Notification Date is reasonable and the Administrative Agent consents to such extension and (ii) no Default or Event of Default shall be deemed to have occurred due to the failure of the applicable Loan Party to execute such Mortgage within such original time period.

 

 

(d)          [Reserved].

 

(e)           [Reserved].

 

(f)           Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) the Loan Parties shall not be required to grant a security interest in any assets to the extent the grant or perfection of a security interest in such asset would be prohibited by applicable Law, (ii) no action outside of the United States shall be required in order to create or perfect any security interest in any asset, and no security or pledge agreements or intellectual property filing, search or schedule shall be required that is not governed by the Laws of the United States, (iii) the following Collateral shall not be required to be perfected (other than to the extent perfected by the filing of a UCC financing statement): (A) assets requiring perfection through control agreements or other control arrangements, including in respect of any deposit, securities or commodities accounts (other than control of pledged capital stock and material intercompany notes, in each case to the extent otherwise constituting Collateral), (B) commercial tort claims in which the amount claimed is less than $3,000,000 individually, (C) motor vehicles and other assets subject to certificates of title and letter of credit rights with a value of less than $3,000,000 (to the extent not constituting a supporting obligation) (it being understood that no actions shall be required to perfect a security interest in letter of credit rights other than the filing of a Uniform Commercial Code financing statement or the equivalent thereof), (iv) promissory notes to the extent evidencing third-party debt for borrowed money in a principal amount (individually) of less than $3,000,000 shall not be required to be delivered and (v) share certificates of Immaterial Subsidiaries, Unrestricted Subsidiaries, non-wholly-owned Subsidiaries and Persons that are not Subsidiaries shall not be required to be delivered.

 

Section 6.14.      Further Assurances.   

 

(a)           Promptly upon reasonable request by the Administrative Agent, (i) correct any material defect or error that may be discovered in the execution, acknowledgment, filing or recordation of any Loan Document or other document or instrument relating to any Collateral and (ii) do, execute, acknowledge, deliver, record, re-record, file, re-file, register and re-register any and all such further acts, deeds, certificates, assurances and other instruments as the Administrative Agent may reasonably require from time to time in order to carry out more effectively the purposes of the Collateral Documents.

 

(b)           Concurrently with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 6.02(a), sign and deliver to the Administrative Agent an appropriate Intellectual Property Security Agreement with respect to all after-acquired intellectual property (as defined in the Security Agreement) owned by it as of the last day of the period for which such Compliance Certificate is delivered, to the extent that such after-acquired intellectual property is not covered by any previous Intellectual Property Security Agreement so signed and delivered by it; provided that an Intellectual Property Security Agreement shall not be required to be delivered with respect to after-acquired intellectual property except as provided in the Security Agreement. In each case, the Borrower will, and will cause each of the Subsidiary Guarantors to, promptly cooperate as necessary to enable the Administrative Agent to make any necessary or reasonably desirable recordations with the U.S. Copyright Office or the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, as appropriate.

 

Section 6.15.      Designation of Subsidiaries. The Borrower may at any time designate any Restricted Subsidiary of the Borrower as an Unrestricted Subsidiary or any Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary; provided that (a), immediately before and after such designation, no Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing, (b) the Borrower shall not be designated as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and (c) after giving Pro Forma Effect to any such designation, the Total Net Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 4.00:1.00. The designation of any Subsidiary as an Unrestricted Subsidiary shall constitute an Investment by the applicable Restricted Companies therein at the date of designation in an amount equal to the net book value (or, in the case of any guarantee or similar Investment, the amount) of the Restricted Companies’ Investments therein. If any Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary on any date after the Closing Date (including by redesignation of an Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary), the Indebtedness of such Person outstanding on such date will be deemed to have been incurred by such Person on such date for purposes of Section 7.03, but will not be considered the sale or issuance of Equity Interests for purposes of Section 7.05.

 

 

Section 6.16.      [Reserved].

 

Section 6.17.      [Reserved].

 

Section 6.18.     Ratings.   Use commercially reasonable efforts to obtain (and maintain in effect) a public corporate family and/or public corporate credit rating, as applicable, and public ratings in respect of the Initial Term Facility provided pursuant to this Agreement, in each case, from each of S&P and Moody’s; provided that in no event shall the Borrower be required to maintain any specific rating with any such agency.

 

Section 6.19.      Lender Calls.   Following each delivery of the annual and quarterly financials pursuant to Sections 6.01(a) and (b), host a conference call, at the time selected by Holdings and reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent, with the Lenders to review the financial information provided therein.

 

Section 6.20.      Post-Closing Covenants.   Each of Holdings and the Borrower agrees to deliver, or cause to be delivered to the Administrative Agent, the items described on Schedule 6.20 on the dates and by the times specified with respect to such items, or such later time as may be agreed to by the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion.

 

ARTICLE 7

NEGATIVE COVENANTS

 

From the Closing Date until the Termination Date, each of Holdings and the Borrower shall not, nor shall Holdings or the Borrower permit any of the Restricted Subsidiaries to, directly or indirectly:

 

Section 7.01.      Liens.  Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Lien upon any of its property, assets or revenues, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, other than the following:

 

(a)           Liens pursuant to any Loan Document;

 

(b)          Liens existing on the Closing Date securing Indebtedness or other obligations in existence on the Closing Date listed on Schedule 7.01 and any modifications, replacements, refinancings, renewals or extensions thereof; provided that (i) the Lien does not extend to any additional property other than (A) after-acquired property that is affixed or incorporated into the property covered by such Lien or financed by Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03, and (B) proceeds and products thereof and (ii) the modification, replacement, renewal, extension or refinancing of the obligations secured or benefited by such Liens (if such obligations constitute Indebtedness) is permitted by Section 7.03;

 

(c)          Liens for Taxes, assessments or governmental charges (i) not yet due and payable, (ii) the amount or validity of which is being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP or (iii) with respect to which the failure to make payment could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

 

(d)           statutory Liens of landlords, carriers, warehousemen, mechanics, materialmen, repairmen, construction contractors or other like Liens arising in the ordinary course of business which secure amounts not overdue for a period of more than 60 days or, if more than 60 days overdue, (i) no action has been taken to enforce such Lien, (ii) such Lien is being contested in good faith and by appropriate proceedings diligently conducted, if adequate reserves with respect thereto are maintained on the books of the applicable Person in accordance with GAAP or (iii) with respect to which the failure to make payment as to all such amounts, in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect;

 

(e)           (i) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business in connection with workers’ compensation, pensions, unemployment insurance and other social security legislation and (ii) Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business securing insurance premiums or reimbursement obligations under insurance policies;

 

(f)            deposits to secure the performance of bids, trade contracts, governmental contracts and leases (other than Indebtedness for borrowed money), statutory obligations, surety, stay, customs and appeal bonds, performance bonds, performance and completion guarantees and other obligations of a like nature (including those to secure health, safety and environmental obligations) incurred in the ordinary course of business;

 

(g)           (i) easements, rights-of-way, restrictions, encroachments, protrusions and other similar encumbrances and minor title defects affecting real property which, in the aggregate, do not in any case materially and adversely interfere with the ordinary conduct of the business of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) with respect to any Material Real Property subject to a Mortgage, any exception on the Title Policy related thereto;

 

(h)           Liens securing judgments for the payment of money not constituting an Event of Default under Section 8.01(h);

 

(i)            Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(f); provided that (i) such Liens attach concurrently with or within two hundred seventy (270) days after the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement (as applicable) of the property subject to such Liens, (ii) such Liens do not at any time encumber any property other than the property financed by such Indebtedness, replacements thereof and additions and accessions to such property and the proceeds and the products thereof and customary security deposits, and (iii) with respect to Capitalized Leases, such Liens do not at any time extend to or cover any assets (except for additions and accessions to such assets, replacements and products thereof and customary security deposits) other than the assets subject to such Capitalized Leases; provided that individual financings of equipment provided by one lender may be cross-collateralized to other financings of equipment provided by such lender;

 

(j)            (i) leases, licenses, subleases or sublicenses granted to other Persons in the ordinary course of business which do not (A) interfere in any material respect with the business of Holdings or any of its material Restricted Subsidiaries or (B) secure any Indebtedness (other than any obligation that is Indebtedness solely as a result of the operation of clause (e) of the definition thereof), (ii) the rights reserved or vested in any Person by the terms of any lease, license, franchise, grant or permit held by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary or by a statutory provision to terminate any such lease, license, franchise, grant or permit or to require periodic payments as a condition to the continuance thereof and (iii) any interest or title of a lessor, sublessor, or licensor under any lease or lease agreement to which Holdings or any of its material Restricted Subsidiaries is a party, and interests of any other party granted by such licensor or lessor in such licensor’s or lessor’s fee or other interest;

 

 

(k)           Liens in favor of customs and revenue authorities arising as a matter of law to secure payment of customs duties in connection with the importation of goods in the ordinary course of business;

 

(l)            Liens (i) of a collection bank arising under Section 4-210 of the Uniform Commercial Code or similar law on items in the course of collection, (ii) attaching to commodity trading accounts or other brokerage accounts incurred in the ordinary course of business, (iii) in favor of a banking or other financial institution or entities and/or electronic payment service providers arising as a matter of law encumbering deposits or other funds maintained with a financial institution (including the right of set off) and which are within the general parameters customary in the banking industry and (iv) arising by the terms of documents of banks or other financial institutions in relation to the maintenance or administration of deposit accounts or, securities accounts;

 

(m)          Liens (i) (A) on advances of cash or Cash Equivalents or escrow deposits in favor of the seller of any property to be acquired in an Investment permitted pursuant to Section 7.02 to be applied against the purchase price for such Investment, and (B) consisting of an agreement to Dispose of any property in a Disposition permitted under Section 7.05 and (ii) on cash earnest money deposits made by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement permitted hereunder;

 

(n)           Liens on assets that are not Collateral, including on the property of any Non-U.S. Subsidiary of the Borrower (including Equity Interests held by such Non-U.S. Subsidiary) securing Indebtedness of such Non-U.S. Subsidiary to the extent permitted under Section 7.03; provided that, to the extent such Liens are on assets owned by a Loan Party, such Liens shall only secure Indebtedness or other obligations otherwise permitted hereunder and in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $5,000,000 and (y) 7.5% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(o)           Liens in favor of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(e) or other obligations other than Indebtedness owed by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(p)           Liens existing on property at the time of its acquisition or existing on the property of any Person at the time such Person becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (other than by designation as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.15), in each case after the date hereof; provided that (i) such Lien was not created in contemplation of such acquisition or such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) any such Lien shall not encumber any other property of Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries (other than the proceeds or products thereof and other than after-acquired property subjected to a Lien securing Indebtedness and other obligations incurred prior to such time and which Indebtedness and other obligations are permitted hereunder that require, pursuant to their terms at such time, a pledge of after-acquired property, it being understood that such requirement shall not be permitted to apply to any property to which such requirement would not have applied but for such acquisition) and (iii) the Indebtedness secured thereby is permitted under Section 7.03;

 

(q)           Liens arising from precautionary UCC financing statement filings (or similar filings under applicable Law) regarding leases entered into by Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries in the ordinary course of business (and Liens consisting of the interests or title of the respective lessors thereunder);

 

 

(r)            Liens arising out of conditional sale, title retention, consignment or similar arrangements for sale of goods entered into by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business not prohibited by this Agreement;

 

(s)           Liens that are contractual rights of set-off (i) relating to the establishment of depository relations with banks not given in connection with the issuance of Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness described in clause (e) of the definition thereof), (ii) relating to pooled deposit or sweep accounts of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary to permit satisfaction of overdraft or similar obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business of such Restricted Company and (iii) relating to purchase orders and other similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(t)            Liens on insurance policies and the proceeds thereof securing the financing of the premiums with respect thereto;

 

(u)           any zoning or similar law or right reserved to or vested in any Governmental Authority to control or regulate the use of any real property;

 

(v)           Liens on specific items of inventory or other goods and the proceeds thereof securing such Person’s obligations in respect of documentary letters of credit and/or bank guarantees issued for the account of such Person to facilitate the purchase, shipment or storage of such inventory or goods in the ordinary course of business;

 

(w)          any pledge of the Equity Interests of an Unrestricted Subsidiary or Non-U.S. Subsidiary (other than any Equity Interests of a Non-U.S. Subsidiary that constitute Collateral) to secure Indebtedness of such Unrestricted Subsidiary or Non-U.S. Subsidiary, as applicable, to the extent such pledge constitutes an Investment permitted under this Agreement;

 

(x)           other Liens securing Indebtedness or other obligations outstanding in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $5,000,000 and (y) 10.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(y)           Liens securing Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(y) (provided that (i) such Liens shall only secure the obligations secured on the date of the Permitted Acquisition or other Investment and such liens shall not extend to any other property of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries and (ii) no such Lien was created in contemplation of the applicable acquisition or other Investment), Section 7.03(z), Section 7.03(aa), Section 7.03(bb) and Section 7.03(ee), in each case, to the extent contemplated by, and subject to the limitations set forth in such provisions; provided that, to the extent such Lien is on the Collateral, the beneficiaries thereof (or an agent on their behalf) shall have become party to an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement pursuant to the terms thereof;

 

(z)            Liens on the Collateral securing any Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness;

 

(aa)             Liens on  the  Collateral securing Secured Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations;

 

(bb)            Liens on cash or Cash Equivalents deposited with the applicable representative of the holder of the applicable Indebtedness pending application of such cash or Cash Equivalents to the defeasance, discharge or redemption of such Indebtedness;

 

(cc)             ground leases in respect of real property on which facilities owned or leased by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries are located;

 

(dd)            Liens solely on any cash earnest money deposits made by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with any letter of intent or purchase agreement permitted hereunder;

 

 

(ee)             with respect to any Non-U.S. Subsidiary, other Liens and privileges arising mandatorily by Law;

 

(ff)              Liens on receivables and related assets arising in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Receivables Financing;

 

(gg)            Liens incurred in the ordinary course of business with respect to any overdraft and related liabilities arising from treasury, depository and cash management services, credit card services, including purchasing card services, or any automated clearing house transfers of funds;

 

(hh)            receipt of progress payments and advances from customers in the ordinary course of business to the extent the same creates a Lien on the related inventory and proceeds thereof;

 

(ii)               Liens on cash or Cash Equivalents securing Swap Contracts in the ordinary course of business submitted for clearing in accordance with applicable Requirements of Law;

 

(jj)               the prior rights of consignees and their lenders under consignment arrangements entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(kk)             Liens arising in connection with any Permitted Tax Restructuring; and

 

(ll)               Liens on cash or Cash Equivalents held in Escrow for the purpose of satisfying or discharging Indebtedness pursuant to customary escrow arrangements as described or contemplated in this Agreement.

 

Section 7.02.       Investments.   Make or hold any Investments, except for the following:

 

(a)           Investments by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in assets that were Cash Equivalents when such Investment was made, and the holding of cash or Cash Equivalents at any time by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(b)           loans or advances to officers, directors, managers, partners and employees of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), Holdings or its Restricted Subsidiaries (i) for reasonable and customary business-related travel, entertainment, relocation and analogous ordinary business purposes, (ii) in connection with such Person’s purchase of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) (provided that, the proceeds of any such loans and advances shall be contributed to Holdings or the Borrower in cash as common equity) and (iii) for purposes not described in the foregoing clauses (i) and (ii), in an aggregate principal amount outstanding, together with the amount outstanding under clause (ii), not to exceed $5,000,000;

 

(c)           [reserved];

 

(d)           Investments (i) by any Loan Party in any other Loan Party, (ii) by any Person that is not a Loan Party in any Loan Party, (iii) by any Person that is not a Loan Party in any Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings that is not a Loan Party and (iv) by any Loan Party in any Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings that is not a Loan Party; provided, that any such Investments under this clause (iv) by Loan Parties in such Persons that are not Loan Parties shall be either (A) in the ordinary course of business or (B) in an aggregate amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $6,000,000 and (y) 10.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

 

(e)           Investments consisting of extensions of credit in the nature of accounts receivable or notes receivable arising from the grant of trade credit in the ordinary course of business, and Investments received in satisfaction or partial satisfaction thereof from financially troubled account debtors and other credits to suppliers in the ordinary course of business;

 

(f)            Investments consisting of Liens, Indebtedness, fundamental changes, Dispositions and Restricted Payments permitted (other than, in each case, by reference to this Section 7.02) under Sections 7.01, 7.03, 7.04, 7.05 and 7.06, respectively;

 

(g)           Investments existing or contemplated on the Closing Date set forth on Schedule 7.02 and any modification, replacement, renewal or extension thereof; provided that the amount of the original Investment is not increased except by the terms of such Investment or as otherwise permitted by this Section 7.02;

 

(h)           Investments in Swap Contracts permitted under Section 7.03(g);

 

(i)            promissory notes and other noncash consideration received in connection with Dispositions permitted by Section 7.05;

 

(j)            the purchase or other acquisition of (x) all or substantially all of the property and assets or businesses of any Person, (y) assets constituting a business unit, a line of business or division of any Person, or (z) Equity Interests in (i) a Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such purchase or acquisition (including as a result of a merger or consolidation), subject to the Borrower’s right to designate any such Person as an Unrestricted Subsidiary and/or (ii) a Restricted Subsidiary to increase the percentage of ownership thereof held by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary (each, a “Permitted Acquisition”); provided that (i) after giving effect to any such purchase or other acquisition, and subject in all respects to the LCT Provisions (if applicable), no Specified Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing or would result therefrom and Holdings shall be in compliance with the covenant in Section 7.11 and (ii) to the extent required pursuant to Section 6.13, (A) the property, assets and businesses acquired in such purchase or other acquisition shall become Collateral and (B) any newly created or acquired Restricted Subsidiary (other than an Excluded Subsidiary) shall become Guarantors;

 

(k)           Investments (including debt obligations and Equity Interests) received in connection with the bankruptcy or reorganization of any Person and in settlement of obligations of, or other disputes with, any Person arising in the ordinary course of business and upon foreclosure with respect to any secured Investment or other transfer of title with respect to any secured Investment;

 

(l)            Investments in Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with intercompany cash management arrangements and related activities in the ordinary course of business;

 

(m)          advances of payroll payments to employees in the ordinary course of business;

 

(n)           Guarantees by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary of leases (other than Capitalized Leases) or other obligations that do not constitute Indebtedness, in each case, entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(o)           Investments in the ordinary course consisting of endorsements for collection or deposit and customary trade arrangements with customers;

 

 

(p)           Investments in JV Entities and Unrestricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date (it being understood and agreed that the book value of the assets of an Unrestricted Subsidiary at the time of its designation as such pursuant to Section 6.15 shall be deemed to be an Investment made in such Unrestricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to such book value, but if such Unrestricted Subsidiary is not wholly-owned by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary, only an amount proportional to Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary’s ownership therein shall be included in this calculation) in an aggregate amount for all such Investments (less an amount equal to the book value of all Unrestricted Subsidiaries that, after the Closing Date, are redesignated by Holdings to be Restricted Subsidiaries, calculated as of the date of such redesignation) not to exceed for all JV Entities and Unrestricted Subsidiaries, at the time such Investment is made and after giving effect to such Investment, the sum of (i) an amount equal to the greater of (x) $2,500,000 and (y) 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period as of such time plus (ii) the aggregate amount of any cash repayment of or return on such Investments theretofore received by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date;

 

(q)           Investments made in connection with any Permitted Tax Restructuring;

 

(r)            loans and advances to any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in lieu of, and not in excess of the amount of (after giving effect to any other such loans or advances or Restricted Payments in respect thereof), Restricted Payments to the extent permitted to be made to such direct or indirect parent in accordance with Section 7.06; provided that any such loan or advance shall reduce the amount of such applicable Restricted Payment thereafter permitted under Section 7.06 by a corresponding amount (if such applicable provision of Section 7.06 contains a maximum amount);

 

(s)           other Investments in an aggregate amount, as valued at cost at the time each such In-vestment is made and including all related commitments for future Investments, not exceeding (i) the greater of (x) $15,000,000 and (y) 27.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period; provided that after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Investment, no Specified Event of Default shall be continuing or would result therefrom; plus (ii) an amount equal to any returns of capital or sale proceeds actually received by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date in cash in respect of any such Investments (which amount shall not exceed the amount of such Investment valued at cost at the time such Investment was made);

 

(t)            Investments in an amount not to exceed the Available Amount; provided that with respect to Investments made in reliance on the Growth Amount, no Specified Event of Default would result therefrom;

 

(u)           Investments in a Similar Business after the Closing Date in an aggregate amount for all such Investments not to exceed, at the time such Investment is made and after giving effect to such Investment, the sum of (i) an amount equal to the greater of (x) $15,000,000 and (y) 27.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period as of such time plus (ii) the aggregate amount of any cash repayment of or return on such Investments theretofore received by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date;

 

(v)           other Investments; provided that after giving Pro Forma Effect to such Investment, no Specified Event of Default shall be continuing or would result therefrom, and the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio shall not exceed 3.25:1.00;

 

(w)          Investments necessary to consummate the Transactions;

 

(x)           (i) Investments of any Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the Closing Date (other than as a result of a redesignation of any Unrestricted Subsidiary), or of any Person (other than an Unrestricted Subsidiary) acquired by, or merged into or consolidated or amalgamated with, Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary after the Closing Date, in each case pursuant to an Investment otherwise permitted by this Section 7.02 to the extent that such Investments of such Person were not made in contemplation of or in connection with such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation and were in existence on the date of such acquisition, merger, amalgamation or consolidation and (ii) any modification, replacement, renewal or extension of any Investment permitted under clause (i) of this Section 7.02(x) so long as any such modification, replacement, renewal or extension thereof does not increase the amount of such Investment;

 

 

 

(y)            [reserved];

 

(z)             any Investment made by any Unrestricted Subsidiary prior to the date on which such Unrestricted Subsidiary is designated as a Restricted Subsidiary so long as the relevant Investment was not made in contemplation of the designation of such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(aa)              Investments (i) in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing or a Permitted Receivables Financing and (ii) distributions or payments of Securitization Fees and purchases of Securitization Assets or Receivables Assets in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing or Permitted Receivables Financing;

 

(bb)              Investments to the extent that payment for such Investments is made with Qualified Equity Interests (to the extent not otherwise applied under this Agreement and other than any Cure Amount); provided that, any amounts used for such an Investment or other acquisition that are not Qualified Equity Interests shall otherwise be permitted pursuant to this Section 7.02;

 

(cc)              the forgiveness or conversion to Qualified Equity Interests of any intercompany Indebtedness owed to Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary or the cancellation or forgiveness of any Indebtedness owed to Holdings (or any parent entity) or a Subsidiary from any members of management of Holdings (or any parent entity) or any Subsidiary, in each case permitted by Section 7.03; and

 

(dd)              to the extent that they constitute Investments, purchases and acquisitions of inventory, supplies, materials or equipment or purchases, acquisitions, licenses or leases of other assets, IP Rights, or other rights, in each case in the ordinary course of business.

 

To the extent an Investment is permitted to be made by Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary in any Restricted Subsidiary or any other Person who is not Holdings or a Subsidiary Guarantor (each such Person, a “Target Person”) under any provision of this Section 7.02, such Investment may be made by advance or, contribution by Borrower or other Loan Party to a Restricted Subsidiary, which is then substantially concurrently applied by such Restricted Subsidiary for purposes of making the relevant Investment in the Target Person in accordance with this Section 7.02 (other than this sentence) without such initial advance or, contribution constituting an Investment for purposes of this Section 7.02.

 

Section 7.03. Indebtedness. Create, incur, assume or suffer to exist any Indebtedness, except for the following:

 

(a)           Indebtedness of the Loan Parties under the Loan Documents (including any Additional Loans or Additional Commitments);

 

(b)           [reserved];

 

 

(c)           Indebtedness incurred prior to the Closing Date and outstanding on the Closing Date that is permitted to remain outstanding under the Acquisition Agreement and any Permitted Refinancing thereof;

 

(d)           Guarantees by any Loan Party in respect of Indebtedness of Holdings or another Restricted Subsidiary otherwise permitted hereunder; provided that if the Indebtedness being guaranteed is subordinated to the Obligations, such Guarantee shall be subordinated to the Guarantee of the Obligations on terms at least as favorable to the Lenders as those contained in the subordination of such Indebtedness;

 

(e)           Indebtedness of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary owing to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary that constitutes an Investment permitted by Section 7.02; provided that all such Indebtedness of any Loan Party owed to any Person that is not a Loan Party shall be subject to the subordination terms set forth in the Intercompany Note;

 

(f)            (i) Attributable Indebtedness and other Indebtedness (including Capitalized Leases) financing the acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement of fixed or capital assets (provided that such Indebtedness is incurred concurrently with or within two hundred seventy (270) days after the applicable acquisition, construction, repair, replacement or improvement), (ii) Attributable Indebtedness arising out of Permitted Sale Leasebacks and (iii) any Permitted Refinancing of any Indebtedness set forth in the immediately preceding clauses (i) and (ii); provided that the aggregate principal amount of Indebtedness (including without limitation Attributable Indebtedness, but excluding Attributable Indebtedness incurred pursuant to clause (ii)) under this Section 7.03(f) does not exceed the greater of (x) $7,500,000 and (y) 15.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(g)           Indebtedness in respect of Swap Contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business and not for speculative purposes;

 

(h)           Indebtedness of Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries arising pursuant to any Permitted Tax Restructuring;

 

(i)            [reserved];

 

(j)            Indebtedness incurred by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees, bankers’ acceptances, warehouse receipts or similar instruments issued or created in the ordinary course of business, including in respect of workers compensation claims, health, disability or other employee benefits (including pursuant to any social security laws) or property, casualty or liability insurance or self-insurance or other Indebtedness with respect to reimbursement-type obligations regarding workers compensation claims;

 

(k)           Indebtedness consisting of obligations of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings) or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries under deferred compensation or other similar arrangements incurred by such Person in the ordinary course of business or otherwise in connection with the Transactions and Permitted Acquisitions or any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder;

 

(l)            Indebtedness to future, present or former directors, officers, members of management, employees or consultants of Holdings or any of its Subsidiaries or their respective estates, heirs, family members, spouses or former spouses to finance the purchase or redemption of Equity Interests of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) permitted by Section 7.06;

 

 

(m)           [reserved];

 

(n)           Indebtedness incurred by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries in a

 

Permitted Acquisition, any other Investment expressly permitted hereunder or any Disposition, in each case to the extent constituting indemnification obligations or obligations in respect of purchase price (including earn-outs) or other similar adjustments;

 

(o)           Indebtedness in connection with intercompany cash management arrangements and related activities in the ordinary course of business;

 

(p)           Indebtedness in connection with Cash Management Obligations and other Indebtedness in respect of netting services, automatic clearinghouse arrangements, overdraft protections,

cash pooling arrangements, purchase card and similar arrangements in each case incurred in the ordinary course;

 

(q)           Indebtedness consisting of (i) the financing of insurance premiums or (ii) take-or-pay obligations of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary contained in supply arrangements, in each case, in the ordinary course of business;

 

(r)            Indebtedness of Non-Loan Parties in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $5,000,000 and (y) 10.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(s)           obligations in respect of performance, bid, appeal and surety bonds and performance and completion guarantees and similar obligations provided by the Borrower or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries or obligations in respect of letters of credit, bank guarantees or similar instruments related thereto, in each case in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

 

(t)            [reserved];

 

(u)           [reserved];

 

(v)           Indebtedness consisting of obligations owing under any customer or supplier incentive, supply, license or similar agreements entered into in the ordinary course of business;

 

(w)           customer deposits and advance payments received in the ordinary course of business from customers for goods and services purchased in the ordinary course of business;

 

(x)           other Indebtedness in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $7,500,000 and (y) 15.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(y)           Indebtedness of any Person that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary (or of any Person not previously a Restricted Subsidiary) after the date hereof and/or any other Indebtedness otherwise assumed in connection with an acquisition or any other Investment not prohibited hereunder, to the extent such Indebtedness was not incurred in contemplation of such acquisition or other Investment in an aggregate principal amount for not to exceed the greater of (x) $7,500,000 and (y) 15.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(z)            Ratio Debt;

 

 

(aa)         Incremental Equivalent Debt;

 

(bb)         Credit Agreement Refinancing Indebtedness;

 

(cc)         [reserved];

 

(dd)         Indebtedness with respect to any Permitted Recourse Receivables Financing;

 

(ee)         [reserved];

 

(ff)         Indebtedness of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of cash contributions made after the Closing Date to Holdings and contributed to the Borrower in exchange for Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings, except to the extent utilized in connection with any other transaction permitted by Section 7.02 or Section 7.08, and except to the extent such amount increases the Available Amount or constitutes a Cure Amount;

 

(gg)       Indebtedness of any Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party incurred under working capital lines, lines of credit or overdraft facilities in an individual principal amount at any time outstanding not to exceed the greater of $3,000,000 and 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period; and

 

(hh)      all premiums (if any), interest (including post-petition interest, capitalized interest or interest otherwise payable in kind), fees, expenses, charges and additional or contingent interest on obligations described in the foregoing clauses of this Section 7.03.

 

The accrual of interest, the accretion of accreted value and the payment of interest in the form of additional Indebtedness shall not be deemed to be an incurrence of Indebtedness for purposes of this Section 7.03.

 

Section 7.04. Fundamental Changes. Merge into or consolidate with any other Person, or permit any other Person to merge into or consolidate with it, liquidate or dissolve, including by an allocation of assets among newly divided limited liability companies pursuant to a “plan of division” under the Delaware Limited Liability Company Act, except that:

 

(a)         (i) (A) any Person may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with or into the Borrower in a transaction in which the Borrower is the surviving entity or (B) if the Person formed by or surviving any such merger or consolidation is not the Borrower (any such Person, which shall not be an operating company, and shall not hold any Equity Interests directly or indirectly in any operating company, the “Successor Borrower”), (v) no Event of Default shall exist or result therefrom, (w) the Successor Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent all information as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to satisfy any applicable “know your customer” requirements, (x) the Borrower shall be an entity organized or existing under the law of the United States, (y) the Successor Borrower shall expressly assume the Obligations of the Borrower in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent and (z) except as the Administrative Agent may otherwise agree, each Guarantor, unless it is the other party to such merger or consolidation, shall have executed and delivered a customary reaffirmation agreement with respect to its obligations under the Loan Documents; it being understood and agreed that if the foregoing conditions under clauses (w) through (z) are satisfied, the Successor Borrower will succeed to, and be substituted for, the Borrower under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents,

 

 

(ii)         any Restricted Subsidiary may effect a merger, amalgamation, dissolution, winding up, liquidation, or consolidation into any Person in order to consummate an Investment or asset Disposition permitted by Section 7.02 or Section 7.05, respectively; provided that when any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party is merging with a Person that is not a Loan Party, to the extent such other Person is required to become a Guarantor, it shall deliver all information as may be reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to satisfy any applicable “know your customer” requirements, and

 

(iii)         any Restricted Subsidiary may merge, amalgamate or consolidate with or into the Borrower, or any other Restricted Subsidiary; provided that when any Restricted Subsidiary that is a Loan Party is merging with another Restricted Subsidiary, a Loan Party shall be the continuing or surviving Person;

 

(b)         (i) any Restricted Subsidiary may change its legal form, in each case, if the Borrower determines in good faith that such action is in the best interests of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries and is not materially disadvantageous to the Lenders and (ii) the Borrower may change its legal form (or, upon not less than fifteen (15) days’ notice to the Administrative Agent, its jurisdiction of organization or formation; provided that, with respect to any Restricted Subsidiary that is a U.S. Subsidiary, such Restricted Subsidiary shall not change its jurisdiction of organization or formation to any jurisdiction other than that of the United States, any State thereof or the District of Columbia without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed) if it determines in good faith that such action is in the best interests of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries, and the Administrative Agent reasonably determines it is not disadvantageous to the Lenders;

 

(c)         any Restricted Subsidiary other than the Borrower may Dispose of all or substantially all of its assets (upon voluntary liquidation or otherwise) to another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor in such a transaction is a Loan Party, then either (i) the transferee must be a Loan Party or (ii) to the extent constituting an Investment, such Investment must be a permitted Investment in or Indebtedness of a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party in accordance with Section 7.02 and Section 7.03, respectively; and

 

(d)         the Transactions and any Permitted Tax Restructuring may be consummated.

 

Section 7.05. Dispositions. Make any Disposition of any of its property (other than any Disposition having a fair market value not in excess of (x) $1,000,000 for any single transaction or series of related transactions or (y) the greater of $3,000,000 and 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period in the aggregate for all such Dispositions described in this parenthetical), except:

 

(a)           Dispositions of obsolete, used, surplus, negligible, uneconomical or worn out property, whether now owned or hereafter acquired, in the ordinary course of business and Dispositions of property no longer used or useful in the conduct of the business of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary or Dispositions of non-core assets and property or assets and property otherwise commercially unreasonable to retain;

 

(b)           Dispositions of inventory and immaterial assets in the ordinary course of business;

 

 

(c)           Dispositions of property to the extent that (i) such property is exchanged for credit against the purchase price of similar replacement property or (ii) the proceeds of such Disposition are promptly applied to the purchase price of such replacement property;

 

(d)           Dispositions of property by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary to the Borrower or another Restricted Subsidiary; provided that if the transferor of such property is a Loan Party (x) the transferee thereof must be a Loan Party or (y) to the extent such transaction constitutes an Investment in a Restricted Subsidiary that is not a Loan Party, such transaction is permitted by Section 7.02;

 

(e)           Dispositions permitted (other than by reference to this Section 7.05) by Section 7.02, Section 7.04 and Section 7.06 and Liens permitted by Section 7.01;

 

(f)            Dispositions of cash and Cash Equivalents;

 

(g)           Dispositions of accounts receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof;

 

(h)           leases, subleases, licenses or sublicenses of property in the ordinary course of business and which do not materially interfere with the business of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(i)            transfers of property subject to Casualty Events;

 

(j)            Dispositions in the ordinary course of business consisting of the abandonment or lapse of IP Rights which, in the reasonable good faith determination of Holdings, are not material to the conduct of the business of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(k)           Dispositions of Investments in JV Entities to the extent required by, or made pursuant to buy/sell arrangements between the JV Entity parties set forth in, JV Entity arrangements and similar binding arrangements (i) in substantially the form as such arrangements are in effect on the Closing Date or (ii) to the extent that the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition are either reinvested or applied to prepay the Initial Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.06(b);

 

(l)            Dispositions in connection with any Permitted Tax Restructuring;

 

(m)           [reserved];

 

(n)           Dispositions of tangible property in the ordinary course of business as part of a like-kind exchange under Section 1031 of the Code;

 

(o)           voluntary terminations of Swap Contracts;

 

(p)           Dispositions of a non-core line of business (and related property and assets) for which a commitment to Dispose of such non-core line of business has been entered into on or prior to the

first anniversary of the Closing Date and which have actually been Disposed of within 18 months from the Closing Date;

 

(q)           Permitted Sale Leasebacks; provided, that the amount of such Permitted Sale Leasebacks since the Closing Date shall not, in the aggregate, exceed the greater of $10,000,000 and 19.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

 

(r)           Dispositions of property by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary not otherwise permitted under this Section 7.05; provided that (i) at the time of execution of any binding agreement in respect of such Disposition (or if there is no such agreement entered into, at the time of such Disposition), no Event of Default shall exist or would result from such Disposition, (ii) any such Disposition of property for a purchase price in excess of $2,500,000 is made for fair market value, (iii) with respect to any Disposition (or series of related Dispositions) under this Section 7.05(r) Holdings or any of the Restricted Subsidiaries shall receive not less than 75% of such consideration in the form of cash or Cash Equivalents on a cumulative basis for all such Dispositions following the Closing Date (provided that for the purposes of this clause (r)(ii), the following shall be deemed to be cash: (A) the assumption by the transferee of Indebtedness or other liabilities (other than Indebtedness or liabilities that are subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Obligations) contingent or otherwise of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries and the valid release of Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary by all applicable creditors in writing, from all liability on such Indebtedness or other liability in connection with such Disposition, (B) securities, notes or other obligations received by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries from the transferee that are converted by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiaries into cash or Cash Equivalents within 180 days following the closing of such Disposition, (C) Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness or liabilities that are subordinated in right of payment to the Loan Obligations) of any Restricted Subsidiary that is disposed of pursuant to such Disposition and that is no longer a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such Disposition, to the extent that Holdings and each other Restricted Subsidiary are released from any Guarantee of payment of such Indebtedness in connection with such Disposition and (D) aggregate non-cash consideration received by Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries for all Dispositions under this clause (r) having an aggregate fair market value (determined as of the closing of the applicable Disposition for which such non-cash consideration is received) not to exceed the greater of (x) $5,000,000 and (y) 10.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period at any time outstanding (net of any non-cash consideration converted into cash and Cash Equivalents received in respect of any such non-cash consideration) and (iv) the Net Cash Proceeds of such Disposition are either reinvested or applied to prepay the Initial Term Loans pursuant to Section 2.06(b);

 

(s)           other Dispositions in an amount not to exceed the greater of (x) $3,000,000 and

 

(y)          5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period;

 

(t)           the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries may surrender or waive contractual rights and leases and settle or waive contractual or litigation claims in the ordinary course of business;

 

(u)          Dispositions of assets (including Equity Interests) acquired in connection with Permitted Acquisitions or other similar Investments permitted hereunder for the fair market value thereof, which assets are obsolete or not used or useful to the core or principal business of the Borrower and the Restricted Subsidiaries or which Dispositions are made to obtain the approval of any applicable antitrust authority in connection with such Permitted Acquisition or similar Investment;

 

(v)          any swap of assets in exchange for services or other assets of comparable or greater fair market value useful to the business of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries as a whole, as determined in good faith by the Borrower;

 

(w)         any sale of Equity Interests in, or Indebtedness of or other securities of, an Unrestricted Subsidiary (other than any Unrestricted Subsidiaries, all or substantially all the assets which consist of cash and Cash Equivalents);

 

(x)           Dispositions of Securitization Assets or Receivables Assets, or participations therein, in connection with any Qualified Securitization Financing or Permitted Receivables Financing, or the disposition of an account receivable in connection with the collection or compromise thereof in the ordinary course of business or consistent with past practice;

 

 

(y)          the Transactions may be consummated; and

 

(z)           Dispositions of any assets that are not Collateral.

 

To the extent any Collateral is Disposed of as expressly permitted by this Section 7.05 to any Person that is not a Loan Party, such Collateral shall be sold free and clear of the Liens created by the Loan Documents and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, upon the certification by the Borrower that such Disposition is permitted by this Agreement, the Administrative Agent or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, shall be authorized to, and are directed by the Required Lenders, to take and shall take any actions deemed appropriate in order to effect the foregoing.

 

Section 7.06. Restricted Payments. Declare or make, directly or indirectly, any Restricted Payment, except:

 

(a)       Restricted Payments to Holdings, the Borrower or any other Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(b)       (i) Holdings may (or may make Restricted Payments to permit any direct or indirect parent thereof to) redeem in whole or in part any of its Equity Interests in exchange for another class of its (or such parent’s) Equity Interests or rights to acquire its Equity Interests or with proceeds from substantially concurrent capital contributions or issuances of new Equity Interests, provided that any terms and provisions material to the interests of the Lenders, when taken as a whole, contained in such other class of Equity Interests are at least as advantageous to the Lenders as those contained in the Equity Interests redeemed thereby and (ii) Holdings may declare and make dividend payments or other distributions payable solely in the Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings;

 

(c)       Holdings may make additional Restricted Payments so long as (1) no Event of Default is continuing or would result therefrom and (2) immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Payment, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio calculated on a Pro Forma Basis is less than or equal to 3.00:1.00;

 

(d)       to the extent constituting Restricted Payments permitted by other clauses of this Section 7.06, Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries may enter into transactions expressly permitted by Section 7.04, Section 7.05 (other than Section 7.05(e)) or Section 7.07 (other than Section 7.07(j));

 

(e)       repurchases of Equity Interests in the ordinary course of business of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) deemed to occur upon exercise of stock options or warrants if such Equity Interests represent a portion of the exercise price of such options or warrants;

 

(f)       Holdings may make cash payments in lieu of issuing fractional shares in connection with the exercise of warrants, options or other securities convertible into or exchangeable for Equity Interests of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(g)       Holdings may make Restricted Payments in an aggregate amount not to exceed the Available Amount; provided that with respect to Restricted Payments made in reliance on the Growth Amount, (x) no Event of Default would result therefrom and (y) the Total Net Leverage Ratio shall not exceed the Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the Closing Date on a Pro Forma Basis;

 

 

(h)       Holdings may, in good faith, pay (or make Restricted Payments to allow any direct or indirect parent thereof to pay) for the repurchase, retirement or other acquisition or retirement for value of Equity Interests of it or any direct or indirect parent thereof held by any future, present or former employee, director, manager, officer or consultant (or any Affiliates, spouses, former spouses, other immediate family members, successors, executors, administrators, heirs, legatees or distributees of any of the foregoing) of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings) or any of its Subsidiaries pursuant to any employee, management, director or manager equity plan, employee, management, director or manager stock option plan or any other employee, management, director or manager benefit plan or any agreement (including any stock subscription or shareholder agreement) with any employee, director, manager, officer or consultant of Holdings (or any direct or indirect parent thereof), the Borrower or any Restricted Subsidiary; provided that such payments shall not exceed $5,000,000 in any calendar year (or, after a Qualifying IPO, the greater of (x) $8,000,000 and (y) 15.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period), provided that any unused portion of the preceding basket for any calendar year may be carried forward to succeeding calendar years, so long as the aggregate amount of all Restricted Payments made pursuant to this Section 7.06(h) in any calendar year (after giving effect to such carry forward) shall not exceed $10,000,000 in any calendar year (or, after the Qualifying IPO, the greater of (x) $14,000,000 and (y) 25.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings as of the last day of the most recently ended Test Period); provided further that, cancellation of Indebtedness owing to the Borrower (or any direct or indirect parent thereof) or any of its Subsidiaries from members of management of the Borrower, any of the Borrower’s direct or indirect parent companies or any of the Borrower’s Restricted Subsidiaries in connection with a repurchase of Equity Interests of any of the Borrower’s direct or indirect parent companies will not be deemed to constitute a Restricted Payment for purposes of this covenant or any other provision of this Agreement; provided further that such amount in any calendar year may be increased by an amount not to exceed:

 

(i)       the cash proceeds from the sale of Equity Interests (other than Disqualified Equity Interests) of Holdings and, to the extent contributed to the capital of Holdings (other than through the issuance of Disqualified Equity Interests), Equity Interests of any parent entity of Holdings, in each case to members of management, directors or consultants of Holdings, any of its Subsidiaries or any parent entity thereof that occurred after the Closing Date, in each case to the extent not otherwise applied under this Agreement or constituting a Cure Amount; plus

 

 

(ii)       the cash proceeds of key man life insurance policies received by Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries after the Closing Date; less

 

(iii)       the amount of any Restricted Payments made in previous calendar years pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii) of this proviso;

 

(i)           Holdings may make additional Restricted Payments in an amount not to exceed $1,000,000; provided that no Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom;

 

(j)           Holdings may make Restricted Payments to any direct or indirect parent of Holdings:

 

(i)           the proceeds of which will be used to pay the consolidated, combined, unitary or similar Tax liability of such parent’s income Tax that is attributable to the income of Holdings, the Borrower or their respective Subsidiaries; provided that Holdings, the Borrower, and their applicable Subsidiaries are members of a consolidated, combined, or unitary group for U.S. federal tax purposes of which the direct or indirect parent of Holdings is the common parent; provided further that no such payments shall exceed the Tax liability that would have been imposed on Holdings, the Borrower and/or the applicable Subsidiaries had such entities filed a consolidated, combined, unitary or similar Tax return where Holdings was the parent entity of such group and the only subsidiaries of Holdings were Borrower and its Subsidiaries;

 

(ii)          the proceeds of which shall be used to pay such equity holder’s operating costs and expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business, other overhead costs and expenses and fees (including (v) administrative, legal, accounting and similar expenses provided by third parties, (w) trustee, directors, managers and general partner fees, (x) [reserved], (y) fees and expenses (other than such owed to Affiliates) (including any underwriters discounts and commissions) related to any investment or acquisition transaction (whether or not successful) and (z) payments in respect of indebtedness and equity securities of any direct or indirect holder of Equity Interests in Holdings to the extent the proceeds are used or will be used to pay expenses or other obligations described in this Section 7.06(j)) which are in each case reasonable and customary and incurred in the ordinary course of business and attributable to the ownership or operations of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries (including any reasonable and customary indemnification claims made by directors, managers or officers of any direct or indirect parent of Holdings attributable to the direct or indirect ownership or operations of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries) and fees and expenses otherwise due and payable by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary and permitted to be paid by Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary under this Agreement;

 

(iii)         the proceeds of which shall be used to pay franchise and excise Taxes, and other fees and expenses, in each case required to maintain its (or any of its direct or indirect parents’) existence;

 

(iv)         which shall be used to pay customary salary, bonus, severance and other benefits payable to officers and employees of Holdings or any other direct or indirect parent company of Holdings, including Holdings to the extent such salaries, bonuses and other benefits are attributable to the ownership or operation of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries;

 

(v)          to finance any Investment made by such direct or indirect parent that, if made by Holdings, would be permitted to be made pursuant to Section 7.02; provided that (A) such Restricted Payment shall be made substantially concurrently with the closing of such Investment and (B) such parent shall, immediately following the closing thereof, cause (1) all property acquired (whether assets or Equity Interests) to be held by or contributed to Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary or (2) the merger (to the extent permitted in Section 7.04) of the Person formed or acquired into Holdings or a Restricted Subsidiary in order to consummate such Permitted Acquisition, in each case, in accordance with the requirements of Section 6.13; and/or

 

(vi)         the proceeds of which shall be used to (A) pay customary costs, fees and expenses (other than to Affiliates) related to any equity or debt offering permitted by this Agreement and (B) without duplication, to pay Public Company Costs;

 

(k)          Holdings may make Restricted Payments in connection with the Transactions (other than clause (c) of the definition thereof);

 

(l)           [reserved];

 

(m)         Restricted Payments in an amount equal to the aggregate amount of cash contributions made after the Closing Date to Holdings and contributed to the Borrower in exchange for Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings, except to the extent utilized in connection with any other transaction permitted by Section 7.02 or Section 7.08, and except to the extent such amount increases the Available Amount or constitutes a Cure Amount;

 

 

(n)       [reserved];

 

(o)       [reserved];

 

(p)       the declaration and payment of dividends on Disqualified Equity Interests incurred in accordance with Section 7.03;

 

(q)       payments made or expected to be made in respect of withholding or similar Taxes payable by any future, present or former employee, director, manager or consultant and any repurchases of Equity Interests in consideration of such payments including deemed repurchases in connection with the exercise of stock options or warrants and the vesting of restricted stock and restricted stock units; and

 

(r)       distributions or payments of Securitization Fees, sales contributions and other transfers of Securitization Assets or Receivables Assets and purchases of Securitization Assets or Receivables Assets pursuant to a Securitization Repurchase Obligation, in each case in connection with a Qualified Securitization Financing or Permitted Receivables Financing.

 

Section 7.07. Transactions with Affiliates. Enter into any transaction (other than any transaction or series of transactions having a fair market value not in excess of the greater of (x) $3,000,000 and (y) 5.0% of Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period) of any kind with any Affiliate of Holdings, whether or not in the ordinary course of business on terms that are less favorable to Holdings or such Restricted Subsidiary, as the case may be, than those that would be obtained at the time in a comparable arm’s-length transaction with a Person who is not an Affiliate, other than:

 

(a)       transactions among Holdings or the Restricted Subsidiaries or any entity that becomes a Restricted Subsidiary as a result of such transaction;

 

(b)       [reserved];

 

(c)       the Transactions and the payment of fees and expenses in connection with the consummation of the Transactions;

 

(d)       the payment of (i) advisory, consulting, refinancing, subsequent transaction and exit fees in an aggregate amount in any fiscal year not to exceed the greater of (x) the amount permitted to be paid pursuant to the Sponsor Management Agreement as in effect on the date hereof and any Sponsor Termination Fees not to exceed the amount set forth in the Sponsor Management Agreement as in effect on the date hereof and (y) the greater of (1) $1.0 million and (2) 0.25% of the Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period per fiscal year and (ii) related indemnities and reasonable expenses; provided that, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of a Specified Event of Default, such amounts described in clause (i) may accrue, but not be payable in cash during such period, but all such accrued amounts (plus accrued interest, if any, with respect thereto) may be payable in cash upon the cure or waiver of such Specified Event of Default;

 

(e)       transactions with customers, clients, suppliers, joint ventures, purchasers or sellers of goods or services or providers of employees or other labor entered into in the ordinary course of business, which are fair to Holdings and/or its applicable Restricted Subsidiary in the good faith determination of the board of directors (or similar governing body) of Holdings or the senior management thereof, or are on terms at least as favorable as might reasonably have been obtained at such time from an unaffiliated party;

 

 

(f)           [reserved];

 

(g)          payments by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Tax sharing agreements among Holdings and its Subsidiaries (and any direct or indirect parent thereof) on customary terms;

 

(h)          the payment of customary fees and reasonable out of pocket costs to, and indemnities provided on behalf of, directors, managers, officers, employees and consultants of Holdings and its Restricted Subsidiaries or any direct or indirect parent of Holdings in the ordinary course of business;

 

(i)           transactions pursuant to agreements in effect on the Closing Date and set forth on Schedule 7.07 or any amendment thereto to the extent such an amendment is not adverse to the Lenders in any material respect;

 

(j)           Restricted Payments permitted under Section 7.06 and/or Investments permitted under Section 7.02 (in each case, other than by reference to this Section 7.07);

 

(k)          transactions engaged in by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary with Unrestricted Subsidiaries in good faith to effect the operations, governance, administration, accounting and corporate overhead of Holdings and its Subsidiaries;

 

(l)           customary payments by the Borrower and any Restricted Subsidiaries to the Sponsor made for any financial advisory, financing, underwriting or placement services or in respect of other investment banking activities (including in connection with acquisitions or divestitures), which payments are approved by the majority of the members of the board of directors or a majority of the disinterested members of the board of directors of the Borrower in good faith;

 

(m)         transactions entered into by an Unrestricted Subsidiary with an Affiliate prior to the redesignation of any such Unrestricted Subsidiary as a Restricted Subsidiary pursuant to Section 6.15; provided that such transactions were not entered into in contemplation of such redesignation; it being agreed that for the purposes of this Section 7.07, each Unrestricted Subsidiary shall be deemed to be an Affiliate of each Restricted Company;

 

(n)          the payment of reasonable out-of-pocket costs and expenses related to registration rights and customary indemnities provided to shareholders under any shareholder agreement;

 

(o)          (i) any purchase by Holdings (or any parent company thereof) of the Equity Interests of (or contribution to the equity capital of) Holdings and (ii) any intercompany loans made by Holdings to Holdings, a parent company thereof or any Restricted Subsidiary;

 

(p)          transactions in connection with any Permitted Tax Restructuring;

 

(q)          (i) any collective bargaining, employment or severance agreement or compensatory (including profit sharing) arrangement entered into by Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries with their respective current or former officers, directors, members of management, managers, employees, consultants or independent contractors or those of any parent company of Holdings, (ii) any subscription agreement or similar agreement pertaining to the repurchase of Equity Interests pursuant to put/call rights or similar rights with current or former officers, directors, members of management, managers, employees, consultants or independent contractors and (iii) transactions and/or issuance, sale or grant of securities or other payments, awards or grants in cash, securities or otherwise pursuant to, or to fund, any employee compensation, benefit plan, stock option plan or arrangement, any health, disability or similar insurance plan which covers current or former officers, directors, members of management, managers, employees, consultants or independent contractors or any employment contract or arrangement, in each case in the ordinary course of business;

 

 

(r)       any transaction in respect of which the Borrower delivers to the Administrative Agent a letter addressed to the board of directors (or equivalent governing body) of Holdings from an accounting, appraisal or investment banking firm of nationally recognized standing stating that such transaction is on terms that are no less favorable to Holdings or the applicable Restricted Subsidiary than might be obtained at the time in a comparable arm’s length transaction from a Person who is not an Affiliate; and

 

(s)       any transaction with a Securitization Subsidiary effected as part of a Qualified Securitization Financing or Permitted Receivables Financing, including any disposition or repurchase of Securitization Assets, Receivables Assets or related assets in connection with any Qualified Securitization Financing and/or Permitted Receivables Financing.

 

Section 7.08. Prepayments, Etc. of Indebtedness. Prepay, redeem, purchase, defease or otherwise satisfy in each case prior to the due date thereof in any manner (it being understood that payments of interest, fees, premiums, indemnification payments and expenses when due and mandatory prepayments shall be permitted) any Junior Indebtedness in an outstanding principal amount exceeding the greater of (1) $8,000,000 and (2) 15.0% of the Consolidated EBITDA of Holdings for the most recently ended Test Period or make any payment in violation of any subordination terms of any such Junior Indebtedness (collectively, “Restricted Prepayments”), except:

 

(a)       the refinancing thereof with the net cash proceeds of (i) any issuance of Qualified Equity Interests of Holdings (or parent company thereof) to the extent not otherwise applied under this Agreement or constituting a Cure Amount or (ii) Indebtedness that (x) constitutes a Permitted Refinancing of such Junior Indebtedness and (y) is subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations;

 

(b)       the conversion of any Junior Indebtedness to Qualified Equity Interests;

 

(c)       Restricted Prepayments in an amount not to exceed the Available Amount; provided that with respect to Restricted Prepayments made in reliance on the Growth Amount, (x) no Event of Default shall result therefrom and (y) the Total Net Leverage Ratio shall not exceed the Total Net Leverage Ratio as of the Closing Date on a Pro Forma Basis;

 

(d)       [reserved];

 

(e)       additional Restricted Prepayments so long as (x) no Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result therefrom and (y) immediately after giving effect to such Restricted Prepayment, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio calculated on a Pro Forma Basis is less than or equal to 3.00:1.00;

 

(f)       Restricted Prepayments as part of an applicable high yield discount obligation catch-up payments; and

 

 

(g)       Restricted Prepayments with respect to intercompany Indebtedness owed to Holdings or any of its Restricted Subsidiaries permitted under Section 7.03, subject to the subordination provisions applicable thereto.

 

Section 7.09. Subsidiary Distributions Enter into or permit to exist any Contractual Obligation (other than this Agreement or any other Loan Document) that limits the ability of any Restricted Subsidiary to make Restricted Payments to any Loan Party or to otherwise transfer property to or invest in any Loan Party; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to Contractual Obligations which (i) (x) exist on the Closing Date and (y) to the extent Contractual Obligations permitted by clause (x) are set forth in an agreement evidencing Indebtedness, are set forth in any agreement evidencing any permitted renewal, extension or refinancing of such Indebtedness so long as such renewal, extension or refinancing does not expand the scope of such restrictions that are contained in such Contractual Obligation, (ii) are binding on a Restricted Subsidiary at the time such Restricted Subsidiary first becomes a Restricted Subsidiary, so long as such Contractual Obligations were not entered into solely in contemplation of such Person becoming a Restricted Subsidiary, (iii) arise in connection with any Disposition permitted by Section 7.05, (iv) are customary provisions in JV Entity agreements and other similar agreements applicable to JV Entities permitted under Section 7.02 and applicable solely to such JV Entity entered into in the ordinary course of business, (v) [reserved], (vi) are customary restrictions in leases, subleases, licenses or asset sale agreements otherwise permitted hereby so long as such restrictions may relate to the assets subject thereto, (vii) are customary provisions restricting subletting or assignment of any lease governing a leasehold interest, (viii) are customary provisions restricting assignment or transfer of any agreement entered into in the ordinary course of business, (ix) are on cash, other deposits or net worth or similar restrictions imposed by Persons under contracts entered into in the ordinary course of business, (x) are contained in any employment, compensation or separation agreement or arrangement entered into by Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary in the ordinary course of business, (xi) arising in any Swap Contracts and/or any agreement relating to any Cash Management Obligation or obligations of the type referred to in Section 7.02(l) or (xii) are set forth in any agreement relating to any Lien permitted by Section 7.01 that limits the right of Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary to Dispose of or encumber the assets subject thereto.

 

Section 7.10. No Changes in Fiscal Year. Change its fiscal year for financial reporting purposes (other than any Restricted Subsidiary acquired after the Closing Date, and in such case only to the extent necessary to conform to the fiscal year of Holdings) from its present basis without the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld); provided that in the event that the Administrative Agent shall so consent to such change, Holdings and the Administrative Agent will, and are hereby authorized by the Lenders to, make any adjustments to this Agreement that are necessary in order to reflect such change in financial reporting.

 

Section 7.11. Financial Covenant. Except with the written consent of the Required Revolving Credit Lenders, permit the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio as of the last day of a Test Period (commencing with the Test Period ending on or about June 30, 2019) to exceed 6.00:1.00 (the “Financial Covenant”) (provided that the provisions of this Section 7.11 shall not be applicable to any such Test Period if on the last day of such Test Period the aggregate principal amount of Revolving Credit Loans (excluding but only for the Test Period ending on or about June 30, 2019 amounts borrowed on the Closing Date to fund (i) any costs or expenses associated with the Transactions (including any consideration for the Acquisition) and (ii) additional upfront fees or OID required by the terms of the “market flex” provisions of the Arranger Fee Letter and/or Letters of Credit (excluding up to $5,000,000 of Letters of Credit and other Letters of Credit which have been Cash Collateralized or backstopped by a letter of credit reasonably satisfactory to the applicable L/C Issuer) that are issued and/or outstanding is equal to or less than 35% of the Revolving Credit Facility).

 

 

Section 7.12. Lines of Business. Engage to any material extent in any business other than any of the businesses in which the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries are engaged on the Closing Date, and any business reasonably related, incidental, complementary or ancillary thereto or extensions, expansions or developments thereof.

 

ARTICLE 8

EVENTS OF DEFAULT AND REMEDIES

 

Section 8.01. Events of Default. Any of the following shall constitute an “Event of Default”: 

 

(a)       Non-Payment. Any Loan Party fails to pay (i) when due, any amount of principal of any Loan, (ii) when and as required to be paid herein, any amount required to be prepaid and/or cash collateralized pursuant to Section 2.06(b)(vii) or (iii) within five Business Days after the same becomes due, any interest on any Loan or any other amount payable hereunder or with respect to any other Loan Document; or

 

(b)       Specific Covenants. Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary fails to perform or observe any term, covenant or agreement contained in any (i) of Section 6.05(a) (solely with respect to the Borrower) or Article 7 (other than Section 7.11), or (ii) Section 7.11; provided that (i) any Default or Event of Default under Section 7.11 shall (x) be subject to cure pursuant to Section 8.04 and (y) not constitute a Default or an Event of Default for purposes of any Term Loans unless and until the Initial Revolving Credit Lenders have actually terminated the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments and/or declared all outstanding Initial Revolving Credit Loans and obligations under the Initial Revolving Credit Facility to be immediately due and payable; provided further that no Default or Event of Default shall arise under Section 7.11 until the 10th Business Day after the day on which financial statements are required to be delivered for the relevant fiscal quarter or fiscal year, as applicable, under Sections 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable (unless Cure Rights have been exercised for an aggregate of five times over the life of this Agreement and/or Cure Rights have been exercised twice in the four consecutive fiscal quarter period most recently ended or the Borrower has notified the Administrative Agent that a Cure Right will not be exercised with respect thereto), and then only to the extent the Cure Amount has not been received on or prior to such date; provided that, commencing on the earlier of the day on which financial statements have been delivered or are required to be delivered for the relevant fiscal quarter or fiscal year, as applicable, under Sections 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable, no Revolving Credit Lender or L/C Issuer shall be required to make any Revolving Credit Loan or issue or amend any Letter of Credit until the Cure Amount is actually received; or

 

(c)       Other Defaults. Any Restricted Company fails to perform or observe any other term, covenant or agreement (not specified in Section 8.01(a) or (b) above) contained in any Loan Document on its part to be performed or observed and such failure continues for 30 days after notice thereof by the Administrative Agent to the Borrower; or

 

(d)       Representations and Warranties. Any representation, warranty, certification or statement of fact made or deemed made by or on behalf of any Restricted Company herein, in any other Loan Document, or in any document required to be delivered in connection herewith or therewith shall be incorrect or misleading in any material and adverse respect when made or deemed made, subject, in the case of representations, warranties, certifications or statements of fact that are capable of being cured, to a grace period of 30 days following the Borrower’s receipt of written notice of the inaccuracy of the relevant representation, warranty or certification; it being understood and agreed that (x) any breach of representation, warrant or certification resulting from the failure of the Administrative Agent to file any Uniform Commercial Code continuation statement shall not result in an Event of Default under this Section 7.01(d) or any other provision of any Loan Document and (y) the Specified Representations made on the Closing Date are incapable of being cured; or

 

 

(e)         Cross-Default. Any Material Company (i) fails to make any payment after the applicable grace period with respect thereto, if any, (whether by scheduled maturity, required prepayment, acceleration, demand, or otherwise) in respect of any Indebtedness (other than Indebtedness hereunder and Indebtedness owed by one Restricted Company to another Restricted Company) having an outstanding principal amount of not less than the Threshold Amount or (ii) fails to observe or perform any other agreement or condition relating to any such Indebtedness, or any other event occurs (other than, with respect to such Indebtedness consisting of Swap Contracts, termination events or equivalent events pursuant to the terms of such Swap Contracts (it being understood that clause (i) of this Section 7.01(e) will apply to any failure to make any payment required as a result of such termination or equivalent event)), the effect of which default or other event is to cause, or to permit the holder or holders of such Indebtedness (or a trustee or agent on behalf of such holder or holders or beneficiary or beneficiaries) to cause, with the giving of notice if required, (x) such Indebtedness to become due or to be repurchased, prepaid, defeased or redeemed (automatically or otherwise), or (y) a mandatory offer to repurchase, prepay, defease or redeem such Indebtedness to be made, prior to its stated maturity; provided that this clause (e)(ii) shall not apply to secured Indebtedness that becomes due as a result of the voluntary sale or transfer of the property or assets securing such Indebtedness, if such sale or transfer is permitted hereunder and under the documents providing for such Indebtedness; provided further that, any failure described under clauses (i) or (ii) above is unremedied and is not waived by the holders of such Indebtedness prior to any termination of the commitments or acceleration of the Loans pursuant to Article 8; or

 

(f)          Insolvency Proceedings, Etc. Any Material Company institutes or consents to the institution of any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors; or applies for or consents to the appointment of any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer for it or for all or any material part of its property; or any receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, liquidator, rehabilitator, administrator, administrative receiver or similar officer is appointed without the application or consent of such Person and the appointment continues undischarged or unstayed for 60 calendar days; or any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law relating to any such Person or to all or any material part of its property is instituted without the consent of such Person and continues undismissed or unstayed for 60 calendar days, or an order for relief is entered in any such proceeding; or

 

(g)         Inability to Pay Debts; Attachment. (i) Any Material Company becomes unable or admits in writing its inability or fails generally to pay its debts as they become due, or (ii) any writ or warrant of attachment or execution or similar process is issued or levied against all or any material part of the property of any Material Company in an amount exceeding the Threshold Amount and is not paid, released, discharged, vacated or fully bonded within 60 days after its issue or levy; or

 

(h)         Judgments. There is entered against any Material Company a final judgment or order for the payment of money in an amount exceeding the Threshold Amount (to the extent not covered by independent third-party insurance as to which the insurer has been notified of such judgment or order and does not deny coverage) and there is a period of 60 consecutive days during which such judgment has not been paid and during which a stay of enforcement of such judgment, by reason of a pending appeal or otherwise, is not in effect; or

 

(i)          ERISA. (i) An ERISA Event occurs that, when taken together with all other such ERISA Events or events, has resulted or could reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect, or (ii) Holdings or any ERISA Affiliate fails to pay when due, after the expiration of any applicable grace period, any installment payment with respect to its withdrawal liability under Section 4201 of ERISA under a Multiemployer Plan in an aggregate amount which would reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect; or

 

 

(j)           Change of Control. There occurs any Change of Control; or

 

(k)          Collateral Documents. Any Collateral Document after delivery thereof pursuant to Section 4.01 or Section 6.13 shall for any reason (other than pursuant to the terms thereof including as a result of a transaction permitted under Section 7.04 or Section 7.05) cease to create a valid and perfected first priority Lien on and security interest in any material portion of the Collateral, subject to Liens permitted under the Loan Documents, or any Loan Party shall assert in writing such invalidity or lack of perfection or priority (other than in an informational notice delivered to the Administrative Agent), except to the extent that any such loss of perfection or priority results from (x) the failure of the Administrative Agent to maintain possession of certificates or other possessory collateral actually delivered to it representing securities or other collateral pledged under the Collateral Documents or to file Uniform Commercial Code financing statements and/or filings regarding IP Rights or equivalent filings that have been delivered to the Administrative Agent which the Administrative Agent (or its counsel) has agreed to file, (y) a release of Collateral in accordance with the terms hereof or thereof and/or (z) the occurrence of the Termination Date and, except as to Collateral consisting of Material Real Property to the extent that such losses are covered by a lender’s title insurance policy and such insurer has not denied or disclaimed in writing that such losses are covered by such title insurance policy; or

 

(l)           Guaranty. Any material Guarantee purported to be created under any Loan Document shall cease to be, or shall be asserted by any Loan Party not to be, in full force and effect in accordance with its terms, except with respect to any Subsidiary Guarantor upon the consummation of any transaction permitted by this Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Guarantor providing such Guarantee ceases to be a Subsidiary or upon the termination of such Guarantee in accordance with its terms.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, any Event of Default shall be deemed no longer to be “continuing” or “existing” if the events, acts or conditions that gave rise to such Event of Default have been remedied or cured or have ceased to exist after the date such events, acts or conditions first occurred.

 

Section 8.02. Remedies Upon Event of Default. (a) Except as provided in clause (b) below), if any Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Lenders, take any or all of the following actions:

 

(i)        declare the Commitment of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions to be terminated, whereupon such Commitments and obligation shall be terminated;

 

(ii)       declare the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans, all interest accrued and unpaid thereon, and all other amounts owing or payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document to be immediately due and payable, without presentment, demand, protest or other notice of any kind, all of which are hereby expressly waived by the Borrower;

 

(iii)      require that the Borrower Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations (in an amount equal to 103% of the then Outstanding Amount thereof);

 

(iv)      exercise on behalf of itself and the Lenders all rights and remedies available to it and the Lenders under the Loan Documents or applicable Law; and

 

 

(b)         Upon the occurrence of an Event of Default arising from a breach of Section 7.11 that has occurred and is continuing, the Administrative Agent shall, at the request of, or may, with the consent of, the Required Revolving Credit Lenders, take any or all of the actions specified in Section 8.02(a) in respect of the Initial Revolving Credit Commitments (including any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions), the Initial Revolving Credit Loans and the L/C Obligations; provided that upon the occurrence of an actual or deemed entry of an order for relief with respect to the Borrower under the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, the Commitments shall automatically terminate and the obligation of each Lender to make Loans and any obligation of the L/C Issuer to make L/C Credit Extensions shall automatically terminate, the unpaid principal amount of all outstanding Loans and all interest and other amounts as aforesaid shall automatically become due and payable, and the obligation of the Borrower to Cash Collateralize the L/C Obligations as aforesaid shall automatically become effective, in each case without further act of the Administrative Agent or any Lender.

 

Section 8.03.       Application of Funds. After the exercise of remedies provided for in Section 8.02 (or after the Loans have automatically become immediately due and payable and the L/C Obligations have automatically been required to be Cash Collateralized as set forth in the proviso to Section 8.02), any amounts received on account of the Obligations shall be applied by the Administrative Agent in the following order:

 

First, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities, expenses and other amounts (including Attorney Costs payable under Section 11.04 and amounts payable under Article 3 but excluding principal of, and interest on, any Loan) payable to the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such;

 

Second, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting fees, indemnities and other amounts (other than principal and interest and Secured Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations) payable to the Lenders (including Attorney Costs payable under Section 11.05 and amounts payable under Article 3), ratably among them in proportion to the amounts described in this clause Second payable to them;

 

Third, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting accrued and unpaid interest on the Loans and L/C Borrowings, ratably among the Lenders in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Third payable to them;

 

Fourth, to payment of that portion of the Obligations constituting unpaid principal of the Loans and L/C Borrowings, Secured Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations ratably among the Lenders, each Hedge Bank or provider of Cash Management Obligations in proportion to the respective amounts described in this clause Fourth held by them;

 

Fifth, to the Administrative Agent for the account of the L/C Issuer, to Cash Collateralize that portion of L/C Obligations comprised of the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit;

 

Sixth, to the payment of all other Obligations of the Loan Parties that are due and payable to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date, ratably based upon the respective aggregate amounts of all such Obligations owing to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties on such date; and

 

Last, the balance, if any, after all of the Obligations have been paid in full, to the Borrower or as otherwise required by Law.

 

 

Subject to Section 2.04(c), amounts used to Cash Collateralize the aggregate undrawn amount of Letters of Credit pursuant to clause Fifth above shall be applied to satisfy drawings under such Letters of Credit as they occur. If any amount remains on deposit as Cash Collateral after all Letters of Credit have either been fully drawn or expired, such remaining amount shall be applied to the other Obligations, if any, in the order set forth above and, if no Obligations remain outstanding, delivered to the Borrower. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amounts received from any Guarantor shall be applied to any Excluded Swap Obligation of such Guarantor.

 

Section 8.04.       Borrower’s Right to Cure. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Agreement (including this Article 8), upon the occurrence of a Default or Event of Default as a result of Holdings’ failure to comply with Section 7.11 above for any fiscal quarter, Holdings shall have the right (the “Cure Right”) (at any time during such fiscal quarter or thereafter until the date that is 10 Business Days after the date on which financial statements for such fiscal quarter are required to be delivered pursuant to Section 6.01(a) or (b), as applicable) to issue Qualified Equity Interests or other equity (such other equity to be on terms reasonably acceptable to the Administrative Agent) for cash or otherwise receive cash contributions in respect of its Qualified Equity Interests (the “Cure Amount”), and thereupon compliance with Section 7.11 shall be recalculated giving effect to a pro forma increase in the amount of Consolidated EBITDA by an amount equal to the Cure Amount (notwithstanding the absence of a related addback in the definition of “Consolidated EBITDA”) solely for the purpose of determining compliance with Section 7.11 as of the end of such fiscal quarter and for applicable subsequent periods that include such fiscal quarter. If, after giving effect to the foregoing recalculation (but not, for the avoidance of doubt, taking into account any repayment of Indebtedness in connection therewith), the requirements of Section 7.11 would be satisfied, then the requirements of Section 7.11 shall be deemed satisfied as of the end of the relevant fiscal quarter with the same effect as though there had been no failure to comply therewith at such date, and the applicable breach or default of Section 7.11 that had occurred (or would have occurred) shall be deemed cured for the purposes of this Agreement. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, (i) in each four consecutive fiscal quarter period there shall be at least two fiscal quarters (which may, but are not required to be, consecutive) in which the Cure Right is not exercised, (ii) during the term of this Agreement, the Cure Right shall not be exercised more than five times, (iii) the Cure Amount shall be no greater than the amount required for the purpose of complying with Section 7.11, there shall be no pro forma or actual reduction of the amount of Indebtedness by the amount of any Cure Amount for purposes of determining compliance with Section 7.11 for the fiscal quarter in respect of which the Cure Right was exercised (provided that, with respect to any future period, to the extent of any portion of such Cure Amount that is actually applied to repay Indebtedness under the Loan Documents, such repayment may be given effect) and (i) such Cure Amount shall be disregarded for purposes of determining (x) any financial ratio-based condition to the availability of any carve-out set forth in Article 7 of this Agreement or any other basket set forth in Article 7 of this Agreement, (y) any ratio-based stepdown in Article 2 of this Agreement or (z) the Applicable Margin.

 

ARTICLE 9

 

ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND OTHER AGENTS

 

Section 9.01.       Appointment and Authorization of Administrative Agent. (a) Each Lender hereby irrevocably appoints, designates and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action on its behalf under the provisions of this Agreement and each other Loan Document and to exercise such powers and perform such duties as are expressly delegated to it by the terms of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, together with such powers as are reasonably incidental thereto. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary contained elsewhere herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent shall have no duties or responsibilities, except those expressly set forth herein or therein, nor shall the Administrative Agent have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender or participant, and no implied covenants, functions, responsibilities, duties, obligations or liabilities shall be read into this Agreement or any other Loan Document or otherwise exist against the Administrative Agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence, the use of the term “agent” herein and in the other Loan Documents with reference to any Agent is not intended to connote any fiduciary or other implied (or express) obligations arising under agency doctrine of any applicable Law. Instead, such term is used merely as a matter of market custom, and is intended to create or reflect only an administrative relationship between independent contracting parties.

 

 

(b)         Each L/C Issuer shall act on behalf of the Lenders with respect to any Letters of Credit issued by it and the documents associated therewith, and each L/C Issuer shall have all of the benefits and immunities (i) provided to the Agents in this Article 9 with respect to any acts taken or omissions suffered by each L/C Issuer in connection with Letters of Credit issued by it or proposed to be issued by it and the applications and agreements for letters of credit pertaining to such Letters of Credit as fully as if the term “Agent” as used in this Article 9 and in the definition of “Agent-Related Person” included such L/C Issuer with respect to such acts or omissions, and (ii) as additionally provided herein with respect to such L/C Issuer.

 

(c)         The Administrative Agent shall also act as the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents, and each of the Lenders (in its capacities as a Lender, L/C Issuer (if applicable) potential provider of Cash Management Obligations and a potential Hedge Bank) hereby irrevocably appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to act as the agent of (and, subject to Section 9.13, to hold any security interest created by the Collateral Documents for and on behalf of or on trust for) such Lender for purposes of acquiring, holding and enforcing any and all Liens on Collateral granted by any of the Loan Parties to secure any of the Secured Obligations, together with such powers and discretion as are reasonably incidental thereto. In this connection, the Administrative Agent, as “collateral agent” (and any co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact appointed by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 9.02 for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents, or for exercising any rights and remedies thereunder at the direction of the Administrative Agent), shall be entitled to the benefits afforded to the Administrative Agent of all provisions of this Article 9 (including Section 9.07, as though such co-agents, sub-agents and attorneys-in-fact were the “collateral agent” under the Loan Documents) as if set forth in full herein with respect thereto.

 

Section 9.02.       Delegation of Duties. The Administrative Agent may execute any of its duties under this Agreement or any other Loan Document (including for purposes of holding or enforcing any Lien on the Collateral (or any portion thereof) granted under the Collateral Documents or of exercising any rights and remedies thereunder) by or through agents, employees or attorneys-in-fact, such sub-agents as shall be deemed necessary by the Administrative Agent and shall be entitled to advice of counsel and other consultants or experts concerning all matters pertaining to such duties. The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for the negligence or misconduct of any agent or sub-agent or attorney-in-fact that it selects in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct or material breach of the Loan Documents by it in bad faith.

 

Section 9.03.       Exculpatory Provisions. The Administrative Agent shall not have any duties or obligations except those expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, and its duties hereunder shall be administrative in nature. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent:

 

(a) shall not be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties, regardless of whether a Default has occurred and is continuing;

 

 

(b) shall not have any duty to take any discretionary action or exercise any discretionary powers, except discretionary rights and powers expressly contemplated hereby or by the other Loan Documents that the Administrative Agent is required to exercise as directed in writing by the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be expressly provided for herein or in the other Loan Documents), provided that the Administrative Agent shall not be required to take any action that, in its opinion or the opinion of its counsel, may expose the Administrative Agent to liability or that is contrary to any Loan Document or applicable law, including for the avoidance of doubt any action that may be in violation of the automatic stay under any Debtor Relief Law or that may effect a forfeiture, modification or termination of property of a Defaulting Lender in violation of any Debtor Relief Law; and

 

(c) shall not, except as expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents, have any duty to disclose, and shall not be liable for the failure to disclose, any information relating to the Borrower or any of its Affiliates that is communicated to or obtained by the Person serving as the Administrative Agent or any of its Affiliates in any capacity.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be liable for any action taken or not taken by it (i) with the consent or at the request of the Required Lenders (or such other number or percentage of the Lenders as shall be necessary, or as the Administrative Agent shall believe in good faith shall be necessary, under the circumstances as provided in Sections 11.01 and 8.02) or (ii) in the absence of its own gross negligence or willful misconduct as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction by final and nonappealable judgment. The Administrative Agent shall be deemed not to have knowledge of any Default unless and until notice describing such Default is given in writing to the Administrative Agent by the Borrower, a Lender or the L/C Issuer.

 

The Administrative Agent shall not be responsible for or have any duty to ascertain or inquire into (i) any statement, warranty or representation made in or in connection with this Agreement or any other Loan Document, (ii) the contents of any certificate, report or other document delivered hereunder or thereunder or in connection herewith or therewith, (iii) the performance or observance of any of the covenants, agreements or other terms or conditions set forth herein or therein or the occurrence of any Default, (iv) the validity, enforceability, effectiveness or genuineness of this Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement, instrument or document or (v) the satisfaction of any condition set forth in Article IV or elsewhere herein, other than to confirm receipt of items expressly required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 9.04.       Reliance by Administrative Agent. (a) The Administrative Agent shall be entitled to rely, and shall be fully protected in relying, upon any writing, communication, signature, resolution, representation, notice, consent, certificate, affidavit, letter, telegram, facsimile, telex or telephone message, electronic mail message, statement or other document or conversation believed by it to be genuine and correct and to have been signed, sent or made by the proper Person or Persons, and upon advice and statements of legal counsel (including counsel to any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries), independent accountants and other experts selected by the Administrative Agent. The Administrative Agent be fully justified in failing or refusing to take any action under any Loan Document unless it shall first receive such advice or concurrence of the Required Lenders as it deems appropriate and, if it so requests, it shall first be indemnified to its satisfaction by the Lenders against any and all liability and expense which may be incurred by it by reason of taking or continuing to take any such action. The Administrative Agent shall in all cases be fully protected in acting, or in refraining from acting, under this Agreement or any other Loan Document in accordance with a request or consent of the Required Lenders (or such greater number of Lenders as may be expressly required hereby in any instance) and such request and any action taken or failure to act pursuant thereto shall be binding upon all the Lenders.

 

 

Section 9.05.       Credit Decision; Disclosure of Information by Agents. Each Lender acknowledges that no Agent-Related Person or Arranger has made any representation or warranty to it, and that no act by any Agent or Arranger hereafter taken, including any consent to and acceptance of any assignment or review of the affairs of any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries thereof, shall be deemed to constitute any representation or warranty by any Agent-Related Person or Arranger to any Lender as to any matter, including whether Agent-Related Persons or the Arranger have disclosed material information in their possession. Each Lender represents to each Agent that it has, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person or Arranger and based on such documents and information as it has deemed appropriate, made its own appraisal of and investigation into the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of each Loan Party, and all applicable bank or other regulatory Laws relating to the transactions contemplated hereby, and made its own decision to enter into this Agreement and to extend credit hereunder. Each Lender also represents that it will, independently and without reliance upon any Agent-Related Person or Arranger and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit analysis, appraisals and decisions in taking or not taking action under this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, and to make such investigations as it deems necessary to inform itself as to the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition and creditworthiness of each Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries. Except for notices, reports and other documents expressly required to be furnished to the Lenders by any Agent herein, such Agent shall not have any duty or responsibility to provide any Lender with any credit or other information concerning the business, prospects, operations, property, financial and other condition or creditworthiness of any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries which may come into the possession of any Agent-Related Person. Each Lender acknowledges and agrees that the extensions of credit made hereunder are commercial loans and letters of credit and not investments in a business enterprise or securities.

 

Section 9.06.         Indemnification of Agents. The Lenders shall indemnify upon demand each Agent-Related Person (to the extent not reimbursed by or on behalf of any Loan Party and without limiting the obligation of any Loan Party to do so), pro rata, and hold harmless each Agent-Related Person from and against any and all Indemnified Liabilities in connection with its role as an Agent-Related Person; provided that no Lender shall be liable for the payment to any Agent-Related Person of any portion of such Indemnified Liabilities resulting from such Agent-Related Person’s own gross negligence, willful misconduct or material breach of the Loan Documents by it in bad faith; provided that no action taken in accordance with the directions of the Required Lenders shall be deemed to constitute gross negligence or willful misconduct for purposes of this Section 9.06; provided further that to the extent an L/C Issuer is entitled to indemnification under this Section 9.06 solely in connection with its role as an L/C Issuer, only the Initial Revolving Credit Lenders shall be required to indemnify such L/C Issuer in accordance with this Section 9.06. In the case of any investigation, litigation or proceeding giving rise to any Indemnified Liabilities, this Section 9.06 applies whether any such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Lender or any other Person. Without limitation of the foregoing, each Lender shall reimburse the Administrative Agent upon demand for its ratable share of any costs or out-of-pocket expenses (including Attorney Costs) incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with the preparation, execution, delivery, administration, modification, amendment or enforcement (whether through negotiations, legal proceedings or otherwise) of, or legal advice in respect of rights or responsibilities under, this Agreement, any other Loan Document, or any document contemplated by or referred to herein, to the extent that the Administrative Agent is not reimbursed for such expenses by or on behalf of the Borrower. The undertaking in this Section 9.06 shall survive termination of the Aggregate Commitments, the payment of all other Obligations and the resignation of the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 9.07.        Agents in their Individual Capacities. Nomura and its Affiliates may make loans to, issue letters of credit for the account of, accept deposits from, acquire Equity Interests in and generally engage in any kind of banking, trust, financial advisory, underwriting or other business with each Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries as though Nomura (or any sub-agent or designee thereof) were not the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer hereunder and without notice to or consent of the Lenders. The Lenders acknowledge that, pursuant to such activities, Nomura or its Affiliates (and their respective sub-agents or designees) may receive information regarding any Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries (including information that may be subject to confidentiality obligations in favor of such Loan Party or any of their Subsidiaries) and acknowledge that the Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to provide such information to them. With respect to its Loans, Nomura (or any sub-agent or designee thereof) shall have the same rights and powers under this Agreement as any other Lender and may exercise such rights and powers as though it were not the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, and the terms “Lender” and “Lenders” include Nomura (or any sub-agent or designee thereof) in its individual capacity.

 

 

Section 9.08.        Successor Agents.

 

(a)                The Administrative Agent may at any time give notice of its resignation to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Borrower. Upon receipt of any such notice of resignation, the Required Lenders shall have the right, to appoint a successor, which shall be a bank or other financial institution with an office in the United States, or an Affiliate of any such bank with an office in the United States, which successor agent shall be consented to by the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) or (g) (with respect to the Borrower) (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed). If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days after the retiring Administrative Agent gives notice of its resignation (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “ Resignation Effective Date”), then the retiring Administrative Agent may (but shall not be obligated to) on behalf of the Lenders and the L/C Issuer, appoint a successor Administrative Agent, which successor agent shall be consented to by the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) and (g) (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, meeting the qualifications set forth above, provided that in no event shall any such successor Administrative Agent be a Defaulting Lender. Whether or not a successor has been appointed, such resignation shall become effective in accordance with such notice on the Resignation Effective Date.

 

(b)                If the Person serving as Administrative Agent is a Defaulting Lender pursuant to clause (d) of the definition thereof, the Required Lenders may, to the extent permitted by applicable law, by notice in writing to the Borrower and such Person remove such Person as Administrative Agent and, appoint a successor, which successor agent shall be consented to by the Borrower at all times other than during the existence of an Event of Default under Section 8.01(f) and (g) (which consent of the Borrower shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed. If no such successor shall have been so appointed by the Required Lenders and shall have accepted such appointment within 30 days (or such earlier day as shall be agreed by the Required Lenders) (the “ Removal Effective Date”), then such removal shall nonetheless become effective in accordance with such notice on the Removal Effective Date.

 

(c)                With effect from the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date (as applicable) (1) the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from its duties and obligations hereunder and under the other Loan Documents (except that in the case of any collateral security held by the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Lenders or the L/C Issuer under any of the Loan Documents, the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall continue to hold such collateral security until such time as a successor Administrative Agent is appointed) and (2) except for any indemnity payments or other amounts then owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent, all payments, communications and determinations provided to be made by, to or through the Administrative Agent shall instead be made by or to each Lender and the L/C Issuer directly, until such time, if any, as the Required Lenders appoint a successor Administrative Agent as provided for above. Upon the acceptance of a successor’s appointment as Administrative Agent hereunder, such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring (or removed) Administrative Agent (other than any rights to indemnity payments or other amounts owed to the retiring or removed Administrative Agent as of the Resignation Effective Date or the Removal Effective Date, as applicable) and shall promptly enter into a licensing agreement with the Reference Pricing Agent, and the retiring or removed Administrative Agent shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents (if not already discharged therefrom as provided above in this Section). The fees payable by the Borrower to a successor Administrative Agent shall be the same as those payable to its predecessor unless otherwise agreed between the Borrower and such successor. After the retiring or removed Administrative Agent’s resignation or removal hereunder and under the other Loan Documents, the provisions of this Article, Section 11.04 and Section 11.05 shall continue in effect for the benefit of such retiring or removed Administrative Agent, its sub agents and their respective Related Parties in respect of any actions taken or omitted to be taken by any of them (i) while the retiring or removed Administrative Agent was acting as Administrative Agent and (ii) after such resignation or removal for as long as any of them continues to act in any capacity hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, including (a) acting as collateral agent or otherwise holding any collateral security on behalf of any of the Lenders and (b) in respect of any actions taken in connection with transferring the agency to any successor Administrative Agent.

 

 

(d)                Any resignation by Nomura as Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section shall also constitute its resignation as L/C Issuer. If Nomura resigns as an L/C Issuer, it shall retain all the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the L/C Issuer hereunder with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto, including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.04(c). Upon the appointment by the Borrower of a successor L/C Issuer hereunder (which successor shall in all cases be a Lender other than a Defaulting Lender), (a) such successor shall succeed to and become vested with all of the rights, powers, privileges and duties of the retiring L/C Issuer, (b) the retiring L/C Issuer shall be discharged from all of its duties and obligations hereunder or under the other Loan Documents, and (c) the successor L/C Issuer shall issue letters of credit in substitution for the Letters of Credit, if any, outstanding at the time of such succession or make other arrangements satisfactory to Nomura to effectively assume the obligations of Nomura with respect to such Letters of Credit.

 

Section 9.09.       Administrative Agent May File Proofs of Claim; Credit Bidding. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to any Loan Party, the Administrative Agent (irrespective of whether the principal of any Loan or L/C Obligation shall then be due and payable as herein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Administrative Agent shall have made any demand on the Borrower) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise:

 

(a)                 to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of the principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Loans, L/C Obligations and all other Obligations that are owing and unpaid and to file such other documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent and their respective agents and counsel and all other amounts due the Lenders, the L/C Issuer and the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.04(i), 2.04(j), 2.10 and 11.04) allowed in such judicial proceeding; and

 

(b)                to collect and receive any monies or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same;

 

 

and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Lender to make such payments to the Administrative Agent and, in the event that the Administrative Agent shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Lenders, the L/C Issuer to pay to the Administrative Agent any amount due for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Agents and their respective agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Administrative Agent under Sections 2.10 and 11.04.

 

Nothing contained herein shall be deemed to authorize the Administrative Agent to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Lender or the L/C Issuer any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Obligations or the rights of any Lender or the L/C Issuer to authorize the Administrative Agent to vote in respect of the claim of any Lender or the L/C Issuer in any such proceeding.

 

The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent, at the direction of the Required Lenders, to credit bid all or any portion of the Obligations (including accepting some or all of the Collateral in satisfaction of some or all of the Secured Obligations pursuant to a deed in lieu of foreclosure or otherwise) and in such manner purchase (either directly or through one or more acquisition vehicles) all or any portion of the Collateral (a) at any sale thereof conducted under the provisions of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, including under Sections 363, 1123 or 1129 of the Bankruptcy Code of the United States, or any similar Laws in any other jurisdictions to which a Loan Party is subject, (b) at any other sale or foreclosure or acceptance of collateral in lieu of debt conducted by (or with the consent or at the direction of) the Administrative Agent (whether by judicial action or otherwise) in accordance with any applicable Law. In connection with any such credit bid and purchase, the Obligations owed to the Secured Parties shall be entitled to be, and shall be, credit bid on a ratable basis (with Obligations with respect to contingent or unliquidated claims receiving contingent interests in the acquired assets on a ratable basis that would vest upon the liquidation of such claims in an amount proportional to the liquidated portion of the contingent claim amount used in allocating the contingent interests) in the asset or assets so purchased (or in the Equity Interests or debt instruments of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles that are used to consummate such purchase). In connection with any such bid (i) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to form one or more acquisition vehicles to make a bid, (ii) to adopt documents providing for the governance of the acquisition vehicle or vehicles (provided that any actions by the Administrative Agent with respect to such acquisition vehicle or vehicles, including any disposition of the assets or Equity Interests thereof shall be governed, directly or indirectly, by the vote of the Required Lenders, irrespective of the termination of this Agreement and without giving effect to the limitations on actions by the Required Lenders contained in Section 11.01(a) of this Agreement, (iii) the Administrative Agent shall be authorized to assign the relevant Obligations to any such acquisition vehicle pro rata by the Lenders, as a result of which each of the Lenders shall be deemed to have received a pro rata portion of any Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by such an acquisition vehicle on account of the assignment of the Obligations to be credit bid, all without the need for any Secured Party or acquisition vehicle to take any further action, and (iv) to the extent that Obligations that are assigned to an acquisition vehicle are not used to acquire Collateral for any reason (as a result of another bid being higher or better, because the amount of Obligations assigned to the acquisition vehicle exceeds the amount of debt credit bid by the acquisition vehicle or otherwise), such Obligations shall automatically be reassigned to the Lenders pro rata and the Equity Interests and/or debt instruments issued by any acquisition vehicle on account of the Obligations that had been assigned to the acquisition vehicle shall automatically be cancelled, without the need for any Secured Party or any acquisition vehicle to take any further action.

 

 

Section 9.10.        Collateral and Guaranty Matters. The Lenders irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent:

 

(a)                to release any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent under any Loan Document (i) on the Termination Date, (ii) that is sold or to be sold as part of or in connection with any sale permitted hereunder or under any other Loan Document to any Person other than a Loan Party, (iii) subject to Section 11.01, if approved, authorized or ratified in writing by the Required Lenders, (iv) owned by a Subsidiary Guarantor upon release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under its Subsidiary Guaranty pursuant to clause Section 9.10(b)(b) below or (v) becomes an Excluded Asset or ceases to constitute Collateral;

 

(b)                to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under any Loan Document to which it is a party if such Person (i) ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) ceases to be a Subsidiary or (iii) becomes an Excluded Subsidiary, in each case, as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder; provided that no such release shall occur if such Subsidiary Guarantor continues to be a guarantor in respect of any Junior Indebtedness with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount unless and until such Subsidiary Guarantor is (or is being simultaneously) released from its guarantee with respect to such Indebtedness; and

 

(c)                to subordinate any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent under any Loan Document to the holder of any Lien on such property that is permitted by Sections 7.01(f), 7.01(i), 7.01(m), 7.01(p), 7.01(s), 7.01(t), 7.01(v), 7.01(x) (to the extent the relevant Lien is of the type to which the Lien of the Administrative Agent is otherwise required to be subordinated under this clause (c) pursuant to any of the other exceptions to Section 7.01 that are expressly included in this clause (c)), 7.01(y) (to the extent the relevant Lien secures Indebtedness permitted under Section 7.03(z)(i)) and/or 7.01(ff); provided, that the subordination of any Lien on any property granted to or held by the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent shall only be required with respect to any Lien on such property that is permitted by Sections 7.01(f), 7.01(i), 7.01(m), 7.01(p), 7.01(s), 7.01(t), 7.01(v), 7.01(x), 7.01(y) and/or 7.01(ff) to the extent that the Lien of the Administrative Agent or the Collateral Agent (as applicable) with respect to such property is required to be subordinated to the relevant Lien permitted by Section 7.01 in accordance with the documentation governing the Indebtedness that is secured by such Lien permitted by Section 7.01; and

 

(d)                to enter into any subordination, intercreditor, collateral trust and/or similar agreement contemplated hereunder, including any Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, including with respect to Indebtedness that is (i) required or permitted to be subordinated in right of payment hereunder and/or (ii) secured by Liens and required or permitted to be pari passu with or junior to the Liens securing the Secured Obligations, and with respect to which Indebtedness, an intercreditor, subordination, collateral trust or similar agreement is contemplated under this Agreement and including an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, an “Additional Agreement”), and the Secured Parties party hereto acknowledge that any Additional Agreement is binding upon them. Each Secured Party party hereto hereby (a) agrees that they will be bound by, and will not take any action contrary to, the provisions of any Additional Agreement and (b) authorizes and instructs the Administrative Agent to enter into any Additional Agreement and to subject the Liens on the Collateral securing the Secured Obligations to the provisions thereof. The foregoing provisions are intended as an inducement to the Secured Parties to extend credit to the Borrower, and the Secured Parties are intended third-party beneficiaries of such provisions and the provisions of any Intercreditor Agreement and/or any Additional Agreement.

 

 

Upon request by the Administrative Agent at any time, the Required Lenders will confirm in writing the Administrative Agent’s authority to release its interest in particular types or items of property, or to release any Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Loan Documents pursuant to this Section 9.10. In each case as specified in this Section 9.10, the Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, execute and deliver to the applicable Loan Party such documents as such Loan Party may reasonably request to evidence the release of such item of Collateral from the assignment and security interest granted under the Collateral Documents, or to release such Subsidiary Guarantor from its obligations under the Loan Documents, in each case in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents and this Section 9.10.

 

Anything contained in any of the Loan Documents to the contrary notwithstanding, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and each Secured Party hereby agree that no Secured Party shall have any right individually to realize upon any of the Collateral, to enforce the Guaranty or take any other enforcement action hereunder or under any other Loan Document, it being understood and agreed that all powers, rights and remedies hereunder and under any of the Loan Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders for the benefit of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms hereof and thereof and all powers, rights and remedies under the Security Documents may be exercised solely by the Administrative Agent or the Required Lenders for the benefit of the Secured Parties in accordance with the terms thereof.

 

No Secured Hedging Agreement or Cash Management Obligations will create (or be deemed to create) in favor of counterparty that is a party thereto any rights in connection with the management or release of any Collateral or of the obligations of any Guarantor under the Loan Documents except as expressly provided in the Security Agreement. By accepting the benefits of the Collateral, such counterparty shall be deemed to have appointed Administrative Agent, in its capacity as collateral agent, as its agent and agreed to be bound by the Loan Documents as a Secured Party, subject to the limitations set forth in this paragraph. The benefit of the provisions of the Loan Documents directly relating to the Collateral or any Lien granted thereunder shall extend to and be available to any Secured Party that is not the Administrative Agent, a Lender or an L/C Issuer as long as, by accepting such benefits, such Secured Party agrees, as among the Administrative Agent and all other Secured Parties, that such Secured Party is bound by (and, if requested by the Administrative Agent, shall confirm such agreement in a writing in form and substance acceptable to the Administrative Agent) this Article 9, and Section 11.09, and the decisions and actions of the Administrative Agent and the Required Lenders (or, where expressly required by the terms of this Agreement, a greater proportion of the Lenders) to the same extent a Lender is bound; provided that, notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) such Secured Party shall be bound by Section 11.05 only to the extent of liabilities, costs and expenses relating to the Collateral held for the benefit of such Secured Party, in which case the obligations of such Secured Party thereunder shall be such Secured Party’s pro rata share (based on the amount of Obligations owing to such Secured Party relative to the aggregate amount of Obligations) of such liabilities, costs and expenses, (ii) except as set forth specifically herein, the Administrative Agent, the Lenders and the L/C Issuer shall be entitled to act in its sole discretion, without regard to the interest of such Secured Party, regardless of whether any Obligation to such Secured Party thereafter remains outstanding, is deprived of the benefit of the Collateral, becomes unsecured or is otherwise affected or put in jeopardy thereby, and without any duty or liability to such Secured Party or any such Obligation and (iii) except as specifically set forth herein, such Secured Party shall not have any right to be notified of, consent to, direct, require or be heard with respect to, any action taken or omitted in respect of the Collateral or under any Loan Document.

 

Section 9.11.        Other Agents; Arrangers and Managers. None of the Lenders or other Persons identified on the facing page and/or signature pages of this Agreement as a “senior managing agent”, “co-syndication agent,” “co-documentation agent,” “joint bookrunner,” “arranger,” or “joint lead arranger” shall have any right, power, obligation, liability, responsibility or duty under this Agreement. Without limiting the foregoing, none of the Persons so identified shall have or be deemed to have any fiduciary relationship with any Lender. Each Lender acknowledges that it has not relied, and will not rely, on any of the Persons so identified in deciding to enter into this Agreement or in taking or not taking action hereunder.

 

 

Section 9.12.       ERISA. Each Lender (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto until the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, that at least one of the following is and will be true:

 

(a)                such Lender is not using “plan assets” (within the meaning of Section 3(42) of ERISA or otherwise) of one or more Benefit Plans in connection with the Loans, Commitments or the Letters of Credit,

 

(b)                the transaction exemption set forth in one or more PTEs, such as PTE 84-14 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers), PTE 95-60 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company general accounts), PTE 90-1 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving insurance company pooled separate accounts), PTE 91-38 (a class exemption for certain transactions involving bank collective investment funds) or PTE 96-23 (a class exemption for certain transactions determined by in-house asset managers), is applicable, and the conditions of such exemption have been satisfied, with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments, the Letters of Credit and this Agreement, or

 

(c)                (i)   such Lender is an investment fund managed by a “Qualified Professional Asset Manager” (within the meaning of Part VI of PTE 84-14),

 

     (ii) such Qualified Professional Asset Manager made the investment decision on behalf of such Lender to enter into, participate in, administer and perform the Loans, the Commitments, the Letters of Credit and this Agreement;

 

      (iii) the entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Commitments, the Letters of Credit and this Agreement satisfies the requirements of sub-sections (b) through (g) of Part I of PTE 84-14; and

 

      (iv) to the best knowledge of such Lender, the requirements of subsection (a) of Part I of PTE 84-14 are satisfied with respect to such Lender’s entrance into, participation in, administration of and performance of the Loans, the Letters of Credit, the Commitments and this Agreement.

 

In addition, unless sub-clause (a) above is true with respect to a Lender, such Lender further (x) represents and warrants, as of the date such Person became a Lender party hereto, to, and (y) covenants, from the date such Person became a Lender party hereto to the date such Person ceases being a Lender party hereto, for the benefit of, the Administrative Agent and its Affiliates, and not, for the avoidance of doubt, to or for the benefit of the Borrower or any other Loan Party, that neither the Administrative Agent nor any of its Affiliates is a fiduciary with respect to the assets of such Lender (including in connection with the reservation or exercise of any rights by the Administrative Agent under this Agreement, any Loan Document or any documents related to hereto or thereto).

 

 

ARTICLE 10

GUARANTY

 

Section 10.01.     Guaranty. (a) Each Guarantor hereby, jointly and severally, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees the punctual payment when due, whether at scheduled maturity or by acceleration, demand or otherwise, of all of its Guaranteed Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, but subject to Section 10.11, the liability of each Guarantor shall extend to all amounts that constitute part of the Guaranteed Obligations and would be owed by any other Loan Party to any Secured Party under or in respect of the Loan Documents but for the fact that they are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence of a bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding involving such other Loan Party. This Guaranty is a guaranty of payment and not of collection.

 

(b)                Each Guarantor, and by its acceptance of this Article 10, the Administrative Agent, on behalf of itself and each other Secured Party, hereby confirm that it is the intention of all such Persons that this Article 10 and the Guaranteed Obligations of each Guarantor hereunder not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Debtor Relief Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar foreign, federal or state law to the extent applicable to this Article 10 and the Guaranteed Obligations of each Guarantor hereunder. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Administrative Agent, the other Secured Parties and the Guarantors hereby irrevocably agree that the Guaranteed Obligations of each Guarantor under this Article 10 at any time shall be limited to the maximum amount as will result in the Guaranteed Obligations of such Guarantor under this Guaranty not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance under Debtor Relief Law or any comparable provision of applicable Law.

 

Section 10.02.      Contribution. Subject to Section 10.03, each Guarantor hereby unconditionally agrees that in the event any payment shall be required to be made to any Secured Party under this Article 10 or any other Guaranty, such Guarantor in its capacity as such will contribute, to the maximum extent permitted by Law, such amounts to each other Guarantor so as to maximize the aggregate amount paid to the Secured Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents.

 

Section 10.03.      Guaranty Absolute. Each Guarantor guarantees that its Guaranteed Obligations will be paid in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents regardless of any law, regulation or order now or hereafter in effect in any jurisdiction affecting any of such terms or the rights of any Secured Party with respect thereto. The Obligations of each Guarantor under or in respect of this Article 10 are independent of the Guaranteed Obligations or any other Obligations of any other Loan Party under or in respect of the Loan Documents, and a separate action or actions may be brought and prosecuted against each Guarantor to enforce this Article 10, irrespective of whether any action is brought against the Borrower or any other Loan Party or whether the Borrower or any other Loan Party is joined in any such action or actions. The liability of each Guarantor under this Article 10 shall be irrevocable, absolute and unconditional, and each Guarantor hereby irrevocably waives any defenses (other than payment in full of the Guaranteed Obligations) it may now have or hereafter acquire in any way, including relating to, any or all of the following:

 

(a)               any lack of validity or enforceability of any Loan Document or any agreement or instrument relating thereto;

 

 (b)               any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of its Guaranteed Obligations or any other Obligations of any other Loan Party under or in respect of the Loan Documents, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to departure from any Loan Document, including, without limitation, any increase in its Guaranteed Obligations resulting from the extension of additional credit to any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries or otherwise;

 

 

(c)                any taking, exchange, release or non-perfection of any Collateral or any other collateral, or any taking, release or amendment or waiver of, or consent to departure from, any other guaranty, for all or any of its Guaranteed Obligations;

 

(d)                any manner of application of Collateral or any other collateral, or proceeds thereof, to all or any of its Guaranteed Obligations, or any manner of sale or other disposition of any Collateral or any other collateral for all or any of its Guaranteed Obligations or any other Secured Obligations of any Loan Party under the Loan Documents or any other assets of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

(e)                any change, restructuring or termination of the corporate structure or existence of any Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries;

 

(f)                any failure of any Secured Party to disclose to any Loan Party any information relating to the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance, properties or

prospects of any other Loan Party now or hereafter known to such Secured Party (each Guarantor waiving any duty on the part of the Secured Parties to disclose such information);

 

(g)                the failure of any other Person to execute or deliver any other guaranty or agreement or the release or reduction of liability of any other guarantor or surety with respect to its Guaranteed Obligations; or

 

(h)                any other circumstance or any existence of or reliance on any representation by any Secured Party that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Loan Party or any other guarantor or surety other than satisfaction in full of the Obligations.

 

This Article 10 shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time any payment of any of such Guarantor’s Guaranteed Obligations is rescinded or must otherwise be returned by any Secured Party or any other Person upon the insolvency, bankruptcy or reorganization of the Borrower or any other Loan Party or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.

 

Section 10.04. Waiver and Acknowledgments. Except for the termination of a Guarantor’s obligations hereunder upon the Termination Date, (a) each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives promptness, diligence, notice of acceptance, presentment, demand for performance, notice of nonperformance, default, acceleration, protest or dishonor and any other notice with respect to any of its Guaranteed Obligations and this Article 10 (other than any demand, presentment or notice expressly required by the Loan Documents) and any requirement that any Secured Party protect, secure, perfect or insure any Lien or any property subject thereto or exhaust any right or take any action against any Loan Party or any other Person or any Collateral.

 

(b)                Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives any right to revoke this Article 10 and acknowledges that this Article 10 is continuing in nature and applies to all of its Guaranteed Obligations, whether existing now or in the future.

 

(c)                Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives any defense arising by reason of any claim or defense based upon an election of remedies by any Secured Party that in any manner impairs, reduces, releases or otherwise adversely affects the subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification rights of such Guarantor or other rights of such Guarantor to proceed against any of the other Loan Parties, any other guarantor or any other Person or any Collateral and any defense based on any right of set-off or counterclaim against or in respect of the Obligations of such Guarantor under this Article 10.

 

 

 

(d)        Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably waives any duty on the part of any Secured Party to disclose to such Guarantor any matter, fact or thing relating to the business, condition (financial or otherwise), operations, performance, properties or prospects of any other Loan Party or any of its Subsidiaries now or hereafter known by such Secured Party.

 

(e)        Each Guarantor acknowledges that it will receive substantial direct and indirect benefits from the financing arrangements contemplated by the Loan Documents and that the waivers set forth in this Article 10 are knowingly made in contemplation of such benefits.

 

Section 10.05. Subrogation. Each Guarantor hereby unconditionally and irrevocably agrees not to exercise any rights that it may now have or hereafter acquire against any other Loan Party or any other insider guarantor that arise from the existence, payment, performance or enforcement of such Guarantor’s Guaranteed Obligations under or in respect any Loan Document, including, without limitation, any right of subrogation, reimbursement, exoneration, contribution or indemnification and any right to participate in any claim or remedy of any Secured Party against any other Loan Party or any other insider guarantor or any Collateral, whether or not such claim, remedy or right arises in equity or under contract, statute or common law, including, without limitation, the right to take or receive from any other Loan Party or any other insider guarantor, directly or indirectly, in cash or other property or by set-off or in any other manner, payment or security on account of such claim, remedy or right, unless and until the Termination Date. If any amount shall be paid to any Guarantor in violation of the immediately preceding sentence at any time prior to the latest of (a) the Termination Date, (b) the Latest Maturity Date and (c) the latest date of expiration or termination of all Letters of Credit or other provision therefor in full in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer, such amount shall be received and held in trust for the benefit of the Secured Parties, shall be segregated from other property and funds of such Guarantor and shall forthwith be paid or delivered to the Administrative Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsement or assignment) to be credited and applied to such Guarantor’s Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable by it under this Article 10, whether matured or unmatured, in accordance with the terms of the Loan Documents, or to be held as Collateral for any of such Guarantor’s Guaranteed Obligations or other amounts payable by it under this Article 10 thereafter arising. If (i) all of the Guaranteed Obligations and all other amounts payable under this Article 10 shall have been paid in full in cash, (ii) the Latest Maturity Date shall have occurred and (iii) all Letters of Credit shall have expired or been terminated or other provision therefor in full shall have been made in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the L/C Issuer, the Lenders will, at any Guarantor’s request and expense, execute and deliver to such Guarantor appropriate documents, without recourse and without representation or warranty, necessary to evidence the transfer by subrogation to such Guarantor of an interest in the Guaranteed Obligations resulting from such payment made by such Guarantor pursuant to this Article 10.

 

Section 10.06. Payment Free and Clear of Taxes. Any and all payments by any Guarantor under this Article 10 shall be made in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement, including the provisions of Section 3.01 (and such Guarantor shall make such payments of Taxes or Other Taxes to the extent described in Section 3.01), as though such payments were made by the Borrower.

 

Section 10.07. Covenants. Each Subsidiary Guarantor covenants and agrees that, from the Closing Date to the Termination Date, such Subsidiary Guarantor will perform and observe, and cause each of the Restricted Subsidiaries to perform and observe, all of the terms, covenants and agreements set forth in the Loan Documents on its or their part to be performed or observed or that Holdings has agreed to cause such Subsidiary Guarantor or such Restricted Subsidiaries to perform or observe.

 

 

Section 10.08. Release of Subsidiary Guarantors. A Subsidiary Guarantor shall automatically be released from this Article 10 and its obligations hereunder upon consummation of any transaction or designation permitted by this Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Guarantor (i) ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) ceases to be a Subsidiary or (iii) becomes an Excluded Subsidiary, in each case, as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder (provided that no such release shall occur if such Subsidiary Guarantor is a guarantor in respect of any Junior Indebtedness with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount). The Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, promptly execute and deliver to such Subsidiary Guarantor such documents as the Borrower shall reasonably request to evidence the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its Guaranty hereunder pursuant to this Section 10.08; provided that the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a written request therefor and a certificate of the Borrower to the effect that the release of such Guarantor is in compliance with the Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall be authorized to rely on any such certificate without independent investigation.

 

Section 10.09. Guaranty Supplements. Upon the execution and delivery by any Person of a guaranty supplement in substantially the form of Exhibit G hereto (each, a “ Guaranty Supplement”), (a) such Person shall be referred to as an “Additional Guarantor” and shall become and be a Guarantor hereunder, and each reference in this Article 10 to a “Guarantor” shall also mean and be a reference to such Additional Guarantor, and each reference in any other Loan Document to a “Guarantor” shall also mean and be a reference to such Additional Guarantor, and (b) each reference herein to “this Article 10”, “hereunder”, “hereof” or words of like import referring to this Article 10, and each reference in any other Loan Document to the “Guaranty”, “thereunder”, “thereof” or words of like import referring to this Article 10, shall mean and be a reference to this Article 10 as supplemented by such Guaranty Supplement.

 

Section 10.10. No Waiver; Remedies. No failure on the part of any Secured Party to exercise, and no delay in exercising, any right hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right. The remedies herein provided are cumulative and not exclusive of any remedies provided by law.

 

Section 10.11. [Reserved].

 

Section 10.12. Continuing Guaranty; Assignments under this Agreement. This Article 10 is a continuing guaranty and shall (a) remain in full force and effect until the Termination Date, (b) be binding upon each Guarantor, its successors and assigns and (c) inure to the benefit of and be enforceable by the Secured Parties and their permitted successors, transferees and assigns. No Guarantor shall have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of all Lenders.

 

Section 10.13. Subordination of Certain Intercompany Indebtedness. Each Guarantor hereby agrees that any Indebtedness owed by it to another Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Obligations of such Guarantor and that any Indebtedness owed to it by another Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Obligations of such other Loan Party, it being understood that such Guarantor or such other Loan Party, as the case may be, may make payments on such intercompany Indebtedness unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

Section 10.14. Keepwell. Each Qualified ECP Guarantor hereby jointly and severally absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably undertakes to provide such funds or other support as may be needed from time to time by each Non-ECP Guarantor to honor all of its obligations under this Agreement in respect of any Swap Obligations that would otherwise be Excluded Swap Obligations but for this Section 10.14 (provided, however, that each Qualified ECP Guarantor shall only be liable under this Section 10.04 for the maximum amount of such liability that can hereby be incurred and otherwise subject to the limitations on the Obligations of the Guarantors contained in this Guaranty Agreement without rendering its obligations under this Section 10.04, or otherwise under this Agreement, as it relates to such Loan Party, voidable under applicable Law relating to fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer, and not for any greater amount). This Section 10.14 shall be deemed to constitute, a “keepwell, support, or other agreement” for the benefit of each other Non-ECP Guarantor for all purposes of § 1a(18)(A)(v)(II) of the Commodity Exchange Act.

 

 

Section 10.15. Maximum Liability. It is the desire and intent of the Guarantors and the Secured Parties that this Guarantee shall be enforced against the Guarantors to the fullest extent permissible under the laws and public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. The provisions of this Guarantee are severable, and in any action or proceeding involving any state or federal corporate law, or any state, federal or foreign bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or other law affecting the rights of creditors generally, if the obligations of any Guarantor under this Guarantee would otherwise be held or determined to be avoidable, invalid or unenforceable on account of the amount of such Guarantor’s liability under this Guarantee, then, notwithstanding any other provision of this Guarantee to the contrary, the amount of such liability shall, without any further action by the Guarantors or the Secured Parties, be automatically limited and reduced to the highest amount that is valid and enforceable as determined in such action or proceeding (such highest amount determined hereunder being the relevant Guarantor’s “Maximum Liability”). Each Loan Guarantor agrees that the Guaranteed Obligations may at any time and from time to time exceed the Maximum Liability of each Guarantor without impairing this Guarantee or affecting the rights and remedies of the Secured Parties hereunder; provided that, nothing in this sentence shall be construed to increase any Guarantor’s obligations hereunder beyond its Maximum Liability.

 

ARTICLE 11

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 11.01. Amendments, Etc. (a) Except as provided in Section 2.16 with respect to any Incremental Joinder, Section 2.18 with respect to any Extension Amendment and Section 2.19 with respect to any Refinancing Amendment or as otherwise provided in this Agreement, no amendment or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or any other Loan Document, and no consent to any departure by any Loan Party therefrom, shall be effective unless in writing signed by the Required Lenders, Holdings and the Borrower or the applicable Loan Party, as the case may be (with an executed copy thereof promptly delivered to the Administrative Agent if not otherwise a party thereto), and each such waiver or consent shall be effective only in the specific instance and for the specific purpose for which given; provided that:

 

(i)       no amendment, waiver or consent shall, without the written consent of each Lender directly and adversely affected thereby (and not, for the avoidance of doubt, the Required Lenders):

 

(A)          extend or increase the Commitment of any Lender (it being understood that a waiver of any condition precedent set forth in Section 4.01 or 4.02, or the waiver of any Default, Event of Default or mandatory prepayment shall not constitute an extension or increase of any Commitment of any Lender);

 

(B)          postpone any date scheduled for any payment of principal or interest under Section 2.08 or 2.09 or fees under Section 2.04(i), 2.04(j), 2.10(b), 2.17(c)(iv), 2.17(c)(v), it being understood that the amendment, supplement, modification and/or waiver of (or amendment to the terms of) any mandatory prepayment of the Term Loans shall not constitute a postponement of any date scheduled for the payment of principal or interest and the application thereof shall not constitute a postponement or reduction of the amount of interest or other amounts;

 

 

(C)          reduce or forgive the principal of, or the rate of interest specified herein on, any Loan or L/C Borrowing, or (subject to clause (3) of the second proviso to this Section 11.01(a)) any fees or other amounts payable hereunder or under any other Loan Document, it being understood that any change to the definition of any financial ratio (including the First Lien Net Leverage Ratio, the Senior Secured Net Leverage Ratio and/or the Total Net Leverage Ratio) or in each case, the component definitions thereof shall, in each case of the foregoing, not constitute a reduction in the rate of interest or fees or other amounts payable; provided that only the consent of the Required Lenders shall be necessary to amend the definition of “Default Rate” or to waive any obligation of the Borrower to pay interest at the Default Rate; or

 

(D)          change Section 2.07, 2.08, 2.13(a) or (f), 2.14, or 8.03 in any manner that would alter the pro rata nature of payments (and, in the case of Section 2.07, reductions of Commitments (other than the termination of any Lender as provided in Section 3.09)) required thereby (it being understood and agreed that this clause (D) shall not apply to any transaction permitted under Sections 2.15, 2.16, 2.18, 2.19, 11.07(k), or 11.07(l) or as otherwise provided in this Agreement); and

 

(ii)       no amendment, waiver or consent shall, without the written consent of each Lender:

 

(A)          change any provision of this Section 11.01 or the definition of “Required Lenders” or any other provision hereof specifying the number or percentage of Lenders required to amend, waive or otherwise modify any rights hereunder or make any determination or grant any consent hereunder; or

 

(B)          release all or substantially all of the Collateral in any transaction or series of related transactions, or release all or substantially all of the value of the Guaranty;

 

provided further that:

 

(1)         no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the relevant L/C Issuer in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of such L/C Issuer under this Agreement or any Letter of Credit Application relating to any Letter of Credit issued or to be issued by it;

 

(2)        no amendment, waiver or consent shall, unless in writing and signed by the Administrative Agent in addition to the Lenders required above, affect the rights or duties of, or any fees or other amounts payable to, the Administrative Agent under this Agreement or any other Loan Document;

 

(3)        the definition of “Letter of Credit Sublimit” may be amended or rights and privileges thereunder waived with the consent of each L/C Issuer, the Administrative Agent and the Required Revolving Credit Lenders;

 

(4)        the Fee Letters may be amended, or rights or privileges thereunder waived, in a writing executed only by the parties thereto;

 

 

(5)        the conditions precedent set forth in Section 4.02 to a Credit Extension under the Revolving Credit Facility after the Closing Date may be amended or rights and privileges thereunder waived only with the consent of the Required Revolving Credit Lenders and, in the case of a Credit Extension that constitutes the issuance of a Letter of Credit, the applicable L/C Issuer; and

 

(6)        only the consent of the Required Revolving Credit Lenders shall be necessary to amend, modify or waive the terms and provision of the financial covenant set forth in Section 7.11 or any default or Event of Default with respect thereto (and any related definitions as used in such Section, but not as used in other Sections of this Agreement).

 

(b)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, no Defaulting Lender shall have any right to approve or disapprove any amendment, waiver or consent hereunder, except that the Commitment of such Lender may not be increased or extended nor the principal amount owed to such Lender reduced nor the final maturity thereof extended without the consent of such Lender (it being understood that any Commitments or Loans held or deemed held by any Defaulting Lender shall be excluded from a vote of the Lenders hereunder requiring any consent of the Lenders).

 

(c)        Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be amended (or amended and restated) with the written consent of the Required Lenders, the Administrative Agent and the Borrower (i) to add one or more additional credit facilities to this Agreement in accordance with Section 2.18 or 2.19 and to permit the extensions of credit from time to time outstanding thereunder and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof to share ratably in the benefits of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents with the Initial Term Loans and the Initial Revolving Credit Loans and the accrued interest and fees in respect thereof and (ii) to include appropriately the Lenders holding such credit facilities in any determination of the Required Lenders.

 

(d)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, in order to implement any Incremental Term Loan Class or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments in accordance with Section 2.16, this Agreement and the other Loan Documents may be amended, without the consent of the other Lenders, as may be necessary or appropriate, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to add such Incremental Term Loan Class or Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments in accordance with Section 2.16 and otherwise effect the provisions of Section 2.16, which amendments may be effectuated in the applicable Incremental Joinder. The Lenders hereby irrevocably authorize the Administrative Agent to enter into any Incremental Joinder and any amendment to any of the other Loan Documents with the Loan Parties as may be necessary in order to establish new tranches or sub-tranches in respect of Loans or Commitments increased or extended pursuant to Section 2.16 and such technical amendments as may be necessary or appropriate in the reasonable opinion of the Administrative Agent and the Borrower in connection with the establishment of such new Loans or Commitments, in each case, on terms consistent with Section 2.16, including any changes to this Agreement as may be necessary to ensure that any Incremental Term Loan Class is fungible with the applicable existing Term Loans if such Incremental Term Loan Class is intended to be of the same Class as the relevant existing Term Facility (including by adding terms to an existing Class of Loans or Commitments that are more favorable to the Lenders of such Class (as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent).

 

(e)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 11.01, any guarantees, collateral security documents and related documents executed by any Loan Party of its subsidiaries in connection with this Agreement may be in a form reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and may be, together with this Agreement, amended, supplemented and waived with the consent of the Administrative Agent at the request of the Borrower without the need to obtain the consent of any Lender if such amendment, supplement or waiver is delivered in order (i) to comply with local Law, (ii) to correct or cure (x) ambiguities, errors, mistakes, omissions or defects, (y) to effect administrative changes of a technical or immaterial nature or (z) incorrect cross references or similar inaccuracies in this Agreement or the applicable Loan Document or (iii) to cause such guarantee, collateral security document or other Loan Document to be consistent with this Agreement and the other Loan Documents; it being agreed that in the case of any conflict between this Agreement and any other Loan Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall control (except that in the case of any conflict between this Agreement and an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, such Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement with respect to the Collateral shall control).

 

 

(f)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 11.01, in the event that the Borrower requests that this Agreement be modified or amended in a manner that would require the unanimous consent of all of the Lenders (or all affected Lenders or all Lenders or affected Lenders of a particular Class) and such modification or amendment is agreed to by the Required Lenders (other than in connection with an extension of maturity, in which case such consent shall not be necessary), then the Borrower shall be permitted to (A) replace the Lender or Lenders that did not agree to the modification or amendment requested by the Borrower (such Lender or Lenders, collectively the “Dissenting Lenders”) (without the consent of any Dissenting Lender) by causing such Dissenting Lenders to (and such Dissenting Lenders shall be obligated to) assign 100% of its relevant Commitments and the principal of its relevant outstanding Loans (including, for the avoidance of doubt, any L/C Advances made by any Dissenting Lender) at par plus any accrued and unpaid interest pursuant to Section 11.07(d) (without any assignment fee to be paid by the Borrower) all of its relevant rights and obligations under this Agreement to one or more Eligible Assignees; or (B) terminate the Commitment of such Dissenting Lender and repay all obligations of the Borrower owing to such Dissenting Lender relating to the Loans and participations in L/C Obligations held by such Dissenting Lender as of such termination date;

 

Section 11.02. Notices and Other Communications; Facsimile Copies. (a) Generally. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, all notices and other communications provided for under any Loan Document shall be in writing (including by facsimile transmission and, except as otherwise specifically provided herein, electronic mail). All such written notices shall be mailed, faxed or delivered to the applicable address, facsimile number or (subject to Section 11.02(c)) electronic mail address, and all notices and other communications expressly permitted hereunder to be given by telephone shall be made to the applicable telephone number, as follows:

 

(i)       if to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent or the L/C Issuer, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified for such Person on Schedule 11.02 or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the other parties; and

 

(ii)       if to any other Lender, to the address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number specified in its Administrative Questionnaire or to such other address, facsimile number, electronic mail address or telephone number as shall be designated by such party in a notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer.

 

Unless the Administrative Agent otherwise prescribes, (i) notices and other communications sent to an e-mail address shall be deemed received upon the sender’s receipt of an acknowledgement from the intended recipient (such as by the “return receipt requested” function, as available, return e-mail or other written acknowledgement), and (ii) notices or communications posted to an Internet or intranet website shall be deemed received upon the deemed receipt by the intended recipient at its e-mail address as described in the foregoing clause (i) of notification that such notice or communication is available and identifying the website address therefor; provided that, for both clauses (i) and (ii), if such notice, email or other communication is not sent during the normal business hours of the recipient, such notice, email or communication shall be deemed to have been sent at the opening of business on the next business day for the recipient.

 

 

All such notices and other communications shall be deemed to be given or made upon the earlier of (x) actual receipt by the relevant party and (y) (A) if delivered by hand or by courier, when signed for by or on behalf of the relevant party; (B) if delivered by mail, four Business Days after deposit in the mails, postage prepaid; (C) if delivered by facsimile, when sent and receipt has been confirmed by telephone; and (D) if delivered by electronic mail, when delivered; provided that notices and other communications to the Administrative Agent and the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article 2 shall not be effective until actually received by such Person. In no event shall a voice mail message be effective as a notice, communication or confirmation hereunder.

 

(b)        Effectiveness of Facsimile Documents and Signatures. Loan Documents may be transmitted and/or signed by facsimile or other electronic means. The effectiveness of any such documents and signatures shall, subject to applicable Law, have the same force and effect as manually signed originals and shall be binding on each Loan Party, each Agent and each Lender. The Administrative Agent may also require that any such documents and signatures be confirmed by a manually signed original thereof; provided that the failure to request or deliver the same shall not limit the effectiveness of any facsimile document or signature.

 

(c)        Electronic Communications. Notices and other communications to the Lenders and the L/C Issuer hereunder may be delivered or furnished by electronic communication (including electronic mail, EPML Messaging and Internet or intranet websites) pursuant to procedures approved by the Administrative Agent; provided that the foregoing shall not apply to notices to any Lender or the L/C Issuer pursuant to Article 2 if such Lender or the L/C Issuer, as applicable, has notified the Administrative Agent that it is incapable of receiving notices under such Article by electronic communication. The Administrative Agent or the Borrower may, in its discretion, agree to accept notices and other communications to it hereunder by electronic communications pursuant to procedures approved by it; provided that approval of such procedures may be limited to particular notices or communications.

 

(d)        Reliance by Agents and Lenders. Reliance by Agents and Lenders. The Administrative Agent, the L/C Issuer and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely and act upon any notices (including telephonic notices, Loan Notices and Letter of Credit Applications) purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower even if (i) such notices were not made in a manner specified herein, were incomplete or were not preceded or followed by any other form of notice specified herein, or (ii) the terms thereof, as understood by the recipient, varied from any confirmation thereof. The Borrower shall indemnify each Agent-Related Person the L/C Issuer, and each Lender from all losses, costs, expenses and liabilities resulting from the reliance by such Person on each notice purportedly given by or on behalf of the Borrower in the absence of gross negligence or willful misconduct. All telephonic notices to the Administrative Agent may be recorded by the Administrative Agent, and each of the parties hereto hereby consents to such recording; provided that, it is acknowledged and agreed that any recording of telephonic communications (other than such telephonic notices) between a Loan Party and the Administrative Agent may not be recorded without the express written consent of the Borrower.

 

(e)        THE PLATFORM IS PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE.” THE AGENT PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) DO NOT WARRANT THE ACCURACY OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE ADEQUACY OF THE PLATFORM, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM LIABILITY FOR ERRORS IN OR OMISSIONS FROM THE BORROWER MATERIALS. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS OR FREEDOM FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER CODE DEFECTS, IS MADE BY ANY AGENT PARTY IN CONNECTION WITH THE BORROWER MATERIALS OR THE PLATFORM. In no event shall the Administrative Agent or any of its Agent-Related Persons (collectively, the “Agent Parties”) or the Borrower have any liability to any other party hereto for losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses of any kind (whether in tort, contract or otherwise) arising out of the transmission of Borrower Materials or notices through the platform, any other electronic platform or electronic messaging service, or through the Internet; except to the extent such losses, claims, damages, liabilities or expenses result from the gross negligence, willful misconduct, bad faith or material breach of this Agreement (as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction).

 

 

Section 11.03. No Waiver; Cumulative Remedies. No failure by any Lender or the Administrative Agent to exercise, and no delay by any such Person in exercising, any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder or under any other Loan Document shall operate as a waiver thereof; nor shall any single or partial exercise of any right, remedy, power or privilege hereunder preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, remedy, power or privilege. The rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided under each Loan Document are cumulative and not exclusive of any rights, remedies, powers and privileges provided by Law.

 

Section 11.04. Attorney Costs, Expenses and Taxes. The Borrower agrees (a) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent and the Arranger (without duplication) for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the preparation, negotiation, syndication and execution of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (b) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with any amendment, waiver, consent or other modification of the provisions hereof and thereof (whether or not the transactions contemplated thereby are consummated), and the consummation and administration of the transactions contemplated hereby and thereby, but in the case of Attorney Costs in each of clauses (a) and (b) hereof, limited to the reasonable fees and reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses of a single primary firm of counsel to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent, and, if necessary, of a single firm of local counsel to the Arranger and the Administrative Agent in each appropriate material jurisdiction, and (c) to pay or reimburse the Administrative Agent and each Lender for all reasonable and documented out-of-pocket costs and expenses incurred in connection with the enforcement of any rights or remedies under this Agreement or the other Loan Documents (including all such costs and expenses incurred during any legal proceeding, including any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law), but in the case of Attorney Costs, limited to the reasonable fees and reasonable documented out-of-pocket expenses of a single primary firm of counsel to (and, if necessary, of a single firm of local counsel in each appropriate material jurisdiction to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders, taken as a whole, unless the Administrative Agent and the Lenders reasonably determine that separate counsel is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest in which case one additional counsel may be appointed for all affected parties, taken as a whole). The foregoing costs and expenses shall include all search, filing, recording, title insurance and appraisal charges relevant to the Collateral and fees and Taxes related thereto, and the related reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses incurred by any Agent. All amounts due under this Section 11.04 shall be paid within thirty (30) days after receipt by the Borrower of an invoice in reasonable detail. The agreements in this Section 11.04 shall survive the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and repayment of all other Obligations.

 

Section 11.05. Indemnification by the Borrower. Whether or not the transactions contemplated hereby are consummated, the Borrower shall indemnify and hold harmless each Agent, the Arranger, each Lender, each L/C Issuer and each of their respective Affiliates and the directors, officers, employees, counsel, agents and advisors of the foregoing (collectively the “Indemnitees”) from and against any and all liabilities, losses, damages, claims and reasonable out-of-pocket costs (including Attorney Costs, which shall be limited to one outside counsel to the Indemnitees, taken as a whole (and, if necessary, of a single firm of local counsel to the Indemnitees, taken as a whole, in each appropriate material jurisdiction), unless the Indemnitees reasonably determine that separate counsel is necessary to avoid a conflict of interest, in which case one additional counsel may be appointed for all affected Indemnitees, taken as a whole), for any kind or nature whatsoever which may at any time be imposed on, incurred by or asserted against any such Indemnitee in any way relating to or arising out of or in connection with:

 

 

(a)        the execution, delivery, enforcement, performance or administration of any Loan Document or any other agreement, letter or instrument delivered in connection with the transactions contemplated thereby or the consummation of the transactions contemplated thereby;

 

(b)        any Commitment, Loan or Letter of Credit or the use or proposed use of the proceeds therefrom (including any refusal by the L/C Issuer to honor a demand for payment under a Letter of Credit if the documents presented in connection with such demand do not strictly comply with the terms of such Letter of Credit); or

 

(c)        any actual or alleged presence or release of Hazardous Materials on or from any property currently or formerly owned, leased or operated by any Restricted Company or any of their Subsidiaries, or any Environmental Liability related in any way to any Restricted Company or any of their Subsidiaries; or

 

(d)        any actual or prospective claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding relating to any of the foregoing, whether or not such claim, litigation, investigation or proceeding is brought by the Borrower or any other Loan Party or their respective equity holders, Affiliates, creditors or any other third Person and based on contract, tort or any other theory (including any investigation of, preparation for, or defense of any pending or threatened claim, investigation, litigation or proceeding) and regardless of whether any Indemnitee is a party thereto (a “Proceeding”);

 

(all the foregoing, collectively, the “Indemnified Liabilities”), in all cases, whether or not caused by or arising, in whole or in part, out of the negligence of the Indemnitee; provided that such indemnity shall not, as to any Indemnitee, be available to the extent that such liabilities, losses, damages, claims and costs (collectively, the “Losses”) (x) have resulted from the gross negligence or willful misconduct or material breach of the Loan Documents in bad faith of or by such Indemnitee as determined by the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, (y) arise from claims of any of the Indemnitees solely against one or more Indemnitees (other than any claims against an Indemnitee in its capacity as agent, arranger or other similar role hereunder) that have not resulted from any misrepresentation, default or the breach of any Loan Document or any actual or alleged performance or non-performance by the Borrower or any other Loan Party, any direct or indirect parent or controlling person thereof or their respective Subsidiaries or any of their respective officers, directors, stockholders, partners, members, employees, agents, representatives or advisors or (z) have resulted from any agreement governing any settlement referred to below by such Indemnitee that is effected without the Borrower’s prior written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed), but if settled with the Borrower’s written consent or if there is a final judgment in any such Proceeding, the Loan Parties agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities and expenses by reason of such settlement or judgment in accordance with, and to the extent required by, this Section 11.05. Each Indemnitee shall be obligated to refund and return any and all amounts paid by you (or on your behalf) under this Section 11.05 to such Indemnitee to the extent such Indemnitee is not entitled to payment of such amounts in accordance with the terms hereof. No Indemnitee shall be liable for any damages arising from the use by others of any information or other materials obtained through SyndTrak, IntraLinks or other similar information transmission systems in connection with this Agreement, except to the extent resulting from the willful misconduct, gross negligence or material breach of the Loan Documents in bad faith of or by such Indemnitee as determined by the final non-appealable judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction, nor shall any Indemnitee or any Loan Party have any liability (whether direct or indirect, in contract or in tort or otherwise) for any special, punitive, indirect or consequential damages relating to this Agreement or any other Loan Document or arising out of its activities in connection herewith or therewith (whether before or after the Closing Date); provided, however, that the foregoing liability exclusion with respect to the Loan Parties shall not limit the indemnification obligations of the Loan Parties otherwise provided for above in respect of third party claims against the Indemnitees for which such Indemnitees are otherwise entitled to indemnification hereunder. In the case of an investigation, litigation or other proceeding to which the indemnity in this Section 11.05 applies, such indemnity shall be effective whether or not such investigation, litigation or proceeding is brought by any Loan Party, its directors, shareholders or creditors or an Indemnitee or any other Person, whether or not any Indemnitee is otherwise a party thereto and whether or not any of the transactions contemplated hereunder or under any of the other Loan Documents is consummated. All amounts due under this Section 11.05 shall be paid within thirty days of receipt by the Borrower of an invoice in reasonable detail. The agreements in this Section 11.05 shall survive the resignation of the Administrative Agent, the replacement of any Lender, the termination of the Aggregate Commitments and the repayment, satisfaction or discharge of all the other Obligations. Without limiting the provisions of Section 3.01, this Section 11.05 shall not apply with respect to Taxes other than any Taxes that represent losses, claims, damages, etc., arising from any non-Tax claim.

 

 

The Loan Parties shall not be liable for any settlement of any Proceeding (or any expenses related thereto) effected without the Borrower’s written consent (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, it being understood that the withholding of consent due to non-satisfaction of any of the conditions described in clauses (i) and (ii) of the succeeding paragraph shall be deemed reasonable), but if settled with the Borrower’s written consent or if there is a final and non-appealable judgment by a court of competent jurisdiction for the plaintiff in any such Proceeding, the Loan Parties agree to indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnitee from and against any and all Losses and reasonable and documented legal or other out-of-pocket expenses by reason of such settlement or judgment in accordance with and to the extent provided in the other provisions of this Section 11.05.

 

The Loan Parties shall not shall not, without the prior written consent of any Indemnitee (which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld or delayed, it being understood that the withholding of consent due to non-satisfaction of any of the conditions described in clauses (i) and (ii) of this sentence shall be deemed reasonable), effect any settlement of any pending or threatened Proceeding in respect of which indemnity could have been sought hereunder by such Indemnitee unless such settlement (i) includes an unconditional release of such Indemnitee in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to such Indemnitee from all liability or claims that are the subject matter of such Proceeding and (ii) does not include any statement as to or any admission of fault, culpability, wrongdoing or a failure to act by or on behalf of any Indemnitee.

 

In case any Proceeding is instituted involving any Indemnitee for which indemnification is to be sought hereunder by such Indemnitee, then such Indemnitee will promptly notify the Borrower of the commencement of any Proceeding; provided, however, that the failure to so notify the Borrower will not relieve the Borrower from any liability that it may have to such Indemnitee pursuant to this Section 11.05.

 

Section 11.06. Payments Set Aside. To the extent that any payment by or on behalf of the Borrower is made to any Agent or any Lender, or any Agent or any Lender exercises its right of setoff, and such payment or the proceeds of such setoff or any part thereof is subsequently invalidated, declared to be fraudulent or preferential, set aside or required (including pursuant to any settlement entered into by such Agent or such Lender in its discretion) to be repaid to a trustee, receiver or any other party, in connection with any proceeding under any Debtor Relief Law or otherwise, then:

 

(a)        to the extent of such recovery, the obligation or part thereof originally intended to be satisfied shall be revived and continued in full force and effect as if such payment had not been made or such setoff had not occurred, and

 

(b)        each Lender severally agrees to pay to the Administrative Agent upon demand its applicable share of any amount so recovered from or repaid by any Agent, plus interest thereon from the date of such demand to the date such payment is made at a rate per annum equal to the applicable Federal Funds Rate from time to time in effect.

 

Section 11.07. Assigns. (a) The provisions of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby. Nothing in this Agreement, expressed or implied, shall be construed to confer upon any Person (other than the parties hereto, their respective successors and assigns permitted hereby, Participants to the extent provided in Section 11.07(f) and, to the extent expressly contemplated hereby, the Indemnitees) any legal or equitable right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Agreement.

 

(b)        Notwithstanding Section 11.07(a), the Borrower may not assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of each Lender, except as provided in Section 7.04.

 

(c)        Notwithstanding Section 11.07(a), no Lender may assign or otherwise transfer any of its rights or obligations hereunder except (i) to an Eligible Assignee in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.07(d), (ii) by way of participation in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.07(f), (iii) by way of pledge or assignment of a security interest subject to the restrictions of Sections 11.07(h) and 11.07(j) or (iv) to an SPC in accordance with the provisions of Section 11.07(i) (and any other attempted assignment or transfer by any party hereto shall be null and void).

 

(d)        Any Lender may at any time assign to one or more Eligible Assignees (which, for the avoidance of any doubt, shall not include any Disqualified Institutions to the extent the list of Disqualified Institutions has been provided to the Lenders) all or a portion of its rights and obligations under this Agreement; provided that

 

 

(i)           except in the case of an assignment of the entire remaining amount of the assigning Lender’s Commitment and the Loans at the time owing to it or, in the case of an assignment to a Lender or an Affiliate of a Lender or, in the case of the Term Loan Facility, an Approved Fund, the aggregate amount of the Commitment (which for this purpose includes Loans outstanding thereunder) or, if the applicable Commitment is not then in effect, the outstanding principal balance of the Loan of the assigning Lender subject to each such assignment, determined as of the date the Assignment and Assumption with respect to such assignment is delivered to the Administrative Agent shall not be less than $5,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of the Revolving Credit Facility, or $1,000,000, in the case of any assignment in respect of any Term Loans, unless each of the Administrative Agent and, the Borrower otherwise consents (each such consent not to be unreasonably withheld or delayed);

 

(ii)          each partial assignment shall be made as an assignment of a proportionate part of all the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement with respect to the Loans or the Commitment assigned, except that this clause (ii) shall not prohibit any Lender from assigning all or a portion of its rights and obligations among separate Facilities on a non-pro rata basis;

 

(iii)         any assignment of a Term Loan or a Revolving Credit Commitment to an Eligible Assignee must be approved, if applicable, by the Persons specified for such assignment in the definition of Eligible Assignee; provided that solely in the case of assignments of Term Loans, the Borrower shall be deemed to have consented to any such assignment of Term Loans unless the Borrower has objected to such assignment by written notice to the Administrative Agent within 10 Business Days after having received written notice from the Administrative Agent requesting its consent to such assignment; provided further that, it is agreed that the Borrower may withhold its consent to an assignment to any person that is known by it to be an affiliate of a Disqualified Institution (regardless of whether it is readily identifiable as an Affiliate by virtue of the similarity of its name (other than, in the case of Disqualified Institutions under clause (ii) of the definition thereof, such Affiliates that are Bona Fide Lending Affiliates);

 

(iv)         the parties (other than the Borrower unless its consent to such assignment is required hereunder) to each assignment shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an Assignment and Assumption, together with a processing and recordation fee of $3,500 (which fee the Borrower shall have no obligation to pay except as required in Section 3.09 and 11.01(f)), the applicable IRS Form W-8 or IRS Form W-9 (or other applicable tax form) and all documentation and other information required by regulatory authorities under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including, without limitation, the USA PATRIOT Act; and

 

(v)          the assigning Lender shall deliver any Notes evidencing such Loans to the Borrower. Subject to acceptance and recording thereof by the Administrative Agent pursuant to Section 11.07(e), from and after the effective date specified in each Assignment and Assumption, the Eligible Assignee thereunder shall be a party to this Agreement and, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, have the rights and obligations of a Lender under this Agreement, and the assigning Lender thereunder shall, to the extent of the interest assigned by such Assignment and Assumption, be released from its obligations under this Agreement (and, in the case of an Assignment and Assumption covering all of the assigning Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement, such Lender shall cease to be a party hereto but shall continue to be entitled to the benefits of Sections 3.01, 3.04, 3.07, 11.04 and 11.05 with respect to facts and circumstances occurring prior to the effective date of such assignment). Upon request, and the surrender by the assigning Lender of its Note, the Borrower (at its expense) shall execute and deliver a Note to the assignee Lender. Any assignment or transfer by a Lender of rights or obligations under this Agreement that does not comply with this clause (d) shall be treated for purposes of this Agreement as a sale by such Lender of a participation in such rights and obligations in accordance with Section 11.07(f). The Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such, shall not be responsible or have any liability for, or have any duty to inquire into, monitor, or enforce, the provisions set forth in this Agreement relating to Disqualified Institutions. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such, shall not (x) be obligated to ascertain, monitor or inquire as to whether any Lender or Participant or prospective Lender or Participant is a Disqualified Institution or (y) have any liability with respect to or arising out of any assignment or participation of Loans, or disclosure of confidential information, to any Disqualified Institution.

 

 

(e)        The Administrative Agent, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, shall maintain at one of the Administrative Agent’s offices a copy of each Assignment and Assumption delivered to it and a register for the recordation of the names and addresses of the Lenders, and the Commitments of, and principal amounts (and related interest amounts) of the Loans, L/C Obligations (specifying the Unreimbursed Amounts), L/C Borrowings and amounts due under Section 2.04 owing to each Lender pursuant to the terms hereof from time to time (the “Register”). The entries in the Register shall be conclusive, absent manifest error, and the Borrower, each Agent and each Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Register pursuant to the terms hereof as a Lender hereunder for all purposes of this Agreement, notwithstanding notice to the contrary. The Register shall be available for inspection by the Borrower, any Agent and any Lender, at any reasonable time and from time to time upon reasonable prior written notice. The parties intend that all extensions of credit to the Borrower and its Affiliates hereunder shall at all times be treated as being in registered form within the meaning of Sections 163(f), 871(h)(2), and 881(c)(2) of the Code (and any successor provisions) and the regulations thereunder and shall interpret the provisions herein regarding the Register consistent with such intent.

 

(f)        Any Lender may at any time, without the consent of, or notice to, the Borrower or the Administrative Agent, sell participations to any Person (other than a natural person or solely to the extent the list of Disqualified Institutions is made available to the Lenders, a Disqualified Institution) (each, a “Participant”) in all or a portion of such Lender’s rights and/or obligations under this Agreement; provided that (i) such Lender’s obligations under this Agreement shall remain unchanged, (ii) such Lender shall remain solely responsible to the other parties hereto for the performance of such obligations and (iii) the Borrower, each Agent and each other Lender shall continue to deal solely and directly with such Lender in connection with such Lender’s rights and obligations under this Agreement. Any agreement or instrument pursuant to which a Lender sells such a participation shall provide that such Lender shall retain the sole right to enforce this Agreement and the other Loan Documents and to approve any amendment, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents; provided that such agreement or instrument may provide that such Lender will not, without the consent of the Participant, agree to any amendment, waiver or other modification described in Section 11.01(a)(i) or 11.01(a)(ii) that directly affects such Participant. Subject to Section 11.07(g), each Participant shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 3.01, and Sections 3.04 through 3.07 (subject to the requirements and limitations therein, including the requirements under Section 3.01(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the participating Lender)) to the same extent as if it were a Lender and had acquired its interest by assignment pursuant to Section 11.07(d). To the extent permitted by law, each Participant also shall be entitled to the benefits of Section 11.10 as though it were a Lender; provided that such Participant agrees to be subject to Section 2.14 as though it were a Lender.

 

(g)        A Participant shall not be entitled to receive any greater payment under Section 3.01 and Sections 3.04 through 3.07 than the applicable Lender would have been entitled to receive with respect to the participation sold to such Participant, except to the extent such entitlement to receive a greater payment results from a Change in Law that occurs after the Participant acquired the applicable participation. Each Lender that sells a participation and each Granting Lender shall, acting solely for this purpose as a non-fiduciary agent of the Borrower, maintain a register on which it enters the name and address of each Participant and each applicable SPC and the principal amounts (and stated interest) of each Participant’s or SPC’s, as applicable, interest in the Loans or other obligations under the Loan Documents (the “Participant Register”); provided that no Lender shall have any obligation to disclose all or any portion of the Participant Register (including the identity of any Participant or SPC, or any information relating to a Participant’s or SPC’s interest in any Commitments, Loans, Letters of Credit or its other obligations under any Loan Document) to any Person except to the extent that such disclosure is necessary to establish that such Commitment, Loan, Letter of Credit or other obligation is in registered form under Section 5f.103-1(c) of the United States Treasury Regulations and Section 1.163-5(b)(1) of the proposed United States Treasury Regulations. The entries in the Participant Register shall be conclusive (absent manifest error) as to the identity of each Participant and each SPC and the amount of Loans and Commitments attributed to such Participant or SPC, and such Lender shall treat each Person whose name is recorded in the Participant Register as the owner of such participation or Loan granted to such SPC for all purposes of this Agreement notwithstanding any notice to the contrary. For the avoidance of doubt, the Administrative Agent (in its capacity as Administrative Agent) shall have no responsibility for maintaining a Participant Register.

 

 

(h)        Any Lender may at any time pledge or assign a security interest in all or any portion of its rights under this Agreement under its Note, if any to secure obligations of such Lender, including any pledge or assignment to secure obligations to a Federal Reserve Bank or any central bank having jurisdiction over such Lender; provided that no such pledge or assignment shall release such Lender from any of its obligations hereunder or substitute any such pledgee or assignee for such Lender as a party hereto.

 

(i)         Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein:

 

(i)       any Lender (a “Granting Lender”) may grant to a special purpose funding vehicle (an “SPC”) (which, for the avoidance of doubt, may not be a Disqualified Institution) identified as such in writing from time to time by the Granting Lender to the Administrative Agent and the Borrower the option to provide all or any part of any Loan that such Granting Lender would otherwise be obligated to make pursuant to this Agreement; provided that

 

(A)          nothing herein shall constitute a commitment by any SPC to fund any Loan,

 

(B)          if an SPC elects not to exercise such option or otherwise fails to make all or any part of such Loan, the Granting Lender shall be obligated to make such Loan pursuant to the terms hereof, and

 

(C)          each SPC that elects to exercise such option shall satisfy the requirements under Section 3.01(e) (it being understood that the documentation required under Section 3.01(e) shall be delivered to the applicable Granting Lender)

 

(ii)       (A) neither the grant to any SPC nor the exercise by any SPC of such option shall increase the costs or expenses or otherwise increase or change the obligations of the Borrower under this Agreement (including its obligations under Section 3.01 or 3.04 through 3.07), (B) no SPC shall be liable for any indemnity or similar payment obligation under this Agreement for which a Lender would be liable, and (C) the Granting Lender shall for all purposes, including the approval of any amendment, waiver or other modification of any provision of any Loan Document, remain the lender of record hereunder. The making of a Loan by an SPC hereunder shall utilize the Commitment of the Granting Lender to the same extent, and as if, such Loan were made by such Granting Lender.

 

(iii)       any SPC may (A) with notice to, but without prior consent of the Borrower or the Administrative Agent and with the payment of a processing fee of $3,500, assign all or any portion of its right to receive payment with respect to any Loan to the Granting Lender and (B) disclose on a confidential basis any non-public information relating to its funding of Loans to any rating agency, commercial paper dealer or provider of any surety or Guarantee or credit or liquidity enhancement to such SPC.

 

 

(j)     Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any Lender that is a Fund may create a security interest in all or any portion of the Loans owing to it and the Note, if any, held by it to the trustee (who may not be a Disqualified Institution) for holders of obligations owed, or securities issued, by such Fund as security for such obligations or securities; provided that unless and until such trustee actually becomes a Lender in compliance with the other provisions of this Section 11.07, (i) no such pledge shall release the pledging Lender from any of its obligations under the Loan Documents, (ii) such trustee shall not be entitled to exercise any of the rights of a Lender under the Loan Documents even though such trustee may have acquired ownership rights with respect to the pledged interest through foreclosure or otherwise (unless such trustee is an Eligible Assignee which has complied with the requirements of Section 11.07(d)).

 

(k)     In case of an assignment to a Sponsor Affiliated Lender, (1) after giving effect to such assignment, together with all other assignments to Sponsor Affiliated Lenders, the aggregate principal amount of all Loans and Commitments then held by all Sponsor Affiliated Lenders (other than Affiliated Debt Funds) shall not exceed 25% of the aggregate unpaid principal amount of the Term Loans then outstanding (determined at the time of such purchase), (2) no Revolving Credit Loans or Revolving Credit Commitments shall be assigned to any Sponsor Affiliated Lender, (3) no proceeds of Revolving Credit Loans shall be used, directly or indirectly, to consummate such assignment, (4) any Loans assigned or contributed to Holdings or its Subsidiaries shall be automatically cancelled upon such assignment (it being agreed that documentation evidencing such cancellation, if necessary), may be entered promptly thereafter), (5) in the event that any proceeding under the Bankruptcy Code shall be instituted by or against the Borrower or any Guarantor, each Sponsor Affiliated Lender shall acknowledge and agree that they are each “insiders” under Section 101(31) of the Bankruptcy Code and, as such, the claims associated with the Loans and Commitments owned by it shall not be included in determining whether the applicable class of creditors holding such claims has voted to accept a proposed plan for purposes of Section 1129(a)(10) of the Bankruptcy Code, or, alternatively, to the extent that the foregoing designation is deemed unenforceable for any reason, each Sponsor Affiliated Lender shall vote in such proceedings in the same proportion as the allocation of voting with respect to such matter by those Lenders who are not Sponsor Affiliated Lenders, except to the extent that any plan of reorganization proposes to treat the Obligations held by such Sponsor Affiliated Lender in a manner that is less favorable in any material respect to such Sponsor Affiliated Lender than the proposed treatment of similar Obligations held by Lenders that are not Sponsor Affiliated Lenders; provided that this clause (5) shall not apply to Affiliated Debt Funds, (6) the assigning Lender and the Sponsor Affiliated Lender purchasing such Lender’s Loans and/or Commitments shall execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent an assignment agreement substantially in the form of Exhibit A-2 hereto (an “Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption”), (7) such Sponsor Affiliated Lender will not receive information provided solely to Lenders and will not be permitted to attend or participate in (or receive any notice of) Lender meetings or conference calls, will not be entitled to challenge the Administrative Agent’s and the Lenders’ attorney-client privilege as a result of their status as Sponsor Affiliated Lenders and, other than with respect to Affiliated Debt Funds, will not have any rights to bring any action against the Administrative Agent in its capacity as such, (8) notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any such Loans acquired by a Sponsor Affiliated Lender (other than Holdings or its Restricted Subsidiaries) may, with the consent of the Borrower, be contributed to the Borrower (whether through any of its direct or indirect parent entities or otherwise) and exchanged for debt or equity securities that are otherwise permitted to be issued at such time, (9) the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by any Lenders that are Sponsor Affiliated Lenders (other than Affiliated Debt Funds) shall be excluded for all purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders, (10) Affiliated Debt Funds may not, in the aggregate, account for more than 49.9% of the amount necessary to establish that the Required Lenders have consented to an action and the portion of the Total Outstandings held or deemed held by any Affiliated Debt Funds in excess of such amount shall be excluded for all purposes of making a determination of Required Lenders, (11) any purchases by Sponsor Affiliated Lenders shall require that such Sponsor Affiliated Lender clearly identify itself as a Sponsor Affiliated Lender in any Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption executed in connection with such purchases or sales, (12) each such Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption shall contain customary “big boy” representations but no requirement to make representations as to the absence of any material non-public information and (13) Holdings and its Subsidiaries may not purchase any Loans so long as any Default or Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

 

 

(l)      The Administrative Agent, in its capacity as such, may conclusively rely upon any list provided by the Borrower pursuant to Section 11.07(l) in connection with any amendment or waiver hereunder and shall not have any responsibility for monitoring any acquisition or disposition of Term Loans by any Sponsor Affiliated Lender or liability for any losses suffered by any Person as a result of any purported assignment to or from a Sponsor Affiliated Lender.

 

Section 11.08. Successors. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, any or all of Nomura (or its designees) or any other L/C Issuer may, upon 30 days’ notice to the Borrower and the Lenders, resign as L/C Issuer. In the event of any such resignation as L/C Issuer, the Borrower shall be entitled to appoint a successor L/C Issuer from among the Lenders willing to accept such appointment; provided that a failure by the Borrower to appoint any such successor shall not affect the resignation as L/C Issuer except as provided above. If an L/C Issuer resigns, it shall retain all the rights and obligations of the L/C Issuer with respect to all Letters of Credit outstanding as of the effective date of its resignation as L/C Issuer and all L/C Obligations with respect thereto (including the right to require the Lenders to make Base Rate Loans or fund risk participations in Unreimbursed Amounts pursuant to Section 2.04(c)).

 

Section 11.09. Confidentiality. Each Agent and each Lender agrees to maintain the confidentiality of the Information, except that the Information may be disclosed (a) to its Affiliates, and its and their respective employees and agents, independent auditors, legal counsel and other advisors or experts who need to know such information solely in connection with the Facilities (it being understood that the Persons to whom such disclosure is made will be informed of the confidential nature of such Information and who have agreed or are otherwise obligated to keep such Information confidential, and the applicable Agent or Lender shall be responsible for compliance by such Persons with such obligations); (b) to the extent requested by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the applicable Agent or Lender; (c) to the extent required by applicable Laws or regulations or by any subpoena or similar legal process; provided that the Agent or Lender that discloses any Information pursuant to this clause (c) shall, to the extent practicable and permitted by law, provide the Borrower prompt notice of such disclosure; (d) to any other party to this Agreement; (e) subject to an agreement containing provisions substantially the same as (or no less restrictive than) those of this Section 11.09 (or as may otherwise be reasonably acceptable to the Borrower), (x) to any Eligible Assignee of or Participant in, or any prospective Eligible Assignee of or Participant in, any of its rights or obligations under this Agreement or (y) to any direct, indirect, actual or prospective counterparty (and its advisor) to any swap, derivative or securitization transaction related to its obligations under this Agreement, in each case, other than a Disqualified Institution; provided that notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 11.09, any Agent or any Lender may disclose the list of Disqualified Institutions to any prospective assignee, participant or counterparty who is not (i) a Disqualified Institution or (ii) readily identifiable as an Affiliate of a Disqualified Institution set forth on such list by virtue of the similarity of its name to such Disqualified Institution for the purpose of such prospective assignee, participant or counterparty representing and warranting to the such Agent or such Lender that such prospective assignee, participant or counterparty is not a Disqualified Institution; (f) with the written consent of the Borrower; (g) to the extent such Information becomes publicly available other than as a result of a breach of this Section 11.09; (h) to any state, Federal or foreign authority or examiner (including the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or any other similar organization) regulating any Lender; (i) to the extent such Information is independently developed by such Agent or Lender; (j) for purposes of establishing a “due diligence” defense; and (k) to the extent such Information is received from a third party that is not subject to any confidentiality obligations owed to the Borrower. In addition, any Agent and any Lender may disclose the existence of this Agreement and information about this Agreement to market data collectors, similar service providers to the lending industry, and service providers to any Agent and any Lender in connection with the administration and management of this Agreement, the other Loan Documents, the Commitments, and the Credit Extensions. For the purposes of this Section 11.09, “Information” means all information received from or on the behalf of any Loan Party relating to any Loan Party or its business or Affiliates, other than any such information that is publicly available to any Agent or any Lender prior to disclosure by any Loan Party other than as a result of a breach of this Section 11.09.

 

 

Section 11.10. Set-off. In addition to any rights and remedies of each Lender provided by Law, upon the occurrence and during the continuance of any Event of Default, after obtaining the prior written consent of the Administrative Agent, each Lender is authorized at any time and from time to time, without prior notice to any Loan Party, any such notice being waived by the Borrower (on its own behalf and on behalf of each other Loan Party) to the fullest extent permitted by Law, to set off and apply any and all deposits (general or special, time or demand, provisional or final, but not any deposits held in a custodial, trust or other fiduciary capacity), at any time held by, and other Indebtedness at any time owing by, such Lender to or for the credit or the account of the respective Loan Parties against any and all Obligations owing to such Lender hereunder or under any other Loan Document, now or hereafter existing, irrespective of whether or not such Agent or such Lender shall have made demand under this Agreement or any other Loan Document and although such Obligations may be contingent or unmatured or denominated in a currency different from that of the applicable deposit or Indebtedness. Each Lender agrees promptly to notify the Borrower and the Administrative Agent after any such set off and application made by such Lender; provided that the failure to give such notice shall not affect the validity of such setoff and application. The rights of the Administrative Agent and each Lender under this Section 11.10 are in addition to other rights and remedies (including other rights of setoff) that the Administrative Agent and such Lender may have.

 

Section 11.11. Interest Rate Limitation. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any Loan Document, the interest paid or agreed to be paid under any Loan Document shall not exceed the maximum rate of non-usurious interest permitted by applicable Law (the “Maximum Rate”). If any Agent or any Lender shall receive interest in an amount that exceeds the Maximum Rate, the excess interest shall be applied to the principal of the Loans or, if it exceeds such unpaid principal, refunded to the Borrower. In determining whether the interest contracted for, charged, or received by an Agent or a Lender exceeds the Maximum Rate, such Person may, to the extent permitted by applicable Law, (a) characterize any payment that is not principal as an expense, fee, or premium rather than interest, (b) exclude voluntary prepayments and the effects thereof, and (c) amortize, prorate, allocate, and spread in equal or unequal parts the total amount of interest throughout the contemplated term of the Obligations hereunder.

 

Section 11.12. Counterparts. This Agreement and each other Loan Document may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument. Delivery by telecopier of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Agreement and each other Loan Document shall be effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Agreement and such other Loan Document. The Agents may also require that any such documents and signatures delivered by telecopier be confirmed by a manually signed original thereof; provided that the failure to request or deliver the same shall not limit the effectiveness of any document or signature delivered by telecopier.

 

 

Section 11.13. Integration. This Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, comprises the complete and integrated agreement of the parties on the subject matter hereof and thereof and supersedes all prior agreements, written or oral, on such subject matter. In the event of any conflict between the provisions of this Agreement and those of any other Loan Document, the provisions of this Agreement shall control; provided that the inclusion of supplemental rights or remedies in favor of any Agent or any Lender in any other Loan Document shall not be deemed a conflict with this Agreement and subject, in the case of Letter of Credit Applications, to the last sentence of Section 2.04(b)(i). Each Loan Document was drafted with the joint participation of the respective parties thereto and shall be construed neither against nor in favor of any party, but rather in accordance with the fair meaning thereof.

 

Section 11.14. Survival of Representations and Warranties. All representations and warranties made hereunder and in any other Loan Document or other document delivered pursuant hereto or thereto or in connection herewith or therewith shall survive the execution and delivery hereof and thereof. Such representations and warranties have been or will be relied upon by each Agent and each Lender, regardless of any investigation made by any Agent or any Lender or on their behalf and notwithstanding that any Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default at the time of any Credit Extension, and shall continue in full force and effect as long as any Loan or any other Obligation hereunder shall remain unpaid or unsatisfied or any Letter of Credit shall remain outstanding.

 

Section 11.15. Severability. If any provision of this Agreement or the other Loan Documents is held to be illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the legality, validity and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Agreement and the other Loan Documents shall not be affected or impaired thereby. The invalidity of a provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate or render unenforceable such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

Section 11.16. Governing Law. (a) THIS AGREEMENT AND EACH OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK; PROVIDED, THAT (I) THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DEFINITION OF “CLOSING DATE MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT” AND THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER A CLOSING DATE MATERIAL ADVERSE EFFECT HAS OCCURRED, (II) THE DETERMINATION OF THE ACCURACY OF ANY SPECIFIED ACQUISITION AGREEMENT REPRESENTATION AND WHETHER AS A RESULT OF ANY INACCURACY THEREOF MERGER SUB OR ITS APPLICABLE AFFILIATE HAS A RIGHT TO TERMINATE ITS OBLIGATIONS UNDER THE ACQUISITION AGREEMENT OR DECLINE TO CONSUMMATE THE ACQUISITION AND (III) THE DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THE ACQUISITION HAS BEEN CONSUMMATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS OF THE ACQUISITION AGREEMENT AND, IN ANY CASE, ANY CLAIM OR DISPUTE ARISING OUT OF ANY SUCH INTERPRETATION OR DETERMINATION OR ANY ASPECT THEREOF, SHALL IN EACH CASE BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS REGARDLESS OF THE LAWS THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GOVERN UNDER APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS.

 

(b)    ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AGREEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AGREEMENT, EACH LOAN PARTY, EACH AGENT AND EACH LENDER CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. EACH LOAN PARTY, EACH AGENT AND EACH LENDER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO (EXCEPT THAT, (X) IN THE CASE OF ANY MORTGAGE OR OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENT, PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN THE STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RESPECTIVE MORTGAGED PROPERTY OR COLLATERAL IS LOCATED OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT JURISDICTION AND (Y) IN THE CASE OF ANY BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY L/C ISSUER OR ANY OTHER LENDER, ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN SUCH COURT HOLDING SUCH BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS).

 

 

Section 11.17. Waiver of Right to Trial by Jury. EACH PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 11.17 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

Section 11.18. Binding Effect. This Agreement shall become effective when it shall have been executed by Holdings, Merger Sub, the Target and each other Loan Party and the Administrative Agent shall have been notified by each Lender and the L/C Issuer that each such Lender and the L/C Issuer has executed it and thereafter shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Borrower, each Agent and each Lender and their respective successors and assigns, except that the Borrower shall not have the right to assign its rights hereunder or any interest herein without the prior written consent of the Lenders.

 

Section 11.19. No Implied Duties. The Borrower acknowledges that (a) the sole role of the Arranger is to syndicate the Facilities and to arrange for future amendments and other modifications hereto and (b) no Agent has any duty other than as expressly provided herein. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Borrower agrees that no Arranger, Agent or Lender shall in any event be subject to any fiduciary or other implied duties. Additionally, the Borrower acknowledges and agrees that the Arranger is not advising the Borrower as to any legal, Tax, investment, accounting or regulatory matters in any jurisdiction. The Borrower has consulted and will continue to consult with its own advisors concerning such matters and shall be responsible for making its own independent investigation and appraisal of the transactions contemplated hereby (including any amendments or other modifications hereto), and neither the Arranger nor any Secured Party shall have any responsibility or liability to the Borrower with respect thereto. Any review by the Arranger or Secured Party of the Borrower, the transactions contemplated hereby or other matters relating to such transactions will be performed solely for the benefit of the Arranger or such Secured Party and shall not be on behalf of the Borrower.

 

Section 11.20. USA Patriot Act Notice. Each Lender that is subject to the USA Patriot Act (as hereinafter defined) and the Administrative Agent (for itself and not on behalf of any Lender) hereby notifies the Borrower that pursuant to the requirements of the USA Patriot Act (Title III of Pub. L. 107-56 (signed into law October 26, 2001)) (the “USA Patriot Act”), it is required to obtain, verify and record information that identifies the Borrower and each Guarantor, which information includes the name and address of the Borrower or Guarantor and other information that will allow such Lender or the Administrative Agent, as applicable, to identify the Borrower or such Guarantor in accordance with the Act. The Borrower shall, reasonably promptly following a request by the Administrative Agent, provide all documentation and other information that the Administrative Agent requests in order to comply with ongoing obligations under applicable “know your customer” and anti-money laundering rules and regulations, including the Act; provided that, no Default or Event of Default shall result from non-compliance by this Section 11.20.

 

 

Section 11.21. Acknowledgement and Consent to Bail- In of EEA Financial Institutions. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in any Loan Document or in any other agreement, arrangement or understanding among any such parties, each party hereto acknowledges that any liability of any EEA Financial Institution arising under any Loan Document may be subject to the write-down and conversion powers of an EEA Resolution Authority and agrees and consents to, and acknowledges and agrees to be bound by:

 

(a)

the application of any Write-Down and Conversion Powers by an EEA Resolution Authority to any such liabilities arising hereunder which may be payable to it by any party hereto that is an EEA Financial Institution; and

 

(b)

the effects of any Bail-In Action on any such liability, including, if applicable:

 

(i)           a reduction in full or in part or cancellation of any such liability;

 

(ii)          a conversion of all, or a portion of, such liability into shares or other instruments of ownership in such EEA Financial Institution, its parent entity, or a bridge institution that may be issued to it or otherwise conferred on it, and that such shares or other instruments of ownership will be accepted by it in lieu of any rights with respect to any such liability under this Agreement or any other Loan Document; or

 

(iii)         the variation of the terms of such liability in connection with the exercise of the write-down and conversion powers of any EEA Resolution Authority.

 

Section 11.22. Lender Representations. Each Lender as of the Closing Date represents and warrants (a) as of the Closing Date that such Lender is not and will not be (i) an employee benefit plan as defined in, and subject to Title I of ERISA, (ii) a plan as defined in, and subject to Section 4975 of the Code; (iii) an entity deemed to hold Plan Assets of any such plans ; or (iv) a “governmental plan” within the meaning of Section 3(32) of ERISA, and (b) no portion of the Loan shall be funded with Plan Assets.

 

Section 11.23. No Advisory or Fiduciary Responsibility. In connection with all aspects of each transaction contemplated hereby (including in connection with any amendment, waiver or other modification hereof or of any other Loan Document), Holdings and each other Loan Party acknowledges and agrees, and acknowledges its Affiliates’ understanding, that: (i) (A) the arranging and other services regarding this Agreement provided by the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, and the Lenders are arm’s-length commercial transactions between Holdings, each other Loan Party and their respective Affiliates, on the one hand, and the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, and the Lenders, on the other hand, (B) each of Holdings and the other Loan Parties has consulted its own legal, accounting, regulatory and tax advisors to the extent it has deemed appropriate, and (C) Holdings and each other Loan Party is capable of evaluating, and understands and accepts, the terms, risks and conditions of the transactions contemplated hereby and by the other Loan Documents; (ii) (A) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and each Lender is and has been acting solely as a principal and, except as expressly agreed in writing by the relevant parties, has not been, is not, and will not be acting as an advisor, agent or fiduciary for Holdings, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates, or any other Person and (B) neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger nor any Lender has any obligation to Holdings, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates with respect to the transactions contemplated hereby except those obligations expressly set forth herein and in the other Loan Documents; and (iii) the Administrative Agent, the Arranger and the Lenders and their respective Affiliates may be engaged in a broad range of transactions that involve interests that differ from those of Holdings, the other Loan Parties and their respective Affiliates, and neither the Administrative Agent, the Arranger, nor any Lender has any obligation to disclose any of such interests to the Borrower, any other Loan Party or any of their respective Affiliates. To the fullest extent permitted by law, each of the Borrower and each other Loan Party hereby waives and releases any claims that it may have against the Administrative Agent, the Arranger or any Lender with respect to any breach or alleged breach of agency or fiduciary duty in connection with any aspect of any transaction contemplated hereby.

 

 

Section 11.24. Electronic Execution of Assignments and Certain Other Documents. The words “execute,” “execution,” “signed,” “signature,” and words of like import in or related to any document to be signed in connection with this Agreement and the transactions contemplated hereby (including without limitation Assignment and Assumptions, amendments or other modifications, Loan Notices, waivers and consents) shall be deemed to include electronic signatures, the electronic matching of assignment terms and contract formations on electronic platforms approved by the Administrative Agent, or the keeping of records in electronic form, each of which shall be of the same legal effect, validity or enforceability as a manually executed signature or the use of a paper-based recordkeeping system, as the case may be, to the extent and as provided for in any applicable law, including the Federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act, the New York State Electronic Signatures and Records Act, or any other similar state laws based on the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act; provided that notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary the Administrative Agent is under no obligation to agree to accept electronic signatures in any form or in any format unless expressly agreed to by the Administrative Agent pursuant to procedures approved by it.

 

Section 11.25. The Borrower as Loan Party Representative. Each Loan Party (other than the Borrower) hereby designates the Borrower as its representative and agent for all purposes under the Loan Documents, including requests for Revolving Loans, designation of interest rates, delivery or receipt of communications, preparation and delivery of financial reports, receipt and payment of Obligations, requests for waivers, amendments or other accommodations, actions under the Loan Documents (including in respect of compliance with covenants), and all other dealings with the Administrative Agent or any Lender. The Borrower hereby accepts such appointment. The Administrative Agent and the Lenders shall be entitled to rely upon, and shall be fully protected in relying upon, any notice or communication (including any Loan Notice) delivered by Borrower Representative on behalf of any Borrower. The Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders may give any notice or communication with a Borrower hereunder to Borrower Representative on behalf of such Borrower. Each of the Administrative Agent, the Collateral Agent and the Lenders shall have the right, in its discretion, to deal exclusively with Borrower Representative for any or all purposes under the Loan Documents. Each Borrower agrees that any notice, election, communication, representation, agreement or undertaking made on its behalf by Borrower Representative shall be binding upon and enforceable against it.

 

 

Section 11.26. Judgment Currency. If, for the purposes of obtaining judgment in any court, it is necessary to convert a sum due hereunder or any other Loan Document in one currency into another currency, the rate of exchange used shall be that at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Administrative Agent could purchase the first currency with such other currency on the Business Day preceding that on which final judgment is given. The obligation of the Borrower in respect of any such sum due from it to the Administrative Agent hereunder or under the other Loan Documents shall, notwithstanding any judgment in a currency (the “Judgment Currency”) other than that in which such sum is denominated in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement (the “Agreement Currency”), be discharged only to the extent that on the Business Day following receipt by the Administrative Agent of any sum adjudged to be so due in the Judgment Currency, the Administrative Agent may in accordance with normal banking procedures purchase the Agreement Currency with the Judgment Currency. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is less than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent from the Borrower in the Agreement Currency, the Borrower agrees, as a separate obligation and notwithstanding any such judgment, to indemnify the Administrative Agent against such loss. If the amount of the Agreement Currency so purchased is greater than the sum originally due to the Administrative Agent in such currency, the Administrative Agent agrees to return the amount of any excess to the Borrower (or to any other Person who may be entitled thereto under applicable law).

 

[THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be duly executed by their respective authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

BORROWER:	LATHAM PURCHASER, INC.,
	as Borrower
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
	Immediately upon conummation of the Acquisition, the Person below shall be deemed to be the Borrower
	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC.,
	as Borrower
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary

 

Signature Page to Credit and Guaranty Agreement

 

 

HOLDINGS:	LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP.,
	as Holdings
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary

 

Signature Page to Credit and Guaranty Agreement

 

 

SUBSIDIARY GUARANTOR:	POOL COVER SPECIALISTS, LLC,
	as Subsidiary Guarantor
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title:   President and Secretary

 

Signature Page to Credit and Guaranty Agreement

 

 

	NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS,
	LLC, as Administrative Agent, Lender and L/C Issuer
	By:	/s/ Garrett P. Carpenter
	Name: Garrett P. Carpenter
	Title: Managing Director

 

Signature Page to Credit and Guaranty Agreement

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A-1

 

FORM OF ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

This Assignment and Assumption Agreement (the “Assignment”) is dated as of the Effective Date set forth below and is entered into by and between [Insert name of Assignor] (the “Assignor”) and [Insert name of Assignee] (the “Assignee”). Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement identified below (including all exhibits and schedules thereto, as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented, extended, refinanced or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), receipt of a copy of which is hereby acknowledged by the Assignee. The Standard Terms and Conditions set forth in Annex 1 attached hereto are hereby agreed to and incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this Assignment as if set forth herein in full.

 

For an agreed consideration, the Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor, subject to and in accordance with the Standard Terms and Conditions and the Credit Agreement (including its Register and Participant Register provisions), as of the Effective Date inserted by the Administrative Agent as contemplated below, the interest in and to all of the Assignor’s rights and obligations in its capacity as a Lender under the Credit Agreement and any other documents or instruments delivered pursuant thereto that represents the amount and percentage interest identified below of all of the Assignor’s outstanding rights and obligations under the respective facilities identified below (including, to the extent included in any such facilities, Letters of Credit, Swing Loans and Guarantees) (the “Assigned Interest”). Such sale and assignment is without recourse to the Assignor and, except as expressly provided in this Assignment, without representation or warranty by the Assignor.

 

	1.	Assignor:
	2.	Assignee :
			[and is an Affiliate/Approved Fund1 of [identify Lender]]
	3.	Borrower:	Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”) and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the Borrower, and Latham  Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP”) and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, Borrower.
	4.	Administrative Agent:	Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as administrative agent under the Credit Agreement.
	5.	Credit Agreement:	The Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December [__], 2018, among Purchaser, LPP, Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

¹ Select as applicable.

 

 

6.       Assigned Interest:

 

Facility Assigned2

Aggregate Amount of Commitment/Loans for all Lenders

Amount of Commitment/Loans Assigned

Percentage Assigned of Commitment/Loans3

$

$

%

$

$

%

 

Effective Date: _____________, 20___ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature pages follow]

 

² Fill in the appropriate terminology for the types of facilities under the Credit Agreement that are being assigned under this Assignment (e.g. “Revolving Credit Commitment”, “Term Loans”, etc.)

 

³ Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Commitment Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

 

The terms set forth in this Assignment are hereby agreed to:

 

 

	ASSIGNOR
	[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	ASSIGNEE
	[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

[Consented to and1 Accepted:
NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC,
as Administrative Agent
By:
	Name:
	Title:]

 

[Consented to:2
LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., as Borrower
By:
Name:
Title:	]

 

¹ To be added only if the consent of the Administrative Agent is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

² To be added only if the consent of the Borrower is required by the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

 

ANNEX I

STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR ASSIGNMENT

AND ASSUMPTION AGREEMENT

 

1.   Representations and Warranties.

 

1.1 Assignor.  The Assignor (a) represents and warrants that (i) it is the legal and beneficial owner of the Assigned Interest, (ii) the Assigned Interest is free and clear of any lien, encumbrance or other adverse claim, (iii) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and (iv) it is not a Defaulting Lender and (b) assumes no responsibility with respect to (i) any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with any Loan Document, (ii) the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, or any collateral thereunder, (iii) the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person obligated in respect of any Loan Document or (iv) the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Subsidiaries or Affiliates or any other Person of any of their respective obligations under any Loan Document.

 

1.2 Assignee. The Assignee (a) represents and warrants that (i) it has full power and authority, and has taken all action necessary, to execute and deliver this Assignment and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby and to become a Lender under the Credit Agreement, (ii) it is not a Sponsor Affiliated Lender or a Disqualified Institution, (iii) it meets all requirements of an Eligible Assignee under the Credit Agreement (subject to receipt of such consents as may be required under the Credit Agreement), (iv) from and after the Effective Date, it shall be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement (including its Register and Participant Register provisions) and, to the extent of the Assigned Interest, shall have the obligations of a Lender thereunder, (v) it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the most recent financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 thereof, as applicable, and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment and to purchase the Assigned Interest on the basis of which it has made such analysis and decision and (vi) attached hereto is any documentation required to be delivered by it pursuant to the terms of the Credit Agreement, duly completed and executed by the Assignee and (b) agrees that (i) it will, independently and without reliance on the Administrative Agent, the Assignor or any other Lender, and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Loan Documents and (ii) it will perform in accordance with their terms all of the obligations which by the terms of the Loan Documents are required to be performed by it as a Lender.

 

2. Payments. From and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to but excluding the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued from and after the Effective Date.

 

3. General Provisions. This Assignment shall be binding upon, and inure to the benefit of, the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns. This Assignment may be executed in any number of counterparts, which together shall constitute one instrument. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Assignment by telecopy shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Assignment. This Assignment shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

EXHIBIT A-2

 

FORM OF AFFILIATED LENDER ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December [          ], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer. Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used in this Affiliated Lender Assignment and Assumption (this “Assignment”) shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

The Assignor identified on Schedule I hereto (the “Assignor”) and the Assignee identified on Schedule I hereto (the “Assignee”) agree as follows:

 

1. The Assignor hereby irrevocably sells and assigns to the Assignee without recourse to the Assignor, and the Assignee hereby irrevocably purchases and assumes from the Assignor without recourse to the Assignor, as of the Effective Date (as defined below), the interest described in Schedule I hereto (the “Assigned Interest”) in and to the Assignor’s rights and obligations as a Lender under the Credit Agreement with respect to those credit facilities contained in the Credit Agreement as are set forth on Schedule I hereto (individually, an “Assigned Facility”; collectively, the “Assigned Facilities”), in a principal amount for each Assigned Facility as set forth on Schedule I hereto.

 

2. The Assignor (a) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to any statements, warranties or representations made in or in connection with the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or with respect to the execution, legality, validity, enforceability, genuineness, sufficiency or value of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant thereto, other than that the Assignor has not created any adverse claim upon the interest being assigned by it hereunder and that such interest is free and clear of any such adverse claim and (b) makes no representation or warranty and assumes no responsibility with respect to the financial condition of the Borrower, any of its Affiliates or any other obligor under the Loan Documents or the performance or observance by the Borrower, any of its Affiliates or any other obligor under the Loan Documents of any of their respective obligations under the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto. The Assignor acknowledges and agrees that (i) the Assignee may then have, and later may come into possession of confidential information, (ii) it has independently and, without reliance on the Assignee, the Administrative Agent or any of their respective Affiliates, made its own analysis and determination to participate in this Assignment, (iii) neither the Assignee that is a Sponsor Affiliated Lender or any of their Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent or any of their respective Affiliates shall have any liability to the Assignor, and the Assignor hereby waives and releases, to the extent permitted by law, any claims the Assignor may have against any such Persons under applicable laws or otherwise, with respect to the nondisclosure of confidential information, and (iv) confidential information may not be available to the Assignor, Administrative Agent or the other Lenders.

 

 

3. The Assignee represents and warrants that (a) it is legally authorized to enter into this Assignment, (b) it is a Sponsor Affiliated Lender, (c) each of the conditions to this Assignment contained in Section 11.07(k) of the Credit Agreement has been satisfied, (d) the Assignor (i) may then have, and later may come into possession of confidential information, (ii) it has independently and, without reliance on the Assignor, the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers or any of their respective Affiliates, has made its own analysis and determination to participate in this Assignment notwithstanding the Assignee’s lack of knowledge of the confidential information, (iii) neither the Assignor that is a Sponsor Affiliated Lender or any of their Subsidiaries, the Administrative Agent, the Arrangers or any of their respective Affiliates shall have any liability to the Assignee, and the Assignee hereby waives and releases, to the extent permitted by law, any claims the Assignee may have against any such Persons under applicable laws or otherwise, with respect to the nondisclosure of the confidential information, and (iv) the confidential information may not be available to the Assignee, Administrative Agent or the other Lenders and (e) it is not a Defaulting Lender.

 

4. The Assignee confirms that it has received a copy of the Credit Agreement, together with copies of the financial statements delivered pursuant to Section 6.01 thereof and such other documents and information as it has deemed appropriate to make its own credit analysis and decision to enter into this Assignment; (a) agrees that it will, independently and without reliance upon the Assignor, the Administrative Agent or any Lender and based on such documents and information as it shall deem appropriate at the time, continue to make its own credit decisions in taking or not taking action under the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto; (b) appoints and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take such action as agent on its behalf and to exercise such powers and discretion under the Credit Agreement, the other Loan Documents or any other instrument or document furnished pursuant hereto or thereto as are delegated to the Administrative Agent by the terms thereof, together with such powers as are incidental thereto; and (c) agrees that it will be bound by the provisions of the Credit Agreement and will perform in accordance with its terms all the obligations which by the terms of the Credit Agreement are required to be performed by it as a Lender including its obligations pursuant to Section 11.09 of the Credit Agreement.

 

5. The effective date of this Assignment shall be the Effective Date of Assignment described in Schedule I hereto (the “Effective Date”). Following the execution of this Assignment, it will be delivered to the Administrative Agent for acceptance by it and recording by the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement, effective as of the Effective Date (which shall not, unless otherwise agreed to by the Administrative Agent, be earlier than five Business Days after the date of such acceptance and recording by the Administrative Agent).

 

6. Upon such acceptance and recording, from and after the Effective Date, the Administrative Agent shall make all payments in respect of the Assigned Interest (including payments of principal, interest, fees and other amounts) to the Assignor for amounts which have accrued to the Effective Date and to the Assignee for amounts which have accrued subsequent to the Effective Date.

 

7. From and after the Effective Date, (a) the Assignee shall be a party to the Credit Agreement, to the extent provided in this Assignment, have the rights and obligations (including with respect to the Register and Participant Register) of a Lender under the Credit Agreement and under the other Loan Documents and shall be bound by the provisions thereof and (b) the Assignor shall, to the extent provided in this Assignment, relinquish its rights and be released from its obligations under the Credit Agreement.

 

8. This Assignment shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Assignment to be executed as of the date first above written by their respective duly authorized officers on Schedule I hereto.

 

Accepted for recordation in the Register:

 

NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as Administrative Agent
By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

 

 

 

Schedule I

 

1.

Assignor:

 

2.

Assignee:

 

3.

Borrower:

Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser”) and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the Borrower, and Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP”) and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the Borrower.

 

4.

Administrative Agent:

Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as administrative agent under the Credit Agreement.

 

5.

Credit Agreement:

The Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December [__], 2018, among Purchaser, LPP, Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

6.

Assigned Interest:

 

Facility Assigned

Aggregate Amount of Term Loans for all Lenders

Amount of Term Loans Assigned

Percentage Assigned of Term Loans1

[Term Loans] [Incremental Term Loans][Incremental Equivalent Debt]

$

$

%

$

$

%

 

Effective Date: _____________, 20__ [TO BE INSERTED BY ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND WHICH SHALL BE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF RECORDATION OF TRANSFER IN THE REGISTER THEREFOR.]

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank; signature page follows]

 

¹ Set forth, to at least 9 decimals, as a percentage of the Loans of all Lenders thereunder.

 

 

The terms set forth in this Assignment are hereby agreed to:

 

	ASSIGNOR
	[NAME OF ASSIGNOR]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	ASSIGNEE
	[NAME OF ASSIGNEE]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

[Consented to:
LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC.,
as Borrower
By:
Name:
Title:		]

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

FORM OF COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

 

Financial Statement Date: _______, ____

 

To: Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

The undersigned, a Responsible Officer of the Borrower, hereby certifies as of the date hereof that he/she is the _______________ of the Borrower, and that, as such, he/she is authorized to execute and deliver this Compliance Certificate to the Administrative Agent on behalf of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries, in such capacity and without any personal liability, and hereby certifies on behalf of the Borrower that as of the date hereof:

 

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal year-end financial statements]

 

1. Attached hereto as Schedule 1 are the year-end audited financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) of the Agreement for the fiscal year of [Holdings] and its Subsidiaries ended as of the above date, together with the report and opinion of the independent certified public accountant required by such Section. Also attached hereto as Schedule 1 are [(i)] a management discussion and analysis of financial results with respect to such financial statements [and (ii) the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements].

 

[Use following paragraph 1 for fiscal quarter financial statements]

 

1. Attached hereto as Schedule 1 are the unaudited financial statements required by Section 6.01(b) of the Agreement for the fiscal quarter of [Holdings] ended as of the above date. Such financial statements fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations, shareholders’ equity and cash flows of [Holdings] and its Subsidiaries in accordance with GAAP as at such date and for such period, subject only to normal year-end audit adjustments and the absence of footnotes. Also attached hereto as Schedule 1 are [(i)] a management discussion and analysis of financial results with respect to such financial statements [and (ii) the related consolidating financial statements reflecting the adjustments necessary to eliminate the accounts of Unrestricted Subsidiaries (if any) (which may be in footnote form only) from such consolidated financial statements].

 

 

[select one:]

 

[2. To the knowledge of the undersigned Responsible Officer, no Default has occurred during such fiscal period and is continuing on the Financial Statement Date.]

 

–or–

 

[2. To the knowledge of the undersigned Responsible Officer, the following is a list of each Default (and its nature and status) that has occurred during such fiscal period and is continuing on the Financial Statement Date:]

 

[select one:]

 

[3. To the knowledge of the undersigned Responsible Officer and to the extent required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, no changes in beneficial ownership with respect to the Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered on or prior to the Closing Date (or the most recent update delivered to the Administrative Agent) has occurred during such fiscal period.]

 

–or–

 

[3. To the knowledge of the undersigned Responsible Officer and to the extent required by the Beneficial Ownership Regulation, the following is a list of changes in beneficial ownership with respect to the Beneficial Ownership Certification delivered on or prior to the Closing Date (or the most recent update delivered to the Administrative Agent) that has occurred during such fiscal period:]

 

4. Solely to the extent the Financial Covenant is required to be tested as of the date hereof, attached hereto as Schedule 2 are calculations in reasonable detail demonstrating compliance with the Financial Covenant.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned Responsible Officer has executed this Certificate on behalf of the Borrower as of the date first written above.

 

	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

SCHEDULE 1

to the Compliance Certificate

 

[Audited or unaudited financial statements required by Section 6.01(a) or (b) of the Agreement]

 

 

 

SCHEDULE 2

to the Compliance Certificate

 

[Required solely to the extent the Financial Covenant is required to be tested.]

 

See Attached.

 

 

EXHIBIT C

 

FORM OF INTERCOMPANY NOTE

 

New York, New York

Date:

, 20[ ]

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, each of the undersigned and each Additional Party (as defined below), to the extent a borrower from time to time from any other entity listed on the signature page hereto (each, in such capacity, a “Intercompany Borrower”), hereby promises to pay on demand to such other entity listed below (each, in such capacity, a “Intercompany Lender”), in lawful money of the United States of America, or in such other lawful money as agreed to by such Intercompany Borrower and such Intercompany Lender, in immediately available funds, at the appropriate office of a Intercompany Lender as such Intercompany Lender shall from time to time designate, the unpaid principal amount of all loans and advances made by such Intercompany Lender to such Intercompany Borrower. Each Intercompany Borrower promises also to pay interest on the unpaid principal amount of all such loans and advances in like money at said location from the date of such loans and advances until paid at such rate per annum as shall be agreed upon from time to time by such Intercompany Borrower and such Intercompany Lender.

 

This note (“Note”) is an intercompany note referred to in Section 7.03(e) of the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer, and is subject to the terms thereof. Capitalized terms used herein without definition have the same meanings as in the Credit Agreement.

 

Anything in this Note to the contrary notwithstanding, the indebtedness of Intercompany Borrowers that are Loan Parties that are owed to Intercompany Lenders that are not Loan Parties and evidenced by this Note shall be subordinate and junior in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner hereinafter set forth, to all Secured Obligations of such Intercompany Borrower until the Termination Date shall have occurred; provided, that each such Intercompany Borrower that is a Loan Party may make payments to the applicable Intercompany Lender that is not a Loan Party unless an Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing and such Intercompany Borrower shall have received notice from the Administrative Agent (provided, that no such notice shall be required to be given in the case of any Event of Default arising under Section 8.01(f) of the Credit Agreement) (such Secured Obligations and other indebtedness and obligations in connection with any renewal, refunding, restructuring or refinancing thereof, including interest thereon accruing after the commencement of any proceedings referred to in clause (i) below, whether or not such interest is an allowed claim in such proceeding, being hereinafter collectively referred to as “Senior Indebtedness”):

 

 

(i) in the event of any insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings, and any receivership, liquidation, reorganization or other similar proceedings in connection therewith, relative to any Intercompany Borrower or to its creditors, as such, or to its property, and in the event of any proceedings for voluntary liquidation, dissolution or other winding up of such Intercompany Borrower, whether or not involving insolvency or bankruptcy, then, if an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, (x) the Termination Date shall have occurred before any Intercompany Lender that is not a Loan Party is entitled to receive (whether directly or indirectly), or make any demands for, any payment on account of this Note and (y) until the Termination Date shall have occurred, any payment or distribution to which such Intercompany Lender would otherwise be entitled (other than in the form of debt securities of such Intercompany Borrower that are subordinated, to at least the same extent as this Note, to the payment of all Senior Indebtedness then outstanding (such securities being hereinafter referred to as “Restructured Debt Securities”)) shall be made to the holders of Senior Indebtedness;

 

(ii) if any Event of Default has occurred and is continuing and after notice from the Administrative Agent (provided that no such notice shall be required to be given in the case of any Event of Default arising under Section 8.01(f) of the Credit Agreement), then unless otherwise agreed by the Administrative Agent with respect to any Senior Indebtedness, no payment or distribution of any kind or character shall be made by or on behalf of any Intercompany Borrower that is a Loan Party or any other Person on its behalf with respect to this Note owed to any Intercompany Lender that is not a Loan Party until (x) the Termination Date shall have occurred or (y) such Event of Default shall have been cured or waived in accordance with the terms of the Credit Agreement; and

 

(iii) if any payment or distribution of any character, whether in cash, securities or other property (other than in the form of Restructured Debt Securities), in respect of this Note shall (despite these subordination provisions) be received by any Intercompany Lender that is not a Loan Party in violation of clause (i) or (ii) above before the Termination Date shall have occurred, such payment or distribution shall be held in trust for the benefit of, and shall be paid over or delivered to, the holders of Senior Indebtedness (or their representatives), ratably according to the respective aggregate amounts remaining unpaid thereon, to the extent necessary to pay all Senior Indebtedness in full in cash.

 

To the fullest extent permitted by law, no present or future holder of Senior Indebtedness shall be prejudiced in its right to enforce the subordination of this Note by any act or failure to act on the part of any Intercompany Borrower or by any act or failure to act on the part of such holder or any trustee or agent for such holder. Each Intercompany Lender and each Intercompany Borrower hereby agree that the subordination of this Note is for the benefit of the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer and the Lenders, and the Administrative Agent, each L/C Issuer and the Lenders are obligees under this Note to the same extent as if their names were written herein as such and the Administrative Agent may, on behalf of itself, each L/C Issuer and the Lenders, as applicable, proceed to enforce the subordination provisions herein.

 

Nothing contained in the subordination provisions set forth above is intended to or will impair, as between each Intercompany Borrower and each Intercompany Lender, the obligations of such Intercompany Borrower, which are absolute and unconditional, to pay to such Intercompany Lender the principal of and interest on this Note as and when due and payable in accordance with its terms, or is intended to or will affect the relative rights of such Intercompany Lender and other creditors of such Intercompany Borrower other than the holders of Senior Indebtedness.

 

 

Each Intercompany Lender is hereby authorized to record all loans and advances made by it to any Intercompany Borrower (all of which shall be evidenced by this Note), and all repayments or prepayments thereof, in its books and records, such books and records constituting prima facie evidence of the accuracy of the information contained therein.

 

Each Intercompany Borrower hereby waives (to the extent permitted by applicable law) presentment, demand, protest or notice of any kind in connection with this Note. All payments under this Note shall be made without offset, counterclaim or deduction of any kind.

 

This Note shall be binding upon each Intercompany Borrower and its successors and assigns, and the terms and provisions of this Note shall inure to the benefit of each Intercompany Lender and its successors and assigns, including subsequent holders hereof.

 

From time to time after the date hereof, additional subsidiaries of Holdings may become parties hereto (as Intercompany Borrower and/or Intercompany Lender, as the case may be) by executing a counterpart signature page to this Note (each additional subsidiary, an “Additional Party”). Upon delivery of such counterpart signature page to the Intercompany Lenders, notice of which is hereby waived by the other Intercompany Borrowers, and updating or supplementing Schedule A hereto by adding the name of each Additional Party, each Additional Party shall be a Intercompany Borrower and/or a Intercompany Lender, as the case may be, and shall be as fully a party hereto as if such Additional Party were an original signatory hereof. Each Intercompany Borrower expressly agrees that its obligations arising hereunder shall not be affected or diminished by the addition or release of any other Intercompany Borrower or Intercompany Lender hereunder. This Note shall be fully effective as to any Intercompany Borrower or Intercompany Lender that is or becomes a party hereto regardless of whether any other Person becomes or fails to become or ceases to be a Intercompany Borrower or Intercompany Lender hereunder.

 

Any subsidiary of Holdings that is a party to this Note, which ceases to be a subsidiary of Holdings (the “Former Subsidiary”), shall be automatically released from the rights and obligations under this Note, provided, that, at the time of such release, any existing balances between the Former Subsidiary and the remaining parties hereto have been paid in full or settled.

 

THIS NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

 

	[_____________________],
	as Intercompany Borrower
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	[_____________________],
	as Intercompany Lender
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

SCHEDULE A

  

		NAME OF PAYOR/PAYEE	JURISDICTION OF ORGANIZATION
1.	[	]	[	]
2.	[	]	[	]

   

 

EXHIBIT D

 

FORM OF LOAN NOTICE

 

Date: ___________, _____

 

To: Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

The Borrower hereby requests (select one):

 

[

] A Borrowing of Loans

[ ] A conversion or continuation of Loans

 

1.	On ____________________________________ (a Business Day) (the “Borrowing
	Date”).
2.	In the amount of ________________________.1
3.	Comprised	of	.

[Class, Tranche and Type of Loan requested or to be converted]

 

4.	For Eurodollar Rate Loans: with an Interest Period of __ months.

 

To be deposited in accordance with the following wire transfer instructions:

 

Bank: _________________

 

ABA No.: _________________

 

Account No.: _________________

 

Account Name: _________________

  

¹ Borrower to specify whether Loan to be advanced in Dollars or, in the case of Revolving Credit Loans or Letters of Credit, Canadian dollars, or, in each case, any other currency approved in accordance with Section 1.12 of the Agreement.

   

  

[The Borrower represents and warrants that as of the Borrowing Date, the conditions specified in Section[s] 4.02(a) [and 4.02(b)]² of the Agreement have been satisfied.]³

 

[The Borrower represents and warrants that as of the Borrowing Date, the Specified Representations are true and correct in all material respects [and that no Specified Event of Default has occurred or is continuing]⁴.]⁵

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

² Borrower may elect to test no default condition at the time of signing a Limited Condition Transaction.

 

³ Include for each Request for Credit Extension (other than (i) a Loan Notice requesting only a conversion of Loans to the other Type or a continuation of Eurodollar Rate Loans and (ii) a Loan Notice requesting proceeds of an Incremental Facility to fund a Limited Condition Transaction pursuant to Section 2.16(e) of the Agreement).

 

⁴ Borrower may elect to test no default condition at the time of signing a Limited Condition Transaction.

 

⁵ Include for each Loan Notice requesting proceeds of an Incremental Facility to fund a Limited Condition Transaction pursuant to Section 2.16(e) of the Agreement.

  

 

	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

   

EXHIBIT E-1

 

FORM OF REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE

 

$______________________

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to _____________________ or registered assigns (the “ Revolving Credit Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of $______ or such lesser amount as is outstanding from time to time, on the dates and in the amounts set forth in that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “ Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the aggregate unpaid principal amount of each Revolving Credit Loan made from time to time by the Revolving Credit Lender to the Borrower under the Agreement from the date of such Revolving Credit Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Revolving Credit Lender in [Dollars] [insert applicable currency] and in immediately available funds. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Agreement.

 

This Revolving Credit Note is one of the Revolving Credit Notes referred to in the Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Revolving Credit Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Agreement. Revolving Credit Loans made by the Revolving Credit Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Revolving Credit Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Revolving Credit Lender may also attach schedules to this Revolving Credit Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Revolving Credit Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

If any assignment by the Revolving Credit Lender holding this Revolving Credit Note occurs after the date of issuance hereof, the Revolving Credit Lender agrees that it shall, upon the effectiveness of such assignment or as promptly thereafter as practicable, surrender this Revolving Credit Note to the Administrative Agent for cancellation.

 

THE ASSIGNMENT OF THIS REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE AND ANY RIGHTS WITH RESPECT THERETO ARE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT, INCLUDING THE PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE REGISTER AND THE PARTICIPANT REGISTER.

 

The Borrower, for itself and its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Revolving Credit Note.

 

  

THIS REVOLVING CREDIT NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

  

	[BORROWER]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

  

 

LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

Type of

Amount of

Amount of

Revolving

Revolving

Principal or

Outstanding

Credit

Credit

End of

Interest

Principal

Loan

Loan

Interest

Paid This

Balance This

Notation

Date

Made

Made

Period

Date

Date

Made By

 

  

EXHIBIT E-2

 

FORM OF TERM NOTE

 

$______________________

 

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned (the “Borrower”), hereby promises to pay to_____________________ or its registered assigns (the “Term Lender”), in accordance with the provisions of the Agreement (as hereinafter defined), the principal amount of $______ or such lesser amount as is outstanding from time to time, on the dates and in the amounts set forth in that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

The Borrower promises to pay interest on the aggregate unpaid principal amount of each Term Loan made by the Term Lender to the Borrower under the Agreement from the date of such Term Loan until such principal amount is paid in full, at such interest rates and at such times as provided in the Agreement. All payments of principal and interest shall be made to the Administrative Agent for the account of the Term Lender in Dollars in immediately available funds. If any amount is not paid in full when due hereunder, such unpaid amount shall bear interest, to be paid upon demand, from the due date thereof until the date of actual payment (and before as well as after judgment) computed at the per annum rate set forth in the Agreement.

 

This Term Note is one of the Term Notes referred to in the Agreement, is entitled to the benefits thereof and may be prepaid in whole or in part subject to the terms and conditions provided therein. Upon the occurrence and during the continuation of one or more of the Events of Default specified in the Agreement, all amounts then remaining unpaid on this Term Note shall become, or may be declared to be, immediately due and payable all as provided in the Agreement. Term Loans made by the Term Lender shall be evidenced by one or more loan accounts or records maintained by the Term Lender in the ordinary course of business. The Term Lender may also attach schedules to this Term Note and endorse thereon the date, amount and maturity of its Term Loans and payments with respect thereto.

 

If any assignment by the Term Lender holding this Term Note occurs after the date of issuance hereof, the Term Lender agrees that it shall, upon the effectiveness of such assignment or as promptly thereafter as practicable, surrender this Term Note to the Administrative Agent for cancellation.

 

THE ASSIGNMENT OF THIS TERM NOTE AND ANY RIGHTS WITH RESPECT THERETO ARE SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THE AGREEMENT, INCLUDING THE PROVISIONS GOVERNING THE REGISTER AND THE PARTICIPANT REGISTER.

 

 

The Borrower, for itself and its successors and assigns, hereby waives diligence, presentment, protest and demand and notice of protest, demand, dishonor and non-payment of this Term Note.

 

THIS TERM NOTE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

  

	[BORROWER]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

TERM LOANS AND PAYMENTS WITH RESPECT THERETO

Amount of

Amount of

Outstanding

Type of

Term

End of

Principal or

Principal

Term Loan

Loan

Interest

Interest Paid

Balance

Notation

Date

Made

Made

Period

This Date

This Date

Made By

 

 

EXHIBIT F

 

SECURITY AGREEMENT

 

[attached]

 

 

Execution Version

 

SECURITY AGREEMENT

 

THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT (as it may be amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Security Agreement”) is entered into as of December 18, 2018 by and among LATHAM PURCHASER, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and, immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Subsidiary Guarantors (as defined below) from time to time party hereto (all of the foregoing, collectively, the “Grantors”) and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC (“Nomura”) as administrative agent and collateral agent for the Secured Parties (as defined below) (together with one or more sub-agents or designees, in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT

 

A. Reference is hereby made to that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Purchaser, LPP, Holdings, the lenders from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and each a “Lender”), Nomura, as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer and the other L/C Issuers party thereto.

 

B. The Grantors are entering into this Security Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to enter into and extend credit to the Borrower under the Credit Agreement and to secure the Secured Obligations (as defined below).

 

ACCORDINGLY, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

Definitions

 

Section 1.01. Terms Defined in Credit Agreement. All capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

 

Section 1.02. Terms Defined in UCC. Terms defined in the UCC that are not otherwise defined in this Security Agreement or the Credit Agreement are used herein as defined in Articles 8 or 9 of the UCC, as the context may require (including without limitation, as if such terms were capitalized in Article 8 or 9 of the UCC, as the context may require, the following terms: “Account,” “Chattel Paper,” “Clearing Corporation,” “Commercial Tort Claim,” “Commodities Account,” “Deposit Account,” “Document,” “Electronic Chattel Paper,” “Equipment,” “Fixture,” “General Intangible,” “Goods,” “Instruments,” “Inventory,” “Investment Property,” “Letter-of-Credit Right,” “Securities Account,” “Securities Entitlement,” “Security,” “Supporting Obligation” and “Tangible Chattel Paper”).

 

Section 1.03. Definitions of Certain Terms Used Herein. As used in this Security Agreement, in addition to the terms defined in the preamble and Preliminary Statement above and Sections 1.01 and 1.02, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

“Administrative Agent” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“After-Acquired Intellectual Property” has the meaning set forth in Section 4.03(c).

 

 

“Article” means a numbered article of this Security Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.

 

“Borrower” has the meaning specified in the preamble.

 

“Collateral” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.01(a).

 

“Contract Rights” means all rights of any Grantor under any Contract, including, without limitation, (i) any and all rights to receive and demand payments under such Contract, (ii) any and all rights to receive and compel performance under such Contract and (iii) any and all other rights, interests and claims now existing or in the future arising in connection with such Contract.

 

“Contracts” means all contracts between any Grantor and one or more additional parties (including, without limitation, any Hedge Agreement, licensing agreement and any partnership agreement, joint venture agreement and/or limited liability company agreement).

 

“Control” has the meaning set forth in Article 8 or, if applicable, in Section 9-104, 9-105, 9-106 or 9-107 of Article 9 of the UCC.

 

“Copyright” means the following: (i) all United States copyrights, rights and interests in copyrights, works protectable by copyright whether published or unpublished, copyright registrations and copyright applications, (ii) all renewals of any of the foregoing, (iii) all income, royalties, damages, and payments now or hereafter due and/or payable under any of the foregoing, including, without limitation, damages or payments for past or future infringements for any of the foregoing, (iv) the right to sue for past present and future infringement of any of the foregoing and (v) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing.

 

“Credit Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the Preliminary Statement.

 

“Domain Names” means all Internet domain names and associated URL addresses in or to which any Grantor now or hereafter has any right, title or interest.

 

“Exclusive Copyright License” means any License granting to any Grantor an exclusive right to use, copy, reproduce, distribute, prepare derivative works, display or publish any materials on which a United States Copyright registered with the United States Copyright Office is in existence or may come into existence.

 

“Exhibit” refers to a specific exhibit to this Security Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.

 

“First Priority” means, with respect to any Lien purported to be created in any Collateral pursuant to this Security Agreement, that such Lien is senior in priority to any other Lien to which such Collateral is subject, other than any Permitted Lien.

 

“Grantors” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Holdings” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Intellectual Property Collateral” means, collectively, all Copyrights, Patents, Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Domain Names, Licenses and Software.

 

 

“Intellectual Property Filing” means (i) with respect to any Patent or Trademark, the filing of the Intellectual Property Security Agreement with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, together with an appropriately completed recordation form and (ii) with respect to any Copyright or Exclusive Copyright License, the filing of the Intellectual Property Security Agreement with the United States Copyright Office, together with any appropriately completed recordation form, in each case sufficient to record the Lien granted to the Administrative Agent in such Intellectual Property.

 

“Legal Reservations” has the meaning assigned to such term in the Credit Agreement.

 

“Licenses” means, with respect to any Grantor, all of such Grantor’s right, title, and interest in and to (i) any and all licensing agreements or similar arrangements, whether as licensor or licensee, in (1) Patents, (2) Copyrights, (3) Trademarks, (4) Trade Secrets or (5) Software, (ii) all income, royalties, damages, claims, and payments now or hereafter due or payable under and with respect thereto, including, without limitation, damages and payments for past and future breaches thereof and (iii) all rights to sue for past, present, and future breaches thereof.

 

“Money” has the meaning set forth in Article 1 of the UCC.

 

“Patent” means the following: (i) any and all United States patents and patent applications; (ii) all inventions described and claimed therein, (iii) all reissues, divisions, continuations, renewals, extensions, and continuations-in-part thereof, (iv) all income, royalties, damages, claims and payments now or hereafter due or payable under and with respect thereto, including, without limitation, damages and payments for past and future infringements thereof, (v) all rights to sue for past, present and future infringements thereof, and (vi) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing.

 

“Perfection Certificate” means the Perfection Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(xi) or Section 6.13(b)(ii) of the Credit Agreement, in each case, substantially in the form of Exhibit B.

 

“Permits” shall mean, all licenses, permits, rights, orders, variances, franchises or authorizations of or from any Governmental Authority or agency.

 

“Permitted Liens” means any Liens on the Collateral permitted to be created or assumed or to exist pursuant to Section 7.01 of the Credit Agreement.

 

“Pledged Collateral” means all Pledged Debt and Pledged Equity, including all stock certificates, options or rights of any nature whatsoever in respect of the Pledged Equity that may be issued or granted to, or held by, any Grantor while this Security Agreement is in effect, all Instruments, Securities and other Investment Property owned by any Grantor, whether or not physically delivered to the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Security Agreement, whether now owned or hereafter acquired by such Grantor and any and all Proceeds thereof; provided, “Pledged Collateral” shall not include any Excluded Assets.

 

“Pledged Debt” means all of the indebtedness evidenced by promissory notes or other Instruments from time to time owed to any Grantor and listed opposite the name of such Grantor on Schedule 1, together with any other indebtedness evidenced by promissory notes or other instruments owed in the future to any Grantor and the promissory notes constituting Collateral pursuant to the terms hereof; provided, “Pledged Debt” shall not include any Excluded Assets.

 

 

“ Pledged Equity” means, with respect to any Grantor, the Equity Interests described in Schedule 2 as held by such Grantor, together with any other Equity Interests constituting Collateral pursuant to the terms hereof; provided, “Pledged Equity” shall not include any Excluded Assets.

 

“Proceeds” has the meaning assigned in Article 9 of the UCC and, in any event, shall also include but not be limited to (i) any and all proceeds of any insurance, indemnity, warranty or guaranty payable to the Administrative Agent or any Grantor from time to time with respect to any of the Collateral, (ii) any and all payments (in any form whatsoever) made or due and payable to any Grantor from time to time in connection with any requisition, confiscation, condemnation, seizure or forfeiture of all or any part of the Collateral by any Governmental Authority (or any Person acting under color of governmental authority), (iii) any and all Stock Rights and (iv) any and all other amounts from time to time paid or payable under or in connection with any of the Collateral.

 

“Receivables” means any Account, Chattel Paper, Document, Investment Property, Instrument and/or any General Intangible, in each case, that is a right or claim to receive money (whether or not earned by performance).

 

“Section” means a numbered section of this Security Agreement, unless another document is specifically referenced.

 

“Secured Obligations” means the Obligations, the Secured Hedging Obligations (other than Excluded Swap Obligations) and the Cash Management Obligations; provided, that Secured Hedging Obligations and Cash Management Obligations shall cease to constitute Secured Obligations on and after the Termination Date.

 

“Security Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“ Security Agreement Supplement” means a Security Agreement Supplement, substantially in the form of Exhibit A, signed and delivered to the Administrative Agent for the purpose of adding a Subsidiary as a party hereto pursuant to Section 7.10 and/or adding additional property to the Collateral.

 

“Software” means computer programs, source code, object code and supporting documentation including “software” as such term is defined in Article 9 of the UCC, as well as computer programs that may be construed as included in the definition of Goods.

 

“Stock Rights” means all dividends, instruments or other distributions and any other right or property which any Grantor shall receive or shall become entitled to receive for any reason whatsoever with respect to, in substitution for or in exchange for any Equity Interest constituting Collateral, any right to receive any Equity Interest constituting Collateral and any right to receive earnings, in which such Grantor now has or hereafter acquires any right, issued by an issuer of such Equity Interest.

 

“ Trademark” means, the following: (i) all United States trademarks (including service marks), common law marks, trade names, trade dress, and logos, slogans and other indicia of origin under the Laws of any jurisdiction in the world, and the registrations and applications for registration thereof and the goodwill of the business symbolized by the foregoing, (ii) all renewals of the foregoing, (iii) all income, royalties, damages, and payments now or hereafter due or payable with respect thereto, including, without limitation, damages, claims, and payments for past and future infringements thereof, (iv) all rights to sue for past, present and future infringements of the foregoing, including the right to settle suits involving claims and demands for royalties owing, and (v) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing.

 

 

“Trade Secrets” means, with respect to any Grantor, all of such Grantor’s right, title and interest in and to the following: (i) confidential and proprietary information, including unpatented inventions, invention disclosures, engineering or other data, information, production procedures, know-how, financial data, customer lists, supplier lists, business and marketing plans, processes, schematics, algorithms, techniques, analyses, proposals, source code, data, databases and data collections; (ii) all income, royalties, damages, and payments now or hereafter due or payable with respect thereto, including, without limitation, damages, claims and payments for past and future misappropriations or infringements thereof; (iii) all rights to sue for past, present and future infringements of the foregoing, including the right to settle suits involving claims and demands for royalties owing; and (iv) all rights corresponding to any of the foregoing.

 

“Subsidiary Guarantors” means (a) the Subsidiaries party hereto on the Closing Date and (b) each Subsidiary that becomes a party to this Security Agreement after the date hereof in accordance with Section 7.10 hereof and Section 6.13 of the Credit Agreement.

 

The foregoing definitions shall be equally applicable to both the singular and plural forms of the defined terms.

 

ARTICLE 2

Grant Of SEcurity INterest

 

Section 2.01. Grant of Security Interest.

 

(a)        As security for the prompt and complete payment or performance, as the case may be, in full of the Secured Obligations, each Grantor hereby pledges, collaterally assigns, mortgages, transfers and grants to the Administrative Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, on behalf of and for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, a continuing security interest in all of its right, title and interest in, all of the following personal property and other assets, whether now owned by or owing to, or hereafter acquired by or arising in favor of such Grantor, and regardless of where located (all of which are collectively referred to as the “Collateral”):

 

(i)

all Accounts;

 

(ii)

all Chattel Paper (including, without limitation, all Tangible Chattel Paper and all Electronic Chattel Paper);

 

(iii)

all Documents;

 

(iv)

all Equipment;

 

(v)

all Fixtures;

 

(vi)

all General Intangibles;

 

(vii)

all Goods;

 

(viii)

all Instruments;

 

(ix)

all Intellectual Property Collateral;

 

 

(x)

all Inventory; including goods that are returned, repossessed, stopped in transit or which are otherwise owned by any Grantor;

 

(xi)

all Investment Property, Pledged Equity and other Pledged Collateral;

 

(xii)

all Money, cash and cash equivalents;

 

(xiii)

all letters of credit and Letter-of-Credit Rights;

 

(xiv)

all Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts, Commodities Accounts and all other demand, deposit, time, savings, cash management, passbook and similar accounts maintained by such Grantor with any bank or other financial institution and all monies, securities, Instruments and other investments deposited or required to be deposited in any of the foregoing;

 

(xv)

all Securities Entitlements in any or all of the foregoing;

 

(xvi)

all Commercial Tort Claims described on Schedule 3 (including any supplements to such Schedule 3 delivered pursuant to Section 7.10);

 

(xvii)

all Permits;

 

(xviii)

all recorded data of any kind or nature, regardless of the medium of recording;

 

(xix)

all Contracts, together with all Contract Rights arising thereunder;

 

(xx)

all other personal property not otherwise described in clauses (i) through (xix) above;

 

(xxi)

all Supporting Obligations; and

 

(xxii)

all accessions to, substitutions and replacements for and Proceeds and products of the foregoing, together with all books and records, customer lists, credit files, computer files, programs, printouts and other computer materials and records related thereto and any General Intangibles at any time evidencing or relating to any of the foregoing and all collateral security and guarantees given by any Person with respect to any of the foregoing.

 

(b)        Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Collateral” (and any component definition thereof) shall not include any Excluded Asset and the provisions of this Security Agreement shall be subject to the limitations set forth in Section 6.13 of the Credit Agreement. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, immediately upon the ineffectiveness, lapse or termination of any restriction or condition set forth in the definition of “Excluded Assets” in the Credit Agreement, the Collateral shall include, and each relevant Grantor shall be deemed to have automatically granted a security interest in, all relevant previously restricted or conditioned rights, interests or other assets, as the case may be, as if such restriction or condition had never been in effect.

 

 

ARTICLE 3

Representations And WArranties

 

The Grantors, jointly and severally, represent and warrant to the Administrative Agent as of the date hereof, and as and when required under the Credit Agreement, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, that:

 

Section 3.01. Title, Perfection and Priority; Filing Collateral. Each Grantor is the legal and beneficial owner of the Collateral of such Grantor, free and clear of any Lien except for (i) minor defects in title that do not materially interfere with its ability to conduct its business and (ii) Permitted Liens. Subject to the Legal Reservations, this Security Agreement is effective to create a legal, valid and enforceable Lien on and security interest in the Collateral in favor of the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties and the Administrative Agent will have a fully perfected First Priority Lien on such Collateral to the extent required hereby.

 

Section 3.02. Intellectual Property.

 

(a)        Upon filing of appropriate financing statements with the Secretary of State (or equivalent office) of the state of organization of such Grantor and the filing of the Intellectual Property Security Agreement with the United States Copyright Office or the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as applicable, the Administrative Agent shall have a fully perfected First Priority Lien on the Collateral constituting United States issued, registered or applied for Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Exclusive Copyright Licenses under the UCC and the Laws of the United States for the ratable benefit of the Secured Parties, and such perfected security interests shall be enforceable as such as against any and all creditors of and purchasers from the Grantors, subject to the Legal Reservations.

 

(b)        To the knowledge of the Borrower, the conduct of each Grantor does not infringe upon any intellectual property rights or other rights of any third person, except for such infringement, either individually or in the aggregate, which could not reasonably be expected to have a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 3.03. Pledged Collateral. (i) All Pledged Equity has been duly authorized and validly issued (to the extent such concepts are relevant with respect to such Pledged Equity) by the issuer thereof and is fully paid and non-assessable, (ii) each Grantor is the direct owner, beneficially and of record, of the Pledged Equity described in Schedule 3 as held by such Grantor and (iii) each Grantor holds the Pledged Equity described in Schedule 3 as held by such Grantor free and clear of all Liens (other than Permitted Liens). None of such Pledged Equity is subject to any option, right of first refusal, shareholders agreement, charter or by-law provisions or contractual restrictions of any nature that might prohibit, impair, delay or otherwise affect in any manner material and adverse to the Secured Parties the pledge of such Pledged Equity hereunder, the sale or disposition thereof pursuant hereto or the exercise by the Administrative Agent of rights and remedies hereunder. When each Grantor delivers the Pledged Collateral owned by it to the Administrative Agent, (i) the Lien on such Pledged Collateral will be perfected, subject to no prior Liens or rights of others, (ii) the Administrative Agent will have control of such Pledged Collateral and (iii) the Administrative Agent will be a protected purchaser (within the meaning of UCC Section 8-303) thereof. All certificated Pledged Collateral has been or will be delivered to the Administrative Agent in accordance herewith.

 

Section 3.04. Perfection Certificate. The Perfection Certificate has been duly prepared, completed and executed and the certifications set forth therein are true and correct in all material respects as of the date thereof.

 

Section 3.05. Recourse. Except as otherwise limited herein or in any other Loan Document, this Security Agreement is made with full recourse to each Grantor and pursuant to and upon all the warranties, representations, covenants and agreements on the part of such Grantor contained herein, in the Loan Documents and otherwise in writing in connection herewith and therewith.

 

 

ARTICLE 4

Covenants

 

From the date hereof, and thereafter until the Termination Date:

 

Section 4.01. General.

 

(a)       Authorization to File Financing Statements; Ratification. Each Grantor hereby (i) authorizes the Administrative Agent to file (A) all financing statements and amendments thereto with respect to the Collateral naming such Grantor as debtor and the Administrative Agent as secured party, in form appropriate for filing under the UCC of the relevant jurisdiction and (B) filings with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the United States Copyright Office (including any Intellectual Property Security Agreement) for the purpose of perfecting, enforcing, maintaining or protecting the Lien of the Administrative Agent in United States issued, registered and applied for Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Exclusive Copyright Licenses and naming such Grantor as debtor and the Administrative Agent as secured party and (ii) subject to the terms of the Loan Documents, agrees to take such other actions, in each case as may from time to time be necessary or otherwise reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent (and authorizes the Administrative Agent to take any such other actions, which it has no obligation to take) in order to establish and maintain a First Priority, valid, enforceable (subject to the Legal Reservations) and perfected security interest in and subject, in the case of Pledged Collateral, to Section 4.02, Control of, the Collateral. Each Grantor (or the Borrower, in place of any Grantor) shall pay any applicable filing fees, recordation fees and related expenses relating to its Collateral in accordance with Section 11.04 of the Credit Agreement. Any financing statement filed by the Administrative Agent may be filed in any filing office in any applicable UCC jurisdiction and may (i) indicate the Collateral (A) as all assets of the applicable Grantor or words of similar effect, regardless of whether any particular asset comprised in the Collateral falls within the scope of Article 9 of the UCC of such jurisdiction, or (B) by any other description which reasonably approximates the description contained in this Security Agreement and (ii) contain any other information required by part 5 of Article 9 of the UCC for the sufficiency or filing office acceptance of any financing statement or amendment, including in each case to the extent applicable, whether the applicable Grantor is an organization and the type of organization. Each Grantor agrees to furnish any such information to the Administrative Agent promptly upon request.

 

(b)       Further Assurances. Each Grantor agrees, at its own expense (or the expense of the Borrower), to take any and all actions reasonably necessary to defend title to the Collateral against all Persons (other than Persons holding Permitted Liens on such Collateral that have priority over the Administrative Agent’s Lien) and to defend the security interest of the Administrative Agent in the Collateral and the priority thereof against any Lien that is not a Permitted Lien.

 

Section 4.02. Pledged Collateral.

 

(a)        Delivery of Certificated Securities, Tangible Chattel Paper and Instruments. Subject to Section 4.01 of the Credit Agreement, each Grantor will, (i) on the Closing Date, deliver to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, the originals of all certificated Pledged Collateral, which in the case of Tangible Chattel Paper and Instruments has a face amount in excess of $3,000,000, in each case owned by such Grantor as of the Closing Date, accompanied by undated instruments of transfer or assignment duly executed in blank, (ii) after the Closing Date, hold in trust for the Administrative Agent upon receipt and, on or before the date that is 60 days after the end of the fiscal quarter in which the event giving rise to the obligations under this Section 4.02(a) occurs (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree), deliver to the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties any certificated Pledged Collateral, which in the case of Tangible Chattel Paper and Instruments has an outstanding balance in excess of $3,000,000, in each case constituting Collateral received after the date hereof, accompanied by undated instruments of transfer or assignment duly executed in blank and (iii) at any time when an Event of Default then exists and upon the Administrative Agent’s request, deliver to the Administrative Agent, and prior to such delivery, hold in trust for the Administrative Agent upon receipt, any other Document evidencing or constituting such Collateral.

 

 

(b)        Uncertificated Securities and Pledged Collateral. With respect to any partnership interest or limited liability company interest owned by any Grantor which is required to be pledged to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the terms hereof (other than a partnership interest or limited liability company interest held by a Clearing Corporation, Securities Intermediary or other financial intermediary of any kind) which is not represented by a certificate and which is not a Security for purposes of the UCC, such Grantor shall not permit any issuer of such partnership interest or limited liability company interest to (i) enter into any agreement with any Person, other than the Administrative Agent or any holder of a Permitted Lien, whereby such issuer effectively delivers Control of such partnership interest or limited liability company interest (as applicable) to such Person, or (ii) allow such partnership interest or limited liability company interest (as applicable) to become a Security unless such Grantor complies with the procedures set forth in Section 4.02(a) within the time period prescribed therein. Each Grantor which is an issuer of any uncertificated Pledged Collateral described in this Section 4.02(b) hereby agrees to comply with all instructions from the Administrative Agent without such Grantor’s further consent, in each case subject to the notice requirements set forth in Section 5.01(a)(iv).

 

(c)         Registration in Nominee Name; Denominations. The Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, shall hold certificated Securities constituting Pledged Collateral required to be delivered to the Administrative Agent under clause (a) above in the name of the applicable Grantor, endorsed or assigned in blank or in favor of the Administrative Agent, but at any time when an Event of Default exists and upon at least three Business Days’ notice to the Borrower, the Administrative Agent shall have the right (in its sole and absolute discretion) to hold the Pledged Equity in its own name as pledgee, or in the name of its nominee (as pledgee or as sub-agent) and such Grantor will cause the issuer thereof either (i) to register the Administrative Agent as the registered owner of such Pledged Equity or (ii) to agree in an authenticated record with such Grantor and the Administrative Agent that such issuer will comply with instructions with respect to such Pledged Equity originated by the Administrative Agent without further consent of such Grantor, such authenticated record to be in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent. At any time when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent shall have the right to exchange the certificates representing Pledged Equity for certificates of smaller or larger denominations for any purpose consistent with this Security Agreement.

 

(d)       Exercise of Rights in Pledged Collateral. It is agreed that:

 

(i)  without in any way limiting the foregoing and subject to clause (ii) below, each Grantor shall have the right to exercise all voting rights or other rights relating to the Pledged Equity for any purpose that does not violate this Security Agreement, the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document;

 

(ii) each Grantor will permit the Administrative Agent or its nominee at any time when an Event of Default exists to exercise the rights and remedies provided under Section 5.01(a)(iv) (subject to the notice requirements set forth therein); and

 

(iii) subject to Section 5.01(a)(iv), each Grantor shall be entitled to receive and retain any and all dividends, interest, principal and other distributions paid on or distributed in respect of the Pledged Equity; provided that any non-cash dividends or other distributions that would constitute Pledged Equity, whether resulting from a subdivision, combination or reclassification of the outstanding Equity Interest of the issuer of any Pledged Equity or received in exchange for Pledged Equity or any part thereof, or in redemption thereof, or as a result of any merger, consolidation, acquisition or other exchange of assets to which such issuer may be a party or otherwise, shall, to the extent constituting Collateral, be and become part of the Pledged Equity, and, if received by any Grantor, shall be delivered to the Administrative Agent as and to the extent required by clause (a) above.

 

(e)        Return of Pledged Collateral. So long as no Event of Default then exists, the Administrative Agent shall promptly deliver to the applicable Grantor (without recourse and without any representation or warranty) any Pledged Collateral in its possession if requested to be delivered to the issuer or holder thereof in connection with any action or transaction (requiring delivery or possession of such Pledged Collateral) that is permitted or not restricted by the Credit Agreement in accordance with Section 9.10 of the Credit Agreement.

 

 

Section 4.03. Intellectual Property.

 

(a)        At any time when an Event of Default exists and upon the written request of the Administrative Agent, each Grantor will (i) use its commercially reasonable efforts to obtain all consents and approvals necessary or appropriate for the assignment to or for the benefit of the Administrative Agent of any License held by such Grantor in the United States to enable the Administrative Agent to enforce the security interests granted hereunder and (ii) to the extent required pursuant to any material License in the United States under which such Grantor is the licensee, deliver to the licensor thereunder any notice of the grant of security interest hereunder or such other notices required to be delivered thereunder in order to permit the security interest created or permitted to be created hereunder pursuant to the terms of such License.

 

(b)        Each Grantor shall notify the Administrative Agent promptly if it knows or reasonably expects that any application for or registration of any Patent, Trademark, Domain Name, or Copyright (now or hereafter existing) may become abandoned or dedicated to the public, or of any determination or development (including the institution of, or any such determination or development in, any proceeding in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office or any court) abandoning such Grantor’s ownership of any such Patent, Trademark or Copyright, its right to register the same, or to keep and maintain the same, except, in each case, to the extent the same is permitted or not restricted by the Credit Agreement or where the same, individually or in the aggregate, could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect.

 

(c)        In the event that any Grantor files an application for the registration of any Patent, Trademark, Copyright or Exclusive Copyright License constituting Collateral with the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the United States Copyright Office, or acquires any such application or registration by purchase or assignment, in each case, after the Closing Date (and other than as a result of an application that is then included in the schedules to an Intellectual Property Security Agreement becoming registered) (collectively, “ After-Acquired Intellectual Property”), it shall, before or concurrently with the delivery of each Compliance Certificate pursuant to Section 6.02(a) of the Credit Agreement (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree), notify the Administrative Agent in writing thereof and execute and deliver to the Administrative Agent, at such Grantor’s sole cost and expense, any Intellectual Property Security Agreement, or other instrument necessary to evidence the Administrative Agent’s security interest in such registered Patent, Trademark, Copyright or Exclusive Copyright License (or application therefor), and the General Intangibles of such Grantor relating thereto or represented thereby.

 

 

(d)        Each Grantor shall (and shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause all its licensees to) take all actions necessary or reasonably requested by the Administrative Agent to (i) maintain and pursue each application and to obtain and maintain the registration of each Patent, Trademark, Domain Name and Copyright included in the Collateral (now or hereafter existing), including by filing applications for renewal, affidavits of use, affidavits of noncontestability and, if consistent with good business judgment, by initiating opposition and interference and cancellation proceedings against third parties, (ii) maintain and protect the secrecy or confidentiality of its Trade Secrets and (iii) otherwise protect and preserve such Grantor’s rights in, and the validity or enforceability of, its Intellectual Property Collateral, in each case except where failure to do so (A) could not reasonably be expected to result in a Material Adverse Effect or (B) is otherwise permitted under the Credit Agreement.

 

(e)        Each Grantor shall (i) promptly notify the Administrative Agent of any infringement, misappropriation or dilution of such Grantor’s Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Domain Names or Trade Secrets of which it becomes aware and (ii) take such actions as are reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances to protect such Patent, Trademark, Copyright, Domain Name or Trade Secret (including, if such Grantor deems it necessary in its reasonable business judgment, promptly sue for infringement, misappropriation or dilution of such Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Domain Names or Trade Secrets and to recover any and all damages for such infringement, misappropriation or dilution), in each case, except where such infringement, misappropriation or dilution could not reasonably be expected to cause a Material Adverse Effect.

 

Section 4.04. Commercial Tort Claims. After the Closing Date, on or before the date that is 60 days after the end of the fiscal quarter in which the event giving rise to the obligations under this Section 4.04 occurs (or such longer period as the Administrative Agent may reasonably agree), each relevant Grantor shall notify the Administrative Agent of any Commercial Tort Claim with an individual value (as reasonably estimated by the Borrower) in excess of $3,000,000 acquired by it, together with an update to Schedule 3 containing a summary description thereof, and such Commercial Tort Claim (and the Proceeds thereof) shall automatically constitute Collateral, all upon the terms of this Security Agreement.

 

Section 4.05. Insurance. Except to the extent otherwise permitted to be retained by any Grantor or applied by any Grantor pursuant to the terms of the Loan Documents, the Administrative Agent shall, at the time any proceeds of any insurance are distributed to the Secured Parties, apply such proceeds in accordance with Section 5.04.

 

Section 4.06. Grantors Remain Liable.

 

(a)        Each Grantor (rather than the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party) shall remain liable (as between itself and any relevant counterparty) to observe and perform all the conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it under any Contract or other agreement or instrument relating to the Collateral, all in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Secured Party shall have any obligation or liability under any Contract by reason of or arising out of this Security Agreement or the receipt by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party of any payment relating to such Contract pursuant hereto, nor shall the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party be obligated in any manner to perform any of the obligations of any Grantor under or pursuant to any Contract, to make any payment, to make any inquiry as to the nature or sufficiency of any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which may have been assigned to them or to which they may be entitled at any time or times.

 

(b)        Each Grantor assumes all liability and responsibility in connection with the Collateral acquired by it, and the liability of such Grantor to pay the Secured Obligations shall in no way be affected or diminished by reason of the fact that such Collateral may be lost, destroyed, stolen, damaged or for any reason whatsoever unavailable to such Grantor.

 

(c)        Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, each Grantor (rather than the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party) shall remain liable under each of the Accounts to observe and perform all of the conditions and obligations to be observed and performed by it thereunder, all in accordance with the terms of any agreement giving rise to such Accounts. Neither the Administrative Agent nor any other Secured Party shall have any obligation or liability under any Account (or any agreement giving rise thereto) by reason of or arising out of this Security Agreement or the receipt by the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party of any payment relating to such Account pursuant hereto, nor shall the Administrative Agent or any other Secured Party be obligated in any manner to perform any of the obligations of any Grantor under or pursuant to any Account (or any agreement giving rise thereto), to make any payment, to make any inquiry as to the nature or the sufficiency of any payment received by them or as to the sufficiency of any performance by any party under any Account (or any agreement giving rise thereto), to present or file any claim, to take any action to enforce any performance or to collect the payment of any amounts which may have been assigned to them or to which they may be entitled at any time or times.

 

Section 4.07. Change of Name, etc.; Collateral Verification. Each Grantor will provide prompt (and, in any event, within the earlier of (i) 60 days of the relevant change and (ii) 15 days prior to the date on which the perfection of the liens under the Collateral Documents would lapse, in whole or in part, by reason of such change) notice of any change (i) to the legal name or type of organization of such Grantor or (ii) in the jurisdiction of organization of such Grantor, in each case, to the extent such information is necessary to enable the Administrative Agent to perfect or maintain the perfection and priority of its security interest in the Collateral of the relevant Grantor.

 

 

ARTICLE 5

Remedies

 

Section 5.01. Remedies.

 

(a)        Each Grantor agrees that, at any time when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent may exercise any or all of the following rights and remedies (in addition to the rights and remedies existing under applicable Laws):

 

(i) the rights and remedies provided in this Security Agreement, the Credit Agreement, or any other Loan Document; provided that this Section 5.01(a) shall not limit any rights available to the Administrative Agent prior to an Event of Default;

 

(ii) the rights and remedies available to a secured party under the UCC (whether or not the UCC applies to the affected Collateral) or under any other applicable Laws (including, without limitation, any law governing the exercise of a bank’s right of setoff or bankers’ Lien) when a debtor is in default under a security agreement;

 

(iii) without notice (except as specifically provided in Section 7.01 or elsewhere herein), demand or advertisement of any kind to any Grantor or any other Person, personally, or by agents or attorneys, enter the premises of any Grantor where any Collateral is located (through self-help and without judicial process) to collect, receive, assemble, process, appropriate, sell, lease, assign, grant an option or options to purchase or otherwise dispose of, deliver, or realize upon, the Collateral or any part thereof in one or more parcels at one or more public or private sales (which sales may be adjourned or continued from time to time with or without notice and may take place at such Grantor’s premises or elsewhere), for cash, on credit or for future delivery without assumption of any credit risk, and upon such other terms as the Administrative Agent may deem commercially reasonable;

 

(iv) upon at least three Business Days’ written notice to the Borrower, transfer and register in its name or in the name of its nominee the whole or any part of the Pledged Collateral, to exercise the voting and all other rights as a holder with respect thereto (whereupon the voting and other rights of such Grantor described in Section 4.02(d)(i) above shall immediately cease such that the Administrative Agent shall have the sole right to exercise such voting and other rights while the relevant Event of Default exists), to collect and receive all cash dividends, interest, principal and other distributions made thereon (it being understood that all Stock Rights received by any Grantor while the relevant Event of Default exists shall be received in trust for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and forthwith paid over to the Administrative Agent in the same form as so received (with any necessary endorsements)) and to otherwise act with respect to the Pledged Collateral as though the Administrative Agent was the outright owner thereof; and

 

(v) to take possession of the Collateral or any part thereof, by directing such Grantor in writing to deliver the same to the Administrative Agent at any reasonable place or places designated by the Administrative Agent, in which event such Grantor shall at its own expense:

 

(1)                forthwith cause the same to be moved to the place or places so designated by the Administrative Agent and there delivered to the Administrative Agent;

 

(2)                store and keep any Collateral so delivered to the Administrative Agent at such place or places pending further action by the Administrative Agent; and

 

(3)                while the Collateral shall be so stored and kept, provide such security and maintenance services as shall be reasonably necessary to protect the same and to

preserve and maintain it in good condition.

 

(b)        Each Grantor acknowledges and agrees that compliance by the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured Parties, with any applicable state or federal Laws in connection with a disposition of the Collateral will not be considered to adversely affect the commercial reasonableness of any sale of the Collateral.

 

(c)        The Administrative Agent shall have the right in any public sale and, to the extent permitted by applicable Laws, in any private sale, to purchase for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties, all or any part of the Collateral so sold, free of any right of equity redemption, which equity redemption each Grantor hereby expressly releases.

 

(d)        Until the Administrative Agent is able to effect a sale, lease, transfer or other disposition of any particular Collateral under this Section 5.01, the Administrative Agent shall have the right to hold or use such Collateral, or any part thereof, to the extent that it deems appropriate for the purpose of preserving such Collateral or the value of such Collateral, or for any other purpose deemed reasonably appropriate by the Administrative Agent. At any time when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent may, if it so elects, seek the appointment of a receiver or keeper to take possession of any Collateral and to enforce any of the Administrative Agent’s remedies (for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and Secured Parties), with respect to such appointment without prior notice or hearing as to such appointment.

 

 

(e)         Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrative Agent shall not be required to (i) make any demand upon, or pursue or exhaust any of their rights or remedies against, the Grantors, any other obligor, guarantor, pledgor or any other Person with respect to the payment of the Secured Obligations or to pursue or exhaust any of their rights or remedies with respect to any Collateral therefor or any direct or indirect guarantee thereof, (ii) marshal the Collateral or any guarantee of the Secured Obligations or to resort to the Collateral or any such guarantee in any particular order, or (iii) effect a public sale of any Collateral.

 

(f)         Each Grantor recognizes that the Administrative Agent may be unable to effect a public sale of any or all the Pledged Collateral and may be compelled to resort to one or more private sales thereof. Each Grantor also acknowledges that any private sale may result in prices and other terms less favorable to the seller than if such sale were a public sale and, notwithstanding such circumstances, agrees that no such private sale shall be deemed to have been made in a commercially unreasonable manner solely by virtue of such sale being private. The Administrative Agent shall be under no obligation to delay a sale of any of the Pledged Collateral for the period of time necessary to permit any Grantor or the issuer of any Pledged Collateral to register such securities for public sale under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or under applicable state securities Laws, even if any Grantor and the issuer would agree to do so.

 

 

Section 5.02. Grantors’ Obligations Upon Default. Upon the request of the Administrative Agent at any time when an Event of Default exists, each Grantor will:

 

(a)        at its own cost and expense (i) assemble and make available to the Administrative Agent, the Collateral and all books and records relating thereto at any place or places reasonably specified by the Administrative Agent, whether at such Grantor’s premises or elsewhere, (ii) deliver all tangible evidence of its Accounts and Contract Rights (including, without limitation, all documents evidencing the Accounts and all Contracts) and such books and records to the Administrative Agent or to its representatives (copies of which evidence and books and records may be retained by such Grantor) and (iii) if the Administrative Agent so directs and in a form and in a manner reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent, legend the Accounts and the Contracts, as well as books, records and documents (if any) of such Grantor evidencing or pertaining to such Accounts and Contracts with an appropriate reference to the fact that such Accounts and Contracts have been assigned to the Administrative Agent and that the Administrative Agent has a security interest therein; and

 

(b)        permit the Administrative Agent and/or its representatives and/or agents, to enter, occupy and use any premises where all or any part of the Collateral, or the books and records relating thereto, or both, are located, to take possession of all or any part of the Collateral or the books and records relating thereto, or both, to remove all or any part of the Collateral or the books and records relating thereto, or both, and to conduct sales of the Collateral, without any obligation to pay any Grantor for such use and occupancy.

 

Section 5.03. Intellectual Property Remedies.

 

(a)        For the purpose of enabling the Administrative Agent to exercise the rights and remedies under this Article 5 at any time when an Event of Default exists and at such time as the Administrative Agent shall be lawfully entitled to exercise such rights and remedies, each Grantor hereby grants to the Administrative Agent a power of attorney to sign any document which may be required by the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the United States Copyright Office, domain name registrar or similar registrar in order to effect an absolute assignment of all right, title and interest in each registered Patent, Trademark, Domain Name and Copyright and each application for any such registration, and record the same. At any time when an Event of Default exists, the Administrative Agent may (i) declare the entire right, title and interest of such Grantor in and to each item of Intellectual Property Collateral to be vested in the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, in which event such right, title and interest shall immediately vest in the Administrative Agent for the benefit of the Secured Parties, and the Administrative Agent shall be entitled to exercise the power of attorney referred to in this Section 5.03 to execute, cause to be acknowledged and notarized and record such absolute assignment with the applicable agency or registrar; (ii) sell any Grantor’s Inventory directly to any Person, including without limitation Persons who have previously purchased any Grantor’s Inventory from such Grantor and in connection with any such sale or other enforcement of the Administrative Agent’s rights under this Security Agreement and subject to any restrictions contained in applicable third party licenses entered into by such Grantor, sell Inventory which bears any Trademark owned by or licensed to any Grantor and any Inventory that is covered by any Intellectual Property Collateral owned by or licensed to any Grantor, and the Administrative Agent may finish any work in process and affix any relevant Trademark owned by or licensed to such Grantor and sell such Inventory as provided herein; (iii) direct such Grantor to refrain, in which event such Grantor shall refrain, from using any Intellectual Property Collateral in any manner whatsoever, directly or indirectly; and (iv) assign or sell any Patent, Trademark, Copyright, Domain Name, and/or Trade Secret, as well as the goodwill of such Grantor’s business symbolized by any such Trademark and the right to carry on the business and use the assets of such Grantor in connection with which any such Trademark or Domain Name has been used.

 

 

 

(b)                 Each Grantor hereby grants to the Administrative Agent an irrevocable (until the Termination Date), nonexclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to its right to use, license or sublicense any Intellectual Property Collateral subject, in the case of Trademarks, to such rights of quality control which are reasonably necessary under applicable Laws to maintain the validity and enforceability of such Trademarks, now owned or hereafter acquired by such Grantor, wherever the same may be located, and including in such license access to all media in which any of the licensed items may be recorded or stored and (to the extent not prohibited by any applicable license) to all computer software and programs used for compilation or printout thereof. The use of the license granted to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the preceding sentence may be exercised, at the option of the Administrative Agent, only when an Event of Default exists and shall be exercised only for the purposes of marketing the Intellectual Property Collateral in connection with the exercise of Lenders’ remedies hereunder; provided that, any license, sublicense or other transaction entered into by the Administrative Agent in accordance with this clause (b) shall be binding upon each Grantor notwithstanding any subsequent cure of the relevant Event of Default.

 

Section 5.04. Application of Proceeds.

 

(a)                The Administrative Agent shall apply the proceeds of any collection, sale, foreclosure or other realization of any Collateral, as well as any Collateral consisting of Cash, as set forth in Section 8.03 of the Credit Agreement

 

(b)                Except as otherwise provided herein or in any other Loan Document, the Administrative Agent shall have absolute discretion as to the time of application of any such proceeds, money or balance in accordance with this Security Agreement. Upon any sale of Collateral by the Administrative Agent (including pursuant to a power of sale granted by statute or under a judicial proceeding), a receipt by the Administrative Agent or of the officer making the sale of such proceeds, moneys or balances shall be a sufficient discharge to the purchaser or purchasers of the Collateral so sold and such purchaser or purchasers shall not be obligated to see to the application of any part of the purchase money paid over to the Administrative Agent or such officer or be answerable in any way for the misapplication thereof. It is understood that the Grantors shall remain jointly and severally liable to the extent of any deficiency between the amount of the proceeds of the Collateral and the aggregate amount of the Secured Obligations.

 

 

ARTICLE 6

ACCOUNT VERIFICATION; ATTORNEY IN FACT; PROXY

 

Section 6.01. Account Verification. The Administrative Agent may at any time and from time to time when an Event of Default exists, in the Administrative Agent’s own name, in the name of a nominee of the Administrative Agent, or in the name of any Grantor, communicate (by mail, telephone, facsimile or otherwise) with the Account debtors of such Grantor, parties to Contracts with such Grantor and obligors in respect of Instruments of such Grantor to verify with such Persons, to the Administrative Agent’s reasonable satisfaction, the existence, amount, terms of, and any other matter relating to, Accounts, Contracts, Instruments, Chattel Paper, payment intangibles and/or other Receivables that constitute Collateral.

 

Section 6.02. Authorization for the Administrative Agent to Take Certain Action. (a) Each Grantor hereby irrevocably authorizes the Administrative Agent and appoints the Administrative Agent (and all officers, employees or agents designated by the Administrative Agent) as its true and lawful attorney in fact (i) at any time and from time to time in its sole discretion (A) to execute (to the extent necessary under the Laws of the applicable jurisdiction) on behalf of such Grantor as debtor and to file financing statements necessary or desirable in the Administrative Agent’s reasonable discretion to perfect and to maintain the perfection and priority of the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the Collateral, (B) to file a carbon, photographic or other reproduction of this Security Agreement as a financing statement and to file any other financing statement or amendment of a financing statement with respect to the Collateral (which would not add new collateral or add a debtor, except as otherwise provided for herein or in any other Loan Document) in such offices as the Administrative Agent in its reasonable discretion deems necessary or desirable to perfect and to maintain the perfection and priority of the Administrative Agent’s security interest in the Collateral, and (C) with the consent of the Borrower (other than when an Event of Default exists), to contact and enter into one or more agreements with the issuers of uncertificated securities that constitute Pledged Equity or with securities intermediaries holding Pledged Equity as may be necessary or advisable to give the Administrative Agent Control over such Pledged Equity in accordance with the terms hereof; (ii) at any time when an Event of Default exists, in the sole discretion of the Administrative Agent (in the name of such Grantor or otherwise), (A) to endorse and collect any cash proceeds of the Collateral and to apply the proceeds of any Collateral received by the Administrative Agent to the Secured Obligations as provided herein or in the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, (B) to demand payment or enforce payment of any Receivable in the name of the Administrative Agent or such Grantor and to endorse any check, draft and/or any other instrument for the payment of money relating to any such Receivable, (C) to sign such Grantor’s name on any invoice or bill of lading relating to any Receivable, any draft against any Account debtor of such Grantor, and/or any assignment and/or verification of any Receivable, (D) to exercise all of any Grantor’s rights and remedies with respect to the collection of any Receivable and any other Collateral, (E) to settle, adjust, compromise, extend or renew any Receivable, (F) to settle, adjust or compromise any legal proceedings brought to collect any Receivable, (G) to prepare, file and sign such Grantor’s name on a proof of claim in bankruptcy or similar document against any Account debtor of such Grantor, (H) to prepare, file and sign such Grantor’s name on any notice of Lien, assignment or satisfaction of Lien or similar document in connection with any Receivable, (I) to change the address for delivery of mail addressed to such Grantor to such address as the Administrative Agent may designate and to receive, open and dispose of all mail addressed to such Grantor (provided copies of such mail are provided to such Grantor), (J) to discharge past due taxes, assessments, charges, fees or Liens on the Collateral (except for Permitted Liens), (K) to make, settle and adjust claims in respect of Collateral under policies of insurance and endorse the name of such Grantor on any check, draft, instrument or other item of payment for the proceeds of such policies of insurance, (L) to make all determinations and decisions with respect thereto and (M) to obtain or maintain the policies of insurance of the types referred to in Section 6.07 of the Credit Agreement or to pay any premium in whole or in part relating thereto; and (iii) to do all other acts and things or institute any proceedings which the Administrative Agent may reasonably deem to be necessary or advisable (pursuant to this Security Agreement and the other Loan Documents and in accordance with applicable law) to carry out the terms of this Security Agreement and to protect the interests of the Secured Parties; and, when and to the extent required pursuant to Section 11.04 of the Credit Agreement, such Grantor agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent for any payment made in connection with this paragraph or any expense (including attorneys’ fees, court costs and expenses) and other charges related thereto incurred by the Administrative Agent in connection with any of the foregoing (it being understood that any such sums shall constitute additional Secured Obligations); provided that, this authorization shall not relieve such Grantor of any of its obligations under this Security Agreement or under the Credit Agreement.

 

 

(b) All acts of such attorney or designee are hereby ratified and approved by each Grantor. The powers conferred on the Administrative Agent, for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and Secured Parties, under this Section 6.02 are solely to protect the Administrative Agent’s interests in the Collateral and shall not impose any duty upon the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party to exercise any such powers.

 

Section 6.03. PROXY. EACH GRANTOR HEREBY IRREVOCABLY (UNTIL THE TERMINATION DATE) CONSTITUTES AND APPOINTS THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AS ITS PROXY AND ATTORNEY-IN-FACT (AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 6.02 ABOVE) WITH RESPECT TO THE PLEDGED EQUITY, INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO VOTE SUCH PLEDGED EQUITY, WITH FULL POWER OF SUBSTITUTION TO DO SO. IN ADDITION TO THE RIGHT TO VOTE ANY SUCH PLEDGED EQUITY, THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AS PROXY AND ATTORNEY-IN-FACT SHALL INCLUDE THE RIGHT TO EXERCISE ALL OTHER RIGHTS, POWERS, PRIVILEGES AND REMEDIES TO WHICH A HOLDER OF SUCH PLEDGED EQUITY WOULD BE ENTITLED (INCLUDING GIVING OR WITHHOLDING WRITTEN CONSENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS, CALLING SPECIAL MEETINGS OF SHAREHOLDERS AND VOTING AT SUCH MEETINGS). SUCH PROXY SHALL BE EFFECTIVE, AUTOMATICALLY AND WITHOUT THE NECESSITY OF ANY ACTION (INCLUDING ANY TRANSFER OF ANY SUCH PLEDGED EQUITY ON THE RECORD BOOKS OF THE ISSUER THEREOF) BY ANY PERSON (INCLUDING THE ISSUER OF SUCH PLEDGED EQUITY OR ANY OFFICER OR AGENT THEREOF), IN EACH CASE ONLY WHEN AN EVENT OF DEFAULT EXISTS AND UPON THREE BUSINESS DAYS’ PRIOR WRITTEN NOTICE TO THE BORROWER.

 

Section 6.04. NATURE OF APPOINTMENT; LIMITATION OF DUTY. THE APPOINTMENT OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AS PROXY AND ATTORNEY-IN-FACT IN THIS ARTICLE 6 IS COUPLED WITH AN INTEREST AND SHALL BE IRREVOCABLE UNTIL THE TERMINATION DATE. NOTWITHSTANDING ANYTHING CONTAINED HEREIN, NEITHER THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, NOR ANY SECURED PARTY, NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE AFFILIATES, OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS OR REPRESENTATIVES SHALL HAVE ANY DUTY TO EXERCISE ANY RIGHT OR POWER GRANTED HEREUNDER OR OTHERWISE OR TO PRESERVE THE SAME AND SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY FAILURE TO DO SO OR FOR ANY DELAY IN DOING SO, EXCEPT TO THE EXTENT SUCH DAMAGES ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE OR WILLFUL MISCONDUCT OF SUCH PERSON AS FINALLY DETERMINED BY A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION IN A FINAL AND NON-APPEALABLE DECISION SUBJECT TO SECTION 7.19; PROVIDED, THAT THE FOREGOING EXCEPTION SHALL NOT BE CONSTRUED TO OBLIGATE THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT TO TAKE OR REFRAIN FROM TAKING ANY ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THE COLLATERAL.

 

 

ARTICLE 7

GENERAL PROVISIONS

 

Section 7.01. Waivers. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Laws, each Grantor hereby waives notice of the time and place of any judicial hearing in connection with the Administrative Agent’s taking possession of the Collateral or of any public sale or the time after which any private sale or other disposition of all or any part of the Collateral may be made, including without limitation, any and all prior notice and hearing for any prejudgment remedy or remedies. To the extent such notice may not be waived under applicable Laws, any notice made shall be deemed reasonable if sent to any Grantor, addressed as set forth in Article 8, at least 10 days prior to (a) the date of any such public sale or (b) the time after which any such private disposition may be made. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable Laws, each Grantor waives all claims, damages, and demands against the Administrative Agent arising out of the repossession, retention or sale of the Collateral, except those arising out of the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the Administrative Agent as determined by a court of competent jurisdiction in a final and non-appealable judgment. To the extent it may lawfully do so, each Grantor absolutely and irrevocably waives and relinquishes the benefit and advantage of, and covenants not to assert against the Administrative Agent, any valuation, stay (other than an automatic stay under any applicable Debtor Relief Law), appraisal, extension, moratorium, redemption or similar law and any and all rights or defenses it may have as a surety now or hereafter existing which, but for this provision, might be applicable to the sale of any Collateral made under the judgment, order or decree of any court, or privately under the power of sale conferred by this Security Agreement, or otherwise. Except as otherwise specifically provided herein, each Grantor hereby waives presentment, demand, protest, any notice (to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Laws) of any kind or all other requirements as to the time, place and terms of sale in connection with this Security Agreement or any Collateral.

 

Section 7.02. Limitation on Administrative Agent’s Duty with Respect to the Collateral. The Administrative Agent shall not have any obligation to clean or otherwise prepare the Collateral for sale. The Administrative Agent shall use reasonable care with respect to the Collateral in its possession; provided that the Administrative Agent shall be deemed to have exercised reasonable care in the custody and preservation of any Collateral in its possession if such Collateral is accorded treatment substantially equal to which it accords its own property. The Administrative Agent shall not have any other duty as to any Collateral in its possession or control or in the possession or control of any agent or nominee of the Administrative Agent, or any income thereon or as to the preservation of rights against prior parties or any other rights pertaining thereto. To the extent that applicable Laws impose duties on the Administrative Agent to exercise remedies in a commercially reasonable manner, each Grantor acknowledges and agrees that it would be commercially reasonable for the Administrative Agent (a) to elect not to incur expenses to prepare Collateral for disposition or otherwise to transform raw material or work in process into finished goods or other finished products for disposition, (b) to elect not to obtain third party consents for access to Collateral to be disposed of, or to obtain or, if not required by other law, to fail to obtain governmental or third party consents for the collection or disposition of Collateral to be collected or disposed of, (c) to elect not to exercise collection remedies against Account debtors or other Persons obligated on Collateral or to remove Liens on or any adverse claims against Collateral, (d) to exercise collection remedies against Account debtors and other Persons obligated on Collateral directly or through the use of collection agencies and other collection specialists, (e) to advertise dispositions of Collateral through publications or media of general circulation, whether or not the Collateral is of a specialized nature, (f) to contact other Persons, whether or not in the same business as any Grantor, for expressions of interest in acquiring all or any portion of such Collateral, (g) to hire one or more professional auctioneers to assist in the disposition of Collateral, whether or not the Collateral is of a specialized nature, (h) to dispose of Collateral by utilizing internet sites that provide for the auction of assets of the types included in the Collateral or that have the reasonable capacity of doing so, or that match buyers and sellers of assets, (i) to dispose of assets in wholesale rather than retail markets, (j) to disclaim disposition warranties, such as title, possession or quiet enjoyment, (k) to purchase insurance or credit enhancements to insure the Administrative Agent against risks of loss in connection with any collection or disposition of Collateral or to provide to the Administrative Agent a guaranteed return from the collection or disposition of Collateral or (l) to the extent deemed appropriate by the Administrative Agent, to obtain the services of other brokers, investment bankers, consultants and other professionals to assist the Administrative Agent in the collection or disposition of any of the Collateral. Each Grantor acknowledges that the purpose of this Section 7.02 is to provide non-exhaustive indications of what actions or omissions by the Administrative Agent would be commercially reasonable in the Administrative Agent’s exercise of remedies with respect to the Collateral and that other actions or omissions by the Administrative Agent shall not be deemed commercially unreasonable solely on account of not being indicated in this Section 7.02. Without limitation upon the foregoing, nothing contained in this Section 7.02 shall be construed to grant any rights to any Grantor or to impose any duties on the Administrative Agent that would not have been granted or imposed by this Security Agreement or by applicable Laws in the absence of this Section 7.02.

 

 

Section 7.03. Compromises and Collection of Collateral. Each Grantor and the Administrative Agent recognize that setoffs, counterclaims, defenses and other claims may be asserted by obligors with respect to certain of the Receivables, that certain of the Receivables may be or become uncollectible in whole or in part and that the expense and probability of success in litigating a disputed Receivable may exceed the amount that reasonably may be expected to be recovered with respect to any Receivable. In view of the foregoing, each Grantor agrees that the Administrative Agent may at any time and from time to time, if an Event of Default exists, compromise with the obligor on any Receivable, accept in full payment of any Receivable such amount as the Administrative Agent in its sole discretion shall determine or abandon any Receivable, and any such action by the Administrative Agent shall be commercially reasonable so long as the Administrative Agent acts in good faith based on information known to it at the time it takes any such action.

 

Section 7.04. Administrative Agent Performance of Debtor Obligations. Without having any obligation to do so, the Administrative Agent may, at any time when an Event of Default exists and upon prior notice to the Borrower, perform or pay any obligation which any Grantor has agreed to perform or pay under this Security Agreement and which obligation is due and unpaid and not being contested by such Grantor in good faith, and such Grantor shall reimburse the Administrative Agent for any amounts paid by the Administrative Agent pursuant to this Section 7.04 as a Secured Obligation payable in accordance with Section 11.04 of the Credit Agreement.

 

Section 7.05. No Waiver; Amendments; Cumulative Remedies. No delay or omission of the Administrative Agent to exercise any right or remedy granted under this Security Agreement shall impair such right or remedy or be construed to be a waiver of any Default or an acquiescence therein, and no single or partial exercise of any such right or remedy shall preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right or remedy. No waiver, amendment or other variation of the terms, conditions or provisions of this Security Agreement whatsoever shall be valid unless in writing signed by the Grantors and the Administrative Agent with the concurrence or at the direction of the Lenders to the extent required under Sections 11.01 and 11.03 of the Credit Agreement and then only to the extent in such writing specifically set forth. All rights and remedies contained in this Security Agreement or afforded by law shall be cumulative and all shall be available to the Administrative Agent until the Termination Date.

 

Section 7.06. Limitation by Law; Severability of Provisions. All rights, remedies and powers provided in this Security Agreement may be exercised only to the extent that the exercise thereof does not violate any applicable Laws, and all of the provisions of this Security Agreement are intended to be subject to all applicable mandatory Laws that may be controlling and to be limited to the extent necessary so that such provisions do not render this Security Agreement invalid, unenforceable or not entitled to be recorded or registered, in whole or in part. To the extent permitted by applicable Laws, any provision of this Security Agreement held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction shall, as to such jurisdiction, be ineffective to the extent of such invalidity, illegality or unenforceability without affecting the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions of this Security Agreement; and the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not invalidate such provision in any other jurisdiction.

 

 

Section 7.07. Security Interest Absolute. All rights of the Administrative Agent hereunder, the security interests granted hereunder and all obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional irrespective of (a) any lack of validity or enforceability of the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document, any agreement with respect to any of the Secured Obligations or any other agreement or instrument relating to any of the foregoing, (b) any change in the time, manner or place of payment of, or in any other term of, all or any of the Secured Obligations, or any other amendment or waiver of or any consent to any departure from the Credit Agreement, any other Loan Document or any other agreement or instrument relating to the foregoing, (c) any exchange, release or nonperfection of any Lien on any Collateral, or any release or amendment or waiver of or consent under or departure from any guaranty, securing or guaranteeing all or any of the Secured Obligations, (d) any bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, arrangement, readjustment, composition, liquidation or the like of any Grantor, (e) any exercise or non-exercise, or any waiver of, any right, remedy, power or privilege under or in respect of this Security Agreement or any other Loan Document or (f) any other circumstance that might otherwise constitute a defense available to, or a discharge of, any Grantor in respect of the Secured Obligations or this Security Agreement (other than a termination of any Lien contemplated by Section 7.12 or the occurrence of the Termination Date).

 

Section 7.08. Benefit of Security Agreement. The terms and provisions of this Security Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of each Grantor, the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties and their respective successors and permitted assigns (including all Persons who become bound as a debtor to this Security Agreement). No sale of participations, assignments, transfers, or other dispositions of any agreement governing the Secured Obligations or any portion thereof or interest therein shall in any manner impair the Lien granted to the Administrative Agent hereunder for the benefit of the Administrative Agent and the Secured Parties.

 

Section 7.09. Survival of Representations. All representations and warranties of each Grantor contained in this Security Agreement shall survive the execution and delivery of this Security Agreement until the Termination Date.

 

Section 7.10. Additional Subsidiaries. Upon the execution and delivery by any Restricted Subsidiary that is a U.S. Subsidiary of an instrument in the form of Exhibit A in accordance with, and to the extent required by, Section 6.13 of the Credit Agreement, such U.S. Subsidiary shall become a Subsidiary Guarantor hereunder with the same force and effect as if such U.S. Subsidiary was originally named as a Subsidiary Guarantor herein. The execution and delivery of any such instrument shall not require the consent of any other Grantor or any other Person. The rights and obligations of each Grantor hereunder shall remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the addition of any new Grantor as a party to this Security Agreement.

 

Section 7.11. Headings. The titles of and section headings in this Security Agreement are for convenience of reference only, and shall not govern the interpretation of any of the terms and provisions of this Security Agreement.

 

 

Section 7.12. Termination or Release.

 

(a) This Security Agreement shall continue in effect until the Termination Date, and the Liens granted hereunder shall automatically be released in the circumstances described in Sections 9.10 or 10.08 of the Credit Agreement.

 

(b) In connection with any termination or release pursuant to paragraph (a) above, the Administrative Agent shall promptly execute (if applicable) and deliver to any Grantor, at such Grantor’s expense, all UCC termination statements and similar documents that such Grantor shall reasonably request to evidence and/or effectuate such termination or release. Any execution and delivery of documents pursuant to this Section 7.12 shall be without recourse to or representation or warranty by the Administrative Agent or any Secured Party. The Borrower shall reimburse the Administrative Agent for all costs and expenses, including any fees and expenses of counsel, incurred by it in connection with any action contemplated by this Section 7.12 pursuant to and to the extent required by Section 11.04 of the Credit Agreement.

 

(c) At any time that a Grantor desires that the Administrative Agent take any action to acknowledge or give effect to any release of Collateral pursuant to Section 7.12(a), such Grantor or the Borrower shall deliver to the Administrative Agent a certificate signed by a Responsible Officer of such Grantor stating that the release of the respective Collateral is permitted pursuant to Section 7.12(a) and the terms of the Credit Agreement.

 

(d) The Administrative Agent shall have no liability whatsoever to any other Secured Party as the result of any release of Collateral or any Grantor by it in accordance with (or which the Administrative Agent in good faith believes to be in accordance with) the terms of this Section 7.12.

 

Section 7.13. Entire Agreement. This Security Agreement, together with the other Loan Documents, embodies the entire agreement and understanding between each Grantor and the Administrative Agent relating to the Collateral and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between any Grantor and the Administrative Agent relating to the Collateral.

 

Section 7.14. CHOICE OF LAW. THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

 

Section 7.15. CONSENT TO JURISDICTION; CONSENT TO SERVICE OF PROCESS. ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT, THE GRANTORS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. THE GRANTORS AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF THE SECURITY AGREEMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO (EXCEPT THAT, PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN THE STATE IN WHICH THE COLLATERAL IS LOCATED OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT JURISDICTION.

 

 

Section 7.16. WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. EACH PARTY TO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO THIS SECURITY AGREEMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AGREEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 7.16 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

Section 7.17. Indemnity. Each Grantor hereby agrees to indemnify the Indemnitees, as, and to the extent, set forth in Section 11.05 of the Credit Agreement.

 

Section 7.18. Counterparts. This Security Agreement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Security Agreement by facsimile or by email as a “.pdf” or “.tiff” attachment or other electronic transmission shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Security Agreement.

 

Section 7.19. Waiver of Consequential Damages, Etc. To the extent permitted by applicable Laws, none of the Grantors or Secured Parties shall assert, and each hereby waives, any claim against each other, on any theory of liability, for special, indirect, consequential or punitive damages (as opposed to direct or actual damages) arising out of, in connection with, or as a result of, this Security Agreement or any agreement or instrument contemplated hereby, except, in the case of any claim by any Indemnitee against any of the Grantors, to the extent such damages would otherwise be subject to indemnification pursuant to the terms of Section 7.17.

 

Section 7.20. Mortgages. In the case of a conflict between this Security Agreement and any Mortgage with respect to any Material Real Property that is also subject to a valid and enforceable Lien under the terms of such Mortgage (including Fixtures), the terms of such Mortgage shall govern.

 

Section 7.21. Successors and Assigns. Whenever in this Security Agreement any party hereto is referred to, such reference shall be deemed to include the successors and permitted assigns of such party; and all covenants, promises and agreements by or on behalf of any Grantor or the Administrative Agent in this Security Agreement shall bind and inure to the benefit of their respective successors and permitted assigns. Except in a transaction expressly permitted under the Credit Agreement, no Grantor may assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder without the written consent of the Administrative Agent.

 

Section 7.22. Survival of Agreement. Without limiting any provision of the Credit Agreement or Section 7.17 hereof, all covenants, agreements, indemnities, representations and warranties made by the Grantors in the Loan Documents and in the certificates or other instruments delivered in connection with or pursuant to this Security Agreement or any other Loan Document shall be considered to have been relied upon by the Lenders and shall survive the execution and delivery of the Loan Documents and the making of any Loans, regardless of any investigation made by any such Lender or on its behalf and notwithstanding that the Administrative Agent or any Lender may have had notice or knowledge of any Default or Event of Default or incorrect representation or warranty at the time any credit is extended under the Credit Agreement, and shall continue in full force and effect until the Termination Date, or with respect to any individual Grantor until such Grantor is otherwise released from its obligations under this Security Agreement in accordance with the terms hereof.

 

 

Section 7.23. Reinstatement . This Security Agreement shall remain in full force and effect and continue to be effective should any petition be filed by or against any Grantor for liquidation or reorganization, should any Grantor become insolvent or make an assignment for the benefit of any creditor or creditors or should a receiver or trustee be appointed for all or any significant part of any Grantor’s assets, and shall continue to be effective or be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment and performance of the Secured Obligations, or any part thereof, is, pursuant to applicable Laws, rescinded or reduced in amount, or must otherwise be restored or returned by any obligee of the Secured Obligations, whether as a “voidable preference,” “fraudulent conveyance,” or otherwise, all as though such payment or performance had not been made. In the event that any payment, or any part thereof, is rescinded, reduced, restored or returned, the Secured Obligations shall be reinstated and deemed reduced only by such amount paid and not so rescinded, reduced, restored or returned.

 

Section 7.24. Conflicts. Notwithstanding anything contrary contained herein, in the event of any conflict or inconsistency between this Security Agreement and the Credit Agreement or any Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, the terms of the Credit Agreement and/or such Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement shall govern and control (except that in the case of any conflict between the Credit Agreement and an Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement, such Acceptable Intercreditor Agreement with respect to the applicable Collateral shall control).

 

ARTICLE 8

NOTICES

 

Section 8.01. Sending Notices. Any notice required or permitted to be given under this Security Agreement shall be delivered in accordance with Section 11.02 of the Credit Agreement (it being understood and agreed that references in such Section to “herein”, “hereunder” and other similar terms shall be deemed to be references to this Security Agreement).

 

ARTICLE 9

THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT

 

Nomura, together with one or more sub-agents or designees has been appointed Administrative Agent for the Lenders hereunder pursuant to Article 9 of the Credit Agreement. It is expressly understood and agreed by the parties to this Security Agreement that any authority conferred upon the Administrative Agent hereunder is subject to the terms of the delegation of authority made by the Lenders to the Administrative Agent pursuant to the Credit Agreement, and that the Administrative Agent has agreed to act (and any successor Administrative Agent shall act) as such hereunder only on the express conditions contained in such Article 9. Any successor Administrative Agent appointed pursuant to Article 9 of the Credit Agreement shall be entitled to all the rights, interests and benefits of the Administrative Agent hereunder.

 

[SIGNATURE PAGES FOLLOW]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each Grantor and the Administrative Agent have executed this Security Agreement as of the date first above written.

 

	LATHAM PURCHASER, INC.
	By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC.
	By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

	LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING
	CORP.
	By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

	POOL COVER SPECIALISTS, LLC
	By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECURITY AGREEMENT

 

 

	NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS,
	LLC, as the Administrative Agent
	By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

SIGNATURE PAGE TO SECURITY AGREEMENT

 

 

 

EXHIBIT A

 

[FORM OF] SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT

 

A.

SUPPLEMENT NO. [●] dated as of [●] (this “ Supplement”), to the Security Agreement dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Security Agreement”), by and among LATHAM PURCHASER, INC., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “LPP” and, immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“ Holdings”), the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Subsidiary Guarantors from time to time party thereto (the foregoing, collectively, the “Grantors”) and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC (“Nomura”) as administrative agent and collateral agent for the Secured Parties (as defined below) (together with one or more sub-agents or designees, in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

B.

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among the Purchaser, LPP, Holdings, the lenders from time to time party thereto (collectively, the “Lenders” and each a “Lender”), Nomura, as Administrative Agent, and L/C Issuer and the other L/C Issuers party thereto.

 

C.

Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement or the Security Agreement, as applicable.

 

D.

The Grantors have entered into the Security Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to make Loans. Section 7.10 of the Security Agreement and Section 6.13 of the Credit Agreement provide that additional U.S. Subsidiaries of the Borrower may become Subsidiary Guarantors under the Security Agreement by executing and delivering an instrument in the form of this Supplement. [The] [Each] undersigned Restricted Subsidiary that is a U.S. Subsidiary (the “New Subsidiary”) is executing this Supplement in accordance with the requirements of the Credit Agreement to become a Subsidiary Guarantor under the Security Agreement in order to induce the Lenders to make additional Loans and as consideration for Loans previously made and to secure the Secured Obligations.

 

Accordingly, the Administrative Agent and [the] [each] New Subsidiary agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1.     In accordance with Section 7.10 of the Security Agreement, [the] [each] New Subsidiary by its signature below becomes a Subsidiary Guarantor and a Grantor under the Security Agreement with the same force and effect as if originally named therein as a Subsidiary Guarantor, and [the] [each] New Subsidiary hereby (a) agrees to all the terms and provisions of the Security Agreement applicable to it as a Subsidiary Guarantor and Grantor thereunder and (b) makes the representations and warranties applicable to it as a Grantor under the Security Agreement[, subject to Schedule A hereto,] on and as of the date hereof; it being understood and agreed that any representation or warranty that expressly relates to an earlier date shall be deemed to refer to the date hereof. In furtherance of the foregoing, [the] [each] New Subsidiary, as security for the payment and performance in full of the Secured Obligations, does hereby create and grant to the Administrative Agent, its successors and permitted assigns, for the benefit of the Secured Parties, their successors and permitted assigns, a security interest in and Lien on all of [the] [each] New Subsidiary’s right, title and interest in and to the Collateral of [the] [each] New Subsidiary. Each reference to a “Grantor” and “Subsidiary Guarantor” in the Security Agreement shall be deemed to include [the] [each] New Subsidiary. The Security Agreement is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

SECTION 2.     [The] [Each] New Subsidiary represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent and the other Secured Parties that (i) it has the power and authority to enter into this Supplement and (ii) this Supplement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by it and constitutes its legal, valid and binding obligation, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms, subject to the Legal Reservations.

 

SECTION 3.     This Supplement may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. This Supplement shall become effective when the Administrative Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Supplement that bears the signature of [the] [each] New Subsidiary. Delivery of an executed signature page to this Supplement by facsimile transmission or by email as a “.pdf” or “.tiff” attachment shall be as effective as delivery of a manually signed counterpart of this Supplement.

 

SECTION 4.      Attached hereto is a duly prepared, completed and executed Perfection Certificate with respect to [the] [each] New Subsidiary, and [the] [each] New Subsidiary hereby represents and warrants that the information set forth therein is correct and complete in all material respects as of the date hereof.

 

SECTION 5.       Except as expressly supplemented hereby, the Security Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

SECTION 6.      THIS SUPPLEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

SECTION 7.      In case any one or more of the provisions contained in this Supplement is invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions contained herein and in the Security Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby (it being understood that the invalidity of a particular provision in a particular jurisdiction shall not in and of itself affect the validity of such provision in any other jurisdiction). The Borrower and the Administrative Agent shall endeavor in good-faith negotiations to replace the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions with valid provisions the economic effect of which comes as close as possible to that of the invalid, illegal or unenforceable provisions.

 

SECTION 8.       All communications and notices hereunder shall be in writing and given as provided in Section 8.01 of the Security Agreement.

 

SECTION 9.     [The] [Each] New Subsidiary agrees to reimburse the Administrative Agent for its expenses in connection with this Supplement, including the fees, other charges and disbursements of counsel in accordance with Section 11.04 of the Credit Agreement.

 

SECTION 10.     This Supplement shall constitute a Loan Document, under and as defined in, the Credit Agreement.

 

[Signature pages follow]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, [each] [the] New Subsidiary has duly executed this Supplement to the Security Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

	[NAME OF NEW SUBSIDIARY]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

[SCHEDULE A

CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS]

 

 

EXHIBIT B

 

[FORM OF] PERFECTION CERTIFICATE

 

[ ], 20[ ]

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2018 (as modified and supplemented and in effect on the date hereof, the “Credit Agreement”; together with the various instruments, documents and other agreements executed in connection therewith, the “ Loan Documents”) among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as initial borrower, Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as borrower (collectively, the “Borrowers”) certain subsidiaries of the Borrowers from time to time party thereto as guarantors (collectively with the Borrowers, the “Obligors”), the several lenders from time to time party thereto as Lenders and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (acting through such of its affiliates as it deems appropriate, “NCFA”), together with one or more sub-agents or designees, as administrative agent (in such capacity, as well as in its capacity as collateral agent, the “Administrative Agent”). Except as otherwise provided herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement, and in the Security Agreement referred to therein, are used herein as defined therein.

 

The undersigned hereby certify to each Lender and the Administrative Agent as follows:

 

(1)       Names and Identifying Information. Set forth in Schedule I are (a) the full and correct legal name of each of the Obligors as its name appears in its certificate of incorporation, operating agreement, agreement of partnership or other similar instrument of organization, (b) the type of organization of each of the Obligors, (c) each other legal name that any of the Obligors has had since its organization together with the date of the relevant change, (d) any change in the identity or corporate structure of any of the Obligors in any way within the past five years, (e) the jurisdiction of organization of each of the Obligors, (f) the organizational identification number of each of the Obligors, (g) the mailing address of each Obligors and (h) for any Obligor that is not a registered organization or is not organized under any state of the United States, the place of business of each Obligor or, if such Obligor has more than one place of business, the location of the chief executive office of such Obligor, or if such Obligor is an individual, the principal residence of such Obligor. Also set forth in Schedule I is a description of all the occasions in which any of the Obligors has acquired the equity interests of another entity or substantially all the assets of another entity within the past five years (including the exact legal name and jurisdiction of organization of such entity).

 

(2)       New Debtor Events. Set forth in Schedule II is a description of all the occasions in which any of the Obligors has become a “new debtor” (as defined in Section 9-102(a)(56) of the Uniform Commercial Code) with respect to a currently effective security agreement previously entered into by any other Person.

 

(3)      Locations of Collateral. Set forth in Schedule III are (i) all locations where each Obligor maintains any Inventory, (ii) all locations where each Obligor maintains any Equipment or other Collateral, and (iii) all locations where such Obligor maintains any books or records relating to the Collateral (with each location at which chattel paper, if any, is kept being indicated by an “*”) (in each case, other than locations referred to in Schedule I).

 

(4)       Third-Party Collateral Sites. Set forth in Schedule IV are the names and addresses of all persons other than the Obligors that have possession of any of the Collateral of any Obligor with an aggregate value exceeding $2,500,000, excluding any leased site identified in Schedule V.

 

 

(5)        Real Property Interests. Set forth in Schedule V is a complete and correct list of real property interests held by each Obligor at which the value of personal property of any Obligor held at such real property exceeds $5,300,000 indicating (i) whether the respective property is owned or leased, (ii) the identity of the owner or lessee and the location of the respective property, (iii) the use to which such real property is employed by such Obligor.

 

(6)        Intellectual Property. Set forth in Schedule VI is a complete and correct list of all Intellectual Property of each Obligor.

 

(7)        Stock Ownership. Attached hereto as Schedule VII is a complete and correct list of all the duly authorized, issued and outstanding shares of common and preferred stock of, or partnership and other ownership interest in, each Obligor and each of its Subsidiaries and the record and beneficial owners of such shares of common and preferred stock, or partnership and other ownership interests and denoting (x) whether such shares or partnership or other ownership interests are certificated and (y) whether such shares or partnership or other ownership interests constitute “margin stock” (as defined in Regulation U of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System of the United States). Also set forth on Schedule VII is each equity investment of each Obligor that represents 50% or less of the equity of the entity in which such investment is made, indicating the information specified in the preceding sentence.

 

(8)        Promissory Notes, Instruments, Certificated Securities and Tangible Chattel Paper. Attached hereto as Schedule VIII is a complete and correct list of all promissory notes, instruments (other than checks to be deposited in the ordinary course of business), tangible chattel paper in an amount exceeding $2,500,000 held by each Obligor, certificated securities and intercompany notes (regardless of amount).

 

(9)        Deposit, Securities and Commodity Accounts. Attached hereto as Schedule IX is a complete and correct list of all Deposit Accounts, Securities Accounts and Commodity Accounts of each Obligor.

 

(10)      Commercial Tort Claims. Attached hereto as Schedule X is a complete and correct list of all Commercial Tort Claims held by each Obligor, including a reasonably detailed description thereof.

 

(11)      Insurance. Attached hereto as Schedule XI is a complete and correct list of all property and casualty insurance, comprehensive general liability insurance, product liability insurance, business interruption insurance and all other insurance maintained by each Obligor.

 

(12)      Letter-of-Credit Rights. Attached hereto as Schedule XII is a true and correct list of all Letters of Credit issued in favor of each Obligor, as beneficiary thereunder, stating if letter-of-credit rights with respect to such Letters of Credit are required to be subject to a control arrangement pursuant to the Security Agreement.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has duly executed this certificate on this ___ day of ________, 2018.

 

	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC.
	By
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

SCHEDULE I

 

NAMES AND IDENTIFYING INFORMATION

 

			Changes in
		Other legal	identity or
		names and	corporate	Jurisdiction	Organizational
Legal Name	Type of	dates of	structure in	of	Identification
of Obligor	Organization	change	past five years	Organization	Number	Place(s) of Business

 

ACQUISITION OF EQUITY INTERESTS OR ASSETS OF AN ENTITY

 

			Entity	Entity
			Jurisdiction	Organizational
Date of	Legal Name	Entity Type of	of	Identification
Acquisition	of Entity	Organization	Organization	Number

 

 

SCHEDULE II

 

“NEW DEBTOR” EVENTS

 

Description of Event	Date of Event

 

 

SCHEDULE III

 

LOCATION OF COLLATERAL

 

Obligor	Collateral/Books and
	Records Relating to
	Collateral	Location of Collateral
	[Inventory]
	[Equipment]
	[Books and Records
	Relating to Collateral]

 

 

 

SCHEDULE IV

 

THIRD-PARTY COLLATERAL SITES

 

Obligor

Collateral

Location of Collateral

 

 

 

SCHEDULE V

 

REAL PROPERTY INTERESTS

 

	Location of		Identity of	Use of Real
Obligor	Real Property	Owned/Leased	Owner/Lessee	Property

 

 

SCHEDULE VI

 

 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

 

COPYRIGHTS, COPYRIGHT REGISTRATIONS AND APPLICATIONS FOR COPYRIGHT

REGISTRATIONS

 

[To be completed]

 

PATENTS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS

 

[To be completed]

 

TRADE NAMES, TRADEMARKS, SERVICES MARKS, TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK REGISTRATIONS AND APPLICATIONS FOR TRADEMARK AND SERVICE MARK REGISTRATIONS

 

[To be completed]

 

DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATIONS

 

[To be completed]

 

 

SCHEDULE VII

 

STOCK OWNERSHIP

 

Grantor	Share	Class of	Certificated	Share	Par	No. of	Percentage	Margin
	Issuer	Shares	(Y/N)	Certificate	Value	Pledged	of	Stock
				No.		Share	Outstanding	(Y/N)
							Share of the
							Issuer

 

 

SCHEDULE VIII

 

PROMISSORY NOTES, INSTRUMENTS AND TANGIBLE CHATTEL PAPER

 

Promissory Notes

 

Entity	Principal	Date of	Interest Rate	Maturity Date	Pledged
	Amount	Issuance			[Yes/No]

 

 

Chattel Paper

 

Description	Pledged
	[Yes/No]

 

 

SCHEDULE IX 

 

DEPOSIT, SECURITIES AND COMMODITY ACCOUNTS

 

Deposit Accounts

 

Grantor	Name of Depositary	Account Number	Account Name
	Bank

 

Securities Accounts

 

Grantor	Name of Intermediary	Account Number	Account Name

 

Commodity Accounts

 

Grantor	Name of Intermediary	Account Number	Account Name

 

 

SCHEDULE X

 

COMMERCIAL TORT CLAIMS

 

[To be completed]

 

 

SCHEDULE XI

 

INSURANCE

 

[To be completed]

 

 

SCHEDULE XII

 

LETTER-OF-CREDIT RIGHTS

 

[To be completed]

 

 

EXHIBIT G

 

FORM OF GUARANTY SUPPLEMENT

(this “Guaranty Supplement”)

 

_________ __, ____

 

Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent [insert address]

 

Attention: _________

 

Re: Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; the terms defined therein being used herein as therein defined), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to the Credit Agreement. The capitalized terms defined in the Credit Agreement and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as therein defined.

 

Section 1. Guaranty; Limitation of Liability. (a) The undersigned hereby, jointly and severally with the other Guarantors, absolutely, unconditionally and irrevocably guarantees the punctual payment when due, whether at scheduled maturity or by acceleration, demand or otherwise, of all of its Guaranteed Obligations. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, but, subject to Section 10.15 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned’s liability shall extend to all amounts that constitute part of the Guaranteed Obligations and would be owed by any other Loan Party to any Secured Party under or in respect of the Loan Documents but for the fact that they are unenforceable or not allowable due to the existence of a bankruptcy, reorganization or similar proceeding involving such other Loan Party.

 

(b) The undersigned, hereby confirms that it is the intention of such Person that this Guaranty Supplement, the Guaranty and the Guaranteed Obligations of the undersigned hereunder not constitute a fraudulent transfer or conveyance for purposes of Debtor Relief Law, the Uniform Fraudulent Conveyance Act, the Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act or any similar foreign, federal or state law to the extent applicable to this Guaranty Supplement and the Guaranteed Obligations of the undersigned. To effectuate the foregoing intention, the Administrative Agent, the other Secured Parties and the undersigned hereby irrevocably agree that the Guaranteed Obligations of the undersigned Guarantor under this Guaranty Supplement and the Guaranty at any time shall be limited to the maximum amount as will result in the Guaranteed Obligations of the undersigned under this Guaranty Supplement and the Guaranty not constituting a fraudulent transfer or conveyance under Debtor Relief Law or any comparable provision of applicable Law.

 

 

(c) Subject to Section 10.03 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby unconditionally agrees that in the event any payment shall be required to be made to any Secured Party under this Guaranty Supplement, the Guaranty or any other guaranty, the undersigned will contribute, to the maximum extent permitted by applicable Law, such amounts to each other Guarantor so as to maximize the aggregate amount paid to the Secured Parties under or in respect of the Loan Documents.

 

(d) The undersigned hereby agrees that any Indebtedness owed by it to another Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Guaranteed Obligations of the undersigned and that any Indebtedness owed to it by another Loan Party shall be subordinated to the Guaranteed Obligations of such other Loan Party, it being understood that the undersigned or such other Loan Party, as the case may be, may make payments on such intercompany Indebtedness unless an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing.

 

Section 2. Guaranteed Obligations Under the Guaranty. The undersigned hereby agrees, as of the date first above written, to be bound as a Guarantor by all of the terms and conditions of the Guaranty to the same extent as each of the other Guarantors thereunder. The undersigned further agrees, as of the date first above written, that each reference in the Guaranty to an “Additional Guarantor” or a “Guarantor” shall also mean and be a reference to the undersigned, and each reference in any other Loan Document to a “Guarantor” or a “Loan Party” shall also mean and be a reference to the undersigned.

 

Section 3. Delivery by Telecopier. This Guaranty Supplement may be executed in any number of counterparts and by different parties thereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page to this Guaranty Supplement by telecopier or electronic mail shall be effective as delivery of an original executed counterpart of this Guaranty Supplement.

 

Section 4. GOVERNING LAW; JURISDICTION; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL, ETC. (a) THIS GUARANTY SUPPLEMENT, AND ANY CLAIM OR CONTROVERSY ARISING OUT OF THIS GUARANTY SUPPLEMENT, SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS GUARANTY SUPPLEMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS GUARANTY SUPPLEMENT, EACH PARTY HERETO CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. EACH PARTY HERETO IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO (EXCEPT THAT, (X) IN THE CASE OF ANY MORTGAGE OR OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENT, PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN THE STATE IN WHICH THE RESPECTIVE MORTGAGED PROPERTY OR COLLATERAL IS LOCATED OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT JURISDICTION AND (Y) IN THE CASE OF ANY BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY L/C ISSUER OR ANY OTHER LENDER, ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO THIS GUARANTY SUPPLEMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN SUCH COURT HOLDING SUCH BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS).

 

 

(c) EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS GUARANTY SUPPLEMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 4 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

	Very truly yours,
	[NAME OF ADDITIONAL SUBSIDIARY GUARANTOR]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

EXHIBIT H

 

[RESERVED]

 

 

EXHIBIT I-1

 

FORM OF DISCOUNTED PREPAYMENT OPTION NOTICE

 

Date: ______, 201_

 

To: Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This Discounted Prepayment Option Notice is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(ii) of that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

 

Pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(ii) of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower hereby offers to make a Discounted Voluntary Prepayment to each Term Lender [and to each Lender of the [●, 20●]¹² tranche[s] of Term Loans] on the following terms:

 

1.        This Borrower’s offer of Discounted Voluntary Prepayment is available only to each Term Lender [and to each Lender of the [●, 20●]13 tranche[s] of Term Loans].

 

2.        The maximum aggregate outstanding amount of the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment that will be made in connection with this offer shall not exceed $[●] of Term Loans [and $[●] of the [●, 20●]14 tranche[(s)] of Term Loans] (the “Discounted Prepayment Amount”).15

 

3.       [The percentage discount to par value at which such Discounted Voluntary Prepayment will be made is [●]% in respect of the Term Loans [and [●]% in respect of the [●, 20●]16 tranche[(s)] of Term Loans] (the “Specified Discount”).]17

 

12	List multiple tranches if applicable.
13	List multiple tranches if applicable.
14	List multiple tranches if applicable.
15	Minimum of $2.5 million (or, the same numerical number with respect to the applicable Alternate Currency in the case of any Loans denominated in an Alternate Currency).
16	List multiple tranches if applicable.
17	Included if the Discount Range is a single percentage.

 

 

4.       [The Borrower is willing to make such Discount Voluntary Prepayment at a percentage discount to par value greater than or equal to [●]% but less than or equal to [●]% in respect of the Term Loans [and greater than or equal to [●]% but less than or equal to [●]% in respect of the [●, 20●]18 tranche[(s)] of Term Loans] (the “Discount Range”).]19

 

To accept this offer, you are required to submit to the Administrative Agent a Lender Participation Notice on or before 5:00 p.m. New York time on the date that is three (3) Business Days following the date of delivery of this notice pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(iii) of the Credit Agreement.

 

The Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent [and the Term Lenders][, the Term Lenders and each Lender of the [●, 20●]²⁰ tranche[s] of Term Loans] as follows:

 

1.

The Borrower will not use proceeds from Revolving Credit Loans to fund the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment.

 

2.

No Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment.

 

3.

Each of the conditions to such Discounted Voluntary Prepayment contained in Section 2.06(d) of the Credit Agreement has been satisfied.

 

The Borrower acknowledges that the Administrative Agent and the relevant Term Lenders are relying on the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations and warranties in connection with their decision whether or not to accept the offer set forth in this Discounted Prepayment Option Notice and the acceptance of any prepayment made in connection with this Discounted Prepayment Option Notice.

 

The Borrower requests that the Administrative Agent promptly notify each of the relevant Term Lenders party to the Credit Agreement of this Discounted Prepayment Option Notice.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

¹⁸ List multiple tranches if applicable.

 

¹⁹ Included if the Discount Range is not a single percentage.

 

²⁰ List multiple tranches if applicable.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Discounted Prepayment Option Notice as of the date first above written.

 

	[BORROWER]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

Enclosure: Form of Lender Participation Notice

 

 

EXHIBIT I-2

 

FORM OF LENDER PARTICIPATION NOTICE

 

Date: ______, 201_

 

To: Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

Reference is made to (a) that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer, and (b) that certain Discounted Prepayment Option Notice, dated ______, 20__, from the Borrower (the “Discounted Prepayment Option Notice”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Discounted Prepayment Option Notice or, to the extent not defined therein, in the Credit Agreement.

 

The undersigned [Term Lender] [Lender] hereby gives you irrevocable notice, pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(iii) of the Credit Agreement, that it is willing to accept a prepayment of the following [tranches of] Term Loans held by such [Term Lender] [Lender] at [the Specified Discount]²¹ [a maximum discount to par of [●]% within the Discount Range]²² in an aggregate outstanding amount as follows:

 

[Term Loans - $[●]]

 

[[●, 20●]²³ tranche[s] of Term Loans - $[●]]

 

The undersigned [Term Lender] [Lender] hereby expressly consents and agrees to a prepayment of its [Term Loans][[●, 20●]²⁴ tranche[s]] pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(iii) of the Credit Agreement at a price equal to the Applicable Discount in the aggregate outstanding amount not to exceed the amount set forth above, as such amount may be reduced in accordance with Section 2.06(d)(iv) of the Credit Agreement, and as otherwise determined in accordance with, and subject to the requirements of, the Credit Agreement.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

²¹ Included if the Discount Range is a single percentage.

 

²² Included if the Discount Range is not a single percentage

 

²³ List multiple tranches if applicable.

 

²⁴ List multiple tranches if applicable.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Lender Participation Notice as of the date first above written.

 

	[LENDER] [TERM LENDER]
	By:
		Name
		Title:
	By:
		Name
		Title:

 

 

EXHIBIT I-3

 

FORM OF DISCOUNTED VOLUNTARY PREPAYMENT NOTICE

 

Date: ______, 201_

 

To: Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

 

This Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice is delivered to you pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(v) of that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”) among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer. Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

 

Pursuant to Section 2.06(d)(v) of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower hereby irrevocably notifies you that it accepts offers delivered in response to the Discounted Prepayment Option Notice having an Applicable Discount equal to or greater than [●]% in respect of the Term Loans [and [●]% in respect of the [●, 20●]²⁵ tranche[(s)] of Term Loans] (the “Discount”) in an aggregate amount not to exceed $[●] (the “Discounted Prepayment Amount”).

 

The Borrower expressly agrees that this Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice shall be irrevocable and is subject to the provisions of Sections 2.06(d)(v) and 2.06(d)(vii) of the Credit Agreement.

 

The Borrower hereby represents and warrants to the Administrative Agent [and the Term Lenders][and the Term Lenders and each Lender of the [●, 20●]²⁶ tranche[s] of Term Loans] as follows:

 

1.                  The Borrower will not use proceeds from Revolving Credit Loans to fund this Discounted Prepayment Amount or to make the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment.

 

2.                  No Specified Event of Default has occurred and is continuing or would result from the Discounted Voluntary Prepayment.

 

3.                  Each of the conditions to such Discounted Voluntary Prepayment contained in Section 2.06(d) of the Credit Agreement has been satisfied.

 

²⁵ List multiple tranches if applicable.

 

²⁶ List multiple tranches if applicable.

 

 

The Borrower acknowledges that the Administrative Agent and the relevant Term Lenders are relying on the truth and accuracy of the foregoing representations and warranties in connection with the acceptance of any prepayment made in connection with a Discounted Prepayment Option Notice.

 

The Borrower requests that the Administrative Agent promptly notify each of the relevant Term Lenders party to the Credit Agreement of this Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice.

 

[Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this Discounted Voluntary Prepayment Notice as of the date first above written.

 

	[BORROWER]
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

EXHIBIT J-1

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(for Foreign Lenders That Are Not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “ten percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]
By:
	Name:
	Title:
	Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

 

EXHIBIT J-2

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(for Foreign Participants That Are Not Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record and beneficial owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) it is not a “bank” within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iii) it is not a “ten percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code, and (iv) it is not a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with a certificate of its non-U.S. Person status on IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender in writing, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]

 

By:
	Name:
	Title:
	Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

 

EXHIBIT J-3

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(for Foreign Participants That Are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the participation in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such participation, (iii) with respect to such participation, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “bank” extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “ten percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and (v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished its participating Lender with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform such Lender and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished such Lender with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF PARTICIPANT]

 

By:
	Name:
	Title:
	Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

 

EXHIBIT J-4

 

[FORM OF]

 

U.S. TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

(for Foreign Lenders That Are Partnerships for U.S. Federal Income Tax Purposes)

 

Reference is made to the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

Pursuant to the provisions of Section 3.01 of the Credit Agreement, the undersigned hereby certifies that (i) it is the sole record owner of the Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)) in respect of which it is providing this certificate, (ii) its direct or indirect partners/members are the sole beneficial owners of such Loan(s) (as well as any Note(s) evidencing such Loan(s)), (iii) with respect to the extension of credit pursuant to the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document, neither the undersigned nor any of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “bank” extending credit pursuant to a loan agreement entered into in the ordinary course of its trade or business within the meaning of Section 881(c)(3)(A) of the Code, (iv) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “ten percent shareholder” of the Borrower within the meaning of Section 871(h)(3)(B) of the Code and

(v) none of its direct or indirect partners/members is a “controlled foreign corporation” related to the Borrower as described in Section 881(c)(3)(C) of the Code.

 

The undersigned has furnished the Administrative Agent and the Borrower with IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by one of the following forms from each of its partners/members that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption: (i) an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable or (ii) an IRS Form W-8IMY accompanied by an IRS Form W-8BEN or IRS Form W-8BEN-E, as applicable, from each of such partner’s/member’s beneficial owners that is claiming the portfolio interest exemption. By executing this certificate, the undersigned agrees that (1) if the information provided in this certificate changes, the undersigned shall promptly so inform the Borrower and the Administrative Agent, and (2) the undersigned shall have at all times furnished the Borrower and the Administrative Agent with a properly completed and currently effective certificate in either the calendar year in which each payment is to be made to the undersigned, or in either of the two calendar years preceding such payments.

 

Unless otherwise defined herein, terms defined in the Credit Agreement and used herein shall have the meanings given to them in the Credit Agreement.

 

[NAME OF LENDER]

 

By:
	Name:
	Title:
	Date: ________ __, 20[ ]

 

 

EXHIBIT K

 

LETTER OF CREDIT REPORT

 

To:         Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC, as Administrative Agent

 

Re:

Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [        ], 2018 (as amended, restated, extended, supplemented or otherwise modified in writing from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”; capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement), among Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Purchaser” and, prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and immediately upon consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer.

 

Date:                                 ,             

 

The undersigned [insert name of L/C Issuer] (the “L/C Issuer”) hereby delivers this report to the Administrative Agent, pursuant to the terms of Section 2.04(n) of the Credit Agreement.

 

The L/C Issuer plans to issue, amend, renew, increase or extend the following Letter(s) of Credit on [insert date].

 

L/C No.	Current Face	Currency	Beneficiary	Issuance	Expiry Date	Auto	Date of	Amount of	Maximum Face
	Amount		Name	Date		Renewal	Amendment	Amendment	Amount after
									Amendment

 

Set forth in the table below is a description of each Letter of Credit under which the L/C Issuer has made a payment [which the Borrower has failed to reimburse] by the undersigned and outstanding on the date hereof.

 

 

L/C No.	Current Face	Currency	Beneficiary	Issuance	Expiry Date	Amount of	Date of	Amount to	Date of failure to
	Amount		Name	Date		Payment	Payment	reimburse	reimburse

 

Set forth in the table below is a description of each Letter of Credit issued by the undersigned and outstanding on the date hereof.

 

L/C No.	Maximum Face	Current Face	Currency	Beneficiary	Issuance	Expiry Date	Auto	Date of	Amount of
	Amount	Amount		Name	Date		Renewal	Amendment	Amendment

 

Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this notice by fax transmission or other electronic mail transmission (e.g. “pdf” or “tif”) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this notice.

 

[REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]

 

 

This Letter of Credit Report is executed as of the date set forth above.

 

[L/C ISSUER],

as L/C Issuer

 

By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

 

EXHIBIT L

 

FORM OF SOLVENCY CERTIFICATE

 

[●], 20[●]

 

To the Administrative Agent and each of the Lenders party to the Credit Agreement referred to below:

 

I, the undersigned, the [Chief Financial Officer] of Latham Purchaser, Inc., a Delaware corporation )“Purchaser” and prior to the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), in that capacity only and not in my individual capacity (and without personal liability), do hereby certify as of the date hereof, and based upon facts and circumstances as they exist as of the date hereof (and disclaiming any responsibility for changes in such fact and circumstances after the date hereof), that:

 

This certificate is furnished to the Administrative Agent and the Lenders pursuant to Section 4.01(a)(viii) of the Credit and Guaranty Agreement dated as of December [__], 2018, among Borrower, Latham Pool Products, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“LPP” and, immediately upon the consummation of the Acquisition, the “Borrower”), Latham International Manufacturing Corp., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the other Subsidiaries of Holdings from time to time party thereto, the Lenders from time to time party thereto and Nomura Corporate Funding Americas, LLC (together with one or more sub-agents or designees), as Administrative Agent and L/C Issuer (the “Credit Agreement”). Unless otherwise defined herein, capitalized terms used in this certificate shall have the meanings set forth in the Credit Agreement.

 

For purposes of this certificate, the terms below shall have the following definitions:

 

“Fair Value”

 

The amount at which the assets (both tangible and intangible), in their entirety, of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole would change hands between a willing buyer and a willing seller, within a commercially reasonable period of time, each having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts, with neither being under any compulsion to act.

 

“Present Fair Salable Value”

 

The amount that could be obtained by an independent willing seller from an independent willing buyer if the assets (both tangible and intangible) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole are sold on a going concern basis with reasonable promptness in an arm’s-length transaction under present conditions for the sale of comparable business enterprises insofar as such conditions can be reasonably evaluated.

 

“Stated Liabilities”

 

The recorded liabilities (including contingent liabilities that would be recorded in accordance with GAAP) of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole, as of the date hereof after giving effect to the consummation of the Transactions, determined in accordance with GAAP consistently applied.

 

“Identified Contingent Liabilities”

 

 

The maximum estimated amount of liabilities reasonably likely to result from pending litigation and other contingent liabilities of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole after giving effect to the Transactions (including all fees and expenses related thereto but exclusive of such contingent liabilities to the extent reflected in Stated Liabilities), as identified and explained in terms of their nature and estimated magnitude by Responsible Officers of the Borrower.

 

“Can pay their Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities as they mature”

 

Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole after giving effect to the Transactions have sufficient assets and cash flow to pay their respective Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities as those liabilities mature or (in the case of contingent liabilities) otherwise become payable. For the purposes hereof, it is assumed that the indebtedness and other obligations incurred on the date hereof will come due on their respective stated maturities.

 

“Do not have Unreasonably Small Capital”

 

Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole after giving effect to the Transactions have sufficient capital to ensure that it is a going concern.

 

Based on and subject to the foregoing, I hereby certify on behalf of Borrower that after giving effect to the consummation of the Transactions, it is my opinion that (i) each of the Fair Value and the Present Fair Salable Value of the assets of Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole exceed their Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities; (ii) Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole do not have Unreasonably Small Capital; and (iii) Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries taken as a whole can pay their Stated Liabilities and Identified Contingent Liabilities as they mature.

 

* * *

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, Borrower has caused this certificate to be executed on its behalf by its [Chief Financial Officer] as of the date first written above.

 

	]                                   [
	By:
		Name:
		Title: [Chief Financial Officer]

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.2

 

Execution Version

 

FIRST INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT

 

FIRST INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT, dated as of May 29, 2019 (this “Amendment”), by and among LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders (as defined below), and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as administrative agent (acting through one or more sub-agents or designees, in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, Holdings, each other subsidiary of Holdings from time to time party thereto, each lender from time to time party thereto (the “Lenders”), the Administrative Agent and the other parties thereto, the Lenders have agreed to make, and have made, certain loans and other extensions of credit to the Borrower;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower may request the establishment of an Incremental Facility by entering into one or more Incremental Joinders with the additional Lenders party thereto, and may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to any Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested incremental term loans in an aggregate principal amount of $23,000,000 (the “First Amendment Incremental Term Loans”), which shall be made a part of the existing tranche of Initial Term Loans, and the proceeds of which shall be used, together with cash on hand (i) to pay the purchase price, fees, costs and expenses incurred in connection with the transactions contemplated by that certain Share Purchase Agreement in relation to shares in The Narellan Pools group of companies, dated as of May 17, 2019, by and among the Borrower, Christopher Michael Myer, Chris Meyer Investments Pty Ltd ACN 130 610 758, as trustee for the Chris Meyer Family Trust, and Narellan Group Pty Ltd ACN 633 456 149 (the “First Amendment Purchase Agreement”, and the transactions contemplated under the First Amendment Purchase Agreement are hereinafter referred to as the “First Amendment Acquisition”), (ii) to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans and this Amendment (the “First Amendment Fees and Expenses”; the purchase price, fees, costs and expenses in connection with the First Amendment Acquisition and the First Amendment Fees and Expenses, the “Narellan Costs and Expenses”) and (iii) with any remaining proceeds, after giving effect to payments made pursuant to clauses (i) and (ii), for working capital and other general corporate purposes;

 

WHEREAS, each financial institution that agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Credit Agreement, to provide a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan on the First Amendment Effective Date (as defined below) (each such financial institution, a “First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender” and, collectively, the “First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders”) shall execute and deliver a signature page to this Amendment (a “Lender Addendum”) in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I in its capacity as a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender;

 

 

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Lenders party hereto have agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, to give effect to the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans and consent to amend the Credit Agreement as set forth herein; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1.        Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.        First Amendment Incremental Term Loans. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 3 hereof, on the First Amendment Effective Date:

 

(a)         Each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, by its execution of its Lender Addendum, agrees to make a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower on the First Amendment Effective Date in a principal amount not to exceed the amount set forth under the heading “First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” opposite such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s name in its Lender Addendum (such commitment, its “First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment”).

 

(b)         From and after the First Amendment Effective Date, each party hereto agrees that, for all purposes of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (i) each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender shall be deemed to be a Term Lender and a Lender if not already a Term Lender and a Lender under the Credit Agreement, and each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender shall be a party to the Credit Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Credit Agreement if not already a Lender thereunder and (ii) each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan, when funded, shall be made a part of the existing tranche of Initial Term Loans and shall be deemed to be an Initial Term Loan, a Term Loan and a Loan for all purposes under the Credit Agreement (as amended by this Amendment) and the other Loan Documents, including, but not limited to, the fact that the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall bear interest as provided in the Credit Agreement in respect of Initial Term Loans. All First Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred pursuant to this Amendment will be allocated ratably to each outstanding borrowing of Term Loans that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans under the Credit Agreement for purposes of determining the initial interest rate thereon and Interest Period therefor.

 

(c)         Any portion of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans not used to pay the Narellan Costs and Expenses within five (5) Business Days (or such later date as may be agreed to by the First Incremental Term Loan Lenders in their sole discretion) after the funding thereof shall be applied to repay the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans in an aggregate amount equal to such portion of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans, without any premium or penalty (including, for the avoidance of doubt, Section 2.06(a)(vi) of the Credit Agreement) (which, solely for purposes of this Section 2(c) shall be treated as a separate Class of Initial Term Loans), with such repayment applied pro rata to all scheduled installments thereof, ratably among First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders in accordance with their First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments as set forth in the Credit Agreement, and, solely to the extent the First Amendment Acquisition is not consummated, the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders shall promptly (and in any event within two (2) Business Days upon receipt of such repayment) reimburse the Borrower for all fees paid in connection therewith (including for the avoidance of doubt any Upfront Fees (as defined in the First Incremental Facility Amendment)).

 

(d)        Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by:

 

 

(i)

amending and restated the definition of “Applicable Amortization Percentage” as follows:

 

“Applicable Amortization Percentage” means:

 

		Quarterly Amortization
Applicable Fiscal Quarter		Percentage
From the fiscal quarter ended June 30,2019 through and including the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2020			0.62893	%
From the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2021 through the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date			1.25786	%

 

(ii) amending and restating the definition of “Initial Term Loans” as follows:

 

“Initial Term Loans” means (i) prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, a Term Loan made by an Initial Term Lender pursuant to its Initial Term Commitment and (ii) on and after the First Amendment Effective Date, (x) the Term Loans made on the Closing Date by each Initial Term Loan Lender pursuant to its Initial Term Commitment and (y) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date pursuant to the First Incremental Facility Amendment.

 

(iii) inserting the following definitions in appropriate alphabetical order:

 

“First Amendment Effective Date” has the meaning provided in the First Incremental Facility Amendment.

 

“First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments” means, as to each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, its obligation to make First Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the First Amendment Effective Date in an amount set forth on such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s Lender Addendum to the First Incremental Facility Amendment, as such amount may be adjusted from time to time in accordance with this Agreement. The aggregate principal amount of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments as of the First Amendment Effective Date is $23,000,000.

 

“First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders” has the meaning provided in the First Incremental Facility Amendment.

 

“First Amendment Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning provided in the First Incremental Facility Amendment.

 

“First Incremental Facility Amendment” means the First Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of May 29, 2019, by and among Holdings, the Borrower, certain Lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

 

 

(e)         Section 2.01(a) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“Section 2.01(a) The Initial Borrowings. (a) The Initial Term Borrowings. (i) Subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein, each Initial Term Lender made, on the Closing Date, a single loan in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to its Initial Term Commitment and (ii) subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein and in the First Incremental Facility Amendment, each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender with a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment as of the First Amendment Effective Date severally agrees to make a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower on the First Amendment Effective Date in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment. The aggregate principal amount of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date shall be $23,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, on and after the First Amendment Effective Date the terms of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans to be made hereunder shall, except to the extent of any upfront fees or original issue discount, which shall be as set forth herein, be the same as the terms of the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, and the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date and the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date shall collectively be the Initial Term Loans hereunder. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01(a) and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Initial Term Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

(f)          Paragraph (b) of Section 2.08 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

(b) Initial Term Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Initial Term Lenders: (A) on or prior to the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December that occurs prior to the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to the Applicable Amortization Percentage of the initial aggregate principal amount of all Initial Term Loans made after giving effect to the First Incremental Facility Amendment on the First Amendment Effective Date and (B) on the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Term Loans outstanding on such date.

 

SECTION 3.        Conditions to Effectiveness. The effectiveness of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitments, the funding of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans and the effectiveness of the amendments to the Credit Agreement set forth herein are each subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders) of each of the following conditions (the date on which such conditions shall have been so satisfied or waived, the “First Amendment Effective Date”):

 

(a)         the Administrative Agent shall have received a counterpart of this Amendment, executed and delivered by the Borrower, Holdings, the Administrative Agent and each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender;

 

(b)        on and as of the First Amendment Effective Date, the representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified), in each case on and as of the First Amendment Effective Date and after giving effect to the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans and the amendments made pursuant to this Amendment on the First Amendment Effective Date (except in the case of any representation and warranty which specifically refers to an earlier date, such representation and warranty shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

 

 

(c)         the Borrower shall have paid all fees and expenses required to be paid by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders on or before the First Amendment Effective Date, including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders (limited in the case of legal fees of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders to the documented out-of-pocket expenses of a single primary firm of counsel to the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders) (which fees in respect of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans may be offset against the loan proceeds funded on the First Amendment Effective Date) (and in the case of expenses, to the extent invoiced at least three (3) Business Days prior to the First Amendment Effective Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower));

 

(d)         the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date and executed by a Responsible Officer of each of the Loan Parties, certifying that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions or written consents of its board of directors or other relevant governing body or Person, as the case may be, authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment and any other Loan Document to which it is a party to be entered into as of the First Amendment Effective Date, and that such resolutions or written consents have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect without amendment, modification or rescission;

 

(e)         the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from the chief financial officer, chief accounting officer or other Responsible Officer of the Borrower attesting to the Solvency of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis after giving effect to this Amendment on the First Amendment Effective Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit L to the Credit Agreement;

 

(f)          no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the First Amendment Effective Date or after giving effect to this Amendment and the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans requested to be made on the First Amendment Effective Date;

 

(g)         the Administrative Agent shall have received an officer’s certificate from a Responsible Officer of Holdings and dated as of the First Amendment Effective Date, certifying that (i) each condition set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(f) hereof have been satisfied on and as of the First Amendment Effective Date and (ii) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans comply with the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement (including by stating with specificity whether the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans are being incurred pursuant to clause (a) or clause (e) (or a combination thereof) of the definition of “Incremental Cap”);

 

(h)         the Administrative Agent shall have received the legal opinion of Goodwin Procter LLP, acting as New York counsel for the Borrower and each other Loan Party, addressed to the Administrative Agent and each Lender and reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and

 

(i)          the Administrative Agent shall have received a Loan Notice relating to the Borrowing of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the First Amendment Effective Date.

 

 

SECTION 4.        Fees. The Borrower agrees to pay (or cause to be paid) on the First Amendment Effective Date to each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, as fee compensation for the funding of such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s First Amendment Incremental Term Loan on the First Amendment Effective Date, an upfront fee (or original issue discount) (the “Upfront Fee”) in an amount equal to 3.00% of the stated principal amount of such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s First Amendment Incremental Term Loan funded on the First Amendment Effective Date. Such Upfront Fee (i) will be in all respects (x) fully earned, due and payable on, and subject to, the First Amendment Effective Date and (y) non-refundable and non-creditable thereafter and (ii) shall be netted against the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan made by such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender to the Borrower.

 

SECTION 5.        Reaffirmation of the Loan Parties. Each Loan Party hereby consents to the amendment of the Credit Agreement effected hereby and confirms and agrees that, notwithstanding the effectiveness of this Amendment, each Loan Document to which such Loan Party is a party is, and the obligations of such Loan Party contained in the Credit Agreement, this Amendment or in any other Loan Document to which it is a party are, and shall continue to be, in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects, in each case as amended by this Amendment. For greater certainty and without limiting the foregoing, each Loan Party hereby confirms that the existing security interests granted by such Loan Party in favor of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Loan Documents in the Collateral described therein shall continue to secure the obligations of the Loan Parties, including the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans, under the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents as and to the extent provided in the Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 6.        Continuing Effect; No Novation.

 

(a)         Except as expressly provided herein, all of the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are and shall remain in full force and effect. The amendments provided for herein are limited to the specific subsections of the Credit Agreement specified herein and shall not constitute a consent, waiver or amendment of, or an indication of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ willingness to consent to any action requiring consent under any other provisions of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or the same subsection for any other date or time period. Upon the effectiveness of the amendments set forth herein, on and after the First Amendment Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement”, “the Agreement”, “hereunder”, “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, and each reference in the other Loan Documents to “Credit Agreement”, “thereunder”, “thereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Credit Agreement as amended hereby on the First Amendment Effective Date. This Amendment shall not constitute a novation of the Credit Agreement or any of the Loan Documents.

 

(b)         The Borrower and the other parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document and an Incremental Joinder.

 

SECTION 7.        Deemed Notice. It is understood and agreed that on and after the First Amendment Effective Date, execution and delivery of this Amendment shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of Section 2.16 with respect to notice in respect of this Incremental Facility.

 

SECTION 8.       Amendments; Execution in Counterparts. This Amendment, or any of the terms hereof, may not be amended, supplemented or modified, nor may any provision hereof be waived, except pursuant to a writing signed by Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Delivery of an executed counterpart of a signature page of this Amendment by telecopy or electronic transmission (including Adobe pdf file) shall be effective as delivery of a manually executed counterpart of this Amendment.

 

 

SECTION 9.        GOVERNING LAW; WAIVER OF JURY TRIAL. (a) THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AMENDMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AMENDMENT, EACH LOAN PARTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. EACH LOAN PARTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO (EXCEPT THAT, (X) IN THE CASE OF ANY MORTGAGE OR OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENT, PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN THE STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RESPECTIVE MORTGAGED PROPERTY OR COLLATERAL IS LOCATED OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT JURISDICTION AND (Y) IN THE CASE OF ANY BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY L/C ISSUER OR ANY OTHER LENDER, ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO THIS AMENDMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN SUCH COURT HOLDING SUCH BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS.

 

SECTION 10.       WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY TO THIS AMENDMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AMENDMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 10 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered by their respective proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., as the Borrower
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
	LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., as Holdings
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
	POOL COVER SPECIALISTS, LLC, as a Subsidiary Guarantor
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title:   President and Secretary

 

Signature Page to First Incremental Facility Amendment

 

 

	NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as Administrative Agent
	By:	/s/ Garrett P. Carpenter
		Name: Garrett P. Carpenter
		Title: Managing Director

 

Signature Page to First Incremental Facility Amendment

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.3

 

Execution Version

 

SECOND INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT

 

SECOND INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT, dated as of October 14, 2020 (this “Amendment”), by and among LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Subsidiary Guarantors party hereto, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender (as defined below), and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as administrative agent (acting through one or more sub-agents or designees, in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended by that certain First Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of May 29, 2019, the “Credit Agreement” and, as amended by this Amendment and as further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Amended Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, Holdings, each other subsidiary of Holdings from time to time party thereto, each lender from time to time party thereto (the “Lenders”), the Administrative Agent and the other parties thereto, the Lenders have agreed to make, and have made, certain loans and other extensions of credit to the Borrower;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower may request the establishment of an Incremental Facility by entering into one or more Incremental Joinders with the additional Lenders party thereto, and may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to any Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested Incremental Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $20,000,000 (the “Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans”), which shall be made a part of the existing tranche of Initial Term Loans, and the proceeds of which shall be used (i) to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and this Amendment and (ii) for working capital and other general corporate purposes, including for permitted acquisitions and other permitted Investments;

 

WHEREAS, the financial institution party hereto agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Credit Agreement, to provide the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Second Amendment Effective Date (as defined below) (the “Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender”) and has executed and delivered a signature page to this Amendment in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I (the “Lender Addendum”) in its capacity as a Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender; and

 

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender have agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, to give effect to the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and consent to amend the Credit Agreement as set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

 

SECTION 1.     Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.     Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 3 hereof, on the Second Amendment Effective Date:

 

(a)      The Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, by its execution of the Lender Addendum, agrees to make the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans to the Borrower on the Second Amendment Effective Date in an aggregate principal amount set forth under the heading “Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” opposite the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s name in the Lender Addendum (such commitment, the “Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment”).

 

(b)     From and after the Second Amendment Effective Date, each party hereto agrees that, for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (i) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender shall be deemed to be a Term Lender and a Lender under the Amended Credit Agreement, and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender shall be a party to the Amended Credit Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Amended Credit Agreement and (ii) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, when funded, shall be made a part of the existing tranche of Initial Term Loans and shall be deemed to be an Initial Term Loan, a Term Loan and a Loan for all purposes under the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including, but not limited to, the fact that the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall bear interest as provided in the Amended Credit Agreement in respect of Initial Term Loans. All Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred pursuant to this Amendment will be allocated ratably to each outstanding borrowing of Initial Term Loans that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans under the Credit Agreement for purposes of determining the initial interest rate thereon and Interest Period therefor.

 

(c)

Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by:

 

(i)

deleting the definition of “Applicable Amortization Percentage” in its entirety:

 

(ii)

amending and restating the definition of “Initial Term Loans” as follows:

 

“Initial Term Loans” means (i) prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, the Term Loans made by the Initial Term Lender pursuant to its Initial Term Commitment (the “Closing Date Initial Term Loans”), (ii) on and after the First Amendment Effective Date, (x) the Closing Date Initial Term Loans and (y) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans and (iii) on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date, (x) the Closing Date Initial Term Loans, (y) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans and

(z) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans.

 

(iii)

inserting the following definitions in appropriate alphabetical order:

 

“Second Amendment Effective Date” has the meaning provided in the Second Incremental Facility Amendment.

 

“Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” means, as to the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, its obligation to make Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Second Amendment Effective Date in an aggregate principal amount of $20,000,000.

 

 

“Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender” has the meaning provided in the Second Incremental Facility Amendment.

 

“Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning provided in the Second Incremental Facility Amendment.

 

“Second Incremental Facility Amendment” means the Second Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of October 14, 2020, by and among Holdings, the Borrower, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender and the Administrative Agent.

 

(d)     Section 2.01(a) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“Section 2.01(a) The Initial Borrowings. (a) The Initial Term Borrowings. (i) Subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein, each Initial Term Lender made, on the Closing Date, a single loan in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to its Initial Term Commitment, (ii) subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein and in the First Incremental Facility Amendment, each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender with a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment as of the First Amendment Effective Date made a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower on the First Amendment Effective Date in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment and (iii) subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein and in the Second Incremental Facility Amendment, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender made the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans to the Borrower on the Second Amendment Effective Date in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment. The aggregate principal amount of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date was $23,000,000. The aggregate principal amount of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Second Amendment Effective Date was $20,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, on and after the First Amendment Effective Date the terms of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans to be made hereunder shall, except to the extent of any upfront fees or original issue discount, which shall be as set forth herein, be the same as the terms of the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, and the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date and the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date shall collectively be the Initial Term Loans hereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date the terms of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall, except to the extent of any original issue discount or upfront fees which shall not be applicable to the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, be the same as the terms of the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date, and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Second Amendment Effective Date and the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date shall collectively be the Initial Term Loans hereunder. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01(a) and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Initial Term Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

 

(e)      Clause (ii) of Section 2.02(a) of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follow:

 

(ii)     12:00 p.m. three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans, continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans or any conversion of Base Rate Term Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans denominated in Dollars (provided that, if such Borrowing is an initial Credit Extension to be made on the Closing Date, notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than, in the case of Initial Term Loans, 1:00 p.m. one Business Day prior to the Closing Date; provided, further, that, with respect to the Borrowing of Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Second Amendment Effective Date, notice must be received on the Second Amendment Effective Date),

 

(f)       Clause (b) of Section 2.08 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

(b) Initial Term Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Initial Term Lenders: (A) on or prior to the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December that occurs prior to the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to (i) for the fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2020, $1,630,307.39 and (ii) from the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2021 through the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, $3,260,610.54 and (B) on the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Term Loans outstanding on such date.

 

SECTION 3.     Conditions to Effectiveness. The effectiveness of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment, the funding of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and the effectiveness of the amendments to the Credit Agreement set forth herein are each subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender) of each of the following conditions (the date on which such conditions shall have been so satisfied or waived, the “Second Amendment Effective Date”):

 

(a)      the Administrative Agent shall have executed a counterpart of this Amendment and received (i) a counterpart to this Amendment executed and delivered by the Borrower and Holdings and (ii) the executed Lender Addendum by the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender;

 

(b)     on and as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, the representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified), in each case, on and as of the Second Amendment Effective Date and after giving effect to the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and the amendments made pursuant to this Amendment on the Second Amendment Effective Date (except in the case of any representation and warranty which specifically refers to an earlier date, such representation and warranty shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

 

(c)      the Borrower shall have paid all expenses required to be paid by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender on or before the Second Amendment Effective Date, including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of Milbank LLP, counsel to the Administrative Agent (which fees may be offset against the proceeds of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans funded on the Second Amendment Effective Date), in each case, to the extent invoiced at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower);

 

 

(d)      the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate dated the Second Amendment Effective Date and executed by a Responsible Officer of each of the Loan Parties, certifying that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions or written consents of its board of directors or other relevant governing body or Person, as the case may be, authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment and any other Loan Document to which it is a party to be entered into as of the Second Amendment Effective Date, and that such resolutions or written consents have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect without amendment, modification or rescission;

 

(e)      the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from the chief financial officer, chief accounting officer or other Responsible Officer of the Borrower attesting to the Solvency of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis after giving effect to this Amendment on the Second Amendment Effective Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit L to the Credit Agreement;

 

(f)      no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Second Amendment Effective Date after giving effect to this Amendment and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Second Amendment Effective Date;

 

(g)      the Administrative Agent shall have received an officer’s certificate from a Responsible Officer of Holdings and dated the Second Amendment Effective Date, certifying that (i) each condition set forth in Sections 3(b) and 3(f) hereof have been satisfied on and as of the Second Amendment Effective Date and (ii) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans comply with the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement (including by stating with specificity whether the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans are being incurred pursuant to clause (a) or clause (e) (or a combination thereof) of the definition of “Incremental Cap”);

 

(h)      the Administrative Agent shall have received the legal opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, acting as New York counsel for the Borrower and each other Loan Party, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender and reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and

 

(i)       the Administrative Agent shall have received a Loan Notice relating to the Borrowing of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Second Amendment Effective Date.

 

SECTION 4.     Reserved.

 

SECTION 5.    Reaffirmation of the Loan Parties. Each Loan Party hereby consents to the amendments to the Credit Agreement effected hereby and confirms and agrees that, notwithstanding the effectiveness of this Amendment, each Loan Document to which such Loan Party is a party is, and the obligations of such Loan Party contained in the Credit Agreement, this Amendment or in any other Loan Document to which it is a party are, and shall continue to be, in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects, in each case, as amended by this Amendment. For greater certainty and without limiting the foregoing, each Loan Party hereby confirms that the existing security interests granted by such Loan Party in favor of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Loan Documents in the Collateral described therein shall continue to secure the obligations of the Loan Parties, including the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, under the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents as and to the extent provided in the Loan Documents.

 

 

SECTION 6.     Continuing Effect; No Novation.

 

(a)      Except as expressly provided herein, all of the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are and shall remain in full force and effect. The amendments provided for herein are limited to the specific subsections of the Credit Agreement specified herein and shall not constitute a consent, waiver or amendment of, or an indication of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ willingness to consent to any action requiring consent under any other provisions of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or the same subsection for any other date or time period. Upon the effectiveness of the amendments set forth herein, on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement”, “the Agreement”, “hereunder”, “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, and each reference in the other Loan Documents to “Credit Agreement”, “thereunder”, “thereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Amended Credit Agreement. This Amendment shall not constitute a novation of the Credit Agreement or any of the Loan Documents.

 

(b)     The Borrower and the other parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document and an Incremental Joinder.

 

SECTION 7.    Deemed Notice. It is understood and agreed that on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date, execution and delivery of this Amendment shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of Section 2.16 with respect to notice in respect of this Incremental Facility.

 

SECTION 8.    Amendments; Execution in Counterparts. This Amendment, or any of the terms hereof, may not be amended, supplemented or modified, nor may any provision hereof be waived, except pursuant to a writing signed by Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Any signature to this Amendment and the other documents delivered in connection herewith may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf) or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

SECTION 9.     GOVERNING LAW. (a) THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AMENDMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AMENDMENT, EACH LOAN PARTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. EACH LOAN PARTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO (EXCEPT THAT, (X) IN THE CASE OF ANY MORTGAGE OR OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENT, PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN THE STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RESPECTIVE MORTGAGED PROPERTY OR COLLATERAL IS LOCATED OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT JURISDICTION AND (Y) IN THE CASE OF ANY BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY L/C ISSUER OR ANY OTHER LENDER, ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO THIS AMENDMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN SUCH COURT HOLDING SUCH BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS

 

SECTION 10.   WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY TO THIS AMENDMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AMENDMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 10 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered by their respective proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., as the Borrower
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
		Name: Scott M. Rajeski
		Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
	LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., as Holdings
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
		Name: Scott M. Rajeski
		Title:   Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
	POOL COVER SPECIALISTS, LLC, as a Subsidiary Guarantor
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
		Name: Scott M. Rajeski
		Title:   President and Secretary
	LPP US, LLC, as a Subsidiary Guarantor
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
		Name: Scott M. Rajeski
		Title:   President

 

Signature Page to Second Incremental Facility Amendment

 

 

	NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as Administrative Agent
	By:	/s/ G. Andrew Keith
		Name: G. Andrew Keith
		Title: Executive Director

 

Signature Page to Second Incremental Facility Amendment

 

 

LENDER ADDENDUM TO THE SECOND INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT DATED AS

OF October 14, 2020

 

SECOND AMENDMENT INCREMENTAL TERM LOAN LENDER

 

This Lender Addendum (this “Lender Addendum”) is referred to in, and is a signature page to, the Second Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of the date hereof (the “Amendment”), by and among LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as administrative agent (acting through one or more sub-agents or designees, in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), which amends that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended by that certain First Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of May 29, 2019, and the Amendment, and as further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, Holdings, each other subsidiary of Holdings from time to time party thereto, each lender from time to time party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the other parties thereto. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Lender Addendum have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Amendment.

 

By executing this Lender Addendum as a Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, the undersigned institution agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Amendment and in the Credit Agreement, to make a Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower on the Second Amendment Effective Date in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount set forth under the heading “Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” opposite its name below.

 

Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender	Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment
Piney Lake Opportunities ECI Master Fund LP	$20,000,000

 

	Piney Lake Opportunities ECI Master Fund LP,
	a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership
	By: Piney Lake Capital Management LP, as Advisor
	By:	/s/ Michael B. Lazar
	Name: Michael B. Lazar
	Title: President

 

 

EXHIBIT I

 

LENDER ADDENDUM TO THE SECOND INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT DATED AS

OF October 14, 2020

 

SECOND AMENDMENT INCREMENTAL TERM LOAN LENDER

 

This Lender Addendum (this “Lender Addendum”) is referred to in, and is a signature page to, the Second Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of the date hereof (the “Amendment”), by and among LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as administrative agent (acting through one or more sub-agents or designees, in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”), which amends that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended by that certain First Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of May 29, 2019, and the Amendment, and as further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, Holdings, each other subsidiary of Holdings from time to time party thereto, each lender from time to time party thereto, the Administrative Agent and the other parties thereto. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Lender Addendum have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Amendment.

 

By executing this Lender Addendum as a Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, the undersigned institution agrees, on the terms and conditions set forth in the Amendment and in the Credit Agreement, to make a Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower on the Second Amendment Effective Date in an aggregate principal amount equal to the amount set forth under the heading “Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” opposite its name below.

 

Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender	Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment
Piney Lake Opportunities ECI Master Fund LP	$20,000,000

 

	Piney Lake Opportunities ECI Master Fund LP,
	a Cayman Islands exempted limited partnership
	By: Piney Lake Capital Management LP, as Advisor
	By:
	Name: Michael B. Lazar
	Title: President

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.4

 

EXECUTION VERSION

 

THIRD INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT

 

THIRD INCREMENTAL FACILITY AMENDMENT, dated as of January 25, 2021 (this “Amendment”), by and among LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., a Delaware corporation (the “Borrower”), LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., a Delaware corporation (“Holdings”), the Subsidiary Guarantors party hereto, the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders (as defined below), each lender party hereto as a consenting lender (collectively, the “Consenting Lenders”) and NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as administrative agent (acting through one or more sub-agents or designees, in such capacity, the “Administrative Agent”).

 

W I T N E S S E T H

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to that certain Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of December 18, 2018 (as amended by that certain First Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of May 29, 2019 and that certain Second Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of October 14, 2020, the “Credit Agreement” and, as amended by Section 2 of this Amendment, the “Interim Amended Credit Agreement” and as otherwise amended by this Amendment and as further amended, restated, amended and restated, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, the “Amended Credit Agreement”), by and among the Borrower, Holdings, each other subsidiary of Holdings from time to time party thereto, each lender from time to time party thereto (the “Lenders”), the Administrative Agent and the other parties thereto, the Lenders have agreed to make, and have made, certain loans and other extensions of credit to the Borrower;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to and in accordance with Section 11.01 of the Credit Agreement, the Borrower has requested certain amendments to the Credit Agreement to permit the Borrower to obtain the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans (as defined below) and to use the proceeds of thereof to make one or more loans or advances to Holdings or any direct or indirect holders of Holdings’ Equity Interests on or following the Third Amendment Effective Date, in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $ 175,000,000 (each, a “Special Payment”) and the Consenting Lenders, which constitute the Required Lenders, have agreed to such amendments in accordance with the terms and conditions set forth herein;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to and in accordance with Section 2.16 of the Interim Amended Credit Agreement, the Borrower may request the establishment of an Incremental Facility by entering into one or more Incremental Joinders with the additional Lenders party thereto, and may, without the consent of any other Lenders, effect such amendments to any Loan Documents as may be necessary or appropriate, as reasonably determined by the Administrative Agent and the Borrower, to effect the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Interim Amended Credit Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, the Borrower has requested Incremental Term Loans in an aggregate principal amount of $175,000,000 (the “Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans”), which shall be made a part of the existing tranche of Initial Term Loans, and the proceeds of which shall be used (i) to pay fees and expenses incurred in connection with the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans and this Amendment, (ii) to fund the Special Payment and (iii) for working capital and other general corporate purposes;

 

WHEREAS, the financial institutions party hereto that have executed and delivered a signature page to this Amendment in the form attached hereto as Exhibit I (the “Lender Addendum”) agree, on the terms and conditions set forth herein and in the Amended Credit Agreement, to provide the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Third Amendment Effective Date (as defined below) (the “Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders”); and

 

 

WHEREAS, Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Consenting Lenders, constituting the Required Lenders, and the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders have agreed, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein, to give effect to the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans and consent to amend the Credit Agreement as set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the premises and mutual covenants contained herein, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

SECTION 1.         Defined Terms. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to such terms in the Credit Agreement.

 

SECTION 2.          Amendment to Credit Agreement. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 4 hereof, the Borrower, Holdings, the Administrative Agent and the Consenting Lenders, which constitute the Required Lenders, hereby agree that, on the Third Amendment Effective Date, the Credit Agreement is hereby amended as set forth in this Section 2.

 

(a)          Section 1.01 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by:

 

(i)                  inserting the following definitions in appropriate alphabetical order:

 

“Special Payment” means the making of loans or advances to Holdings or any direct or indirect holders of Holdings’ Equity Interests in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $175,000,000.

 

“Third Amendment Effective Date” has the meaning provided in the Third Amendment.

 

“Third Amendment” means the Third Incremental Facility Amendment, dated as of January 25, 2021, by and among Holdings, the Borrower, the lenders party thereto and the Administrative Agent.

 

(ii)                 amending the definition of “Incremental Cap” by replacing clause (b) of such definition with the following:

 

“(b) $175,000,000 available for the Incremental Term Loans to be incurred on the Third Amendment Effective Date, plus”

 

(iii)                amending the definition of “Incremental Cap” by replacing clause (c) of such definition with the following:

 

“(c) $30,000,000 available for Incremental Revolving Credit Commitments from and after the Third Amendment Effective Date, plus”

 

(iv)               deleting the definition of “Junior Indebtedness” in its entirety and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

 

 

“Junior Indebtedness” means any Indebtedness that is unsecured or contractually junior to the Liens on the Collateral securing the Obligations and/or contractually subordinated in right of payment to the Obligations.”

 

(v)                deleting the definition of “Specified Event of Default” in its entirety and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

 

“Specified Event of Default” means an Event of Default resulting from Section 8.01(a) and Section 8.01(f).”

 

(b)          Section 7.02 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by replacing clause (c) with the following:

 

“(c) so long as no Default shall occur and be continuing or would result therefrom, the Borrower may make one or more Special Payments within 15 Business Days following the Third Amendment Effective Date;”

 

(c)           Section 7.03 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting clause (ff) in its entirety and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

 

“(ff)      [reserved];”

 

(d)           Section 7.06 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by replacing clause (l) with the following:

 

“(l) distributions or other Restricted Payments of the notes or receivables arising from Investments made pursuant to Section 7.02(c);”

 

(e)           Section 10.08 of the Credit Agreement is hereby amended by deleting such section in its entirety and inserting the following in lieu thereof:

 

“Release of Subsidiary Guarantors. A Subsidiary Guarantor shall automatically be released from this Article 10 and its obligations hereunder upon consummation of any transaction or designation permitted by this Agreement as a result of which such Subsidiary Guarantor (i) ceases to be a Restricted Subsidiary, (ii) ceases to be a Subsidiary or (iii) becomes an Excluded Subsidiary, in each case, as a result of a transaction or designation permitted hereunder; provided that no such release shall occur if such Subsidiary Guarantor is a guarantor in respect of any Junior Indebtedness with a principal amount in excess of the Threshold Amount; provided, further, the release of a Subsidiary Guarantor as a result of such Subsidiary Guarantor being a non-wholly-owned Subsidiary shall only be permitted if such Subsidiary Guarantor became a non-wholly owned Subsidiary as a result of the sale of a minority interest in such Subsidiary Guarantor to an unaffiliated third party in a bona fide sale for fair market value. The Administrative Agent will, at the Borrower’s expense, promptly execute and deliver to such Subsidiary Guarantor such documents as the Borrower shall reasonably request to evidence the release of such Subsidiary Guarantor from its Guaranty hereunder pursuant to this Section 10.08; provided that the Borrower shall have delivered to the Administrative Agent a written request therefor and a certificate of the Borrower to the effect that the release of such Guarantor is in compliance with the Loan Documents. The Administrative Agent shall be authorized to rely on any such certificate without independent investigation.”

 

 

SECTION 3.         Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in Section 4 hereof and effective immediately after the effectiveness of Section 2 hereof, on the Third Amendment Effective Date:

 

(a)           Each Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender, by its execution of a Lender Addendum, agrees to make the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans to the Borrower on the Third Amendment Effective Date in an aggregate principal amount set forth under the heading “Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” opposite such Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s name in the Lender Addendum of such Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender (such commitment, the “Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment”).

 

(b)           From and after the Third Amendment Effective Date, Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent and the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders agree that, for all purposes of the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, (i) each Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender shall be deemed to be a Term Lender and a Lender under the Amended Credit Agreement, and each Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender shall be a party to the Amended Credit Agreement and shall have the rights and obligations of a Lender under the Amended Credit Agreement and (ii) the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans, when funded, shall be made a part of the existing tranche of Initial Term Loans and shall be deemed to be an Initial Term Loan, a Term Loan and a Loan for all purposes under the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents, including, but not limited to, the fact that the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall bear interest as provided in the Amended Credit Agreement in respect of Initial Term Loans. All Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans incurred pursuant to this Amendment will be allocated ratably to each outstanding borrowing of Initial Term Loans that are Eurocurrency Rate Loans under the Credit Agreement for purposes of determining the initial interest rate thereon and Interest Period therefor.

 

(c)           Section 1.01 of the Interim Amended Credit Agreement is hereby amended by:

 

(i)                  amending and restating the definition of “Initial Term Loans” as follows:

 

“Initial Term Loans” means (i) prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, the Term Loans made by the Initial Term Lender pursuant to its Initial Term Commitment (the “Closing Date Initial Term Loans”), (ii) on and after the First Amendment Effective Date, (x) the Closing Date Initial Term Loans and (y) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans, (iii) on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date, (x) the Closing Date Initial Term Loans, (y) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans and (z) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and (iv) on and after the Third Amendment Effective Date, (w) the Closing Date Initial Term Loans, (x) the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans, (y) the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans and (z) the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans.

 

(ii)                 inserting the following definitions in appropriate alphabetical order:

 

 

“Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment” means, as to the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders, their obligation to make Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Third Amendment Effective Date in an aggregate principal amount of $175,000,000.

 

“Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders” has the meaning provided in the Third Amendment.

 

“Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans” has the meaning provided in the Third Amendment.

 

(d)         Section 2.01(a) of the Interim Amended Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“Section 2.01(a) The Initial Borrowings. (a) The Initial Term Borrowings. (i) Subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein, each Initial Term Lender made, on the Closing Date, a single loan in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to its Initial Term Commitment, (ii) subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein and in the First Incremental Facility Amendment, each First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender with a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment as of the First Amendment Effective Date made a First Amendment Incremental Term Loan to the Borrower on the First Amendment Effective Date in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to such First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender’s First Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment, (iii) subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein and in the Second Incremental Facility Amendment, the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lender made the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans to the Borrower on the Second Amendment Effective Date in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment and (iv) subject to the terms and express conditions set forth herein and in the Third Amendment, the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders made the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans to the Borrower on the Third Amendment Effective Date in Dollars in an aggregate principal amount equal to the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment. The aggregate principal amount of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date was $23,000,000. The aggregate principal amount of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Second Amendment Effective Date was $20,000,000. The aggregate principal amount of the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Third Amendment Effective Date was $175,000,000. For the avoidance of doubt, on and after the First Amendment Effective Date the terms of the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans to be made hereunder shall, except to the extent of any upfront fees or original issue discount, which shall be as set forth herein, be the same as the terms of the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date, and the First Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the First Amendment Effective Date and the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the First Amendment Effective Date shall collectively be the Initial Term Loans hereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, on and after the Second Amendment Effective Date the terms of the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall, except to the extent of any original issue discount or upfront fees which shall not be applicable to the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans, be the same as the terms of the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date, and the Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Second Amendment Effective Date and the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the Second Amendment Effective Date shall collectively be the Initial Term Loans hereunder. For the avoidance of doubt, on and after the Third Amendment Effective Date the terms of the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans shall, except to the extent of any original issue discount or upfront fees which shall not be applicable to the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans, be the same as the terms of the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the Third Amendment Effective Date, and the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Third Amendment Effective Date and the Initial Term Loans immediately prior to the Third Amendment Effective Date shall collectively be the Initial Term Loans hereunder. Amounts borrowed under this Section 2.01(a) and repaid or prepaid may not be reborrowed. Initial Term Loans may be Base Rate Loans or Eurocurrency Rate Loans, as further provided herein.

 

 

(e)          Clause (ii) of Section 2.02(a) of the Interim Amended Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follow:

 

(ii) 12:00 p.m. three Business Days prior to the requested date of any Borrowing of Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans, continuation of Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans or any conversion of Base Rate Term Loans to Eurocurrency Rate Term Loans denominated in Dollars (provided that, if such Borrowing is an initial Credit Extension to be made on the Closing Date, notice must be received by the Administrative Agent not later than, in the case of Initial Term Loans, 1:00 p.m. one Business Day prior to the Closing Date; provided, further, that, with respect to the Borrowing of Second Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Second Amendment Effective Date, notice must be received on the Second Amendment Effective Date; provided, further, that, with respect to the Borrowing of Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans made on the Third Amendment Effective Date, notice must be received on the Third Amendment Effective Date),

 

(f)           Clause (b) of Section 2.08 of the Interim Amended Credit Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

(b)          Initial Term Loans. The Borrower shall repay to the Administrative Agent for the ratable account of the Initial Term Lenders: (A) on or prior to the last Business Day of each March, June, September and December that occurs prior to the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to $5,761,660.47 and (B) on the Initial Term Loan Maturity Date, an aggregate amount equal to the aggregate principal amount of all Initial Term Loans outstanding on such date.

 

SECTION 4.         Conditions to Effectiveness. The effectiveness of the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Commitment, the funding of the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans and the effectiveness of the amendments to the Credit Agreement set forth herein are each subject to the satisfaction (or waiver by (x) the Consenting Lenders in the case of Section 2 hereof and (y) the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders in the case of Section 3 hereof) of each of the following conditions (the date on which such conditions shall have been so satisfied or waived, the “Third Amendment Effective Date”):

 

(a)          the Administrative Agent shall have executed a counterpart of this Amendment and received (i) a counterpart to this Amendment executed and delivered by the Borrower and Holdings, (ii) a counterpart to this Amendment from existing Lenders sufficient to constitute Required Lenders (without giving effect to the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans) and (ii) the executed Lender Addendum by the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders;

 

 

(b)           on and as of the Third Amendment Effective Date, the representations and warranties of each Loan Party set forth in the Loan Documents shall be true and correct in all material respects (except that any representation and warranty that is qualified as to “materiality” or “Material Adverse Effect” shall be true and correct in all respects as so qualified), in each case, on and as of the Third Amendment Effective Date and after giving effect to the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans and the amendments made pursuant to this Amendment on the Third Amendment Effective Date (except in the case of any representation and warranty which specifically refers to an earlier date, such representation and warranty shall have been true and correct in all material respects as of such earlier date);

 

(c)           the Borrower shall have paid all expenses required to be paid by the Borrower to the Administrative Agent and the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders on or before the Third Amendment Effective Date, including the reasonable and documented out-of-pocket expenses of Milbank LLP, counsel to the Administrative Agent (which fees may be offset against the proceeds of the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans funded on the Third Amendment Effective Date), in each case, to the extent invoiced at least two (2) Business Days prior to the Third Amendment Effective Date (except as otherwise reasonably agreed by the Borrower);

 

(d)           the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate dated the Third Amendment Effective Date and executed by a Responsible Officer of each of the Loan Parties, certifying that attached thereto is a true and complete copy of resolutions or written consents of its board of directors or other relevant governing body or Person, as the case may be, authorizing the execution, delivery and performance of this Amendment and any other Loan Document to which it is a party to be entered into as of the Third Amendment Effective Date, and that such resolutions or written consents have not been modified, rescinded or amended and are in full force and effect without amendment, modification or rescission;

 

(e)           the Administrative Agent shall have received a certificate from the chief financial officer, chief accounting officer or other Responsible Officer of the Borrower attesting to the Solvency of the Borrower and its Restricted Subsidiaries on a consolidated basis after giving effect to this Amendment on the Third Amendment Effective Date, substantially in the form of Exhibit L to the Credit Agreement;

 

(f)            no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing on the Third Amendment Effective Date after giving effect to this Amendment and the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Third Amendment Effective Date;

 

(g)           the Administrative Agent shall have received an officer’s certificate from a Responsible Officer of Holdings and dated the Third Amendment Effective Date, certifying that (i) each condition set forth in Sections 4(b) and 4(f) hereof have been satisfied on and as of the Third Amendment Effective Date and (ii) the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans comply with the provisions of Section 2.16 of the Credit Agreement after giving effect to the amendments set forth in Section 2 hereof;

 

(h)           the Administrative Agent shall have received the legal opinion of Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, acting as New York counsel for the Borrower and each other Loan Party, addressed to the Administrative Agent and the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders and reasonably satisfactory to the Administrative Agent; and

 

(i)            the Administrative Agent shall have received a Loan Notice relating to the Borrowing of the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans on the Third Amendment Effective Date. Each Party to this Amendment hereby agrees that the amendments set forth in Section 2 hereof shall be effective immediately prior to the effectiveness of the amendments set forth in Section 3 hereof and the making of the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans.

 

 

SECTION 5.         Reaffirmation of the Loan Parties. Each Loan Party hereby consents to the amendments to the Credit Agreement effected hereby and confirms and agrees that, notwithstanding the effectiveness of this Amendment, each Loan Document to which such Loan Party is a party is, and the obligations of such Loan Party contained in the Credit Agreement, this Amendment or in any other Loan Document to which it is a party are, and shall continue to be, in full force and effect and are hereby ratified and confirmed in all respects, in each case, as amended by this Amendment. For greater certainty and without limiting the foregoing, each Loan Party hereby confirms that the existing security interests granted by such Loan Party in favor of the Secured Parties pursuant to the Loan Documents in the Collateral described therein shall continue to secure the obligations of the Loan Parties, including the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loans, under the Amended Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents as and to the extent provided in the Loan Documents.

 

SECTION 6.          Continuing Effect; No Novation.

 

(a) Except as expressly provided herein, all of the terms and provisions of the Credit Agreement and the other Loan Documents are and shall remain in full force and effect. The amendments provided for herein are limited to the specific subsections of the Credit Agreement specified herein and shall not constitute a consent, waiver or amendment of, or an indication of the Administrative Agent’s or the Lenders’ willingness to consent to any action requiring consent under any other provisions of the Credit Agreement or any other Loan Document or the same subsection for any other date or time period. Upon the effectiveness of the amendments set forth herein, on and after the Third Amendment Effective Date, each reference in the Credit Agreement to “this Agreement”, “the Agreement”, “hereunder”, “hereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, and each reference in the other Loan Documents to “Credit Agreement”, “thereunder”, “thereof” or words of like import referring to the Credit Agreement, shall mean and be a reference to the Amended Credit Agreement. This Amendment shall not constitute a novation of the Credit Agreement or any of the Loan Documents.

 

(b) The Borrower and the other parties hereto acknowledge and agree that this Amendment shall constitute a Loan Document and an Incremental Joinder.

 

SECTION 7.         Deemed Notice. It is understood and agreed that on and after the Third Amendment Effective Date, execution and delivery of this Amendment shall be deemed to satisfy the requirements of Section 2.16 with respect to notice in respect of this Incremental Facility.

 

SECTION 8.         Amendments; Execution in Counterparts. This Amendment, or any of the terms hereof, may not be amended, supplemented or modified, nor may any provision hereof be waived, except pursuant to a writing signed by Holdings, the Borrower, the Administrative Agent, the Required Lenders and the Third Amendment Incremental Term Loan Lenders. This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (and by different parties hereto on different counterparts), each of which shall constitute an original, but all of which when taken together shall constitute a single contract. Any signature to this Amendment and the other documents delivered in connection herewith may be delivered by facsimile, electronic mail (including pdf) or any electronic signature complying with the U.S. federal ESIGN Act of 2000 or the New York Electronic Signature and Records Act or other transmission method and any counterpart so delivered shall be deemed to have been duly and validly delivered and be valid and effective for all purposes to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.

 

 

SECTION 9.          GOVERNING LAW. (a) THIS AMENDMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAW OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.

 

(b) ANY LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDING WITH RESPECT TO THIS AMENDMENT OR ANY OTHER LOAN DOCUMENT SHALL BE BROUGHT IN THE COURTS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK SITTING IN THE BOROUGH OF MANHATTAN OR OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF SUCH STATE, AND BY EXECUTION AND DELIVERY OF THIS AMENDMENT, EACH LOAN PARTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER CONSENTS, FOR ITSELF AND IN RESPECT OF ITS PROPERTY, TO THE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OF THOSE COURTS. EACH LOAN PARTY, THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT AND EACH LENDER IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY OBJECTION, INCLUDING ANY OBJECTION TO THE LAYING OF VENUE OR BASED ON THE GROUNDS OF FORUM NON CONVENIENS, WHICH IT MAY NOW OR HEREAFTER HAVE TO THE BRINGING OF ANY ACTION OR PROCEEDING IN SUCH JURISDICTION IN RESPECT OF ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR OTHER DOCUMENT RELATED THERETO (EXCEPT THAT, (X) IN THE CASE OF ANY MORTGAGE OR OTHER SECURITY DOCUMENT, PROCEEDINGS MAY ALSO BE BROUGHT BY THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT IN THE STATE OR OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH THE RESPECTIVE MORTGAGED PROPERTY OR COLLATERAL IS LOCATED OR ANY OTHER RELEVANT JURISDICTION AND (Y) IN THE CASE OF ANY BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS WITH RESPECT TO THE ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT, ANY L/C ISSUER OR ANY OTHER LENDER, ACTIONS OR PROCEEDINGS RELATED TO THIS AMENDMENT AND THE OTHER LOAN DOCUMENTS MAY BE BROUGHT IN SUCH COURT HOLDING SUCH BANKRUPTCY, INSOLVENCY OR SIMILAR PROCEEDINGS

 

SECTION 10.        WAIVER OF RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY. EACH PARTY TO THIS AMENDMENT HEREBY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY OF ANY CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION ARISING UNDER ANY LOAN DOCUMENT OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO THE DEALINGS OF THE PARTIES HERETO OR ANY OF THEM WITH RESPECT TO ANY LOAN DOCUMENT, OR THE TRANSACTIONS RELATED THERETO, IN EACH CASE, WHETHER NOW EXISTING OR HEREAFTER ARISING, AND WHETHER FOUNDED IN CONTRACT OR TORT OR OTHERWISE; AND EACH PARTY HEREBY AGREES AND CONSENTS THAT ANY SUCH CLAIM, DEMAND, ACTION OR CAUSE OF ACTION SHALL BE DECIDED BY COURT TRIAL WITHOUT A JURY, AND THAT ANY PARTY TO THIS AMENDMENT MAY FILE AN ORIGINAL COUNTERPART OR A COPY OF THIS SECTION 10 WITH ANY COURT AS WRITTEN EVIDENCE OF THE CONSENT OF THE SIGNATORIES HERETO TO THE WAIVER OF THEIR RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Amendment to be duly executed and delivered by their respective proper and duly authorized officers as of the day and year first above written.

 

	LATHAM POOL PRODUCTS, INC., as the Borrower;
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title: Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
	LATHAM INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING CORP., as Holdings;
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title: Chief Executive Officer, President and Secretary
	POOL COVER SPECIALISTS, LLC,
	LPP US, LLC,
	GL INTERNATIONAL, LLC, each as a Subsidiary Guarantor
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
	Name: Scott M. Rajeski
	Title: President

 

Signature Page to Third Incremental Facility Amendment

 

 

	NOMURA CORPORATE FUNDING AMERICAS, LLC, as Administrative Agent
	By:	/s/ G. Andrew Keith
	Name: G. Andrew Keith
	Title: Executive Director

 

Signature Page to Third Incremental Facility Amendment

 

 

EXHIBIT I

 

 

Exhibit 10.6

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

dated as of [●], 2021

 

between

 

LATHAM GROUP, INC.

 

AND

 

CERTAIN STOCKHOLDERS

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

Page

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS		3
1.1	Definitions	3
ARTICLE II REGISTRATION RIGHTS		7
2.1	Demand Rights	7
2.2	Piggyback Registration Rights	9
2.3	Form S-3 Registration; Shelf Registration	12
2.4	Shelf Take-Downs	14
2.5	Selection of Underwriters	16
2.6	Withdrawal Rights; Expenses	16
2.7	Registration and Qualification	16
2.8	Underwriting; Due Diligence	21
2.9	Indemnification and Contribution	22
2.10	Cooperation; Information by Selling Holder	25
2.11	Rule 144	25
2.12	Holdback Agreement	26
2.13	Suspension of Sales	26
2.14	Third Party Registration Rights	26
2.15	Mergers	27
ARTICLE III MISCELLANEOUS		27
3.1	Notices	27
3.2	Section Headings	29
3.3	Governing Law	29
3.4	Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process	29
3.5	Amendments; Termination	29
3.6	Specific Enforcement	30
3.7	Entire Agreement	30
3.8	Severability	30
3.9	Counterparts	30

 

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

 

This Registration Rights Agreement (as amended, supplemented or otherwise modified from time to time, this “Agreement”), dated as of [●], 2021, is made by and among Latham Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), Wynnchurch Capital Partners IV, L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership and WC Partners Executive IV, L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership (collectively, “Wynnchurch”), Pamplona Capital Partners V, L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership (“Pamplona” and collectively with Wynnchurch, the “Principal Stockholders”) and the other Persons who execute the signature pages hereto under the heading “Other Holders” (the “Other Holders”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company is currently contemplating an underwritten initial public offering (“IPO”) of shares of its Common Stock (as defined below);

 

WHEREAS, certain stockholders of the Company propose to sell shares of Common Stock concurrently with the IPO; and

 

WHEREAS, in connection with, and effective upon, the date of completion of the IPO, the Principal Stockholders, the Other Holders and the Company wish to set forth certain understandings among such parties.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and undertakings contained herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto hereby agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE I

 

Definitions

 

1.1            Definitions. The following terms shall have the following respective meanings:

 

“Affiliate” means, with respect to any Person, any Person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with, such other Person; provided, however, that portfolio companies in which any Principal Stockholder or any of its Affiliates has an investment shall not be deemed an Affiliate of such person. For purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”) when used with respect to any Person, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to cause the direction of management or policies of such Person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

“Agreement” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Business Day” means a day, other than Saturday, Sunday or other day on which commercial banks in New York, New York are authorized or required by applicable law to close.

 

“Common Stock” means shares of the Company’s common stock, $0.0001 par value per share.

 

 

“Company” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Continuance Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(c).

 

“Demand” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

 

“Demand Registration” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.1(a).

 

“Disclosure Package” means (i) the preliminary prospectus, (ii) each Free Writing Prospectus and (iii) all other information that is deemed, under Rule 159 under the Securities Act, to have been conveyed to purchasers of securities at the time of sale (including a contract of sale).

 

“Equity Securities” means, with respect to any Person, any (i) partnership or membership interests or shares of capital stock, (ii) equity, ownership, voting, profit or participation interests or (iii) similar rights or securities in such Person or any of its Subsidiaries, or any rights or securities convertible into or exchangeable for, options or other rights to acquire from such Person or any of its Subsidiaries, or obligation on the part of such Person or any of its Subsidiaries to issue, any of the foregoing.

 

“Form S-3 Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b).

 

“Form S-3 Shelf Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(b).

 

“Free Writing Prospectus” means any “free writing prospectus,” as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act.

 

“Governmental Authority” means any transnational, domestic or foreign federal, state or local governmental, regulatory or administrative authority, department, court, agency or official, including any political subdivision thereof.

 

“Holder” means Principal Stockholders, the Other Holders and their successors, Transferees under Section 2.1(c) holding Registrable Securities and any New Holder.

 

“Initiating Shelf Holder” has the meaning set forth in the Section 2.4(a).

 

“IPO” has the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

“Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(b).

 

“New Holder” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.14.

 

“Non-Marketed Take-Down Share” means with respect to each Initiating Shelf Holder and each other Notice Recipients delivering a notice with respect to and participating in such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down subject to Section 2.4(d), a number equal to the product of (i) the total number of Registrable Securities to be included in such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.4(c) and (ii) a fraction, the numerator of which is the total number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned by the Initiating Shelf Holder or such participating Notice Recipient, as applicable, and the denominator of which is the total number of Registrable Securities beneficially owned by the Initiating Shelf Holder and all participating Notice Recipients delivering a notice and participating in such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down.

 

 

“Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(c).

 

“Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(d).

 

“Notice Recipient” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(d).

 

“Ordinary S-3 Registration Statement” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.3(d).

 

“Other Holders” has the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

“Other Securities” means Common Stock of the Company sought to be included in a registration other than Registrable Securities.

 

“Parties” means the Company and the Holders that are from time to time party to this Agreement.

 

“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, estate, joint venture, Governmental Authority or other entity.

 

“Piggyback Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.2(a).

 

“Registrable Securities” means shares of Common Stock owned by a Holder, whether now held or hereinafter acquired, including any shares of Common Stock issuable or issued upon conversion or exchange of other securities of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries (“Overlying Securities”), including by way of stock dividend or stock split, or in connection with a combination of shares, recapitalization, merger, consolidation or other reorganization, until: (i) a registration statement covering such shares of Common Stock or applicable Overlying Securities has been declared effective by the SEC and such shares of Common Stock or applicable Overlying Securities have been disposed of pursuant to such effective registration statement; (ii) such shares of Common Stock or applicable Overlying Securities are sold under circumstances in which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or any similar provisions then in force) under the Securities Act are met; (iii) with respect to any Holder, such Holder and its Affiliates beneficially own less than 2% of the outstanding Common Stock and all of such shares of Common Stock may be sold without restriction under Rule 144 (or any similar provisions then in force) or (iv) (A) such shares of Common Stock or applicable Overlying Securities are otherwise Transferred to a non-Affiliate of the Transferor, (B) the Company has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for such shares of Common Stock or applicable Overlying Securities not bearing a restrictive legend and (C) such shares of Common Stock or applicable Overlying Securities may be resold without limitation or subsequent registration under the Securities Act.

 

 

“Registration Expenses” means any and all expenses incident to performance of or compliance with any registration of securities pursuant to Article II (other than underwriting discounts and commissions), including (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company’s counsel and accountants, including for special audits and comfort letters; (ii) all expenses, including filing fees, in connection with the preparation, printing and filing of the registration statement, any preliminary prospectus or final prospectus, any other offering document and amendments and supplements thereto and the mailing and delivering of copies thereof to any underwriters and dealers; (iii) the cost of printing or producing any underwriting agreements and blue sky or legal investment memoranda and any other documents in connection with the offering, sale or delivery of the securities to be disposed of; (iv) all expenses in connection with the qualification of the securities to be disposed of for offering and sale under state “blue sky” securities laws, including the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the underwriters and the Selling Holders in connection with such qualification and in connection with any blue sky and legal investment surveys; (v) all expenses, including filing fees, incident to securing any required review by FINRA of the terms of the sale of the securities to be disposed of; (vi) transfer agents’ and registrars’ fees and expenses and the fees and expenses of any other agent or trustee appointed in connection with such offering; (vii) all security engraving and security printing expenses; (viii) all fees and expenses payable in connection with the listing of the securities on any securities exchange or automated interdealer quotation system or the rating of such securities; (ix) all expenses with respect to road shows that the Company is obligated to pay pursuant to Section 2.7(o); and (x) the reasonable fees and disbursements of one counsel for the Selling Holders participating in the registration (which counsel shall be chosen by the participating Selling Holders that then holds the most Registrable Securities) incurred in connection with any such registration and any offering of Common Stock relating to such registration, including any Shelf Take-Down.

 

“Selling Holder” means, with respect to any registration statement, any Holder whose Registrable Securities are included therein.

 

“Shelf Holder” means any Holder whose Registrable Securities are included in the Form S-3 Shelf Registration Statement.

 

“Shelf Registration Statement” means a registration statement providing for an offering to be made on a continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act in accordance with the plan and method of distribution set forth in the prospectus included in such registration statement.

 

“Shelf Take-Down” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(a).

 

“Subsidiary” means, with respect to any Person, any corporation, partnership, limited liability company, association, joint venture or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of ownership interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of the Person or Persons (whether directors, managers, trustees or other Persons performing similar functions) having the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies thereof is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by that Person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of that Person or a combination thereof.

 

 

“Transfer” means any sale, assignment, transfer, exchange, gift, bequest, pledge, hypothecation or other disposition or encumbrance, direct or indirect, in whole or in part, by operation of law or otherwise. The terms “Transferred”, “Transferring”, “Transferor”, “Transferee” and “Transferable” have meanings correlative to the foregoing.

 

“Underwritten Shelf Take-Down” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(b).

 

“Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.4(b).

 

“Withdrawn Offering” has the meaning set forth in Section 2.6(c).

 

ARTICLE II

 

REGISTRATION RIGHTS

 

2.1            Demand Rights.

 

(a)            Demand Rights. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement (including Section 2.1(b)), at any time upon written notice delivered by a Principal Stockholder (a “Demand”) at any time requesting that the Company effect the registration (a “Demand Registration”) under the Securities Act of any or all of the Registrable Securities held by such Principal Stockholder, which Demand shall specify the number and type of such Registrable Securities to be included in such registration and the intended method or methods of disposition of such Registrable Securities, the Company shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable, give written notice of such Demand to all other Holders and shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable, at any time after the expiration or waiver of the lock-up agreements delivered pursuant to the underwriting agreement relating to the IPO, file the appropriate registration statement and use reasonable best efforts to effect the registration under the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws of (i) the Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to register for sale by such Principal Stockholder in the Demand, and (ii) all other Registrable Securities which the Company has been requested to register for sale by such Holders by written request given to the Company within 10 days after the giving of such written notice by the Company (which request shall specify the intended method of disposition of such Registrable Securities), in each case subject to Section 2.1(f), all to the extent required to permit the disposition (in accordance with such intended methods of disposition) of the Registrable Securities to be so registered for sale. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event the method of disposition is an underwritten offering, the right of any Holder to include Registrable Securities in such registration shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided in this Agreement, and all Holders proposing to distribute their Registrable Securities through such underwriting shall (together with the Company as provided in Section 2.7) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting.

 

 

(b)            Limitations on Demand Rights. Any Demand by a Principal Stockholder shall include a number of Registrable Securities that equals or is greater than the lesser of (i) 1.0% of the total Registrable Securities then outstanding and (ii) $20 million (such value shall be determined based on the value of such Registrable Securities on the date immediately preceding the date upon which the Demand has been received by the Company). Wynnchurch shall have the right to make only two Demands for a Demand Registration and only beginning on the first anniversary of the closing of the IPO.

 

(c)            Assignment. In connection with the Transfer of Registrable Securities to any Person other than by operation of law, a Holder may assign to any Transferee of such Registrable Securities (i) the right to make Demands pursuant to Section 2.1(a) and (ii) the right to participate in or effect any registration and/or Shelf Take-Down pursuant to the terms of Section 2.1(a), Section 2.2, Section 2.3 and Section 2.4, in each case to the extent that such Transferor has such rights. In the event of any such assignment, references to Holders or Principal Stockholders, as applicable, in this Agreement shall be deemed to refer to such Transferee if such Transferee is making any Demand or otherwise exercising its registration rights hereunder. In each of the foregoing cases, as a condition to such Transfer, a Transferee shall enter into a joinder agreement in the form attached hereto as Annex A to become party to this Agreement and expressly be subject to Section 2.12 herein. If any such Transferee is an individual and married, as a condition to such Transfer, such Transferee shall deliver to the Company a duly executed copy of a spousal consent in the form attached hereto as Annex B. In the event of any such assignment, references to the Holder or Principal Stockholder in Section 2.12 shall be deemed to refer to such Transferee. In addition, in each of the foregoing cases, the relevant Holder shall, as promptly as reasonably practicable, give written notice of any such assignment to the Company and, in the case of an assignment by a Principal Stockholder, the other Principal Stockholders in accordance with the addresses and other contact information set forth under Section 3.1.

 

(d)            [Reserved]

 

(e)            Fulfillment of Registration Obligations. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, a registration requested pursuant to this Section 2.1 shall not be deemed to have been effected: (i) if the registration statement is withdrawn without becoming effective; (ii) if, after it has become effective, such registration is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other Governmental Authority for any reason other than a misrepresentation or an omission by a Selling Holder that is the Principal Stockholder, or an Affiliate of the Principal Stockholder (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries), that made the Demand relating to such registration and, as a result thereof, the Registrable Securities requested to be registered cannot be completely distributed in accordance with the plan of distribution set forth in the related registration statement; (iii) if the registration does not contemplate an underwritten offering, if it does not remain effective for at least 180 days (or such shorter period as will terminate when all securities covered by such registration statement have been sold or withdrawn); or if such registration statement contemplates an underwritten offering, if it does not remain effective for at least 180 days plus such longer period as, in the opinion of counsel for the underwriter or underwriters, a prospectus is required by applicable law to be delivered in connection with the sale of Registrable Securities by an underwriter or dealer; or (iv) in the event of an underwritten offering, if the conditions to closing (including any condition relating to an overallotment option) specified in the purchase agreement or underwriting agreement entered into in connection with such registration are not satisfied or waived other than by reason of some wrongful act or omission by a Selling Holder that is the Principal Stockholder, or an Affiliate of the Principal Stockholder (other than the Company and its Subsidiaries), that made the Demand relating to such registration.

 

 

 

(f)            Cutbacks in Demand Registration. If the lead underwriter or managing underwriter advises the Company in writing that, in such firm’s good faith view, the number of Registrable Securities and Other Securities requested to be included in a Demand Registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect upon the price, timing or distribution of the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities and Other Securities then contemplated, the Company shall provide a copy of such notice to each Selling Holder and include in such registration:

 

(1)            first, Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a) and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(2)            second, Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to Section 2.1(a) and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(3)            third, shares of Common Stock that the Company proposes to sell for its own account that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above; and

 

(4)            fourth, the Other Securities owned by any holder thereof with a contractual right to include such Other Securities in such registration that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Other Securities owned by the Persons requesting inclusion in such registration.

 

2.2           Piggyback Registration Rights.

 

(a)            Notice and Exercise of Rights. If the Company at any time proposes or is required to register any of its Common Stock or any other Equity Securities under the Securities Act (other than a Demand Registration pursuant to Section 2.1 or a registration pursuant to Section 2.3), whether or not for sale for its own account, in a manner that would permit registration of Registrable Securities for sale for cash to the public under the Securities Act, subject to the last sentence of this Section 2.2(a), it shall at each such time give written notice (the “Piggyback Notice”), as promptly as reasonably practicable, to each Holder of its intention to do so, which Piggyback Notice shall specify the number of shares of such Common Stock or other Equity Securities to be included in such registration. Upon the written request of any Holder made within 10 days after receipt of the Piggyback Notice by such Person (which request shall specify the number of Registrable Securities intended to be disposed of), subject to the other provisions of this Article II, the Company shall effect, in connection with the registration of such Common Stock or other Equity Securities, the registration under the Securities Act of all Registrable Securities which the Company has been so requested to register; provided, that in no event shall the Company be required to register pursuant to this Section 2.2 any securities other than Common Stock. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in this Section 2.2, the Company shall not be required to effect any registration of Registrable Securities under this Section 2.2 incidental to the registration of any of its securities on Forms S-4 or S-8 (or any similar or successor form providing for the registration of securities in connection with mergers, acquisitions, exchange offers, subscription offers, dividend reinvestment plans or stock option or other executive or employee benefit or compensation plans) or any other form that would not be available for registration of Registrable Securities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the IPO shall be treated as a registration under this Section 2.2 and subject to the terms hereof (except that the Company shall be deemed to have given a Piggyback Notice and any Holder who is not a Selling Holder in the IPO registration shall be deemed to have waived its rights hereunder).

 

 

(b)            Determination Not to Effect Registration. If at any time after giving such Piggyback Notice and prior to the effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with such registration the Company shall determine for any reason not to register the securities originally intended to be included in such registration, the Company may, at its election, give written notice of such determination to the Selling Holders and thereupon the Company shall be relieved of its obligation to register such Registrable Securities in connection with the registration of securities originally intended to be included in such registration, without prejudice, however, to the right of a Principal Stockholder immediately to request that such registration be effected as a registration under Section 2.1 or a shelf registration under Section 2.3 to the extent permitted thereunder.

 

(c)            Cutbacks in Company Offering. If the registration referred to in the first sentence of Section 2.2(a) is to be an underwritten registration on behalf of the Company, and the lead underwriter or managing underwriter advises the Company in writing (with a copy to each Selling Holder) that, in such firm’s good faith view, the number of Other Securities and Registrable Securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect upon the price, timing or distribution of the offering and sale of the Other Securities and Registrable Securities then contemplated, the Company shall include in such registration:

 

(1)            first, all securities proposed to be registered on behalf the Company;

 

(2)            second, Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to this Section 2.2 and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

 

(3)            third, Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to this Section 2.2 and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders requesting inclusion in such registration; and

 

(4)            fourth, the Other Securities that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to the terms of any agreement providing for registration rights to which the Company is a party that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Other Securities owned by the Persons requesting inclusion in such registration.

 

(d)            Cutbacks in Other Offerings. If the registration referred to in the first sentence of Section 2.2(a) is to be an underwritten registration other than on behalf of the Company, and the lead underwriter or managing underwriter advises the Selling Holders in writing (with a copy to the Company) that, in such firm’s good faith view, the number of Registrable Securities and Other Securities requested to be included in such registration exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect upon the price, timing or distribution of the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities and Other Securities then contemplated, the Company shall include in such registration:

 

(1)            first, the Other Securities held by any holder thereof with a contractual right to include such Other Securities in such registration prior to any other Person;

 

(2)            second, Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to this Section 2.2 and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(3)            third, Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to this Section 2.2 and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(4)            fourth, shares of Common Stock that the Company proposes to sell for its own account that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above; and

 

(5)            fifth, the Other Securities that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to the terms of any agreement providing for registration rights to which the Company is a party that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Other Securities owned by the Persons requesting inclusion in such registration.

 

 

2.3          Form S-3 Registration; Shelf Registration.

 

(a)           Notwithstanding anything in Section 2.1 or Section 2.2 to the contrary, in case the Company shall receive from any Principal Stockholder a written request or requests that the Company effect a registration on Form S-3 and any related qualification or compliance with respect to all or a part of the Registrable Securities owned by such Principal Stockholder, and the Company is then eligible to use Form S-3 for the resale of Registrable Securities, the Company shall:

 

(1)           as promptly as reasonably practicable, give written notice of the proposed registration, and any related qualification or compliance, to all other Holders; and

 

(2)           as promptly as reasonably practicable, file and use reasonable best efforts to effect such registration and all such qualifications and compliances as may be so requested and as would permit or facilitate the sale and distribution of all or such portion of such Principal Stockholder’s Registrable Securities as are specified in such request, together with all or such portion of the Registrable Securities of any other Holder joining in such request as are specified in a written request given within 15 days after receipt of such written notice from the Company; provided, that the Company shall not be obligated to effect any such registration, qualification or compliance pursuant to this Section 2.3 (or, with respect to a request under Section 2.4, any Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.4):

 

(A)            if Form S-3 is not available for such offering by the Principal Stockholders;

 

(B)            solely with respect to filing and causing the effectiveness of a registration on Form S-3 or effecting a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, if the Principal Stockholders, together with the holders of any Registrable Securities entitled to inclusion in such registration (or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, as applicable), propose to sell Registrable Securities at an aggregate price to the public (before any underwriters’ discounts or commissions) of less than $20 million;

 

(C)            [reserved]

 

(D)            solely with respect to filing and causing the effectiveness of a registration on Form S-3, subject to Section 2.3(d), if the Company has, within the 90-day period preceding the date of such request, already effected one registration on Form S-3 for a Principal Stockholder pursuant to this Section 2.3 (but, for the avoidance of doubt, regardless of whether any Shelf Take-Downs have been effected during such period); provided, that any such registration shall be deemed to have been “effected” if the registration statement relating thereto (x) has become or been declared or ordered effective under the Securities Act, and any of the Registrable Securities of the Principal Stockholder included in such registration have actually been sold thereunder, and (y) has remained effective for a period of at least 180 days; or

 

(E)             in any particular jurisdiction in which the Company would be required to qualify to do business or to execute a general consent to service of process in effecting such registration, qualification or compliance.

 

 

(b)            Subject to the foregoing, the Company shall file a registration statement covering the Registrable Securities so requested to be registered, as promptly as reasonably practicable, after receipt of the request or requests of the Principal Stockholders (the “Form S-3 Registration Statement”) and any such Principal Stockholder may request inclusion of a plan of distribution in accordance with Section 2.7(i) and/or that such Form S-3 Registration Statement constitute a shelf offering on a delayed or continuous basis in accordance with Rule 415 under the Securities Act (a “Form S-3 Shelf Registration Statement”), in which case the provisions of Section 2.4 shall also be applicable.

 

(c)            If a Principal Stockholder intends to distribute the Registrable Securities covered by its request under this Section 2.3 by means of a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.4(b), it shall so advise the Company as a part of its request made pursuant to this Section 2.3 and, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2.3(a), the Company shall include such information in the written notice referred to in Section 2.3(a). In such event, the right of any Holder to include Registrable Securities in such registration (or Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, as applicable) shall be conditioned upon such Holder’s participation in such underwriting and the inclusion of such Holder’s Registrable Securities in the underwriting to the extent provided in this Agreement. All Holders proposing to distribute their securities through such underwriting shall (together with the Company as provided in Section 2.7) enter into an underwriting agreement in customary form with the underwriter or underwriters selected for such underwriting. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Section 2.3 or Section 2.4, if the lead underwriter or managing underwriter advises the Company in writing that, in such firm’s good faith view, the number of Registrable Securities and Other Securities requested to be included in such offering exceeds the number which can be sold in such offering without being likely to have a significant adverse effect upon the price, timing or distribution of the offering and sale of the Registrable Securities and Other Securities then contemplated, the Company shall provide a copy of such notice to each Selling Holder and include in such offering:

 

(1)            first, Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to Section 2.3 and Section 2.4 and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Principal Stockholders requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(2)            second, Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders that are requested to be included in such registration pursuant to Section 2.3 and Section 2.4 and that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Registrable Securities owned by the Other Holders requesting inclusion in such registration;

 

(3)            third, shares of Common Stock that the Company proposes to sell for its own account that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above; and

 

(4)            fourth, the Other Securities owned by any holder thereof with a contractual right to include such Other Securities in such offering that can be sold without having the significant adverse effect referred to above, pro rata on the basis of the relative number of such Other Securities owned by the Persons seeking inclusion in such offering.

 

 

(d)            Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Company shall receive from any Principal Stockholder of Registrable Securities then outstanding a written request or requests under Section 2.3 that the Company effect a registration statement on Form S-3 that includes only those items and that information that is required to be included in parts I and II of such Form, and does not include any additional or extraneous items of information (e.g., a lengthy description of the Company or the Company’s business) (an “Ordinary S-3 Registration Statement”), then Section 2.3(a)(2)(D) shall not apply to such Ordinary S-3 Registration Statement request.

 

(e)            Upon the written request of any Principal Stockholder, prior to the expiration of effectiveness of any existing Form S-3 Shelf Registration Statement in accordance with Rule 415, the Company shall file and seek the effectiveness of a new Form S-3 Shelf Registration Statement in order to permit the continued offering of the Registrable Securities included under such existing Form S-3 Shelf Registration Statement.

 

2.4           Shelf Take-Downs.

 

(a)            Any Selling Holder of Registrable Securities included in a Form S-3 Shelf Registration Statement (an “Initiating Shelf Holder”) may initiate an offering or sale of all or part of such Registrable Securities (a “Shelf Take-Down”), in which case the provisions of this Section 2.4 shall apply; provided, however, that Wynnchurch may initiate only two Shelf Take-Downs that are Underwritten Shelf Take-Downs.

 

(b)            If an Initiating Shelf Holder that is a Principal Stockholder so elects in a written request delivered to the Company (an “Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice”), a Shelf Take-Down may be in the form of an underwritten offering (an “Underwritten Shelf Take-Down”) and, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2.3(a)(2)(D) as modified by Section 2.3(d), the Company shall file and effect an amendment or supplement to its Shelf Registration Statement (including the filing of a supplemental prospectus) for such purpose as promptly as reasonably practicable. Such Initiating Shelf Holder shall indicate in such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice whether it intends for such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down to involve a customary “road show” (including an “electronic road show”) or other substantial marketing effort by the underwriters over a period of at least 48 hours (a “Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down”). Upon receipt of an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice indicating that such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down will be a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, the Company shall as promptly as reasonably practicable (but in any event no later than two Business Days after receipt of the notice for such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down) give written notice of such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down to all other Shelf Holders and shall permit the participation of all such Shelf Holders that request inclusion in such Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down who respond in writing within three Business Days after the receipt of such notice of their election to participate. The provisions of Section 2.3(c) (other than the first sentence thereof) shall apply with respect to the right of the Initiating Shelf Holder and any other Shelf Holder to participate in any Underwritten Shelf Take-Down.

 

 

(c)            If the Initiating Shelf Holder that is a Principal Stockholder desires to effect an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down that does not constitute a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down (a “Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down”), the Initiating Shelf Holder shall so indicate in a written request delivered to the Company no later than two Business Days prior to the expected date of such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, which request shall include (i) the total number of Registrable Securities expected to be offered and sold in such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, (ii) the expected plan of distribution of such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down and (iii) the action or actions required (including the timing thereof) in connection with such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down (including the delivery of one or more stock certificates representing shares of Registrable Securities to be sold in such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down) and, subject to the limitations set forth in Section 2.3(a)(2)(D) as modified by Section 2.3(d), the Company shall file and effect an amendment or supplement to its Shelf Registration Statement (including the filing of a supplemental prospectus) for such purpose as promptly as reasonably practicable (and in any event within three Business Days).

 

(d)            Upon receipt from any Principal Stockholder of a written request pursuant to Section 2.4(c), the Company shall provide written notice (a “Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice”) of such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down promptly to all Principal Stockholders (other than the requesting Principal Stockholder), which Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice shall set forth (i) the total number of Registrable Securities expected to be offered and sold in such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, (ii) the expected plan of distribution of such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, (iii) that each recipient of such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice (each, a “Notice Recipient”) shall have the right, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Section 2.4(d), to elect to sell up to its Non-Marketed Take-Down Share and (iv) the action or actions required (including the timing thereof, which for the avoidance of doubt shall not require any delay in the expected date of such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down or extension of the Company’s obligation to file and effect an amendment or supplement to its Shelf Registration Statement as soon as practicable (and in any event within three Business Days) of the Initiating Shelf Holder’s Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down request pursuant to Section 2.4(c)) in connection with such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down with respect to each Notice Recipient that elects to exercise such right (including the delivery of one or more stock certificates representing shares of Registrable Securities held by such Notice Recipient to be sold in such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down). Upon receipt of such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice, each such Notice Recipient may elect to sell up to its Non-Marketed Take-Down Share with respect to each such Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down, by taking such action or actions referred to in clause (iv) above in a timely manner. If the Initiating Shelf Holder does not elect to sell all of its respective Non-Marketed Take-Down Share, the unelected portion of such Non-Marketed Take-Down Share shall be allocated to the Notice Recipients, pro rata based on their respective Non-Marketed Take-Down Shares. Notwithstanding the delivery of any Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down Notice, all determinations as to whether to complete any Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down and as to the timing, manner, price and other terms of any Non-Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down contemplated by Section 2.4(d) shall be at the discretion of the Initiating Shelf Holder.

 

 

2.5           Selection of Underwriters. In the event that any registration pursuant to this Article II (other than a registration under Section 2.2) shall involve, in whole or in part, an underwritten offering, the underwriter or underwriters shall be designated by the Principal Stockholders (or in the case of a Shelf Take-Down, the Initiating Shelf Holder) that requested such underwritten offering in accordance with this Article II, which underwriter or underwriters shall be reasonably acceptable to the Company.

 

2.6           Withdrawal Rights; Expenses.

 

(a)            A Selling Holder may withdraw all or any part of its Registrable Securities from any registration or offering (including a registration effected pursuant to Section 2.1) by giving written notice to the Company of its request to withdraw at any time. In the case of a withdrawal, any Registrable Securities so withdrawn shall be reallocated among the remaining participants in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement.

 

(b)            Except as provided in this Agreement, the Company shall pay all Registration Expenses with respect to a particular offering (or proposed offering). Except as provided herein, each Selling Holder and the Company shall be responsible for its own fees and expenses of financial advisors and their internal administrative and similar costs, as well as their respective pro rata shares of underwriters’ commissions and discounts, which shall not constitute Registration Expenses.

 

(c)            If the Principal Stockholder(s) that requested a Demand Registration or a Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 2.4 withdraw all of its Registrable Securities from such Demand Registration or Marketed Underwritten Shelf Take-Down (a “Withdrawn Offering”), the other Principal Stockholder(s) or the Company may, in any of their sole discretion, elect within two Business Days thereafter to have the Company continue such Withdrawn Offering by giving written notice of such election to the Company and/or the other Principal Stockholders (a “Continuance Notice”), in which case such Withdrawn Offering shall proceed in accordance with the applicable provisions of this Agreement as if such Withdrawn Offering had been initiated by the Party providing the Continuance Notice (which, for the avoidance of doubt, shall not cause any new notice or consent period with respect to other Holders to occur under this Agreement and shall not otherwise change the requirements for and timing of any notices and consents under this Agreement as they then exist with respect to such Withdrawn Offering).

 

2.7           Registration and Qualification. If and whenever the Company is required to effect the registration of any Registrable Securities under the Securities Act as provided in this Article II, the Company shall as promptly as practicable:

 

(a)            Registration Statement. (i) Prepare and (as promptly as reasonably practicable thereafter and in any event no later than 20 days after the end of the applicable period specified in Section 2.1(a), Section 2.2(a) or Section 2.3(a)(2) within which requests for registration may be given to the Company) file a registration statement under the Securities Act relating to the Registrable Securities to be offered and use reasonable best efforts to cause such registration statement to become effective as promptly as practicable thereafter, and keep such registration statement effective for 180 days or, if earlier, until the distribution contemplated in the registration statement has been completed; provided, that in the case of any registration of Registrable Securities on Form S-3 which are intended to be offered on a continuous or delayed basis, such 180-day period shall be extended, if necessary, to keep the registration statement continuously effective, supplemented and amended to the extent necessary to ensure that it is available for sales of such Registrable Securities, and to ensure that it conforms with the requirements of this Agreement, the Securities Act and the policies, rules and regulations of the SEC as announced from time to time, until (A) the Selling Holders have sold all of such Registrable Securities or (B) no Registrable Securities then exist; (ii) furnish to the lead underwriter or underwriters, if any, and to the Selling Holders who have requested that Registrable Securities be covered by such registration statement, prior to the filing thereof with the SEC, a copy of the registration statement, and each amendment thereof, and a copy of any prospectus, and each amendment or supplement thereto (excluding amendments caused by the filing of a report under the Exchange Act); and (iii) use reasonable best efforts to reflect in each such document, when so filed with the SEC, such comments as such Persons reasonably may on a timely basis propose;

 

 

(b)            Amendments; Supplements. Prepare and file with the SEC such amendments and supplements to such registration statement and the prospectus used in connection therewith as may be (i) reasonably requested by any Selling Holder (to the extent such request relates to information relating to such Selling Holder), or (ii) necessary to keep such registration statement effective and to comply with the provisions of the Securities Act with respect to the disposition of all Registrable Securities until the earlier of (A) such time as all of such Registrable Securities have been disposed of in accordance with the intended methods of disposition set forth in such registration statement and (B) if a Form S-3 registration, the expiration of the applicable period specified in Section 2.7(a) and, if not a Form S-3 registration, the applicable period specified in Section 2.1(e)(iii); provided, that any such required period shall be extended for such number of days (x) during any period from and including the date any written notice contemplated by paragraph (f) below is given by the Company until the date on which the Company delivers to the Selling Holders the supplement or amendment contemplated by paragraph (f) below or written notice that the use of the prospectus may be resumed, as the case may be, and (y) during which the offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement is interfered with by any stop order, injunction or other order or requirement of the SEC or any other governmental agency or court; provided, further, that the Company shall have no obligation to a Selling Holder participating on a “piggyback” basis pursuant to Section 2.1(a) or Section 2.2 in a registration statement that has become effective to keep such registration statement effective for a period beyond 180 days from the effective date of such registration statement. The Company shall respond, as promptly as reasonably practicable, to any comments received from the SEC and request acceleration of effectiveness, as promptly as reasonably practicable, after it learns that the SEC will not review the registration statement or after it has satisfied comments received from the SEC. With respect to each Free Writing Prospectus or other materials to be included in the Disclosure Package, ensure that no Registrable Securities be sold “by means of” (as defined in Rule 159A(b) under the Securities Act) such Free Writing Prospectus or other materials without the prior written consent of the Selling Holders of the Registrable Securities covered by such registration statement, which Free Writing Prospectuses or other materials shall be subject to the review of counsel to such Selling Holders, and make all required filings of all Free Writing Prospectuses with the SEC;

 

 

(c)            Copies. Furnish to the Selling Holders and to any underwriter of such Registrable Securities such number of conformed copies of such registration statement and of each such amendment and supplement thereto (in each case including all exhibits), such number of copies of the prospectus included in such registration statement (including each preliminary prospectus, summary prospectus and Free Writing Prospectus), in conformity with the requirements of the Securities Act, such documents incorporated by reference in such registration statement or prospectus, and such other documents, as such Selling Holders or such underwriter may reasonably request, and upon request a copy of any and all transmittal letters or other correspondence to or received from, the SEC or any other Governmental Authority or self-regulatory body or other body having jurisdiction (including any domestic or foreign securities exchange) relating to such offering;

 

(d)            Blue Sky. Register and qualify the securities covered by such registration statement under such other securities or blue sky laws of such jurisdictions as shall be reasonably requested by the Selling Holders and do any and all other acts and things which may be reasonably necessary or advisable to enable such Selling Holders to consummate the disposition in such jurisdictions of the Registrable Securities owned by such Selling Holder; provided, that the Company shall not be required in connection therewith or as a condition thereto to qualify to do business, or to file a general consent to service of process in any such states or jurisdictions;

 

(e)            Delivery of Certain Documents. (i) Furnish to each Selling Holder and to any underwriter of such Registrable Securities an opinion of counsel for the Company (which opinion (in form, scope and substance) shall be reasonably satisfactory to the managing underwriters, if any, or, in the case of a non-underwritten offering, to the Selling Holders) addressed to each Selling Holder and any underwriter of such Registrable Securities and dated the date of the closing under the underwriting agreement (if any) (or if such offering is not underwritten, dated the effective date of the applicable registration statement) covering the matters customarily covered in opinions requested in sales of securities or underwritten offerings, (ii) in connection with an underwritten offering, furnish to each Selling Holder and any underwriter of such Registrable Securities a “cold comfort” and “bring-down” letter addressed to each Selling Holder and any underwriter of such Registrable Securities and signed by the independent public accountants who have audited the financial statements of the Company included in such registration statement, in each such case covering substantially the same matters with respect to such registration statement (and the prospectus included therein) as are customarily covered in accountants’ letters delivered to underwriters in underwritten public offerings of securities and such other matters as any Selling Holder may reasonably request and, in the case of such accountants’ letter, with respect to events subsequent to the date of such financial statements and (iii) cause such authorized officers of the Company to execute customary certificates as may be requested by any Selling Holder or any underwriter of such Registrable Securities;

 

(f)            Notification of Certain Events; Corrections. Promptly notify the Selling Holders and any underwriter of such Registrable Securities in writing (i) of the occurrence of any event as a result of which the registration statement or the prospectus included in such registration statement, as then in effect, includes an untrue statement of a material fact or omits to state any material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein, in light of the circumstances under which they were made, not misleading, (ii) of any request by the SEC or any other regulatory body or other body having jurisdiction for any amendment of or supplement to any registration statement or other document relating to such offering, and (iii) if for any other reason it shall be necessary to amend or supplement such registration statement or prospectus in order to comply with the Securities Act and, in any such case as promptly as reasonably practicable thereafter, prepare and file with the SEC an amendment or supplement to such registration statement or prospectus which will correct such statement or omission or effect such compliance;

 

 

(g)           Notice of Effectiveness. Notify the Selling Holders and the lead underwriter or underwriters, if any, and (if requested) confirm such advice in writing, as promptly as reasonably practicable after notice thereof is received by the Company (i) when the applicable registration statement or any amendment thereto has been filed or becomes effective and when the applicable prospectus or any amendment or supplement thereto has been filed, (ii) of any comments by the SEC, (iii) of the issuance by the SEC of any stop order suspending the effectiveness of such registration statement or any order preventing or suspending the use of any preliminary or final prospectus or the initiation or threat of any proceedings for such purposes and (iv) of the receipt by the Company of any notification with respect to the suspension of the qualification of the Registrable Securities for offering or sale in any jurisdiction or the initiation or threat of any proceeding for such purpose;

 

(h)           Stop Orders. Use its reasonable best efforts to prevent the entry of, and use its reasonable best efforts to obtain as promptly as reasonably practicable the withdrawal of, any stop order with respect to the applicable registration statement or other order suspending the use of any preliminary or final prospectus;

 

(i)            Plan of Distribution. Promptly incorporate in a prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment to the applicable registration statement such information as any Selling Holder requests (subject to the agreement of the lead underwriter or underwriters, if any) be included therein relating to the plan of distribution with respect to such Registrable Securities, which may include disposition of Registrable Securities by all lawful means, including firm-commitment underwritten public offerings, block trades, in-kind distributions, agented transactions, sales directly into the market, purchases or sales by brokers, derivative transactions, short sales, stock loan or stock pledge transactions and sales not involving a public offering; and make all required filings of such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment as promptly as reasonably practicable after being notified of the matters to be incorporated in such prospectus supplement or post-effective amendment;

 

(j)            Other Filings. Use its reasonable best efforts to cause the Registrable Securities covered by the applicable registration statement to be registered with or approved by such other Governmental Authorities as may be necessary to enable the seller or sellers thereof or the underwriter or underwriters, if any, to consummate the disposition of such Registrable Securities;

 

(k)            FINRA Compliance. Cooperate with each Selling Holder and each underwriter or agent, if any, participating in the disposition of such Registrable Securities and their respective counsel in connection with any filings required to be made with FINRA;

 

 

(l)              Listing. Use its reasonable best efforts to cause all such Registrable Securities registered pursuant to such registration to be listed and remain on each securities exchange and automated interdealer quotation system on which identical securities issued by the Company are then listed;

 

(m)            Transfer Agent; Registrar; CUSIP Number. Provide a transfer agent and registrar for all Registrable Securities registered pursuant to such registration and a CUSIP number for all such Registrable Securities, in each case not later than the effective date of the applicable registration statement;

 

(n)            Compliance; Earnings Statement. Otherwise use its reasonable best efforts to comply with all applicable rules and regulations of the SEC, and make available to each Selling Holder, as soon as reasonably practicable, an earnings statement covering the period of at least 12 months, but not more than 18 months, beginning with the first month after the effective date of the applicable registration statement, which earnings statement shall satisfy the provisions of Section 11(a) of the Securities Act;

 

(o)            Road Shows. To the extent reasonably requested by the lead or managing underwriters in connection with an underwritten offering pursuant to Section 2.1 or a Form S-3 underwritten offering pursuant to Section 2.3 and Section 2.4(b), send appropriate officers of the Company to attend any “road shows” scheduled in connection with any such underwritten offering, with all out of pocket costs and expenses incurred by the Company or such officers in connection with such attendance to be paid by the Company;

 

(p)            Certificates. Unless the relevant securities are issued in book-entry form, furnish for delivery in connection with the closing of any offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a registration effected pursuant to this Article II unlegended certificates representing ownership of the Registrable Securities being sold in such denominations as shall be requested by any Selling Holder or the underwriters of such Registrable Securities (it being understood that the Selling Holders shall use reasonable best efforts to arrange for delivery to the Depository Trust Company); and

 

(q)            Reasonable Best Efforts. Use reasonable best efforts to take all other steps necessary to effect the registration and offering of the Registrable Securities contemplated hereby.

 

 

2.8            Underwriting; Due Diligence.

 

(a)            If requested by the underwriters for any underwritten offering of Registrable Securities pursuant to a registration requested under this Article II, the Company shall enter into an underwriting agreement with such underwriters for such offering, which agreement will contain such representations and warranties by the Company and such other terms and provisions as are customarily contained in underwriting agreements generally with respect to secondary distributions to the extent relevant, including indemnification and contribution provisions substantially to the effect and to the extent provided in Section 2.9, and agreements as to the provision of opinions of counsel and accountants’ letters to the effect and to the extent provided in Section 2.7(e). The Selling Holders on whose behalf the Registrable Securities are to be distributed by such underwriters shall be parties to any such underwriting agreement, and the representations and warranties by, and the other agreements on the part of, the Company to and for the benefit of such underwriters, shall also be made to and for the benefit of such Selling Holders and the conditions precedent to the obligations of such underwriters under such underwriting agreement shall also be conditions precedent to the obligations of such Selling Holders to the extent applicable. Subject to the following sentence, such underwriting agreement shall also contain such representations and warranties by such Selling Holders and such other terms and provisions as are customarily contained in underwriting agreements with respect to secondary distributions, when relevant. No Selling Holder shall be required in any such underwriting agreement or related documents to make any representations or warranties to or agreements with the Company or the underwriters other than customary representations, warranties or agreements regarding such Selling Holder’s title to Registrable Securities and any written information provided by the Selling Holder to the Company expressly for inclusion in the related registration statement, and the liability of any Selling Holder under the underwriting agreement shall be several and not joint and in no event shall the liability of any Selling Holder under the underwriting agreement be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds received by such Selling Holder under the sale of the Registrable Securities pursuant to such underwriting agreement (net of underwriting discounts and commissions).

 

(b)            In connection with the preparation and filing of each registration statement registering Registrable Securities under the Securities Act pursuant to this Article II, the Company shall make available upon reasonable notice at reasonable times and for reasonable periods for inspection by each Selling Holder, by any lead underwriter or underwriters participating in any disposition to be effected pursuant to such registration statement, and by any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by any Selling Holder or any lead underwriter, all pertinent financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company, and use its reasonable best efforts to cause all of the Company’s officers, directors and employees and the independent public accountants who have certified the Company’s financial statements to make themselves reasonably available to discuss the business of the Company and to supply all information reasonably requested by any such Selling Holders, lead underwriters, attorneys, accountants or agents in connection with such registration statement as shall be necessary to enable them to exercise their due diligence responsibility (subject to entry by each party referred to in this clause (b) into customary confidentiality agreements in a form reasonably acceptable to the Company).

 

(c)            In the case of an underwritten offering requested by the Principal Stockholders pursuant to Section 2.1 or Section 2.3 or an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down pursuant to Section 2.4, the price, underwriting discount and other financial terms for the Registrable Securities of the related underwriting agreement shall be determined by the Principal Stockholder exercising its Demand or requesting such Underwritten Shelf Take-Down. In the case of any underwritten offering of securities by the Company pursuant to Section 2.2, such price, discount and other terms shall be determined by the Company, subject to the right of Selling Holders to withdraw their Registrable Securities from the registration pursuant to Section 2.6(a).

 

 

(d)            Subject to Section 2.8(a), no Person may participate in an underwritten offering (including an Underwritten Shelf Take-Down) unless such Person (i) agrees to sell such Person’s securities on the basis provided in any underwriting arrangements approved by the Persons entitled to approve such arrangements and (ii) completes and executes all customary questionnaires, powers of attorney, custody agreements, indemnities, underwriting agreement and other documents reasonably required under the terms of such underwriting arrangements.

 

2.9            Indemnification and Contribution.

 

(a)             Indemnification by the Company. In the case of each offering of Registrable Securities made pursuant to this Article II, the Company agrees to indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by applicable law, each Selling Holder, each underwriter of Registrable Securities so offered and each Person, if any, who controls or is alleged to control (within the meaning set forth in the Securities Act) any of the foregoing Persons, the Affiliates of each of the foregoing (other than the Company and its controlled Affiliates), and the officers, directors, partners, members, employees and agents of each of the foregoing, against any and all losses, liabilities, costs (including reasonable attorney’s fees and disbursements), claims and damages, joint or several, to which they or any of them may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, including any amount paid in settlement of any litigation commenced or threatened, insofar as such losses, liabilities, costs, claims and damages (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof, whether or not such indemnified Person is a party thereto) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact contained in the registration statement (or in any preliminary, final or summary prospectus included therein) or in the Disclosure Package, or in any offering memorandum or other offering document relating to the offering and sale of such Registrable Securities, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or in any document incorporated by reference therein, or any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus or preliminary prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading; provided, however, that the Company shall not be liable to any Person in any such case to the extent that any such loss, liability, cost, claim or damage arises out of or relates to any untrue statement, or any omission, if such statement or omission shall have been made in reliance upon and in conformity with information relating to such Person (which information shall be limited to the name of such Person, the address of such Person, the number of shares of Common Stock held by such Person, the number of shares of Common Stock being offered by such Person in the offering and the nature of the beneficial ownership of the Common Stock owned by such Person) furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Person expressly for inclusion in the registration statement (or in any preliminary, final or summary prospectus included therein), offering memorandum or other offering document, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto. Such indemnity shall remain in full force and effect regardless of any investigation made by or on behalf of any such Person and shall survive the transfer of such securities.

 

 

(b)            Indemnification by Selling Holders. In the case of each offering made pursuant to this Agreement, each Selling Holder, by exercising its registration and/or piggyback rights under this Agreement, agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify and hold harmless, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the Company, each other Selling Holder and each Person, if any, who controls or is alleged to control (within the meaning set forth in the Securities Act) any of the foregoing, any Affiliate of any of the foregoing, and the officers, directors, partners, members, employees and agents of each of the foregoing, against any and all losses, liabilities, costs (including reasonable attorney’s fees and disbursements), claims and damages to which they or any of them may become subject, under the Securities Act or otherwise, including any amount paid in settlement of any litigation commenced or threatened, insofar as such losses, liabilities, costs, claims and damages (or actions or proceedings in respect thereof, whether or not such indemnified Person is a party thereto) arise out of or are based upon any untrue statement made by such Selling Holder of a material fact contained in the registration statement (or in any preliminary, final or summary prospectus included therein) or in the Disclosure Package relating to the offering and sale of such Registrable Securities prepared by the Company or at its direction, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto, or any omission by such Selling Holder of a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein (in the case of a prospectus or preliminary prospectus, in light of the circumstances under which they were made) not misleading, but in each case only to the extent that such untrue statement of a material fact occurs in reliance upon and in conformity with, or such material fact is omitted from, information relating to such Selling Holder (which information shall be limited to the name of such Selling Holder, the address of such Selling Holder, the number of shares of Common Stock held by such Selling Holder, the number of shares of Common Stock being offered by such Selling Holder in the offering and the nature of the beneficial ownership of the Common Stock owned by such Person) furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Selling Holder expressly for inclusion in such registration statement (or in any preliminary, final or summary prospectus included therein) or Disclosure Package, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.

 

(c)            Indemnification Procedures. Each Party entitled to indemnification under this Section 2.9 shall give notice to the Party required to provide indemnification, as promptly as reasonably practicable, after such indemnified Party has actual knowledge that a claim is to be made against the indemnified Party as to which indemnity may be sought, and shall permit the indemnifying Party to assume the defense of such claim or litigation resulting therefrom and any related settlement and settlement negotiations, subject to the limitations on settlement set forth below; provided, that counsel for the indemnifying Party, who shall conduct the defense of such claim or any litigation resulting therefrom, shall be approved by the indemnified Party (whose approval shall not unreasonably be withheld, conditioned or delayed), and the indemnified Party may participate in such defense at such Party’s expense; and provided, further, that the failure of any indemnified Party to give notice as provided in this Agreement shall not relieve the indemnifying Party of its obligations under this Section 2.9, except to the extent the indemnifying Party is actually prejudiced by such failure to give notice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, an indemnified Party shall have the right to retain separate counsel, with the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel being paid by the indemnifying Party, if representation of such indemnified Party by the counsel retained by the indemnifying Party would be inappropriate due to actual or potential differing interests between such indemnified Party and any other party represented by such counsel or if the indemnifying Party has failed to assume the defense of such action. No indemnified Party shall enter into any settlement of any litigation commenced or threatened with respect to which indemnification is or may be sought without the prior written consent of the indemnifying Party (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed). No indemnifying Party, in the defense of any such claim or litigation, shall, except with the consent of each indemnified Party, consent to entry of any judgment or enter into any settlement that does not include as an unconditional term thereof the giving by the claimant or plaintiff to such indemnified Party of a release, reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified Party, from all liability in respect to such claim or litigation. Each indemnified Party shall furnish such information regarding itself or the claim in question as an indemnifying Party may reasonably request in writing and as shall be reasonably required in connection with defense of such claim and litigation resulting therefrom.

 

 

(d)            Contribution. If the indemnification provided for in this Section 2.9 shall for any reason be unavailable (other than in accordance with its terms) to an indemnified Party in respect of any loss, liability, cost, claim or damage referred to therein, then each indemnifying Party shall, in lieu of indemnifying such indemnified Party, contribute to the amount paid or payable by such indemnified Party as a result of such loss, liability, cost, claim or damage in such proportion as shall be appropriate to reflect the relative fault of the indemnifying Party on the one hand and the indemnified Party on the other with respect to the statements or omissions which resulted in such loss, liability, cost, claim or damage as well as any other relevant equitable considerations. The relative fault shall be determined by reference to whether the untrue statement of a material fact or omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the indemnifying Party on the one hand or the indemnified Party on the other, the intent of the Parties and their relative knowledge, access to information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission. The amount paid or payable by an indemnified Party as a result of the loss, cost, claim, damage or liability, or action in respect thereof, referred to above in this paragraph (d) shall be deemed to include, for purposes of this paragraph (d), any legal or other expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified Party in connection with investigating or defending any such action or claim. No Person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to contribution from any Person who was not guilty of such fraudulent misrepresentation. Notwithstanding anything in this Section 2.9(d) to the contrary, no indemnifying Party (other than the Company) shall be required pursuant to this Section 2.9(d) to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by which the net proceeds received by such indemnifying Party from the sale of Registrable Securities in the offering to which the losses of the indemnified Parties relate exceeds the amount of any damages which such indemnifying Party has otherwise been required to pay by reason of such untrue statement or omission. The Parties agree that it would not be just and equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 2.9(d) were determined by pro rata allocation or by any other method of allocation which does not take into account the equitable considerations referred to in this Section 2.9(d).

 

(e)            Indemnification/Contribution under State Law. Indemnification and contribution similar to that specified in the preceding paragraphs of this Section 2.9 (with appropriate modifications) shall be given by the Company and the Selling Holders with respect to any required registration or other qualification of securities under any state applicable law or with any Governmental Authority.

 

(f)              Obligations Not Exclusive. The obligations of the Parties under this Section 2.9 shall be in addition to any liability which any Party may otherwise have to any other Person.

 

(g)              Survival. For the avoidance of doubt, the provisions of this Section 2.9 shall survive any termination of this Agreement.

 

 

(h)            Limitation of Selling Holder Liability. The liability of any Selling Holder under this Section 2.9 shall be several and not joint and in no event shall the liability of any Selling Holder under this Section 2.9 be greater in amount than the dollar amount of the proceeds, net of underwriting discounts and commissions, received by such Selling Holder from the sale of the Registrable Securities giving rise to such indemnification/contribution obligation.

 

(i)              Third Party Beneficiary. Each of the indemnified Persons referred to in this Section 2.9 shall be a third party beneficiary of the rights conferred to such Person in this Section.

 

2.10         Cooperation; Information by Selling Holder.

 

(a)            It shall be a condition of each Selling Holder’s rights under this Article II that such Selling Holder cooperate with the Company by entering into any undertakings and taking such other action relating to the conduct of the proposed offering which the Company or the underwriters may reasonably request as being necessary to insure compliance with federal and state securities laws and the rules or other requirements of FINRA or which are otherwise customary and which the Company or the underwriters may reasonably request to effectuate the offering.

 

(b)            Each Selling Holder shall furnish to the Company such information regarding such Selling Holder and the distribution proposed by such Selling Holder as the Company may reasonably request in writing and as shall be reasonably required in connection with any registration, qualification or compliance referred to in this Article II. The Company shall have the right to exclude from the registration any Selling Holder that does not comply with this Section 2.10.

 

(c)            At such time as an underwriting agreement with respect to a particular underwriting is entered into, the terms of any such underwriting agreement shall govern with respect to the matters set forth therein to the extent inconsistent with this Article II; provided, that the indemnification provisions of such underwriting agreement as they relate to the Selling Holders are customary for registrations of the type then proposed and provide for indemnification by such Selling Holders only with respect to information relating to such Selling Holder (which information shall be limited to the name of such Selling Holder, the address of such Selling Holder, the number of shares of Common Stock held by such Selling Holder, the number of shares of Common Stock being offered by such Selling Holder in the offering and the nature of the beneficial ownership of the Common Stock owned by such Person) furnished in writing to the Company by or on behalf of such Selling Holder expressly for inclusion in such registration statement (or in any preliminary, final or summary prospectus included therein) or Disclosure Package, or any amendment thereof or supplement thereto.

 

2.11         Rule 144. The Company shall use its reasonable best efforts to ensure that the conditions to the availability of Rule 144 under the Securities Act set forth in paragraph (c) of Rule 144 shall be satisfied. The Company agrees to use its reasonable best efforts to file with the SEC in a timely manner all reports and other documents required of the Company under the Securities Act and the Exchange Act, at any time after it has become subject to such reporting requirements. Upon the request of any Holder for so long as such information is a necessary element of such Person’s ability to avail itself of Rule 144, the Company shall deliver to such Person (i) a written statement as to whether it has complied with such requirements and (ii) a copy of the most recent annual or quarterly report of the Company, and such other reports and documents so filed as such Person may reasonably request in availing itself of any rule or regulation of the SEC allowing such Person to sell any such securities without registration.

 

 

2.12         Holdback Agreement.

 

(a)            In the case of any underwritten offering pursuant to this Agreement, each Holder participating in such underwritten offering, agrees not to effect any public sale or distribution (including sales pursuant to Rule 144) of Equity Securities of the Company, or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for such equity securities, during any time period reasonably requested by the managing underwriter(s) of such underwritten offering, which shall not exceed 90 days. Each Holder subject to the restrictions of the preceding sentence shall receive the benefit of any shorter “lock-up” period or permitted exceptions agreed to by the managing underwriter(s) for any underwritten offering pursuant to this Agreement and the terms of such lock-up agreements shall govern such Holder in lieu of the preceding sentence.

 

(b)            In the case of any underwritten offering pursuant to this Agreement, the Company shall use commercially reasonable efforts to cause any stockholders that beneficially own 5% or more of the Common Stock (other than the Principal Stockholders) and its directors and executive officers to execute any lock-up agreements in form and substance as agreed by the Principal Stockholders and as reasonably requested by the managing underwriters.

 

(c)            In the case of any underwritten offering pursuant to this Agreement, the Company agrees not to effect any public offering or distribution of any Equity Securities of the Company, or securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for Equity Securities of the Company for a period commencing on the date of the prospectus pursuant to which such offering may be made and ending 90 days after the date of such prospectus, except as part of such underwritten offering. In the case of the IPO, each Holder shall enter into the lock-up agreement requested by the managing underwriters and approved by the Principal Stockholders.

 

2.13          Suspension of Sales. Each Selling Holder participating in a registration agrees that, upon receipt of notice from the Company pursuant to Section 2.7(f), such Selling Holder shall discontinue disposition of its Registrable Securities pursuant to such registration statement until receipt of the copies of the supplemented or amended prospectus contemplated by Section 2.7(f), or until advised in writing by the Company that the use of the prospectus may be resumed, as the case may be, and, if so directed by the Company, such Selling Holder shall deliver to the Company (at the Company’s expense) all copies, other than permanent file copies then in such Selling Holder’s possession, of the prospectus covering such Registrable Securities which are current at the time of the receipt of the notice of the event described in Section 2.7(f).

 

2.14         Third Party Registration Rights.

 

(a)            Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to prevent the Company from providing registration rights to any other Person on such terms as the board of directors of the Company deems desirable in its sole discretion; provided that the Company does not grant any shelf, demand, piggyback or incidental registration rights that are senior to or otherwise conflict with the rights granted to the Holders under this Agreement to any other Person without the prior written consent of the Principal Stockholders.

 

 

(b)            (i) Any Person may join this Agreement as a Holder with the prior written consent of the Company and the Principal Stockholders (such Person, a “New Holder”), provided that such New Holder (a) enters into a joinder agreement in the form attached hereto as Annex A to become party to this Agreement and expressly be subject to Section 2.12 herein and (b) if a New Holder is an individual and married, such New Holder shall, as a condition to becoming a Holder deliver to the Company a duly executed copy of a spousal consent in the form attached hereto as Annex B.

 

2.15         Mergers. The Company shall not, directly or indirectly, (x) enter into any merger, consolidation, recapitalization, combination of shares or other reorganization in which the Company shall not be the surviving corporation or (y) Transfer or agree to Transfer all or substantially all the Company’s assets, unless prior to such merger, consolidation, reorganization or asset Transfer, the surviving corporation or the transferee, as applicable, shall have agreed in writing to assume the obligations of the Company under this Agreement, and for that purpose references hereunder to “Registrable Securities”, shall be deemed to include the securities which the Holders, would be entitled to receive in exchange for Registrable Securities, pursuant to any such merger, consolidation, reorganization or asset Transfer.

 

ARTICLE III
MISCELLANEOUS

 

3.1          Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications to any party hereunder shall be made in writing (including facsimile transmission and electronic mail (“e-mail”) transmission, so long as a receipt of such e-mail is requested and received by non-automated response) and shall be given:

 

(a)           if to the Company, to:

 

Latham Group, Inc.
787 Watervliet Shaker Road

Latham, New York 12110
Attention:          General Counsel
E-mail:                

 

With copies (which shall not constitute actual or constructive notice) to:

 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Angelo Bonvino

   John C. Kennedy

Facsimile: (212) 492-0025

E-mail: abonvino@paulweiss.com

     jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

 

(b)           if to Wynnchurch:

 

c/o Wynnchurch Capital, L.P.

6250 N. River Rd., Suite 10-100

Rosemont, IL 60018

Attention: Christopher P. O’Brien; Carl Howe

E-mail:

 

With copies (which shall not constitute actual or constructive notice) to:

 

Foley & Lardner LLP
500 Woodward Ave, Suite 2700
Detroit, MI 48226
Attention: Omar Lucia

Email: olucia@foley.com

 

(c)           if to Pamplona:

 

c/o Pamplona Capital Management LLC

667 Madison Avenue, 22nd Floor

New York, NY 10065

Attention: Andrew Singer

E-mail: [●]

 

With copies (which shall not constitute actual or constructive notice) to:

 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP

1285 Avenue of the Americas

New York, NY 10019

Attention: Angelo Bonvino

    John C. Kennedy

Facsimile: (212) 492-0025

E-mail: abonvino@paulweiss.com

      jkennedy@paulweiss.com

 

(d)

if to any Other Holder, to the addresses and other contact information set forth on Schedule I to this Agreement (it being understood that any Holder may, from time to time, update any address and/or other contact information for itself on Schedule I by providing written notice of such update to the Company and the other Holders), or to such other address or facsimile number as such party may hereafter specify for the purpose by notice to the other Parties hereto.

 

 

All such notices, requests and other communications shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5:00 p.m. New York City time on a Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or communication shall be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.

 

(e)           if to any Transferee or any New Holder, to the address specified by such Person on the applicable joinder to this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, any Person may, from time to time, update any address and/or other contact information for itself by providing written notice of such update to the Company and the other Holders. All notices, requests and other communications shall be deemed received on the date of receipt by the recipient thereof if received prior to 5:00 p.m. New York City time on a Business Day in the place of receipt. Otherwise, any such notice, request or communication shall be deemed to have been received on the next succeeding Business Day in the place of receipt.

 

3.2          Section Headings. The article and section headings in this Agreement are for reference purposes only and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this Agreement. References in this Agreement to a designated “Article” or “Section” refer to an Article or Section of this Agreement unless otherwise specifically indicated.

 

3.3          Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware.

 

3.4          Consent to Jurisdiction and Service of Process. The Parties agree that any suit, action or proceeding seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of or in connection with, this Agreement or the transactions contemplated by this Agreement (whether brought by any Party or any of its Affiliates or against any Party or any of its Affiliates) shall be brought in the Delaware Chancery Court or, if such court shall not have jurisdiction, any federal court located in the State of Delaware or other Delaware state court, and each of the Parties hereby irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of such courts (and of the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection that it may now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in any such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court has been brought in an inconvenient forum. Process in any such suit, action or proceeding may be served on any Party anywhere in the world, whether within or without the jurisdiction of any such court. Without limiting the foregoing, each Party agrees that service of process on such Party as provided in Section 3.1 shall be deemed effective service of process on such Party.

 

3.5          Amendments; Termination. This Agreement may be amended only by an instrument in writing executed by the Company and the Principal Stockholders; provided, however, that, with respect to a particular Holder or group of Holders, any such amendment, supplement, modification or waiver that (a) would materially and adversely affect such Holder or group of Holders in any respect or (b) would disproportionately benefit any other Holder or group of Holders or confer any benefit on any other Holder or group of Holders to which such Holder of group of Holders would not be entitled, shall not be effective against such Holder or group of Holders unless approved in writing by such Holder or the Holders of a majority of the Registrable Securities held by such group of Holders, as the case may be. This Agreement will terminate as to any Holder when it no longer holds any Registrable Securities.

 

 

3.6          Specific Enforcement. The Parties acknowledge that the remedies at law of the other Parties for a breach or threatened breach of this Agreement would be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, any Party to this Agreement, without posting any bond, and in addition to all other remedies that may be available, shall be entitled to obtain equitable relief in the form of specific performance, a temporary restraining order, a temporary or permanent injunction or any other equitable remedy that may then be available.

 

3.7          Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the Parties with respect to the transactions contemplated by this Agreement. The registration rights granted under this Agreement supersede any registration, qualification or similar rights with respect to any Registrable Securities granted under any other agreement at any time, and any of such preexisting registration rights are hereby terminated.

 

3.8          Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any specific provision of this Agreement shall not invalidate or render unenforceable any of its other provisions. Any provision of this Agreement held invalid or unenforceable shall be deemed reformed, if practicable, to the extent necessary to render it valid and enforceable and to the extent permitted by law and consistent with the intent of the Parties to this Agreement.

 

3.9          Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in multiple counterparts, including by means of facsimile or .pdf, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together shall constitute the same instrument.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have caused this Agreement to be duly executed and delivered as of the date first set forth above.

 

 

	LATHAM GROUP, INC.
	By:
	Name:
	Title:
	WYNNCHURCH CAPITAL PARTNERS IV, L.P
	By:
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	WC PARTNERS EXECUTIVE IV, L.P.
	By:
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	PAMPLONA CAPITAL PARTNERS V, L.P.
	By:
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

 

Annex A

 

SCHEDULE I

 

List of Holders

 

Other Holder	Address for Notice

 

 

Annex A

 

FORM OF
JOINDER AGREEMENT

 

The undersigned is executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement pursuant to that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of [___], 2021 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Registration Rights Agreement”), by and among Latham Group, Inc. and certain stockholders party thereto. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this Joinder Agreement shall have the respective meanings ascribed to such terms in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

By executing and delivering this Joinder Agreement to the Registration Rights Agreement, the undersigned hereby adopts and approves the Registration Rights Agreement and agrees, effective commencing on the date hereof and as a condition to the undersigned’s becoming a [Transferee of Registrable Securities] and [a Principal Stockholder][a Holder], to be bound by and comply with the provisions of, the Registration Rights Agreement, including Section 2.12 therein, in the same manner as if the undersigned were an original signatory to the Registration Rights Agreement. [Describe partial transfer of registration rights, if applicable.]

 

The undersigned acknowledges and agrees that Article III of the Registration Rights Agreement is incorporated herein by reference, mutatis mutandis.

 

Accordingly, the undersigned has executed and delivered this Joinder Agreement as of the          day of                        ,             .

 

	(Signature of [Transferee][New Holder])
	(Print Name of [Transferee][New Holder])
	Address:

 

 

Annex A

 

	Telephone:
	Facsimile:
	Email:

 

AGREED AND ACCEPTED

as of the ____ day of ____________, _____.

 

LATHAM GROUP, INC.
By:
	Name:
	Title:
PAMPLONA CAPITAL PARTNERS V, L.P.
By:
By:
	Name:
	Title:

 

 

Annex B

 

FORM OF
SPOUSAL CONSENT

 

In consideration of the execution of that certain Registration Rights Agreement, dated as of [___], 2021 (as amended, restated, supplemented or otherwise modified in accordance with the terms thereof, the “Registration Rights Agreement”), by and among Latham Group, Inc. and certain stockholders party thereto, I, ____________________, the spouse of ___________________________, who is a party to the Registration Rights Agreement, do hereby join with my spouse in executing the foregoing Registration Rights Agreement and do hereby agree to be bound by all of the terms and provisions thereof, in consideration of [Transfer][acquisition] of Registrable Securities and all other interests I may have in the shares and securities subject thereto, whether the interest may be pursuant to community property laws or similar laws relating to marital property in effect in the state or province of my or our residence as of the date of signing this consent. Capitalized terms used but not defined herein shall have the meaning ascribed to such terms in the Registration Rights Agreement.

 

Dated as of _______ __, ____
	(Signature of Spouse)
	(Print Name of Spouse)

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.7 

 

 

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

by and between

 

LATHAM GROUP, INC.

 

and

 

as Indemnitee

 

	Dated as of [●], 2021

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

	Page
ARTICLE 1 DEFINITIONS	2
ARTICLE 2 INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS	6
ARTICLE 3 INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY	7
ARTICLE 4 INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL	7
ARTICLE 5 INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS	8
ARTICLE 6 ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS	8
ARTICLE 7 CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY	8
ARTICLE 8 EXCLUSIONS	9
ARTICLE 9 ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; SELECTION OF LAW FIRM	10
ARTICLE 10 PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION; DEFENSE OF CLAIM; SETTLEMENT	11
ARTICLE 11 PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION	12
ARTICLE 12 PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS	13
ARTICLE 13 REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE	15
ARTICLE 14 SECURITY	16
ARTICLE 15 NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; PRIMACY OF INDEMNIFICATION; SUBROGATION	16
ARTICLE 16 ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT	19
ARTICLE 17 MISCELLANEOUS	19

 

 

INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT

 

Indemnification Agreement, dated effective as of [●], 2021 (this “Agreement”), by and between Latham Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [•] (“Indemnitee”). Capitalized terms used herein and not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth in Article 1.

 

WHEREAS, the Company desires to attract and retain the services of highly qualified individuals, such as Indemnitee, to serve the Company;

 

WHEREAS, in order to induce Indemnitee to provide or continue to provide services to the Company, the Company wishes to provide for the indemnification of, and advancement of expenses to, Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law;

 

WHEREAS, the Company and Indemnitee further recognize the substantial increase in corporate litigation in general, subjecting directors, officers, employees, agents and fiduciaries to expensive litigation risks at the same time as the availability and scope of coverage of liability insurance provide increasing challenges for the Company;

 

WHEREAS, the Company’s Amended and Restated Bylaws (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Bylaws”) require indemnification of the officers and directors of the Company, and Indemnitee may also be entitled to indemnification pursuant to applicable provisions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”);

 

WHEREAS, the Bylaws and the DGCL expressly provide that the indemnification provisions set forth therein are not exclusive, and thereby contemplate that contracts providing for indemnification may be entered into between the Company and members of the board of directors of the Company (the “Board”), executive officers and other key employees of the Company;

 

WHEREAS, this Agreement is a supplement to and in furtherance of the Bylaws and any resolutions adopted pursuant thereto and shall not be deemed a substitute therefor nor to diminish or abrogate any rights of Indemnitee thereunder (regardless of, among other things, any amendment to or revocation of governing documents or any change in the composition of the Board or any Corporate Transaction); and

 

WHEREAS, Indemnitee will serve or continue to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company for so long as Indemnitee is duly elected or appointed or until Indemnitee tenders his or her resignation or is otherwise terminated by the Company.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the promises and the covenants contained herein, the Company and Indemnitee do hereby covenant and agree as follows:

 

 

 

ARTICLE 1

 

DEFINITIONS

 

As used in this Agreement:

 

1.1.          “Affiliate” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (as in effect on the date hereof).

 

1.2.          “Agreement” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

1.3.          “Beneficial Owner” and “Beneficial Ownership” shall have the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 under the Exchange Act (as in effect on the date hereof).

 

1.4.          “Board” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

1.5.          “Bylaws” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

1.6.          “Certificate of Incorporation” shall mean the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time).

 

1.7.          “Change in Control” shall mean, and shall be deemed to occur upon the earliest to occur after the date of this Agreement of any of the following events:

 

(a)           Acquisition of Stock by Third Party. Any Person other than a Permitted Holder is or becomes the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of securities of the Company representing more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities, unless (i) the change in the relative Beneficial Ownership of the Company’s securities by any Person results solely from a reduction in the aggregate number of outstanding shares of securities entitled to vote generally in the election of directors or (ii) such acquisition was approved in advance by the Continuing Directors and such acquisition would not constitute a Change in Control under part (c) of this definition;

 

(b)           Change in Board of Directors. Individuals who, as of the date hereof, constitute the Board, and any new director whose appointment or election by the Board or nomination for election by the Company’s stockholders was approved or recommended by a vote of at least a majority of the directors then still in office who were directors on the date hereof or whose appointment, election or nomination for election was previously so approved or recommended by the directors referred to in this clause (b) (collectively, the “Continuing Directors”), cease for any reason to constitute at least a majority of the members of the Board;

 

 

(c)           Corporate Transactions. The effective date of a reorganization, merger or consolidation of the Company (in each case, a “Corporate Transaction”), unless following such Corporate Transaction: (i) all or substantially all of the individuals and entities who were the Beneficial Owners of Voting Securities of the Company immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction beneficially own, directly or indirectly, more than 50% of the combined voting power of the then outstanding Voting Securities of the Company or other Person resulting from such Corporate Transaction (including, without limitation, a corporation or other Person that as a result of such transaction owns the Company or all or substantially all of the Company’s assets either directly or through one or more Subsidiaries) in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Voting Securities immediately prior to such Corporate Transaction; (ii) no Person (excluding any corporation resulting from such Corporate Transaction or the Permitted Holders) is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the combined voting power of the then outstanding Voting Securities of the Company or other Person resulting from such Corporate Transaction, except to the extent that such ownership existed prior to such Corporate Transaction; and (iii) at least a majority of the board of directors of the Company or other Person resulting from such Corporate Transaction were Continuing Directors at the time of the execution of the initial agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such Corporate Transaction; or

 

(d)           Other Events. The approval by the stockholders of the Company of a plan of complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company or the consummation of an agreement or series of related agreements for the sale or other disposition, directly or indirectly, by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets, other than such sale or other disposition by the Company of all or substantially all of the Company’s assets to a Person, at least 50% of the combined voting power of the Voting Securities of which are Beneficially Owned by (i) the stockholders of the Company immediately prior to such sale or (ii) the Permitted Holders.

 

1.8.          “Company” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble and shall also include, in addition to the resulting corporation or other entity, any constituent corporation (including, without limitation, any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger that, if its separate existence had continued, would have had power and authority to indemnify its directors, officers, employees or agents, so that if Indemnitee is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of such constituent corporation, or is or was serving at the request of such constituent corporation as a director, officer, manager, managing member, employee or agent of another corporation, partnership, limited liability company, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, Indemnitee shall stand in the same position under the provisions of this Agreement with respect to the resulting or surviving corporation or other entity as Indemnitee would have with respect to such constituent corporation if its separate existence had continued.

 

1.9.          “Continuing Directors” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.7(b).

 

1.10.        “Corporate Status” shall describe the status as such of a person who is or was a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person is or was serving at the request of the Company.

 

1.11.        “Corporate Transaction” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.7(c).

 

1.12.        “Delaware Court” shall mean the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware.

 

1.13.        “DGCL” shall have the meaning set forth in the recitals.

 

 

1.14.        “Disinterested Director” shall mean a director of the Company who is not and was not a party to the Proceeding in respect of which indemnification is sought by Indemnitee.

 

1.15.        “Enterprise” shall mean the Company and any other corporation, constituent corporation (including, without limitation, any constituent of a constituent) absorbed in a consolidation or merger to which the Company (or any of its wholly owned Subsidiaries) is a party, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise of which Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent.

 

1.16.        “Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

 

1.17.        “Expenses” shall include all reasonable and documented costs, expenses and fees, including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees, retainers, court costs, transcript costs, fees of experts, witness fees, travel expenses, duplicating costs, printing and binding costs, telephone charges, postage, delivery service fees, and all other disbursements or expenses of the types customarily incurred in connection with prosecuting, defending, preparing to prosecute or defend, investigating, being or preparing to be a witness in, settling or negotiating for the settlement of, responding to or objecting to a request to provide discovery in, or otherwise participating in, any Proceeding. Expenses also shall include expenses incurred in connection with any appeal resulting from any Proceeding, including, without limitation, the premium, security for, and other costs relating to any cost bond, supersedeas bond, or other appeal bond or its equivalent and any federal, state, local or foreign taxes imposed on the Indemnitee as a result of the actual or deemed receipt of any payments under this Agreement. Expenses, however, shall not include amounts paid in settlement by Indemnitee or the amount of judgments, fines or penalties against Indemnitee.

 

1.18.        “Indemnification Arrangements” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 15.2.

 

1.19.        “Indemnitee” shall have the meaning set forth in the preamble.

 

1.20.        [“Indemnitee-Related Entities” shall mean any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other enterprise (other than the Company, any other Enterprise controlled by the Company or the insurer under and pursuant to an insurance policy of the Company or any such controlled Enterprise) from whom an Indemnitee may be entitled to indemnification or advancement of expenses with respect to which, in whole or in part, the Company or any other Enterprise controlled by the Company may also have an indemnification or advancement obligation.]

 

 

1.21.        “Independent Counsel” shall mean a law firm, or a person admitted to practice law in any state of the United States or the District of Columbia who is a member of a law firm, that is of outstanding reputation, experienced in matters of corporation law and neither is as of the date of selection of such firm, nor has been during the period of three years immediately preceding the date of selection of such firm, retained to represent: (a) the Company or Indemnitee in any material matter (other than with respect to matters concerning Indemnitee under this Agreement, or of other indemnitees under similar indemnification agreements); or (b) any other party to the Proceeding giving rise to a claim for indemnification hereunder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the term “Independent Counsel” shall not include any person who, under the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing, would have a conflict of interest in representing either the Company or Indemnitee in an action to determine Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement. The Company agrees to pay the reasonable fees and expenses of the Independent Counsel referred to above and to fully indemnify such counsel against any and all Expenses, claims, liabilities and damages arising out of or relating to this Agreement or its engagement pursuant hereto. For purposes of this definition, a “material matter” shall mean any matter for which billings exceeded or are expected to exceed $100,000.

 

1.22.        “Permitted Holder” shall mean Pamplona Capital Partners V, L.P., Wynnchurch Capital Partners IV, L.P., WC Partners Executive IV, L.P., and their respective Affiliates and Related Parties.

 

1.23.        “Person” shall have the meaning set forth in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) of the Exchange Act (as in effect on the date hereof); provided, however, that the term “Person” shall exclude: (a) the Company; (b) any Subsidiaries of the Company; and (c) any employee benefit plan of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company or any trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or of a Subsidiary of the Company or of a corporation or other entity owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of stock of the Company.

 

1.24.        “Proceeding” shall include any threatened, pending or completed action, suit, arbitration, mediation, alternate dispute resolution mechanism, investigation, inquiry, administrative hearing or any other actual, threatened, pending or completed proceeding, including, without limitation, any and all appeals, whether brought by or in the right of the Company or otherwise and whether of a civil (including, without limitation, intentional or unintentional tort claims), criminal, administrative or investigative nature, whether formal or informal, in which Indemnitee was, is, will or might be involved as a party or otherwise by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was a director or officer or key employee of the Company, by reason of any action taken by or omission by Indemnitee, or of any action or omission on Indemnitee’s part while acting as a director or officer or key employee of the Company, or by reason of the fact that Indemnitee is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise; in each case whether or not acting or serving in such capacity at the time any liability or expense is incurred for which indemnification, reimbursement or advancement of expenses can be provided under this Agreement or Section 145 of the DGCL; including any proceeding pending on or before the date of this Agreement but excluding any proceeding initiated by Indemnitee to enforce Indemnitee’s rights under this Agreement or Section 145 of the DGCL.

 

1.25.        “Related Party” shall mean, with respect to any Person, (a) any controlling stockholder, controlling member, general partner, Subsidiary, spouse or immediate family member (in the case of an individual) of such Person, (b) any estate, trust, corporation, partnership or other entity, the beneficiaries, stockholders, partners or owners of which consist solely of one or more Permitted Holders and/or such other Persons referred to in the immediately preceding clause (a), or (c) any executor, administrator, trustee, manager, director or other similar fiduciary of any Person referred to in the immediately preceding clause (b), acting solely in such capacity.

 

 

1.26.        “Section 409A” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 17.2.

 

1.27.        “Subsidiary” with respect to any Person, shall mean any corporation or other entity of which a majority of the voting power of the voting equity securities or equity interest is owned, directly or indirectly, by that Person.

 

1.28.        “Voting Securities” shall mean any securities of the Company (or a surviving entity as described in the definition of a “Change in Control”) that vote generally in the election of directors (or similar body).

 

1.29.        References to “fines” shall include any excise tax or penalty assessed on Indemnitee with respect to any employee benefit plan; references to “other enterprise” shall include employee benefit plans; references to “serving at the request of the Company” shall include, without limitation, any service as a director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary of the Company which imposes duties on, or involves services by, such director, officer, employee, agent or fiduciary with respect to an employee benefit plan, its participants or beneficiaries; and if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in the best interests of the participants and beneficiaries of an employee benefit plan, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in a manner “not opposed to the best interests of the Company” as referred to in this Agreement.

 

1.30.        The phrase “to the fullest extent not prohibited by (and not merely to the extent affirmatively permitted by) applicable law” shall include, but not be limited to: (a) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by the provision of the DGCL that authorizes or contemplates additional indemnification by agreement, or the corresponding provision of any amendment to or replacement of the DGCL and (b) to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by any amendments to or replacements of the DGCL adopted after the date of this Agreement that increase the extent to which a corporation may indemnify its officers and directors.

 

ARTICLE 2

 

INDEMNITY IN THIRD-PARTY PROCEEDINGS

 

Subject to Article 8, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Article 2 if Indemnitee is, was or is threatened to be made a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding, other than a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Subject to Article 8, to the fullest extent not prohibited by applicable law, Indemnitee shall be indemnified against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and, subject to Section 10.3, amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Article 2 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged (and not subject to further appeal) by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, except to the extent that the Delaware Court or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.

 

 

ARTICLE 3

 

INDEMNITY IN PROCEEDINGS BY OR IN THE RIGHT OF THE COMPANY

 

Subject to Article 8, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee in accordance with the provisions of this Article 3 if Indemnitee is, was or is threatened to be made a party to or a participant (as a witness or otherwise) in any Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor. Subject to Article 8, to the fullest extent not prohibited by (and not merely to the extent affirmatively permitted by) applicable law, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with such Proceeding or any claim, issue or matter therein, if Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. No indemnification for Expenses shall be made under this Article 3 in respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which Indemnitee shall have been finally adjudged (and not subject to further appeal) by a court of competent jurisdiction to be liable to the Company, except to the extent that the Delaware Court or any court in which the Proceeding was brought shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, Indemnitee is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification.

 

ARTICLE 4

 

INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A PARTY WHO IS WHOLLY OR PARTLY SUCCESSFUL

 

Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is a party to (or a participant in) and is successful, on the merits or otherwise, in any Proceeding or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein, in whole or in part, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith. For the avoidance of doubt, if Indemnitee is not wholly successful in such Proceeding but is successful, on the merits or otherwise, as to one or more but less than all claims, issues or matters in such Proceeding, then the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with each resolved claim, issue or matter, whether or not Indemnitee was wholly or partly successful; provided that Indemnitee shall only be entitled to indemnification for Expenses with respect to unsuccessful claims under this Article 4 to the extent Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company and, in the case of a criminal Proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe that such conduct was unlawful. For purposes of this Article 4 and without limitation, the termination of any claim, issue or matter in such a Proceeding by dismissal, with or without prejudice, or by settlement, shall be deemed to be a successful result as to such claim, issue or matter.

 

 

ARTICLE 5

 

INDEMNIFICATION FOR EXPENSES OF A WITNESS

 

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, to the extent that Indemnitee is, by reason of Indemnitee’s Corporate Status, a witness in any Proceeding to which Indemnitee is not a party, Indemnitee shall be indemnified, held harmless and exonerated against all Expenses actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection therewith.

 

ARTICLE 6

 

ADDITIONAL INDEMNIFICATION, HOLD HARMLESS AND EXONERATION RIGHTS

 

In addition to and notwithstanding any limitations in Articles 2, 3 or 4, but subject to Article 8, the Company shall indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee to the fullest extent not prohibited by (and not merely to the extent affirmatively permitted by) law if Indemnitee is, was or is threatened to be made a party to or a participant in, any Proceeding (including a Proceeding by or in the right of the Company to procure a judgment in its favor) against all Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and, subject to Section 10.3, penalties and amounts paid in settlement (including all interest, assessments and other charges paid or payable in connection with or in respect of such Expenses, judgments, fines, penalties and amounts paid in settlement) actually and reasonably incurred by Indemnitee or on Indemnitee’s behalf in connection with the Proceeding. No indemnity shall be available under this Article 6 on account of Indemnitee’s conduct that constitutes a breach of Indemnitee’s duty of loyalty to the Company or its stockholders or is an act or omission not in good faith or that involves intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of the law.

 

ARTICLE 7

 

CONTRIBUTION IN THE EVENT OF JOINT LIABILITY

 

7.1.        To the fullest extent not prohibited by (and not merely to the extent affirmatively permitted by) law, if the indemnification rights provided for in this Agreement are unavailable to Indemnitee in whole or in part for any reason whatsoever, the Company, in lieu of indemnifying Indemnitee, shall pay, in the first instance, the entire amount incurred by Indemnitee, whether for judgments, liabilities, fines, penalties, amounts paid or to be paid in settlement and/or for Expenses, in connection with any Proceeding without requiring Indemnitee to contribute to such payment, and the Company hereby waives and relinquishes any right of contribution it may have at any time against Indemnitee.

 

 

7.2.          The Company shall not enter into any settlement of any Proceeding in which the Company is jointly liable with Indemnitee (or would be if joined in such Proceeding) unless such settlement provides for a full and final release of all claims asserted against Indemnitee.

 

7.3.          The Company hereby agrees to fully indemnify, hold harmless and exonerate Indemnitee from any claims for contribution which may be brought by officers, directors or employees of the Company (other than Indemnitee) who may be jointly liable with Indemnitee subject to the other terms and provisions of the Agreement.

 

ARTICLE 8

 

EXCLUSIONS

 

8.1.          Notwithstanding any provision in this Agreement, the Company shall not be obligated under this Agreement to make any indemnity, contribution or advancement of Expenses in connection with any claim made against Indemnitee:

 

(a)           except [as provided in Section 15.4, for which payment has actually been made to or on behalf of Indemnitee under any insurance policy of the Company or its Subsidiaries or other indemnity provision of the Company or its Subsidiaries,] except with respect to any excess beyond the amount paid under any insurance policy, contract, agreement, other indemnity provision or otherwise; or

 

(b)           for an accounting of profits made from the purchase and sale (or sale and purchase) by Indemnitee of securities of the Company within the meaning of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act (or any similar successor statute) or similar provisions of state statutory law or common law; or

 

(c)           in connection with any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated or brought voluntarily by Indemnitee, including, without limitation, any Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) initiated by Indemnitee against the Company or its directors, officers, managers, managing members, employees or other indemnitees, other than a Proceeding initiated by Indemnitee to enforce its rights under this Agreement, unless (i) the Board authorized the Proceeding (or any part of any Proceeding) or (ii) the Company provides the indemnification payment, in its sole discretion, pursuant to the powers vested in the Company under applicable law; or

 

(d)           for the payment of amounts required to be reimbursed to the Company pursuant to Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, or any similar successor statute; or

 

(e)           for any payment to Indemnitee that is determined to be unlawful by a final judgment or other adjudication of a court or arbitration, arbitral or administrative body of competent jurisdiction as to which there is no further right or option of appeal or the time within which an appeal must be filed has expired without such filing and under the procedures and subject to the presumptions of this Agreement; or

 

 

(f)            in connection with any Proceeding initiated by Indemnitee to enforce its rights under this Agreement if a court or arbitration, arbitral or administrative body of competent jurisdiction determines by final judicial decision that each of the material assertions made by Indemnitee in such Proceeding was not made in good faith or was frivolous.

 

The exclusions in this Article 8 shall not apply to counterclaims or affirmative defenses asserted by Indemnitee in an action brought against Indemnitee.

 

ARTICLE 9

 

ADVANCES OF EXPENSES; SELECTION OF LAW FIRM

 

9.1.          Subject to Article 8, the Company shall, unless prohibited by applicable law, advance the Expenses incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee in connection with any Proceeding within ten business days after the receipt by the Company of a statement or statements requesting such advances, together with a reasonably detailed written explanation of the basis therefor and an itemization of legal fees and disbursements in reasonable detail, from time to time, whether prior to or after final disposition of any Proceeding. Advances shall be unsecured and interest free. Indemnitee shall qualify for advances, to the fullest extent permitted by this Agreement, solely upon the execution and delivery to the Company of an undertaking providing that Indemnitee undertakes to repay the advance to the extent that it is ultimately determined, by final judicial decision of a court or arbitration, arbitral or administrative body of competent jurisdiction from which there is no further right to appeal, that Indemnitee is not entitled to be indemnified by the Company under the provisions of this Agreement or pursuant to applicable law. This Section 9.1 shall not apply to any claim made by Indemnitee for which an indemnification payment is excluded pursuant to Article 8.

 

 

9.2.          If the Company shall be obligated under Section 9.1 hereof to pay the Expenses of any Proceeding against Indemnitee, then the Company shall be entitled to assume the defense of such Proceeding upon the delivery to Indemnitee of written notice of its election to do so. If the Company elects to assume the defense of such Proceeding, then unless the plaintiff or plaintiffs in such Proceeding include one or more Persons holding, together with his, her or its Affiliates, in the aggregate, a majority of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities, the Company shall assume such defense using a single law firm (in addition to local counsel) selected by the Company representing Indemnitee and other present and former directors or officers of the Company. The retention of such law firm by the Company shall be subject to prior written approval by Indemnitee, which approval shall not be unreasonably withheld, delayed or conditioned. If the Company elects to assume the defense of such Proceeding and the plaintiff or plaintiffs in such Proceeding include one or more Persons holding, together with his, her or its Affiliates, in the aggregate, a majority of the combined voting power of the Company’s then outstanding Voting Securities, then the Company shall assume such defense using a single law firm (in addition to local counsel) selected by Indemnitee and any other present or former directors or officers of the Company who are parties to such Proceeding. After (x) in the case of retention of any such law firm selected by the Company, delivery of the required notice to Indemnitee, approval of such law firm by Indemnitee and the retention of such law firm by the Company, or (y) in the case of retention of any such law firm selected by Indemnitee, the completion of such retention, the Company will not be liable to Indemnitee under this Agreement for any Expenses of any other law firm incurred by Indemnitee after the date that such first law firm is retained by the Company with respect to the same Proceeding; provided, that in the case of retention of any such law firm selected by the Company (a) Indemnitee shall have the right to retain a separate law firm in any such Proceeding at Indemnitee’s sole expense; and (b) if (i) the retention of a law firm by Indemnitee has been previously authorized by the Company in writing, (ii) Indemnitee shall have reasonably concluded that (1) there may be a conflict of interest between either (x) the Company and Indemnitee or (y) Indemnitee and another present or former director or officer of the Company also represented by such law firm in the conduct of any such defense, or (2) there may be defenses available to Indemnitee that are incompatible or inconsistent with those available to the Company or another present or former director represented by such law firm in the conduct of such defense, or (iii) the Company shall not, in fact, have retained a law firm to prosecute the defense of such Proceeding within thirty days, then the reasonable Expenses of a single law firm retained by Indemnitee shall be at the expense of the Company. Notwithstanding anything else to the contrary in this Section 9.2, the Company will not be entitled without the written consent of the Indemnitee to assume the defense of any Proceeding brought by or in the right of the Company.

 

ARTICLE 10

 

PROCEDURE FOR NOTIFICATION; DEFENSE OF CLAIM; SETTLEMENT

 

10.1.        Indemnitee shall, as a condition precedent to Indemnitee’s right to be indemnified under this Agreement, give the Company notice in writing promptly of any claim made against Indemnitee for which indemnification will or could be sought under this Agreement; provided, however, that a delay in giving such notice shall not deprive Indemnitee of any right to be indemnified under this Agreement unless, and then only to the extent that, such delay is materially prejudicial to the defense of such claim. The omission or delay to notify the Company will not relieve the Company from any liability for indemnification which it may have to Indemnitee otherwise than under this Agreement. The General Counsel of the Company shall, promptly upon receipt of such a request for indemnification, advise the Board in writing that Indemnitee has requested indemnification.

 

10.2.        The Company will be entitled to participate in the Proceeding at its own expense.

 

10.3.        The Company shall have no obligation to indemnify Indemnitee under this Agreement for any amounts paid in settlement of any claim effected without the Company’s prior written consent, provided the Company has not breached its obligations hereunder. The Company shall not settle any claim, including, without limitation, any claim in which it takes the position that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification in connection with such settlement, nor shall the Company settle any claim which would impose any fine or obligation on Indemnitee or attribute to Indemnitee any admission of liability, without Indemnitee’s prior written consent. Neither the Company nor Indemnitee shall unreasonably withhold, delay or condition their consent to any proposed settlement.

 

 

ARTICLE 11

 

PROCEDURE UPON APPLICATION FOR INDEMNIFICATION

 

11.1.        Upon written request by Indemnitee for indemnification pursuant to the first sentence of Section 10.1, a determination, if required by applicable law, with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement thereto shall be made in the specific case: (a) by a majority of the Company’s stockholders, (b) if a Change in Control shall have occurred, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee; or (c) if a Change in Control shall not have occurred, (i) by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors (provided there is a minimum of three Disinterested Directors), even though less than a quorum of the Board, (ii) by a committee of Disinterested Directors designated by a majority vote of the Disinterested Directors (provided there is a minimum of three Disinterested Directors), even though less than a quorum of the Board, or (iii) if there are less than three Disinterested Directors or, if such Disinterested Directors so direct, by Independent Counsel in a written opinion to the Board, a copy of which shall be delivered to Indemnitee, and, if it is so determined that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, payment to Indemnitee shall be made within ten business days after such determination and any future amounts due to Indemnitee shall be paid in accordance with this Agreement. Indemnitee shall cooperate with the Persons making such determination with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification, including, without limitation, providing to such Persons upon reasonable advance request any documentation or information which is not privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure and which is reasonably available to Indemnitee and reasonably necessary to such determination, provided, that nothing contained in this Agreement shall require Indemnitee to waive any privilege Indemnitee may have. Any costs or Expenses (including, without limitation, reasonable and documented attorneys’ fees and disbursements) incurred by Indemnitee in so cooperating with the Persons making such determination shall be borne by the Company (irrespective of the determination as to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification), and the Company hereby indemnifies and agrees to hold Indemnitee harmless therefrom.

 

 

11.2.        If the determination of entitlement to indemnification is to be made by Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11.1 hereof, the Independent Counsel shall be selected as provided in this Section 11.2. If a Change in Control shall not have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by the Board, and the Company shall give written notice to Indemnitee advising Indemnitee of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. If a Change in Control shall have occurred, the Independent Counsel shall be selected by Indemnitee (unless Indemnitee shall request that such selection be made by the Board, in which event the preceding sentence shall apply), and Indemnitee shall give written notice to the Company advising it of the identity of the Independent Counsel so selected. In either event, Indemnitee or the Company, as the case may be, may, within thirty days after such written notice of selection shall have been given, deliver to the Company or to Indemnitee, as the case may be, a written objection to such selection; provided, however, that such objection may be asserted only on the ground that the Independent Counsel so selected does not meet the requirements of “Independent Counsel” as defined in Article 1 of this Agreement, and the objection shall set forth with particularity the factual basis of such assertion. Absent a proper and timely objection, the person so selected shall act as Independent Counsel. If such written objection is so made and substantiated, the Independent Counsel so selected may not serve as Independent Counsel unless and until such objection is withdrawn or a court or arbitration, arbitral or administrative body has determined that such objection is without merit. If, within thirty days after submission by Indemnitee of a written request for indemnification pursuant to Section 10.1 hereof, no Independent Counsel shall have been selected and not objected to, either the Company or Indemnitee may seek arbitration for resolution of any objection which shall have been made by the Company or Indemnitee to the other’s selection of Independent Counsel and/or for the appointment as Independent Counsel of a person selected by the arbitrator or by such other person as the arbitrator shall designate, and the person with respect to whom all objections are so resolved or the person so appointed shall act as Independent Counsel under Section 11.1 hereof. Such arbitration referred to in the previous sentence shall be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association, and Article 13 hereof shall apply in respect of such arbitration and the Company and Indemnitee. Upon the due commencement of any arbitration pursuant to Section 13.1 of this Agreement, Independent Counsel shall be discharged and relieved of any further responsibility in such capacity (subject to the applicable standards of professional conduct then prevailing).

 

ARTICLE 12

 

PRESUMPTIONS AND EFFECT OF CERTAIN PROCEEDINGS

 

12.1.        In making a determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification hereunder, the Person making such determination shall presume that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification under this Agreement if Indemnitee has submitted a request for indemnification in accordance with Section 10.1 of this Agreement. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence. Neither the failure of the Company (including by its Board, its Independent Counsel and its stockholders) to have made a determination prior to the commencement of any action pursuant to this Agreement that indemnification or advancement of expenses is proper in the circumstances because Indemnitee has met the applicable standard of conduct, nor an actual determination by the Company (including by its Board, its Independent Counsel and its stockholders) that Indemnitee has not met such applicable standard of conduct, shall be a defense to the action or create a presumption that Indemnitee has not met the applicable standard of conduct.

 

12.2.        If the Person empowered or selected under Article 11 of this Agreement to determine whether Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification shall not have made a determination within sixty days after receipt by the Company of the request therefor, the requisite determination of entitlement to indemnification shall be deemed to have been made and Indemnitee shall be entitled to such indemnification, absent (a) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact, or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification, or (b) a final judicial determination that any or all such indemnification is expressly prohibited under applicable law; provided, however, that such sixty-day period may be extended for a reasonable time, not to exceed an additional thirty days, if the Person making the determination with respect to entitlement to indemnification in good faith requires such additional time for the obtaining or evaluating of documentation and/or information relating thereto, provided further that, if final selection of Independent Counsel has not occurred within thirty days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification, such sixty-day period may be after the final selection of Independent Counsel pursuant to Section 11.2.

 

 

 

12.3.            The termination of any Proceeding or of any claim, issue or matter therein, by judgment, order, settlement (with or without court approval), conviction, or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its equivalent, shall not (except as otherwise expressly provided in this Agreement) of itself adversely affect the right of Indemnitee to indemnification or create a presumption that Indemnitee did not act in good faith and in a manner which Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company or, with respect to any criminal Proceeding, that Indemnitee had reasonable cause to believe that Indemnitee’s conduct was unlawful.

 

12.4.            For purposes of any determination of good faith pursuant to this Agreement, Indemnitee shall be deemed to have acted in good faith if, among other things, Indemnitee’s action is based on the records or books of account of the Enterprise, including financial statements, or on information supplied to Indemnitee by the directors or officers of the Enterprise in the course of their duties, or on the advice of legal counsel for the Enterprise, its board of directors, any committee of the board of directors or any director, or on information or records given or reports made to the Enterprise, its board of directors, any committee of the board of directors or any director, by an independent certified public accountant or by an appraiser or other expert selected with reasonable care by the Enterprise, its board of directors, any committee of the board of directors or any director. The provisions of this Section 12.4 shall not be deemed to be exclusive or to limit in any way the other circumstances in which Indemnitee may be deemed or found to have met the applicable standard of conduct set forth in this Agreement. In any event, it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has at all times acted in good faith and in a manner Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the Company. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.

 

12.5.            The knowledge and/or actions, or failure to act, of any other director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, agent or employee of the Enterprise shall not be imputed to Indemnitee for purposes of determining the right to indemnification under this Agreement.

 

12.6.            The Company acknowledges that a settlement or other disposition short of final judgment may be successful if it permits a party to avoid expense, delay, distraction, disruption and uncertainty. In the event that any action, claim or proceeding to which Indemnitee is a party is resolved in any manner other than by adverse judgment against Indemnitee (including, without limitation, settlement of such action, claim or proceeding with or without payment of money or other consideration) it shall be presumed that Indemnitee has been successful on the merits or otherwise in such action, suit or proceeding. Anyone seeking to overcome this presumption shall have the burden of proof and the burden of persuasion by clear and convincing evidence.

 

 

ARTICLE 13

 

REMEDIES OF INDEMNITEE

 

13.1.            In the event that (a) a determination is made pursuant to Article 11 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification under this Agreement, (b) advancement of Expenses, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, is not timely made pursuant to Article 9 of this Agreement, (c) no determination of entitlement to indemnification shall have been made pursuant to Section 11.1 of this Agreement within thirty days after receipt by the Company of the request for indemnification and of reasonable documentation and information which Indemnitee may be called upon to provide pursuant to Section 11.1, (d) payment of indemnification is not made pursuant to Articles 4, 5, 6 or the last sentence of Section 11.1 of this Agreement within ten business days after receipt by the Company of a written request therefor, (e) a contribution payment is not made in a timely manner pursuant to Article 7 of this Agreement, (f) payment of indemnification pursuant to Article 3 or 6 of this Agreement is not made within thirty days after a determination has been made that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification or (g) the Company or any representative thereof takes or threatens to take any action to declare this Agreement void or unenforceable, or institutes any Proceeding designed to deny, or to recover from, Indemnitee the benefits provided or intended to be provided to Indemnitee hereunder, Indemnitee may either (a) be entitled to an adjudication by a court of competent jurisdiction of Indemnitee’s entitlement to such indemnification, contribution or advancement of Expenses or (b) seek an award in arbitration to be conducted by a single arbitrator pursuant to the Commercial Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. Except as set forth herein, the provisions of Delaware law (without regard to its conflict of laws rules) shall apply to any such arbitration. The Company shall not oppose Indemnitee’s right to seek any such adjudication or award in arbitration. The award rendered by such arbitration will be final and binding upon the parties hereto, and final judgment on the arbitration award may be entered in any court of competent jurisdiction.

 

13.2.            In the event that a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11.1 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification, any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Article 13 shall be conducted in all respects as a de novo trial, or arbitration, on the merits and Indemnitee shall not be prejudiced by reason of that adverse determination. In any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Article 13, Indemnitee shall be presumed to be entitled to receive advances of Expenses under this Agreement and the Company shall have the burden of proving Indemnitee is not entitled to indemnification or advancement of Expenses, as the case may be, and the Company may not refer to or introduce into evidence any determination pursuant to Section 11.1 of this Agreement adverse to Indemnitee for any purpose. If Indemnitee commences a judicial proceeding or arbitration pursuant to this Article 13, Indemnitee shall not be required to reimburse the Company for any advances pursuant to Article 9 until a final determination is made with respect to Indemnitee’s entitlement to indemnification (as to which all rights of appeal shall have been exhausted or lapsed).

 

 

13.3.            If a determination shall have been made pursuant to Section 11.1 of this Agreement that Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification, the Company shall be bound by such determination in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Article 13, absent (a) a misstatement by Indemnitee of a material fact or an omission of a material fact necessary to make Indemnitee’s statement not materially misleading, in connection with the request for indemnification or (b) a prohibition of such indemnification under applicable law.

 

13.4.            The Company shall be precluded from asserting in any judicial proceeding or arbitration commenced pursuant to this Article 13 that the procedures and presumptions of this Agreement are not valid, binding and enforceable and shall stipulate in any such court or before any such arbitrator that the Company is bound by all the provisions of this Agreement.

 

13.5.            The Company shall indemnify and hold harmless Indemnitee to the fullest extent permitted by law against all Expenses and, if requested by Indemnitee, shall (within ten business days after the Company’s receipt of such written request) pay to Indemnitee, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, such Expenses which are incurred by Indemnitee in connection with any judicial proceeding or arbitration brought by Indemnitee (a) to enforce his or her rights under, or to recover damages for breach of, this Agreement or any other indemnification, advancement or contribution agreement or provision of the Certificate of Incorporation, or the Bylaws now or hereafter in effect; or (b) for recovery or advances under any insurance policy maintained by any person for the benefit of Indemnitee, regardless of the outcome and whether Indemnitee ultimately is determined to be entitled to such indemnification, advancement, contribution or insurance recovery, as the case may be (unless such judicial proceeding or arbitration was not brought by Indemnitee in good faith).

 

13.6.            Interest shall be paid by the Company to Indemnitee at the legal rate under Delaware law for amounts which the Company indemnifies, or is obliged to indemnify, for the period commencing with the date on which Indemnitee requests indemnification, contribution, reimbursement or advancement of any Expenses and ending with the date on which such payment is made to Indemnitee by the Company.

 

ARTICLE 14

 

SECURITY

 

Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, to the extent requested by Indemnitee and approved by the Board, the Company may, as permitted by applicable securities laws, at any time and from time to time provide security to Indemnitee for the Company’s obligations hereunder through an irrevocable bank line of credit, funded trust or other collateral. Any such security, once provided to Indemnitee, may not be revoked or released without the prior written consent of Indemnitee.

 

 

ARTICLE 15

 

NON-EXCLUSIVITY; SURVIVAL OF RIGHTS; INSURANCE; PRIMACY OF INDEMNIFICATION; SUBROGATION

 

15.1.            The rights of Indemnitee as provided by this Agreement shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which Indemnitee may at any time be entitled under applicable law, the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement, a vote of stockholders or a resolution of directors, or otherwise. To the extent that a change in applicable law, whether by statute or judicial decision, permits greater indemnification or advancement of Expenses than would be afforded currently under the Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws or this Agreement, it is the intent of the parties hereto that Indemnitee shall enjoy by this Agreement the greater benefits so afforded by such change. No right or remedy herein conferred is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every other right and remedy shall be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other right or remedy.

 

15.2.            The DGCL, the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws permit the Company to purchase and maintain insurance or furnish similar protection or make other arrangements, including, but not limited to, providing a trust fund, letter of credit or surety bond (“Indemnification Arrangements”) on behalf of Indemnitee against any liability asserted against Indemnitee or incurred by or on behalf of Indemnitee or in such capacity as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, or arising out of his or her status as such, whether or not the Company would have the power to indemnify Indemnitee against such liability under the provisions of this Agreement or under the DGCL, as it may then be in effect. The purchase, establishment and maintenance of any such Indemnification Arrangement shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or of Indemnitee under this Agreement except as expressly provided herein, and the execution and delivery of this Agreement by the Company and Indemnitee shall not in any way limit or affect the rights and obligations of the Company or the other party or parties thereto under any such Indemnification Arrangement.

 

15.3.            To the extent that the Company maintains an insurance policy or policies providing liability insurance for directors, officers, trustees, partners, managers, managing members, fiduciaries, employees or agents of the Company or of any other Enterprise which such person serves at the request of the Company, Indemnitee shall be covered by such policy or policies in accordance with its or their terms to the maximum extent of the coverage available for any such director, officer, trustee, partner, manager, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent under such policy or policies. If, at the time the Company receives notice from any source of a Proceeding as to which Indemnitee is a party or a participant (as a witness or otherwise), the Company has director and officer liability insurance in effect, the Company shall give prompt notice of the commencement of such Proceeding to the insurers in accordance with the procedures set forth in the respective policies. The Company shall thereafter take all necessary or desirable action to cause such insurers to pay, on behalf of Indemnitee, all amounts payable as a result of such Proceeding in accordance with the terms of such policies and Indemnitee shall promptly cooperate with any request by the Company or insurers in connection with such action.

 

 

15.4.            [The Company hereby acknowledges that Indemnitee has certain rights to indemnification, advancement of Expenses and/or insurance provided by the Indemnitee-Related Entities. The Company hereby agrees (i) that it is the indemnitor of first resort (i.e., its obligations to Indemnitee are primary and any obligation of the Indemnitee-Related Entities to advance Expenses or to provide indemnification for the same Expenses or liabilities incurred by Indemnitee are secondary), (ii) that it shall be required to advance the full amount of Expenses incurred by Indemnitee and shall be liable for the full amount of all Expenses, judgments, penalties, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the extent not prohibited by (and not merely to the extent affirmatively permitted by) applicable law and as required by the terms of this Agreement and the Certificate of Incorporation or the Bylaws (or any other agreement between the Company and Indemnitee), without regard to any rights Indemnitee may have against the Indemnitee-Related Entities and (iii) that it irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Indemnitee-Related Entities from any and all claims against the Indemnitee-Related Entities for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. The Company further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Indemnitee-Related Entities on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company shall reduce or otherwise alter the rights of Indemnitee or the obligations of the Company hereunder. Under no circumstance shall the Company be entitled to any right of subrogation or contribution by the Indemnitee-Related Entities. In the event that any of the Indemnitee-Related Entities shall make any advancement or payment on behalf of Indemnitee with respect to any claim for which Indemnitee has sought indemnification from the Company, the Indemnitee-Related Entity making such payment shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee against the Company, and Indemnitee shall execute all papers reasonably required and take all action reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including, without limitation, execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Indemnitee-Related Entities to bring suit to enforce such rights. The Company and Indemnitee agree that the Indemnitee-Related Entities are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this Section 15.4, entitled to enforce this Section 15.4 as though each of the Indemnitee-Related Entities were a party to this Agreement.]

 

15.5.            [Except as provided in Section 15.4,] in the event of any payment under this Agreement, the Company shall be subrogated to the extent of such payment to all of the rights of recovery of Indemnitee [(other than against the Indemnitee-Related Entities)], who shall execute all papers reasonably required and take all action reasonably necessary to secure such rights, including, without limitation, execution of such documents as are necessary to enable the Company to bring suit to enforce such rights.

 

15.6.            [Except as provided in Section 15.4,] the Company shall not be liable under this Agreement to make any payment of amounts otherwise indemnifiable hereunder (or for which advancement is provided hereunder) if and to the extent that Indemnitee has otherwise actually received such payment under any insurance policy, contract, agreement or otherwise.

 

15.7.            [Except as provided in Section 15.4,] the Company’s obligation to indemnify or advance Expenses hereunder to Indemnitee who is or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of any other Enterprise shall be reduced by any amount Indemnitee has actually received as indemnification payments or advancement of Expenses from such Enterprise. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement to the contrary, (a) Indemnitee shall have no obligation to reduce, offset, allocate, pursue or apportion any indemnification advancement, contribution or insurance coverage among multiple parties possessing such duties to Indemnitee prior to the Company’s satisfaction and performance of all its obligations under this Agreement, and (b) the Company shall perform fully its obligations under this Agreement without regard to whether Indemnitee holds, may pursue or has pursued any indemnification, advancement, contribution or insurance coverage rights against any person or entity other than the Company.

 

 

ARTICLE 16

 

ENFORCEMENT AND BINDING EFFECT

 

16.1.            The Company expressly confirms and agrees that it has entered into this Agreement and assumed the obligations imposed on it hereby in order to induce Indemnitee to serve or continue to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company, and the Company acknowledges that Indemnitee is relying upon this Agreement in serving or continuing to serve as a director, officer or key employee of the Company.

 

16.2.            This Agreement shall be effective as of the date set forth on the first page and may apply to acts or omissions of Indemnitee which occurred prior to such date if Indemnitee was an officer, director, employee or other agent of the Company, or was serving at the request of the Company as a director, officer, trustee, general partner, managing member, fiduciary, employee or agent of another corporation, limited liability company, partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise, at the time such act or omission occurred.

 

16.3.            The Company and Indemnitee agree herein that a monetary remedy for breach of this Agreement, at some later date, may be inadequate, impracticable and difficult to prove, and further agree that such breach may cause Indemnitee irreparable harm. Accordingly, the parties hereto agree that Indemnitee may enforce this Agreement by seeking, among other things, injunctive relief and/or specific performance hereof, without any necessity of showing actual damage or irreparable harm and that by seeking injunctive relief and/or specific performance, Indemnitee shall not be precluded from seeking or obtaining any other relief to which he may be entitled. The Company and Indemnitee further agree that Indemnitee shall be entitled to such specific performance and injunctive relief, including, without limitation, temporary restraining orders, preliminary injunctions and permanent injunctions, without the necessity of posting bonds or other undertaking in connection therewith. The Company acknowledges that in the absence of a waiver, a bond or undertaking may be required of Indemnitee by the Court, and the Company hereby waives any such requirement of such a bond or undertaking.

 

ARTICLE 17

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

17.1.            Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall be binding upon the Company and its successors and assigns and shall inure to the benefit of Indemnitee and Indemnitee’s assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. The Company shall require and cause any successor (whether direct or indirect successor by purchase, merger, consolidation or otherwise) to all, substantially all or a substantial part, of the business and/or assets of the Company, by written agreement in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to Indemnitee, expressly to assume and agree to perform this Agreement in the same manner and to the same extent that the Company would be required to perform if no such succession had taken place.

 

 

17.2.            Section 409A. It is intended that any indemnification payment or advancement of Expenses made hereunder shall be exempt from Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the guidance issued thereunder (“Section 409A”) pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(10). Notwithstanding the foregoing, if any indemnification payment or advancement of Expenses made hereunder shall be determined to be “nonqualified deferred compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A, then (i) the amount of the indemnification payment or advancement of Expenses during one taxable year shall not affect the amount of the indemnification payments or advancement of Expenses during any other taxable year, (ii) the indemnification payments or advancement of Expenses must be made on or before the last day of the Indemnitee’s taxable year following the year in which the expense was incurred and (iii) the right to indemnification payments or advancement of Expenses hereunder is not subject to liquidation or exchange for another benefit.

 

17.3.            Severability. In the event that any provision of this Agreement is determined by a court to require the Company to do or to fail to do an act which is in violation of applicable law, such provision (including, without limitation, any provision within a single Article, Section, paragraph or sentence) shall be limited or modified in its application to the minimum extent necessary to avoid a violation of law, and, as so limited or modified, such provision and the balance of this Agreement shall be enforceable in accordance with their terms to the fullest extent permitted by law.

 

17.4.            Entire Agreement. Without limiting any of the rights of Indemnitee under the Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior agreements and understandings, oral, written and implied, between the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.

 

17.5.            Modification, Waiver and Termination. No supplement, modification, termination, cancellation or amendment of this Agreement shall be binding unless executed in writing by each of the parties hereto. No amendment, alteration or repeal of this Agreement or of any provision hereof shall limit or restrict any right of Indemnitee under this Agreement in respect of any action taken or omitted by such Indemnitee in Indemnitee’s Corporate Status prior to such amendment, alteration or repeal. No waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement shall be deemed or shall constitute a waiver of any other provisions of this Agreement nor shall any waiver constitute a continuing waiver.

 

17.6.            Notices. All notices, requests, demands and other communications under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed to have been duly given (a) if delivered by hand and receipted for by the party to whom said notice or other communication shall have been directed or (b) mailed by certified or registered mail with postage prepaid on the third business day after the date on which it is so mailed:

 

(i)        If to Indemnitee, at the address indicated on the signature page of this Agreement, or such other address as Indemnitee shall provide in writing to the Company.

 

 

(ii)          If to the Company, to:

 

Latham Group, Inc.
787 Watervliet Shaker Road
Latham, New York 12110
Attention: General Counsel
E-mail:       

 

or to any other address as may have been furnished to Indemnitee in writing by the Company.

 

17.7.            Applicable Law. This Agreement and the legal relations among the parties shall be governed by, and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to its conflict of laws rules. If, notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, a court of competent jurisdiction shall make a final determination that the provisions of the law of any state other than Delaware govern indemnification by the Company of Indemnitee, then the indemnification provided under this Agreement shall in all instances be enforceable to the fullest extent permitted under such law, notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary.

 

17.8.            Identical Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts, each of which shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original but all of which together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. Only one such counterpart signed by the party against whom enforceability is sought needs to be produced to evidence the existence of this Agreement.

 

17.9.            Headings. The headings of the paragraphs of this Agreement are inserted for convenience only and shall not be deemed to constitute part of this Agreement or to affect the construction thereof.

 

17.10.          Representation by Counsel. Each of the parties has been represented by and has had an opportunity to consult legal counsel in connection with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement. No provision of this Agreement shall be construed against or interpreted to the disadvantage of any party by any court or arbitrator or any governmental authority by reason of such party having drafted or being deemed to have drafted such provision.

 

17.11.          Period of Limitations. No legal action shall be brought and no cause of action shall be asserted by or in the right of the Company, the Indemnitee, or Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives against the Company, Indemnitee, or Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives after the expiration of two years from the date of accrual of such cause of action, and any claim or cause of action of the Company, the Indemnitee, or Indemnitee’s spouse, heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives, shall be extinguished and deemed released unless asserted by the timely filing of a legal action within such two-year period; provided, however, that if any shorter period of limitations is otherwise applicable to any such cause of action, such shorter period shall govern.

 

17.12.          Additional Acts. If for the validation of any of the provisions in this Agreement any act, resolution, approval or other procedure is required, the Company undertakes to cause such act, resolution, approval or other procedure to be affected or adopted in a manner that will enable the Company to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement.

 

[Signature page follows]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be signed as of the day and year first above written.

 

	COMPANY:
	LATHAM GROUP, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	INDEMNITEE:
	By:
		Name:
	Address:

 

[Signature page to Indemnification Agreement]

 

 

Exhibit 10.8

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement is made on the 17th day of December, 2018, between Latham Pool Products, Inc. (“Company”) and Scott Rajeski (“Employee”). This Agreement shall be effective upon the closing of the transaction contemplated by the Purchase Agreement (as defined below) (the “Effective Date”). As used in this Agreement, “Company” includes Latham Pool Products, Inc., its predecessors, successors, and assigns.

 

WITNESSETH

 

WHEREAS, reference is hereby made to that certain Stock Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 7, 2018, (the “Purchase Agreement”), made by and among Company, Latham Investment Holdings, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership, LPP Holdings Inc., a Delaware corporation, the holders of common stock of Holdings listed on Exhibit I thereto under the heading “Stockholders”, the holders of Options (as defined therein) listed on Exhibit I thereto under the heading “Optionholders”, and certain other parties thereto;

 

WHEREAS, Company desires to continue to employ Employee upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated,

 

WHEREAS, Employee wishes to remain employed by Company upon the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, and

 

WHEREAS, if the transactions contemplated by the Purchase Agreement are not consummated, this Agreement shall be void ab initio; and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein and intending to be legally bound thereby, Company and Employee agree as follows:

 

1.

Employment. Company shall employ Employee, and Employee hereby accepts employment by Company, for the period and upon the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement.

 

2.

Term. This Agreement will take effect on the Effective Date and shall continue until the fifth anniversary of such date, unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided (“Term”). Expiration of this Agreement at the end of the Term will not constitute a termination of employment for purposes of paragraphs 10, 11 or 13 of this Agreement.

 

3.

Titles and Duties. During the Term, Employee shall serve as Company’s Chief Executive Officer and shall use Employee’s skills and render services to the best of Employee’s abilities in contributing to the operations and success of the Company, all in accordance with the directives of the Company’s Board of Directors (the “Board”), to whom Employee will report.

 

4.

Policies. Except as provided herein, Employee shall be covered by and agrees to comply with all Company policies and procedures on the same terms as are applicable to other full-time executive employees of Company, and as may be amended from time to time.

 

 

5.

Extent of Services.

 

a.

Employee shall devote substantially all of Employee’s business time, skills, and attention to the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder and use Employee’s best efforts in such endeavors.

 

b.

Employee shall not engage in any business activity that conflicts with Employee’s duties hereunder or with the interests of the Company, regardless of whether such activity is pursued for gain or profit, although Employee may manage Employee’s passive personal investments. Subject to paragraph 5.c. below, Employee also may participate in reasonable and customary professional, educational, welfare, social, and civic activities (e.g., Employee’s volunteer activities with chambers of commerce), as long as they do not adversely impact the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder or otherwise conflict with the interests of the Company.

 

c.

Employee shall not participate in any expert networks or serve on any for-profit boards without the prior approval of the Board.

 

d.

During the Term, Employee shall be entitled to serve as a member of the Board.

 

6.

Compensation.

 

a.

Base Compensation. For all services rendered under this Agreement, Company shall pay Employee an initial base salary of $400,000 per year (“Base Compensation”), subject to applicable withholdings and deductions, and payable in regular installments in accordance with Company’s generally applicable payroll practices. During the Term of this Agreement, the Board may, in its sole discretion, increase, but not decrease, Employee’s Base Compensation, except for across the board reductions affecting all or substantially all executives of the Company.

 

b.

Bonuses. During the Term, Employee is entitled to participate in the Management Incentive Bonus (MIB) program, as in effect and established from time to time by the Board.

 

7.

Benefits.

 

a.

Health and Welfare Benefits. Except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement, Employee shall be eligible to participate in all Company employee benefits policies and plans in effect from time to time, on the same terms and conditions applicable to other full-time executive employees of Company, and in accordance with the terms of those policies and plans. Nothing in this Agreement shall restrict Company from adding, discontinuing, amending or modifying any policies or benefit plans, provided such changes do not conflict with the terms of this Agreement.

 

 

b.

Paid Time Off. Employee will be eligible for a maximum of four weeks of paid vacation for each twelve-month period worked, provided that in no event may a vacation be taken at a time when to do so could, in the reasonable judgment of the Board, adversely affect the business of the Company.

 

c.

Professional Expenses. Company will reimburse Employee for reasonable expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable business-related travel and entertaining) incurred by Employee in connection with the performance of Employee’s duties under this Agreement, subject to Company’s policies and, to the extent applicable, the Board’s approved annual budget.

 

d.

Automobile Allowance. Employee will receive a monthly automobile allowance of $1,250 for Employee to drive the automobile of Employee’s choice. This allowance is taxable and subject to applicable withholdings and deductions.

 

8.

Performance Review. The Board may review Employee’s performance annually in accordance with the applicable performance evaluation process.

 

9.

Confidentiality. In the course of performing Employee’s duties and responsibilities as a Company employee, Employee has had and will have access to and be entrusted with detailed confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets (“Confidential Information’’), the disclosure of any of which or the use of same by Employee would be highly detrimental to Company’s interests. By way of illustration, Confidential Information may include information or material which has not been made generally available to the public, such as: (a) corporate information, including plans, strategies, methods, policies, resolutions, negotiations or litigation; (b) marketing information, including strategies, methods, customer identities or other information about customers, prospect identities or other information about prospects, or market analyses or projections; (c) financial information, including cost and performance data, debt arrangements, equity structure, investors and holdings, purchasing and sales data and price lists; and (d) operational and technological information, including plans, specifications, manuals, forms, templates, software, designs, methods, procedures, formulas, discoveries, inventions, improvements, concepts and ideas; and (e) personnel information, including personnel lists, reporting or organizational structure, resumes, personnel data, performance evaluations and termination arrangements or documents. Confidential Information also includes information received in confidence by the Company from its respective customers or suppliers or other third parties. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by Employee and Company, Employee hereby agrees that during and after the termination of Employee’s employment with Company, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, disclose to any person outside of Company or in any way make use of (other than for Company’s benefit), in any manner, any of Company’s Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets or otherwise infringe upon Company’s proprietary rights unless such disclosure is made by Employee in furtherance of Company’s interests and Employee’s responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employee shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets that (a) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (b) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. If Employee files a lawsuit for retaliation by Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, Employee may disclose the Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets to Employee’s attorney and use such in the court proceeding, if Employee (a) files any document containing Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets under seal; and (b) does not disclose the Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets, except pursuant to court order. In the event of any such disclosure by Employee, Employee shall notify the Company and provide a copy of such disclosure.

 

For purposes of this Section 9, all references to the Company shall include all of its affiliates.

 

10.

Termination by Company.

 

a.

Termination for Cause. Company may immediately terminate Employee’s employment hereunder for “Cause”. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” includes, but is not limited to: (a) Employee’s breach of this Agreement or Company policy; (b) Employee’s material failure or refusal to perform Employee’s duties as a Company employee (including, without limitation, Employee’s material failure to follow the lawful direction of the Board or to be regularly and continuously present and active in Employee’s position as Director) or Employee’s gross negligence, willful misconduct, chronic absenteeism, or habitual neglect in the performance of such duties; (c) Employee’s conviction or entry of a nolo contender plea to a felony, a crime of moral turpitude, dishonesty, breach of trust or unethical business conduct, or any other crime which materially affects Company’s or any of its affiliate’s business; (d) Employee’s indictment for a crime (other than a minor traffic violation or misdemeanor) or any offense involving moral turpitude, when the Board in its reasonable discretion determines that Employee can no longer satisfactorily perform the duties of Employee’s job or that Employee’s continuing service would materially have an adverse effect on the business interests or reputation of Company or any of its affiliates; (e) Employee’s commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation, dishonesty, theft, or insubordination; (f) Employee’s illegal use of drugs in the workplace; and (g) Employee’s failure to honor Employee’s fiduciary duties to Company, including the duty to act in the best interests of Company. Cause will not be deemed to exist under (a), (b) and (g) of this paragraph unless and until Company provides Employee written notice of the reason and a 30-day opportunity to cure and Employee fails to cure.

 

 

b.

Termination Without Cause. If, during the Term, Company terminates Employee’s employment for any reason other than Cause, Employee’s disability, or following Employee’s notice of resignation, then such termination shall be deemed “without Cause.”

 

11.

Termination by Employee.

 

a.

Termination by Employee for Good Reason. Employee may terminate Employee’s employment hereunder for “Good Reason”. Resignation by Employee shall be for “Good Reason” where, unless otherwise consented to in writing by Employee, Company causes:

 

(i)

a material diminution in Employee’s authority, duties or responsibilities; or

 

(ii)

a material decrease in Employee’s Base Compensation, except for across the board reductions affecting all or substantially all executives of the Company; or

 

(iii)

the relocation by the Company of the Employee’s principal place of business for the performance of his duties to a location that is more than fifty (50) mile radius from its current location.

 

Employee will not be deemed to have experienced a material diminution in authority, duties or responsibilities where the sole change is the Company becoming a subsidiary of another entity.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Good Reason will not exist unless: (i) Employee provides Company written notice of the existence of Good Reason within ninety (90) days of its initial existence; (ii) Company has a thirty (30) day opportunity to remedy the Good Reason condition and does not so remedy the condition; and (iii) Employee separates from service within thirty (30) days after the cure period described in clause (ii).

 

b.

Termination by Employee With Written Notice. Employee may terminate Employee’s employment hereunder by notifying Company of Employee’s resignation no less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of the resignation (“Adequate Notice”). Company may, at its option, terminate Employee’s employment at any time during such notice period and such termination will not be considered a termination without Cause.

 

12.

Death or Disability. If, during the Term, Employee becomes disabled such that he is not able to effectively discharge Employee’s duties under this Agreement, with or without reasonable accommodation, for six (6) months in any twelve (12) month period, this Agreement shall terminate and Employee’s employment hereunder will terminate as of the end of the calendar month in which Company, in its sole and exclusive discretion, makes this determination. If the Employee dies the Employee’s heirs, beneficiaries, successors, or assigns shall not be entitled to any of the compensation or benefits to which Employee is entitled under this Agreement, except: (a) to the extent specifically provided in this Employment Agreement (b) to the extent required by law; or (c) to the extent that such benefit plans or policies under which Employee is covered provide a benefit to the Employee’s heirs, beneficiaries, successors, or assigns.

 

 

13.

Consequences of Separation From Service.

 

a.

If, during the Term, Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause pursuant to Paragraph l0.b. or Employee resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Paragraph 11.a), Company will pay Employee (i) any earned but unpaid Base Compensation through the last day of employment; (ii) for any accrued but unused vacation days; ; (iii) for continuation of health coverage through COBRA at a pro-rata cost share determined at the time of separation from service; (iv) any other vested benefits to which Employee is entitled, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans; (v) a pro rata share of any annual performance bonus to which Employee is entitled (determined after the end of the performance period, based on achievement of the established goals), and (vi) the lesser of: (A) twelve (12) months of Employee’s annual Base Compensation, or (B) Employee’s annual Base Compensation for the remainder of the Term. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the severance payment and any other benefits payable under this Agreement, either apart from or together with other payments to Employee from Company or its affiliates, would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code), such severance payment shall be reduced to the largest amount as will result in no portion of the severance payment under this paragraph being subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

b.

If, during the Term of this Agreement, Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated for Cause (as defined herein), due to Employee’s disability or death or Employee terminates Employee’s employment other than for Good Reason (as defined herein), Company will pay Employee (or in the case of death, the Employee’s heirs or personal representatives): (i) any earned and unpaid Base Compensation through the last day of employment; (ii) any paid time off to which Employee is entitled under Company policy; and (iii) any other vested benefits to which Employee is entitled, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans. Company shall have no obligation to make any further payments (salary, incentive compensation or otherwise) or provide any further benefits to Employee except as otherwise provided for herein or under the applicable terms of such benefit plans.

 

c.

If Employee resigns without Adequate Notice and Company terminates Employee’s employment during the notice period such termination will not be considered a termination without Cause and Company will be under no obligation to continue to pay Employee Employee’s Base Compensation or pay for Employee’s continued participation in Company group health plans.

 

 

d.

The foregoing payments are subject to applicable withholdings and deductions, and in accordance with Company’s generally applicable payroll practices. Payment of the benefits provided for in paragraph 13(a)(v) and (vi) (to the extent not vested by statute or the terms thereof on the business day prior to the Employee’s separation from service date) are contingent upon Employee’s execution of a separation agreement and general release of any and all claims against Company, in a form acceptable to Company, within sixty (60) days following Employee’s separation from service date and such agreement and release not having been revoked by Employee pursuant to any revocation rights afforded by applicable law. Provided these contingencies are satisfied, Company will pay the amount provided for in paragraph 13(a)(v) at the same time as other Company executive employees are paid their bonus and will pay the amount provided for in paragraph 13(a)(vi) ratably over a twelve (12) month period in accordance with the Company’s regular compensation payment practices beginning after Company receives the executed separation agreement and general release.

 

e.

Company shall have no obligation to make any further payments (salary, bonus or otherwise) or provide any further benefits to Employee except as otherwise provided under the applicable terms of this Agreement or such benefit plans.

 

f.

Company intends for the foregoing payments either to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, and all applicable guidance promulgated thereunder (together, “Section 409A”) or to be exempt from the application of Section 409A, and Agreement shall be construed and interpreted accordingly. To the extent that any provision in this Agreement is ambiguous as to its compliance with Section 409A, or to the extent any provision in this Agreement must be modified to comply with Section 409A, such provision shall be read, or shall be modified, as the case may be, in such a manner so that no payment due to the Employee shall be subject to an “additional tax” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(l)(B).

 

If necessary to comply with the restriction in Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Code concerning payments to “specified employees,” any payment on account of the Executive’s separation from service that would otherwise be due hereunder within six (6) months after such separation shall be delayed until the first business day of the seventh month following the Termination Date and the first such payment shall include the cumulative amount of any payments (without interest) that would have been paid prior to such date if not for such restriction. Each payment in a series of payments hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. To the extent required to avoid an accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A, amounts reimbursable to the Employee under this Agreement shall be paid to the Employee on or before the last day of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred and the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement (and in-kind benefits provided to the Employee) during any one year may not affect amounts reimbursable or provided in any subsequent year. In no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on the Employee by Section 409A or damages for failing to comply with Section 409A.

 

 

14.

Inventions and Patents. The Employee acknowledges that all inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, methods, designs, analyses, drawings, reports, and all similar or related information (whether or not patentable) which relate to the actual or reasonably anticipated business, research and development or existing or future products or services of the Company and its affiliates and which are conceived, developed or made by the Employee while employed (“Work Product”) belong to the Company. The Employee shall promptly disclose such Work Product to the Board and, at the Company’s expense, perform all actions reasonably requested by the Board (whether during or after Employee’s employment) to establish and confirm such ownership (including executing any assignments, consents, powers of attorney and other instruments).

 

15.

Noncompetition.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Company is engaged in a highly specialized and competitive business and that by virtue of Employee’s position, and the Company’s confidential information that the Employee has or will receive, the Employee’s engaging in business which is in competition with the Company will cause the Company great and irreparable harm.

 

b.

Employee further acknowledges that the Company has invested and/or will invest substantial time, effort and finances into helping Employee develop Employee’s relationships with the Company’s customers.

 

c.

Consequently, Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not either directly or indirectly, individually or through any person, firm, corporation or other entity, whether as owner, partner, investor, operator, manager, officer, director, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer, advisor, representative or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest or actively prepare to engage, participate, assist or invest in the pool industry, or any other industries in which the Company has done business during Employee’s employment with the Company or which the Company was actively considering during such period. All references to the Company in this Paragraph 15 include the affiliates of the Company. The restrictions set forth in this Paragraph 15 shall apply to any conduct in North America and any other geographical area in which the Company operates or provides services or is actively preparing to operate or provide services as of the last date of Employee’s employment.

 

 

16.

Nonsolicitation.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that during the course of Employee’s employment by the Company, Employee will have access to, come into contact with and become aware of some, most or all of the Company’s Confidential Information, and information pertaining to customers, past, present and prospective, as well as the specific contact information for key personnel at the Company’s customers. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that the disclosure of such Confidential Information, or customer information, absent the Company’s consent, will cause the Company great and irreparable harm.

 

b.

Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not, either directly or indirectly, solicit, attempt to solicit, or accept business nor will Employee assist any other entity, either directly or indirectly, in soliciting or attempting to solicit, or accept business from any customers of the Company, whether an individual or entity, with whom Employee, Company or any employee of the Company, had contact or dealings with on behalf of the Company, at any time during the five (5) year period preceding the termination of Employee’s employment. Employee further covenants and agrees that for a period of two (2) years from the end of Employee’s employment relationship with the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, Employee will not directly or indirectly, either individually or through any person, firm, corporation or other entity, solicit or attempt to solicit, offer employment to or hire in any capacity, or entice away or in any other manner persuade or attempt to persuade any officer, director, agent, representative or employee of the Company to leave Employee’s/her employment with the Company.

 

c.

Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not make any oral or written statements or publications with respect to the Company that disparages or denigrates the Company.

 

d.

All references to the Company in this Paragraph 16 include the affiliates of the Company.

 

17.

Enforcement of Certain Provisions.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that any violation of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16, including divulgence of confidential information as well as information about the Company’s equipment or processes, to unauthorized persons is sufficient reason for immediate dismissal, which would constitute termination for Cause.

 

 

b.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee’s breach of Paragraphs 9, 15 or 16 will result in material, irreparable injury to the Company for which any remedy at law will not be adequate. Moreover, it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and, in the event of such a breach or threat of breach, the Company shall be entitled to obtain a temporary restraining order and/or a preliminary or permanent injunction restraining Employee from engaging in activities prohibited by this Agreement without the need to post a bond, together with such other relief as may be required to enforce specifically any of the terms of this Agreement. Employee consents to such temporary, preliminary or permanent injunctive relief. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as prohibiting the Company from pursuing any other available remedies for breach or threatened breach of this Agreement, including recovery of damages, costs, and attorneys’ fees. Nothing in Paragraph 24, Arbitration, precludes Company from seeking relief from a court of competent jurisdiction as necessary pursuant to the terms of this Paragraph.

 

c.

If the Company is required to enforce any of its rights under Paragraphs 9, 15 or 16 through legal proceedings, the Employee shall reimburse the Company for all reasonable costs, expenses and counsel fees incurred by the Company in connection with the enforcement of its rights under this Agreement.

 

d.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions contained in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 are reasonable in scope and Employee will not raise any issue regarding the reasonableness of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 as a defense in any proceeding to enforce Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of the Agreement.

 

e.

If one or more provisions of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of this Agreement are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, Employee acknowledges and agrees the validity, legality, and enforcement of the remaining provisions of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of the Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. Furthermore, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any of the restrictions contained in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of this Agreement are not reasonable, the Company and Employee agree that the court may modify such provisions as the court deems reasonable.

 

f.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that for a period of two years from Employee’s separation of employment from the Company, Employee will: (i) before accepting an offer of employment, inform such employers of the provisions set forth in Paragraphs 9, 15, 16, and 17 of this Agreement ; and (ii) within two (2) business days of accepting an offer of employment with another employer, notify the Company of the name and address of the new employer and the title of the position accepted.

 

g.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions set forth in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 (i) are intended to protect the interest of the Company in its Confidential Information, goodwill and established employee, customer, supplier, consultant and vendor relationships, and agrees that such restrictions are reasonable and appropriate for this purpose; (ii) are an essential inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement; (iii) shall not impose an undue hardship on Employee and Employee’s ability to earn a livelihood; and (iv) shall not supersede or be superseded by, and shall be read in conjunction with, any non-solicitation, non-competition and confidentiality agreement or other restrictive covenants entered into between the parties to effect the greatest restriction.

 

 

18.

Notices. Any notice required or desired to be given under this Agreement shall be deemed given by personal delivery, overnight courier, or by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested to the addresses set forth below. Notice shall be deemed given immediately if delivered in person or within three days after mailing by certified mail to the following addresses:

 

Scott Rajeski		Latham Pool Products, Inc.
		Attn: Melissa Feck
		787 Watervliet Shaker Rd
		Latham, NY 12110

 

With a copy to Latham Investment Holdings, LP

c/o Pamplona Capital Management LLC

375 Park Avenue

17^th Floor

New York, NY 10152

 

Any party may alter the address to which communications or copies are to be sent by giving notice of such change of address in conformity with the provisions of this paragraph for the giving of notice.

 

19.

Assignment. Employee acknowledges that Employee’s services are unique and personal and that Employee therefore may not assign or delegate Employee’s rights or duties under this Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding on Company, its successors and assigns, including, without limitation, any entity which is or may become affiliated with or related to Company.

 

20

Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any term or condition of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of such term or condition. The waiver of a breach of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be deemed to constitute the waiver of any other breach of the same or any other term of condition.

 

21.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and the parties hereto have made no agreements, representations, or warranties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement that are not set forth herein; this Agreement supersedes the terms of all other employment or similar agreements entered into by Company or its affiliates and Employee. No modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties hereto. Paragraph headings are for convenience only, and are neither a part of this Agreement nor a limitation of the scope of the particular paragraphs to which they refer. This Agreement has no effect on any other agreements already in place between Company and Employee regarding stock options or ownership shares in the Company.

 

 

22.

Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without reference to conflict of law principles thereof.

 

23.

Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable, and if any provision(s) or any part of any provision(s) is held to be illegal, void or invalid under applicable law, such provision(s) may be changed to the extent reasonably necessary to make the provision(s), as so changed, legal, valid and binding, and to reflect the original intentions of the parties as nearly as possible in accordance with applicable law. This Agreement shall be construed according to its fair meaning and not strictly for or against either party.

 

24.

Arbitration. With the exception of disputes subject to Paragraph 17(b) above, any dispute between the parties arising out of or related to this Agreement shall be conducted pursuant to the Employment Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. All arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and the arbitration decision shall be enforceable in the courts in the State of New York. This obligation to arbitrate shall survive even if this Agreement shall be alleged to be rescinded or terminated. The arbitration hearing shall be convened in Albany, New York and shall take place within six months from the service of the statement of claim unless the hearing cannot fairly and practically be so convened. Depositions may only be taken by mutual agreement of the parties. The parties shall be entitled to engage in document discovery.

 

25.

Survival. All provisions of this Agreement that are intended to survive its termination, including but not limited to Paragraphs 9, 15, 16 and 17, shall so survive.

 

26.

Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original as against any party whose signature appears thereon, and all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become binding when one or more counterparts hereof, individually or taken together, shall bear the signatures of all of the parties reflected hereon as signatories.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

	Latham Pool Products, Inc.
	By:	/s/ Mark Laven
		Name: Mark Laven
		Title: Chairman

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

	Scott Rajeski
	By:	/s/ Scott Rajeski

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.9

 

2/7/2020 Revised 2/11/2020
	The Pool Company
	787 Watervliet-Shaker Rd.
	Latham, NY 12110

 

J. Mark Borseth

 

Dear Mark:

 

On behalf of Latham Pool Products, I am pleased to extend this formal contingent job offer for the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with a starting date on Monday, March 2, 2020. In this capacity as a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), you will report to Scott Rajeski, President & CEO in accordance with the duties and responsibilities outlined and discussed during the interviewing process and memorialized in the position description.

 

Your annual rate of pay will be $350,000.00 which equates to $13,461.54 biweekly on our normal pay schedule and based on a 40 hour workweek. This position is classified as salaried (Exempt) and ineligible for overtime. In addition to your salary, you will receive a monthly car allowance of $700.00 and a company-provided cell phone. Or, if you prefer to keep your personal cell phone to use for work purposes, you will receive a monthly allowance of $50.00. In addition, before your start date, we will coordinate your attendance at our Board meeting in Tampa, FL from 2/26-2/28/2020.

 

As a special consideration with this employment offer, we are pleased to offer you a signing bonus of $250,000.00. This bonus will be paid in one lump sum after you have been employed by Latham for 30 days. The signing bonus is taxable, and all regular payroll taxes will be withheld. In the event that you voluntarily leave Latham Pool Products within 12 months of your date of hire, you will be responsible for reimbursing the company for the entire signing bonus. (By your signature on this employment offer, you authorize Latham to withhold this amount from any severance and other final pay you may receive upon termination of employment.) You also have the option to take any amount up to and including $250,000.00 as an interest-free, forgivable loan to acquire greater equity ownership in the company. We can discuss your preference separately.

 

You will be eligible for the Management Incentive Bonus (MIB) program Tier 1C (60% of base pay) which is generally paid annually in the 1st quarter of the year (2021) proceeding the prior plan year (2020). You are guaranteed a minimum bonus payout of $210,000.⁰⁰ for the 2020 plan year. Your bonus plan (MBOs) will be determined in accordance with Latham’s annual business plan objectives which involves KPIs, projects and individual goals. Participation in the bonus plan is governed by a separate plan document that will be reviewed with you in greater detail upon hire. This plan represents discretionary payments that are designed to reward you for your active contribution assisting Latham achieve its business objectives. (This plan may be amended from time to time at the discretion of Latham and without notice. Any payment under this plan is separate from your base salary and any other benefit program.) The company also provides performance reviews on an annual basis for all employees.

 

 

	The Pool Company

 

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), you will be provided with twelve (12) months of base salary, if your employment is terminated without Cause, contingent on the execution of Employment Agreement provided with this offer letter. In addition, you will be eligible for the Company’s Profits Interest Plan and will be awarded 2,110,114 profits units after successful completion of your 90-day Introduction Period. This Plan aligns the interests of management with our private equity owners and rewards exceptional performance, which will be reviewed with you by Pamplona. The profits units vest based on time and Company performance. The terms and conditions of these units will be provided in a separate agreement in July, 2020.

 

You will be eligible for any fringe benefits extended to Latham full-time employees subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Currently, these benefits include group medical, dental, and vision care insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance, and the company-sponsored 401(k) plan. Such benefits are provided on the first day of the month following 60 days of employment. Therefore, if you commence employment on 3/2/2020 you must make your selections by 4/30/2020, and your benefits will be effective 5/1/2020. Our 401(k) plan has an automatic enrollment feature, as well as company match. You will be notified via mail about the plan and when the automatic enrollment begins. Should you choose to opt out, visit www.401K.com or call Fidelity at 1-800-835-5097. Regarding health and welfare benefits, should the need arise, we will reimburse you for your out of pocket COBRA premiums for the months of March and April at a 70% rate as a bridge to your eligibility onto our plan.

 

Pursuant to our Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, which will be provided to you during your onboarding, on your start date you will begin accruing PTO at a rate of 3.84 hours per week (equivalent to five (5) weeks of PTO per year of employment). PTO is used with your manager’s approval for time away from work for purposes such as vacation, illness and personal reasons. Please also note that as an employee of Latham, you receive 11 company-paid holidays each year! A copy of the holiday schedule will be provided to you. As a courtesy with this employment offer, we will front-load two (2) weeks of PTO to your accrual.

 

At time of hire, a relocation package will also be provided to you (not to exceed $50,000.00 net) to assist with expenses related to your move to the Capital Region, NY area. (This payment requires 100% repayment if you voluntarily terminate employment or are terminated for cause within 24 months of hire.)

 

Relocation Assistance includes:

 

·

One (1) residence-hunting trip for you and your significant other up to three (3) days (including airfare, hotel accommodations, meals and related expenses (rental car, airport parking fees, etc.)

 

 

	The Pool Company

 

·

Temporary living expenses for up to 90 days, which includes a hotel or a corporate apartment

 

·

Any cost to connect and disconnect utilities because of the move

 

	·	The cost to store your belongings for no more than 30 consecutive days after the move

·

Mileage incurred on your personal vehicle (one time) if you choose to drive your vehicle to your new residence versus transporting through a moving service

 

	·	Real estate and associated expenses (including attorney fees) involving the sale of your current residence, if applicable

·

Actual moving expenses (after obtaining at least two quotes) of your household goods and personal effects from the former residence to the new residence; please note – if there are any unusual items being considered for a move (RV, boat, more than two vehicles, etc.) we will need to discuss as this may be prohibited according to IRS rules

 

·

Closing expenses associated with the purchase of a new home in the Capital Region, NY area

 

See IRS Publication 521 for additional information regarding the tax treatment of moving expenses incurred for work purposes under employer Accountable Plan.

 

Additionally, the first 90 days of employment are considered an introductory and orientation period, and provides you and the company the opportunity to get to know each other. During this period, your performance will be evaluated to assess your potential for continued employment and you will have the opportunity to evaluate us as an employer. Therefore, we encourage you to share your thoughts and build a positive relationship with your supervisor during your introductory and orientation period. Please recognize, however, that successful completion of this period is no guarantee of continued employment, as your employment is at-will for no set period of time and may be terminated for any reason at any time by either you or the company.

 

This offer is contingent on a successful background check including 1) completion of a pre-employment drug screening test that will be at our expense and must be completed before your first day of employment; 2) your ability to provide proof of your employment eligibility and identity as required under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, via the completion of an I-9 form; and 3) your execution of the enclosed Employment Agreement; 4) Professional Reference; and 5) a successful motor vehicle check (MVR) where applicable for driving positions.

 

As an employee of Latham, you will be subject to all of the policies and procedures of the company, including the enclosed “Employee Agreement” regarding confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition. In making this employment offer, Latham has no interest in obtaining the benefit of any trade secrets or confidential information of any kind from former employers. Accordingly, Latham cautions you not to disclose any trade secrets or confidential information for the benefit of Latham.

 

If this offer of employment meets your expectations as we discussed, please sign a copy of this letter and the separate “Employee Agreement” and return both items to me as soon as possible. Importantly, if you have any questions regarding any aspect of the employment process, please contact me at              or Melissa Feck, CHRO, at           or

 

 

	The Pool Company

 

I anticipate that you will provide many significant contributions to our organization and I am truly looking forward to having you join our Senior Leadership Team!

 

Sincerely,

 

/s/ Scott M. Rajeski

 

Scott M. Rajeski

President & CEO

 

I have read this letter and I agree to, and accept, the terms and conditions contained herein.

 

/s/ J. Mark Borseth		2/12/2020
J. Mark Borseth		Date

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.10

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement is made on the 12th day of February, 2020, between Latham Pool Products, Inc. (“Company”) and J. Mark Borseth (“Employee”) and is effective as of such date (the “Effective Date”). As used in this Agreement, “Company” includes Latham Pool Products, Inc., its predecessors, successors, and assigns.

 

WITNESSETH

 

WHEREAS, Company desires to employ Employee upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated, and

 

WHEREAS, Employee wishes to be employed by Company upon the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein and intending to be legally bound thereby, Company and Employee agree as follows:

 

1.

Employment. Company shall employ Employee, and Employee hereby accepts employment by Company, for the period and upon the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement.

 

2.

Term. This Agreement will take effect on the Effective Date and shall continue unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided (“Term”).

 

3.

Titles and Duties. During the Term, Employee shall serve as Company’s Chief Financial Officer and shall use Employee’s skills and render services to the best of Employee’s abilities in contributing to the operations and success of the Company, all in accordance with the directives of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and any other person designated by the CEO or Board of Directors (the “Board”), to whom Employee will report.

 

4.

Policies. Except as provided herein, Employee shall be covered by and agrees to comply with all Company policies and procedures on the same terms as are applicable to other full-time executive employees of Company, and as may be amended from time to time.

 

 

5.

Extent of Services.

 

a.

Employee shall devote substantially all of Employee’s business time, skills, and attention to the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder and use Employee’s best efforts in such endeavors.

 

b.

Employee shall not engage in any business activity that conflicts with Employee’s duties hereunder or with the interests of the Company, regardless of whether such activity is pursued for gain or profit, although Employee may manage Employee’s passive personal investments. Subject to paragraph 5.c. below, Employee also may participate in reasonable and customary professional, educational, welfare, social, and civic activities (e.g., Employee’s volunteer activities with chambers of commerce), as long as they do not adversely impact the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder or otherwise conflict with the interests of the Company.

 

c.

Employee shall not participate in any expert networks or serve on any for-profit boards without the prior approval of the Board or CEO.

 

6.

Compensation.

 

a.

Base Compensation. For all services rendered under this Agreement, Company shall pay Employee an initial base salary of $350,000 per year (“Base Compensation”), subject to applicable withholdings and deductions, and payable in regular installments in accordance with Company’s generally applicable payroll practices. During the Term of this Agreement, the CEO or Board may, in his, her or its sole discretion, increase, but not decrease, Employee’s Base Compensation, except for across the board reductions affecting all or substantially all executives of the Company.

 

b.

Bonuses. During the Term, Employee is entitled to participate in the Management Incentive Bonus (MIB) program, as in effect and established from time to time by the Board or CEO.

 

7.

Benefits.

 

a.

Health and Welfare Benefits. Except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement, Employee shall be eligible to participate in all Company employee benefits policies and plans in effect from time to time, on the same terms and conditions applicable to other full-time executive employees of Company, and in accordance with the terms of those policies and plans. Nothing in this Agreement shall restrict Company from adding, discontinuing, amending or modifying any policies or benefit plans, provided such changes do not conflict with the terms of this Agreement.

 

 

b.

Paid Time Off. Employee will be eligible for a maximum of five weeks of paid time off for each twelve-month period worked, provided that in no event may a vacation be taken at a time when to do so could, in the reasonable judgment of the Board, adversely affect the business of the Company.

 

c.

Professional Expenses. Company will reimburse Employee for reasonable expenses (including, but not limited to, reasonable business-related travel and entertaining) incurred by Employee in connection with the performance of Employee’s duties under this Agreement, subject to Company’s policies and, to the extent applicable, the Board’s approved annual budget.

 

d.

Automobile Allowance. Employee will receive a monthly automobile allowance of $700 for Employee to drive the automobile of Employee’s choice. This allowance is taxable and subject to applicable withholdings and deductions.

 

8.

Performance Review. The CEO may review Employee’s performance annually in accordance with the applicable performance evaluation process.

 

9.

Confidentiality. In the course of performing Employee’s duties and responsibilities as a Company employee, Employee has had and will have access to and be entrusted with detailed confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets (“Confidential Information”), the disclosure of any of which or the use of same by Employee would be highly detrimental to Company’s interests. By way of illustration, Confidential Information may include information or material which has not been made generally available to the public, such as: (a) corporate information, including plans, strategies, methods, policies, resolutions, negotiations or litigation; (b) marketing information, including strategies, methods, customer identities or other information about customers, prospect identities or other information about prospects, or market analyses or projections; (c) financial information, including cost and performance data, debt arrangements, equity structure, investors and holdings, purchasing and sales data and price lists; and (d) operational and technological information, including plans, specifications, manuals, forms, templates, software, designs, methods, procedures, formulas, discoveries, inventions, improvements, concepts and ideas; and (e) personnel information, including personnel lists, reporting or organizational structure, resumes, personnel data, performance evaluations and termination arrangements or documents. Confidential Information also includes information received in confidence by the Company from its respective customers or suppliers or other third parties. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by Employee and Company, Employee hereby agrees that during and after the termination of Employee’s employment with Company, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, disclose to any person outside of Company or in any way make use of (other than for Company’s benefit), in any manner, any of Company’s Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets or otherwise infringe upon Company’s proprietary rights unless such disclosure is made by Employee in furtherance of Company’s interests and Employee’s responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employee shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets that (a) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (b) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. If Employee files a lawsuit for retaliation by Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, Employee may disclose the Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets to Employee’s attorney and use such in the court proceeding, if Employee (a) files any document containing Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets under seal; and (b) does not disclose the Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets, except pursuant to court order. In the event of any such disclosure by Employee, Employee shall notify the Company and provide a copy of such disclosure.

 

For purposes of this Section 9, all references to the Company shall include all of its affiliates.

 

10.

Termination by Company.

 

a.

Termination for Cause. Company may immediately terminate Employee’s employment hereunder for “Cause”. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” includes, but is not limited to: (a) Employee’s breach of this Agreement or Company policy; (b) Employee’s material failure or refusal to perform Employee’s duties as a Company employee (including, without limitation, Employee’s material failure to follow the lawful direction of the CEO or Board or Employee’s gross negligence, willful misconduct, chronic absenteeism, or habitual neglect in the performance of such duties; (c) Employee’s conviction or entry of a nolo contender plea to a felony, a crime of moral turpitude, dishonesty, breach of trust or unethical business conduct, or any other crime which materially affects Company’s or any of its affiliate’s business; (d) Employee’s indictment for a crime (other than a minor traffic violation or misdemeanor) or any offense involving moral turpitude, when the CEO or Board in his, her or its reasonable discretion determines that Employee can no longer satisfactorily perform the duties of Employee’s job or that Employee’s continuing service would materially have an adverse effect on the business interests or reputation of Company or any of its affiliates; (e) Employee’s commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation, dishonesty, theft, or insubordination; (f) Employee’s illegal use of drugs in the workplace; and (g) Employee’s failure to honor Employee’s fiduciary duties to Company, including the duty to act in the best interests of Company. Cause will not be deemed to exist under (a), (b) and (g) of this paragraph unless and until Company provides Employee written notice of the reason and a 30-day opportunity to cure and Employee fails to cure.

 

b.

Termination Without Cause. If, during the Term, Company terminates Employee’s employment for any reason other than Cause, Employee’s disability, or following Employee’s notice of resignation, then such termination shall be deemed “without Cause.”

 

 

11.

Termination by Employee.

 

a.

Termination by Employee for Good Reason. Employee may terminate Employee’s employment hereunder for “Good Reason”. Resignation by Employee shall be for “Good Reason” where, unless otherwise consented to in writing by Employee, Company causes:

 

(i)

a material decrease in Employee’s Base Compensation, except for across the board reductions affecting all or substantially all executives of the Company; or

 

(ii)

the relocation by the Company of the Employee’s principal place of business for the performance of his duties to a location that is more than fifty (50) mile radius from its current location.

 

Employee will not be deemed to have experienced a material diminution in authority, duties or responsibilities where the sole change is the Company becoming a subsidiary of another entity.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Good Reason will not exist unless: (i) Employee provides Company written notice of the existence of Good Reason within ninety (90) days of its initial existence; (ii) Company has a thirty (30) day opportunity to remedy the Good Reason condition and does not so remedy the condition; and (iii) Employee separates from service within thirty (30) days after the cure period described in clause (ii).

 

b.

Termination by Employee With Written Notice. Employee may terminate Employee’s employment hereunder by notifying Company of Employee’s resignation no less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of the resignation (“Adequate Notice”). Company may, at its option, terminate Employee’s employment at any time during such notice period and such termination will not be considered a termination without Cause.

 

12.

Death or Disability. If, during the Term, Employee becomes disabled such that he is not able to effectively discharge Employee’s duties under this Agreement, with or without reasonable accommodation, for six (6) months in any twelve (12) month period, this Agreement shall terminate and Employee’s employment hereunder will terminate as of the end of the calendar month in which Company, in its sole and exclusive discretion, makes this determination. If the Employee dies the Employee’s heirs, beneficiaries, successors, or assigns shall not be entitled to any of the compensation or benefits to which Employee is entitled under this Agreement, except: (a) to the extent specifically provided in this Employment Agreement (b) to the extent required by law; or (c) to the extent that such benefit plans or policies under which Employee is covered provide a benefit to the Employee’s heirs, beneficiaries, successors, or assigns.

 

 

13.

Consequences of Separation From Service.

 

a.

If, during the Term, Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause pursuant to Paragraph l0.b. or Employee resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Paragraph 11.a), Company will pay Employee (i) any earned but unpaid Base Compensation through the last day of employment; (ii) for any accrued but unused paid time off days up to a maximum of two (2) weeks; (iii) for continuation of health coverage through COBRA for the 12 month severance period at a pro-rata cost share determined at the time of separation from service; (iv) any other vested benefits to which Employee is entitled, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans; and (v) twelve (12) months of Employee’s annual Base Compensation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the severance payment and any other benefits payable under this Agreement, either apart from or together with other payments to Employee from Company or its affiliates, would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code), such severance payment shall be reduced to the largest amount as will result in no portion of the severance payment under this paragraph being subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

b.

If, during the Term of this Agreement, Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated for Cause (as defined herein), due to Employee’s disability or death or Employee terminates Employee’s employment other than for Good Reason (as defined herein), Company will pay Employee (or in the case of death, the Employee’s heirs or personal representatives): (i) any earned and unpaid Base Compensation through the last day of employment; (ii) any paid time off to which Employee is entitled under Company policy; and (iii) any other vested benefits to which Employee is entitled, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans. Company shall have no obligation to make any further payments (salary, incentive compensation or otherwise) or provide any further benefits to Employee except as otherwise provided for herein or under the applicable terms of such benefit plans.

 

c.

If Employee resigns without Adequate Notice and Company terminates Employee’s employment during the notice period such termination will not be considered a termination without Cause and Company will be under no obligation to continue to pay Employee Employee’s Base Compensation or pay for Employee’s continued participation in Company group health plans.

 

d.

The foregoing payments are subject to applicable withholdings and deductions, and in accordance with Company’s generally applicable payroll practices. Payment of the benefits provided for in paragraph 13(a)(v) (to the extent not vested by statute or the terms thereof on the business day prior to the Employee’s separation from service date) are contingent upon Employee’s execution of a separation agreement and general release of any and all claims against Company, in a form acceptable to Company, within sixty (60) days following Employee’s separation from service date and such agreement and release not having been revoked by Employee pursuant to any revocation rights afforded by applicable law.

 

 

Employee pursuant to any revocation rights afforded by applicable law. Provided these contingencies are satisfied, Company will pay the amount provided for in paragraph 13(a)(v) ratably over a twelve (12) month period in accordance with the Company’s regular compensation payment practices beginning after Company receives the executed separation agreement and general release.

 

e.

Company shall have no obligation to make any further payments (salary, bonus or otherwise) or provide any further benefits to Employee except as otherwise provided under the applicable terms of this Agreement or such benefit plans.

 

f.

Company intends for the foregoing payments either to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, and all applicable guidance promulgated thereunder (together, “Section 409A”) or to be exempt from the application of Section 409A, and Agreement shall be construed and interpreted accordingly. To the extent that any provision in this Agreement is ambiguous as to its compliance with Section 409A, or to the extent any provision in this Agreement must be modified to comply with Section 409A, such provision shall be read, or shall be modified, as the case may be, in such a manner so that no payment due to the Employee shall be subject to an “additional tax” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(1)(B). If necessary to comply with the restriction in Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Code concerning payments to “specified employees,” any payment on account of the Executive’s separation from service that would otherwise be due hereunder within six (6) months after such separation shall be delayed until the first business day of the seventh month following the Termination Date and the first such payment shall include the cumulative amount of any payments (without interest) that would have been paid prior to such date if not for such restriction. Each payment in a series of payments hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. To the extent required to avoid an accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A, amounts reimbursable to the Employee under this Agreement shall be paid to the Employee on or before the last day of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred and the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement (and in-kind benefits provided to the Employee) during any one year may not affect amounts reimbursable or provided in any subsequent year. In no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on the Employee by Section 409A or damages for failing to comply with Section 409A.

 

14.

Inventions and Patents. The Employee acknowledges that all inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, methods, designs, analyses, drawings, reports, and all similar or related information (whether or not patentable) which relate to the actual or reasonably anticipated business, research and development or existing or future products or services of the Company and its affiliates and which are conceived, developed or made by the Employee while employed (“Work Product”) belong to the Company. The Employee shall promptly disclose such Work Product to the Board and, at the Company’s expense, perform all actions reasonably requested by the Board (whether during or after Employee’s employment) to establish and confirm such ownership (including executing any assignments, consents, powers of attorney and other instruments).

 

 

15.

Noncompetition.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Company is engaged in a highly specialized and competitive business and that by virtue of Employee’s position, and the Company’s confidential information that the Employee has or will receive, the Employee’s engaging in business which is in competition with the Company will cause the Company great and irreparable harm.

 

b.

Employee further acknowledges that the Company has invested and/or will invest substantial time, effort and finances into helping Employee develop Employee’s relationships with the Company’s customers.

 

c.

Consequently, Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not either directly or indirectly, individually or through any person, firm, corporation or other entity, whether as owner, partner, investor, operator, manager, officer, director, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer, advisor, representative or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest or actively prepare to engage, participate, assist or invest in the pool industry, or any other industries in which the Company has done business during Employee’s employment with the Company or which the Company was actively considering during such period. All references to the Company in this Paragraph 15 include the affiliates of the Company. The restrictions set forth in this Paragraph 15 shall apply to any conduct in North America and any other geographical area in which the Company operates or provides services or is actively preparing to operate or provide services as of the last date of Employee’s employment.

 

16.

Nonsolicitation.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that during the course of Employee’s employment by the Company, Employee will have access to, come into contact with and become aware of some, most or all of the Company’s Confidential Information, and information pertaining to customers, past, present and prospective, as well as the specific contact information for key personnel at the Company’s customers. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that the disclosure of such Confidential Information, or customer information, absent the Company’s consent, will cause the Company great and irreparable harm.

 

b.

Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not, either directly or indirectly, solicit, attempt to solicit, or accept business nor will Employee assist any other entity, either directly or indirectly, in soliciting or attempting to solicit, or accept business from any customers of the Company, whether an individual or entity, with whom Employee, Company or any employee of the Company, had contact or dealings with on behalf of the Company, at any time during the five (5) year period preceding the termination of Employee’s employment. Employee further covenants and agrees that for a period of two (2) years from the end of Employee’s employment relationship with the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, Employee will not directly or indirectly, either individually or through any person, firm, corporation or other entity, solicit or attempt to solicit, offer employment to or hire in any capacity, or entice away or in any other manner persuade or attempt to persuade any officer, director, agent, representative or employee of the Company to leave Employee’s/her employment with the Company.

 

 

c.

Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not make any oral or written statements or publications with respect to the Company that disparages or denigrates the Company.

 

d.

All references to the Company in this Paragraph 16 include the affiliates of the Company.

 

17.

Enforcement of Certain Provisions.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that any violation of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16, including divulgence of confidential information as well as information about the Company’s equipment or processes, to unauthorized persons is sufficient reason for immediate dismissal, which would constitute termination for Cause.

 

b.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee’s breach of Paragraphs 9, 15 or 16 will result in material, irreparable injury to the Company for which any remedy at law will not be adequate. Moreover, it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and, in the event of such a breach or threat of breach, the Company shall be entitled to obtain a temporary restraining order and/or a preliminary or permanent injunction restraining Employee from engaging in activities prohibited by this Agreement without the need to post a bond, together with such other relief as may be required to enforce specifically any of the terms of this Agreement. Employee consents to such temporary, preliminary or permanent injunctive relief. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as prohibiting the Company from pursuing any other available remedies for breach or threatened breach of this Agreement, including recovery of damages, costs, and attorneys’ fees. Nothing in Paragraph 24, Arbitration, precludes Company from seeking relief from a court of competent jurisdiction as necessary pursuant to the terms of this Paragraph.

 

c.

If the Company is required to enforce any of its rights under Paragraphs 9, 15 or 16 through legal proceedings, the Employee shall reimburse the Company for all reasonable costs, expenses and counsel fees incurred by the Company in connection with the enforcement of its rights under this Agreement.

 

 

d.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions contained in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 are reasonable in scope and Employee will not raise any issue regarding the reasonableness of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 as a defense in any proceeding to enforce Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of the Agreement.

 

e.

If one or more provisions of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of this Agreement are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, Employee acknowledges and agrees the validity, legality, and enforcement of the remaining provisions of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of the Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. Furthermore, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any of the restrictions contained in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of this Agreement are not reasonable, the Company and Employee agree that the court may modify such provisions as the court deems reasonable.

 

f.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that for a period of two years from Employee’s separation of employment from the Company, Employee will: (i) before accepting an offer of employment, inform such employers of the provisions set forth in Paragraphs 9, 15, 16, and 17 of this Agreement; and (ii) within two (2) business days of accepting an offer of employment with another employer, notify the Company of the name and address of the new employer and the title of the position accepted.

 

g.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions set forth in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 (i) are intended to protect the interest of the Company in its Confidential Information, goodwill and established employee, customer, supplier, consultant and vendor relationships, and agrees that such restrictions are reasonable and appropriate for this purpose; (ii) are an essential inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement; (iii) shall not impose an undue hardship on Employee and Employee’s ability to earn a livelihood; and (iv) shall not supersede or be superseded by, and shall be read in conjunction with, any non-solicitation, non-competition and confidentiality agreement or other restrictive covenants entered into between the parties to effect the greatest restriction.

 

18. Notices. Any notice required or desired to be given under this Agreement shall be deemed given by personal delivery, overnight courier, or by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested to the addresses set forth below. Notice shall be deemed given immediately if delivered in person or within three days after mailing by certified mail to the following addresses:

 

 

J. Mark Borseth		Latham Pool Products. Inc.
		Attn: Melissa Feck
		787 Watervliet Shaker Rd
		Latham, NY 12110

 

With a copy to:

Latham Investment Holdings, LP

c/o Pamplona Capital Management LLC

667 Madison Avenue, 22nd Floor

New York, NY 10065

 

Any party may alter the address to which communications or copies are to be sent by giving notice of such change of address in conformity with the provisions of this paragraph for the giving of notice.

 

19.

Assignment. Employee acknowledges that Employee’s services are unique and personal and that Employee therefore may not assign or delegate Employee’s rights or duties under this Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding on Company, its successors and assigns, including, without limitation, any entity which is or may become affiliated with or related to Company.

 

20.

Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any term or condition of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of such term or condition. The waiver of a breach of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be deemed to constitute the waiver of any other breach of the same or any other term of condition.

 

21.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and the parties hereto have made no agreements, representations, or warranties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement that are not set forth herein; this Agreement supersedes the terms of all other employment or similar agreements entered into by Company or its affiliates and Employee. No modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties hereto. Paragraph headings are for convenience only, and are neither a part of this Agreement nor a limitation of the scope of the particular paragraphs to which they refer. This Agreement has no effect on any other agreements already in place between Company and Employee regarding stock options or ownership shares in the Company.

 

22.

Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without reference to conflict of law principles thereof.

 

 

23.

Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable, and if any provision(s) or any part of any provision(s) is held to be illegal, void or invalid under applicable law, such provision(s) may be changed to the extent reasonably necessary to make the provision(s), as so changed, legal, valid and binding, and to reflect the original intentions of the parties as nearly as possible in accordance with applicable law. This Agreement shall be construed according to its fair meaning and not strictly for or against either party.

 

24.

Arbitration. With the exception of disputes subject to Paragraph 17(b) above, any dispute between the parties arising out of or related to this Agreement shall be conducted pursuant to the Employment Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. All arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and the arbitration decision shall be enforceable in the courts in the State of New York. This obligation to arbitrate shall survive even if this Agreement shall be alleged to be rescinded or terminated. The arbitration hearing shall be convened in Albany, New York and shall take place within six months from the service of the statement of claim unless the hearing cannot fairly and practically be so convened. Depositions may only be taken by mutual agreement of the parties. The parties shall be entitled to engage in document discovery.

 

25.

Survival. All provisions of this Agreement that are intended to survive its termination, including but not limited to Paragraphs 9, 15, 16 and 17, shall so survive.

 

26.

Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original as against any party whose signature appears thereon, and all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become binding when one or more counterparts hereof, individually or taken together, shall bear the signatures of all of the parties reflected hereon as signatories.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

	Latham Pool Products, Inc.
	By:	/s/ Scott Rajeski
		Name: Scott Rajeski
		Title: CEO

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

	/s/ J. Mark Borseth
	J. Mark Borseth

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 (this “Amendment”), is dated as of April 6, 2020 and amends the Employment Agreement, dated as of February 12, 2020 (the “Employment Agreement”), by and between Latham Pool Products, Inc. (the “Company”) and James Mark Borseth (“Employee”). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Employment Agreement.

 

RECITALS

 

WHEREAS, the Company and Employee previously entered into the Employment Agreement;

 

WHEREAS, pursuant to Paragraph 21 of the Employment Agreement, the Employment Agreement and any of the provisions thereof may be amended or modified by written agreement signed by the parties thereto; and

 

WHEREAS, the Company and Employee desire to amend the Employment Agreement as set forth herein, effective as of the date hereof.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, intending to be legally bound, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.             Paragraph 6 of the Employment Agreement is hereby amended to add after existing clause (b) a new clause (c) which shall read as follows:

 

“c. Sale Bonus. Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, and provided that Employee has maintained continuous employment with the Company for one (1) year from the Effective Date, Employee is entitled to be paid a gross sum of Two Hundred Fifty Thousand Dollars ($250,000) (the “Sale Bonus”) upon the occurrence of a Change in Control/Pamplona Exit. For purposes hereof, “Change in Control/Pamplona Exit” means the occurrence of any of the following events: (i) a merger, recapitalization or other sale, disposition or business combination transaction (or a series of related transactions) that results in the Pamplona Sponsor (as defined in the LPA) or its Affiliates (as defined in the LPA) beneficially owning, directly or indirectly, less than 50% of the Class A Units (as defined in the LPA) in the aggregate, (ii) the sale or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Partnership (as defined in the LPA) and its Subsidiaries (as defined in the LPA) to any Person (as defined in the LPA) (in one or a series of related transactions) other than to (A) the Pamplona Sponsor or their Affiliates or (B) any employee benefit plan (or trust forming a part thereof) maintained by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries or other Person of which a majority of its voting power or other equity securities is beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the Partnership or its Subsidiaries, or (iii) a Public Offering (as defined in the LPA) of the Partnership or a Subsidiary or parent thereof (A) in which the Equity Securities (as defined in the LPA) of the Partnership or its successor in such Public Offering are listed for trading on the NYSE, Nasdaq Global Market or another stock exchange of national or international standing approved by the General Partner (as defined in the LPA) and (B) the proceeds to the Partnership or a Subsidiary or parent thereof, or their applicable successor, are not less than $300 million. For purposes hereof, “LPA” means that certain Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Latham Investment Holdings, L.P, dated as of December 18, 2018, as further amended, supplemented, or updated from time to time.

 

 

2.            Paragraph 25 of the Employment Agreement is hereby amended and restated in its entirety as follows:

 

“All provisions of this Agreement that are intended to survive its termination, including but not limited to Paragraphs 6(c), 9, 15, 16 and 17, shall so survive.”

 

3.            Except as amended herein, the Employment Agreement shall remain in full force and effect.

 

4.            This Amendment may be executed in counterparts (including counterparts with electronic signatures), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument.

 

[Signature Page Follows]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the day and year first above written.

 

	Latham Pool Products, Inc.
	By:	/s/ Scott Rajeski
		Name: Scott Rajeski
		Title: CEO

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Amendment as of the day and year first above written.

 

	/s/ James Mark Borseth
	James Mark Borseth

 

[Signature Page to Amendment No. 1 to Employment Agreement]

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.11

 

 

1/18/2019

787 Watervliet-Shaker Road Latham, NY 12110

 

Joel Culp

 

Dear Joel,

 

On behalf of Latham Pool Products, I am pleased to extend this formal contingent job offer for the position of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) with a starting date on Monday, February 11, 2019. In this capacity, you will report to Scott Rajeski, President and CEO in accordance with the duties and responsibilities outlined and discussed during the interviewing process and memorialized in the position description.

 

Your annual rate of pay will be $315,000.00 which equates to $12,115.38 biweekly on our normal pay schedule and based on a 40 hour workweek. This position is classified as salaried (Exempt) and ineligible for overtime. You will receive a company-provided cell phone. Or, if you prefer to keep your personal cell phone to use for work purposes, you will receive a monthly allowance of $50.00. (We can discuss what you prefer to do.) In addition to your salary, you will receive a monthly car allowance of $700.00.

 

You will be eligible for the Management Incentive Bonus (MIB) program Tier-1 (50% of base pay) which is generally paid annually in the 1st quarter of the year proceeding the prior plan year. Your bonus plan (MBOs) will be determined in accordance with Latham’s annual business plan objectives which involves KPIs, projects and individual goals. Participation in the bonus plan is governed by a separate plan document that will be reviewed with you in greater detail upon hire. This plan represents discretionary payments that are designed to reward you for your active contribution assisting Latham achieve its business objectives. (This plan may be amended from time to time at the discretion of Latham and without notice. Any payment under this plan is separate from your base salary and any other benefit program.)

 

As a special consideration with this employment offer, we are pleased to offer you a signing bonus of $150,000.00. This bonus will be paid in one lump sum after you have been employed by Latham for 30 days. The signing bonus is taxable, and all regular payroll taxes will be withheld. In the event that you leave Latham Pool Products within 12 months of your date of hire, you will be responsible for reimbursing the company for the entire signing bonus. (By your signature on this employment offer, you authorize Latham to withhold this amount from any severance and other final pay you receive upon termination of employment.)

 

As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will be provided with six (6) months of base salary, if your employment is terminated without Cause, contingent on the execution of Employment Agreement provided under separate cover. In addition, you will be eligible for the Company’s Profits Interest Plan and will be awarded .66 basis points of profits units. This Plan aligns the interests of management with our private equity owners and rewards exceptional performance. The profits units vest based on time and Company performance. The terms and conditions of these units will be provided in a separate agreement.

 

 

At time of hire, a relocation package will also be provided to you (not to exceed $50,000.⁰⁰) to assist with expenses related to your move to the Latham, NY area so you can work from Latham’s headquarters. (This payment requires 100% repayment if you voluntarily terminate employment or are terminated for cause within 24 months of hire).

 

Relocation Assistance includes:

 

·

One (1) residence-hunting trip for you and your spouse for up to three (3) days (including airfare, hotel accommodations, meals and related expenses (rental car, airport parking fees, etc.)

·

Temporary living expenses for up to 90 days, which includes a hotel or a corporate apartment

·

Any cost to connect and disconnect utilities because of the move

·

The cost to store your belongings for no more than 30 consecutive days after the move

·

Mileage incurred on your personal vehicle (one time) if you choose to drive your vehicle from Texas to your new residence versus transporting through a moving service

·

Real estate and associated expenses (including attorney fees) involving the sale of your current residence

·

Actual moving expenses (after obtaining at least two quotes) from Texas to New York of your household goods and personal effects from the former residence to the new residence; please note – if there are any unusual items being considered for a move (RV, boat, more than two vehicles, etc., we will need to discuss as this may be prohibited according to IRS rules

·

Closing expenses associated with the purchase of a new home in the Capital Region, NY area

 

See IRS Publication 521 for additional information regarding the tax treatment of moving expenses incurred for work purposes under employer Accountable Plan.

 

You will be eligible for any fringe benefits extended to Latham full-time employees subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable plans. Currently, these benefits include group medical, dental, and vision care insurance, disability insurance, and life insurance, and the company-sponsored 401(k) plan. Such benefits are provided on the first day of the month following 60 days of employment. Therefore, if you commence employment on 2/11/2019 you will be eligible to elect coverage by 4/11/2019, and your benefits will be effective 5/1/2019. We will reimburse you for your out of pocket COBRA premiums for the months of March and April at a 70% rate (same cost share as our health benefits) as a bridge to your eligibility onto our plan. Additionally, our 401(k) plan has an automatic enrollment feature, as well as company match. You will be notified via mail about the plan and when the automatic enrollment begins. Should you choose to opt out, visit www.401K.com or call Fidelity at 1-800-835-5097.

 

The company also provides performance reviews on an annual basis for all employees. These reviews normally occur by mid-year, and any increase, if granted, normally occurs shortly thereafter near the end of the 3rd quarter of the calendar year. Therefore, your first opportunity for an increase will be considered within 12-18 months after your start date.

 

Pursuant to our vacation policy, which will be explained in detail during your orientation, on your start date, you will begin accruing vacation time at a rate of 3.08 hours per week (equivalent to four (4) weeks of vacation per year of employment). You may use vacation time once hours are accrued. That said, we will front-load two of those weeks on your start date so that they are available for your March vacation and any other plans you may have.

 

Additionally, the first 90 days of employment are considered an introductory and orientation period, and provides you and the company the opportunity to get to know each other. During this period, your performance will be evaluated to assess your potential for continued employment and you will have the opportunity to evaluate us as an employer.

 

 

Therefore, we encourage you to share your thoughts and build a positive relationship with your supervisor during your introductory and orientation period. Please recognize, however, that successful completion of this period is no guarantee of continued employment, as your employment is at-will for no set period of time and may be terminated for any reason at any time by either you or the company.

 

This offer is contingent on a successful background check including 1) completion of a pre-employment drug screening test that will be at our expense and must be completed before your first day of employment; 2) your ability to provide proof of your employment eligibility and identity as required under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, via the completion of an I-9 form; and 3) your execution of the enclosed Employment Agreement; 4) Professional Reference check; and 5) a successful motor vehicle check (MVR) where applicable for driving positions.

 

As an employee or Latham, you win be subject to all of the policies and procedures of the company, including the enclosed “Employee Agreement” regarding confidentiality, non-disclosure, non-solicitation and non-competition. In making this employment offer, Latham has no interest in obtaining the benefit of any trade secrets or confidential information of any kind from former employers. Accordingly, Latham cautions you not to disclose any trade secrets or confidential information for the benefit of Latham

 

If this offer of employment meets your expectations as we discussed, please sign a copy of this letter and the “Employee Agreement” together and return both items to me as soon as possible. Importantly, if you have any questions regarding any aspect of the employment process, please contact me at                   or                  .

 

We anticipate that you will provide significant contributions that will accelerate Latham’s growth goals and are truly looking forward to having you join Latham Pool Products’ Senior Leadership Team!

 

Cordially,

 

/s/ Melissa Feck

 

Melissa Feck

Chief Human Resources Officer

Latham Pool Products, Inc.

 

I have read this letter and I agree to, and accept, the terms and conditions contained herein.

 

/s/ Joel Culp		1/25/19
Joel Culp		Date

 

 

Exhibit 10.12

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

This Agreement is made on the 11th day of February, 2019, (the “Effective Date”) between Latham Pool Products, Inc. (“Company”) and Joel Culp (“Employee”). As used in this Agreement, “Company” includes Latham Pool Products, Inc., its predecessors, successors, and assigns.

 

WITNESSETH

 

WHEREAS, Company desires to employ Employee upon the terms and conditions hereinafter stated,

 

WHEREAS, Employee wishes to be employed by Company upon the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement, and

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein and intending to be legally bound thereby, Company and Employee agree as follows:

 

1.

Employment. Company shall employ Employee, and Employee hereby accepts employment by Company, for the period and upon the terms and conditions contained in this Agreement.

 

2.

Term. This Agreement will take effect on the Effective Date and shall continue unless sooner terminated as hereinafter provided (“Term”).

 

3.

Titles and Duties. During the Term, Employee shall serve as Company’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and shall use Employee’s skills and render services to the best of Employee’s abilities in contributing to the operations and success of the Company, all in accordance with the directives of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (‘‘CEO”) and any other person designated by the CEO or Board of Directors (the “Board”), to whom Employee will report.

 

4.

Policies. Except as provided herein, Employee shall be covered by and agrees to comply with all Company policies and procedures on the same terms as are applicable to other full-time executive employees of Company, and as may be amended from time to time.

 

5.

Extent of Services.

 

a.

Employee shall devote substantially all of Employee’s business time, skills, and attention to the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder and use Employee’s best efforts in such endeavors.

 

b.

Employee shall not engage in any business activity that conflicts with Employee’s duties hereunder or with the interests of the Company, regardless of whether such activity is pursued for gain or profit, although Employee may manage Employee’s passive personal investments. Subject to paragraph 5.c. below, Employee also may participate in reasonable and customary professional, educational, welfare, social, and civic activities (e.g., Employee’s volunteer activities with chambers of commerce), as long as they do not adversely impact the performance of Employee’s duties hereunder or otherwise conflict with the interests of the Company.

 

 

c.

Employee shall not participate in any expert networks or serve on any for-profit boards without the prior approval of the Board or CEO.

 

6.

Compensation.

 

a.

Base Compensation. For all services rendered under this Agreement, Company shall pay Employee an initial base salary of $315,000 per year (“Base Compensation”), subject to applicable withholdings and deductions, and payable in regular installments in accordance with Company’s generally applicable payroll practices. During the Term of this Agreement, the CEO or Board may, in his, her or its sole discretion, increase, but not decrease, Employee’s Base Compensation, except for across the board reductions affecting all or substantially all executives of the Company.

 

b.

Bonuses. During the Term, Employee is entitled to participate in the Management Incentive Bonus (MIB) program, as in effect and established from time to time by the Board or CEO.

 

7.

Benefits.

 

a.

Health and Welfare Benefits. Except as otherwise provided for in this Agreement, Employee shall be eligible to participate in all Company employee benefits policies and plans in effect from time to time, on the same terms and conditions applicable to other full-time executive employees of Company, and in accordance with the telms of those policies and plans. Nothing in this Agreement shall restrict Company from adding, discontinuing, amending or modifying any policies or benefit plans, provided such changes do not conflict with the terms of this Agreement.

 

b.

Paid Time Off. Employee will be eligible for a maximum of four weeks of paid vacation for each twelve-month period worked, provided that in no event may a vacation be taken at a time when to do so could, in the reasonable judgment of the Board, adversely affect the business of the Company.

 

c.

Professional Expenses. Company will reimburse Employee for reasonable expenses (including but not limited to, reasonable business-related travel and entertaining) incurred by Employee in connection with the performance of Employee’s duties under this Agreement, subject to Company’s policies and, to the extent applicable, the Board’s approved annual budget.

 

d.

Automobile Allowance. Employee will receive a monthly automobile allowance of $700 for Employee to drive the automobile of Employee’s choice. This allowance is taxable and subject to applicable withholdings and deductions.

 

 

8.

Performance Review. The CEO may review Employee’s performance annually in accordance with the applicable performance evaluation process.

 

9

Confidentiality. In the course of performing Employee’s duties and responsibilities as a Company employee, Employee has had and will have access to and be entrusted with detailed confidential and proprietary information and trade secrets (“Confidential Information”), the disclosure of any of which or the use of same by Employee would be highly detrimental to Company’s interests. By way of illustration, Confidential Information may include information or material which has not been made generally available to the public, such as: (a) corporate information, including plans, strategies, methods, policies, resolutions, negotiations or litigation; (b) marketing information, including strategies, methods, customer identities or other information about customers, prospect identities or other information about prospects, or market analyses or projections; (c) financial information, including cost and performance data, debt arrangements, equity structure, investors and holdings, purchasing and sales data and price lists; and (d) operational and technological information, including plans, specifications, manuals, forms, templates, software, designs, methods, procedures, formulas, discoveries, inventions, improvements, concepts and ideas; and (e) personnel information, including personnel lists, reporting or organizational structure, resumes, personnel data, performance evaluations and termination arrangements or documents. Confidential Information also includes information received in confidence by the Company from its respective customers or suppliers or other third parties. Unless otherwise agreed in writing by Employee and Company, Employee hereby agrees that during and after the termination of Employee’s employment with Company, Employee will not, directly or indirectly, disclose to any person outside of Company or in any way make use of (other than for Company’s benefit), in any manner, any of Company’s Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets or otherwise infringe upon Company’s proprietary rights unless such disclosure is made by Employee in furtherance of Company’s interests and Employee’s responsibilities under this Agreement.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Employee shall not be held criminally or civilly liable under any Federal or State trade secret law for the disclosure of Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets that (a) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State, or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney; and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (b) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. If Employee files a lawsuit for retaliation by Company for reporting a suspected violation of law, Employee may disclose the Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets to Employee’s attorney and use such in the court proceeding, if Employee (a) files any docunlent containing Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets under seal; and (b) does not disclose the Confidential Information or other proprietary information or trade secrets, except pursuant to court order. In the event of any such disclosure by Employee, Employee shall notify the Company and provide a copy of such disclosure.

 

 

For purposes of this Section 9, all references to the Company shall include all of its affiliates.

 

10.

Termination by Company.

 

a.

Termination for Cause. Company may immediately terminate Employee’s employment hereunder for “Cause”. For purposes of this Agreement, “Cause” includes, but is not limited to: (a) Employee’s breach of this Agreement or Company policy; (b) Employee’s material failure or refusal to perform Employee’s duties as a Company employee (including, without limitation, Employee’s material failure to follow the lawful direction of the CEO or Board or Employee’s gross negligence, willful misconduct, chronic absenteeism, or habitual neglect in the performance of such duties; (c) Employee’s conviction or entry of a nolo contender plea to a felony, a crime of moral turpitude, dishonesty, breach of trust or unethical business conduct, or any other crime which materially affects Company’s or any of its affiliate’s business; (d) Employee’s indictment for a crime (other than a minor traffic violation or misdemeanor) or any offense involving moral turpitude, when the CEO or Board in his, her or its reasonable discretion determines that Employee can no longer satisfactorily perform the duties of Employee’s job or that Employee’s continuing service would materially have an adverse effect on the business interests or reputation of Company or any of its affiliates; (e) Employee’s commission of any act of fraud, embezzlement, misappropriation, dishonesty, theft, or insubordination; (t) Employee’s illegal use of drugs in the workplace; and (g) Employee’s failure to honor Employee’s fiduciary duties to Company, including the duty to act in the best interests of Company. Cause will not be deemed to exist under (a), (b) and (g) of this paragraph unless and until Company provides Employee written notice of the reason and a 30-day opp01tunity to cure and Employee fails to cure.

 

b.

Termination Without Cause. If, during the Term, Company terminates Employee’s employment for any reason other than Cause, Employee’s disability, or following Employee’s notice of resignation, then such termination shall be deemed “without Cause.”

 

11.

Termination by Employee.

 

a.

Termination by Employee for Good Reason. Employee may terminate Employee’s employment hereunder for “Good Reason”. Resignation by Employee shall be for “Good Reason” where, unless otherwise consented to in writing by Employee, Company causes:

 

(i)

a material decrease in Employee’s Base Compensation, except for across the board reductions affecting all or substantially all executives of the Company; or

 

(ii)

the relocation by the Company of the Employee’s principal place of business for the performance of his duties to a location that is more than fifty (50) mile radius from its current location.

 

 

Employee will not be deemed to have experienced a material diminution in authority, duties or responsibilities where the sole change is the Company becoming a subsidiary of another entity.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, Good Reason will not exist unless: (i) Employee provides Company written notice of the existence of Good Reason within ninety (90) days of its initial existence; (ii) Company has a thirty (30) day opportunity to remedy the Good Reason condition and does not so remedy the condition; and (iii) Employee separates from service within thirty (30) days after the cure period described in clause (ii).

 

b.

Termination by Employee With Written Notice. Employee may terminate Employee’s employment hereunder by notifying Company of Employee’s resignation no less than sixty (60) days prior to the effective date of the resignation (“Adequate Notice”). Company may, at its option, terminate Employee’s employment at any time during such notice period and such termination will not be considered a termination without Cause.

 

12.

Death or Disability. If, during the Telm, Employee becomes disabled such that he is not able to effectively discharge Employee’s duties under this Agreement, with or without reasonable accommodation, for six (6) months in any twelve (12) month period, this Agreement shall terminate and Employee’s employment hereunder will terminate as of the end of the calendar month in which Company, in its sole and exclusive discretion, makes this determination. If the Employee dies the Employee’s heirs, beneficiaries, successors, or assigns shall not be entitled to any of the compensation or benefits to which Employee is entitled under this Agreement, except: (a) to the extent specifically provided in this Employment Agreement (b) to the extent required by law; or (c) to the extent that such benefit plans or policies under which Employee is covered provide a benefit to the Employee’s heirs, beneficiaries, successors, or assigns.

 

13.

Consequences of Separation From Service.

 

a.

If, during the Term, Employee’s employment is terminated by the Company without Cause pursuant to Paragraph 10.b. or Employee resigns for Good Reason (as defined in Paragraph 11.a), Company will pay Employee (i) any earned but unpaid Base Compensation through the last day of employment; (ii) for any accrued but unused vacation days; (iii) for continuation of health coverage through COBRA at a pro-rata cost share determined at the time of separation from service; (iv) any other vested benefits to which Employee is entitled, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans; and (v) nine (9) months of Employee’s annual Base Compensation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the severance payment and any other benefits payable under this Agreement, either apart from or together with other payments to Employee from Company or its affiliates, would constitute a “parachute payment” (as defined in Section 280G of the Internal Revenue Code), such severance payment shall be reduced to the largest amount as will result in no portion of the severance payment under this paragraph being subject to the excise tax imposed by Section 4999 of the Internal Revenue Code.

 

 

b.

If, during the Term of this Agreement, Employee’s employment hereunder is terminated for Cause (as defined herein), due to Employee’s disability or death or Employee terminates Employee’s employment other than for Good Reason (as defined herein), Company will pay Employee (or in the case of death, the Employee’s heirs or personal representatives): (i) any earned and unpaid Base Compensation through the last day of employment; (ii) any paid time off to which Employee is entitled under Company policy; and (iii) any other vested benefits to which Employee is entitled, in accordance with the terms of the applicable plans. Company shall have no obligation to make any further payments (salary, incentive compensation or otherwise) or provide any further benefits to Employee except as otherwise provided for herein or under the applicable terms of such benefit plans.

 

c.

If Employee resigns without Adequate Notice and Company terminates Employee’s employment during the notice period such termination will not be considered a termination without Cause and Company will be under no obligation to continue to pay Employee Employee’s Base Compensation or pay for Employee’s continued participation in Company group health plans.

 

d.

The foregoing payments are subject to applicable withholdings and deductions, and in accordance with Company’s generally applicable payroll practices. Payment of the benefits provided for in paragraph 13(a)(v) (to the extent not vested by statute or the terms thereof on the business day prior to the Employee’s separation from service date) are contingent upon Employee’s execution of a separation agreement and general release of any and all claims against Company, in a form acceptable to Company, within sixty (60) days following Employee’s separation from service date and such agreement and release not having been revoked by Employee pursuant to any revocation rights afforded by applicable law. Provided these contingencies are satisfied, Company will pay the amount provided for in paragraph 13(a)(v) ratably over a twelve (12) month period in accordance with the Company’s regular compensation payment practices beginning after Company receives the executed separation agreement and general release.

 

e.

Company shall have no obligation to make any further payments (salary, bonus or otherwise) or provide any further benefits to Employee except as otherwise provided under the applicable terms of this Agreement or such benefit plans.

 

f.

Company intends for the foregoing payments either to satisfy the requirements of Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, and all applicable guidance promulgated thereunder (together, “Section 409A”) or to be exempt from the application of Section 409A, and Agreement shall be construed and interpreted accordingly. To the extent that any provision in this Agreement is ambiguous as to its compliance with Section 409A, or to the extent any provision in this Agreement must be modified to comply with Section 409A, such provision shall be read, or shall be modified, as the case may be, in such a manner so that no payment due to the Employee shall be subject to an “additional tax” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(l)(B). If necessary to comply with the restriction in Section 409A(a)(2)(B) of the Code concerning payments to “specified employees,” any payment on account of the Executive’s separation from service that would otherwise be due hereunder within six (6) months after such separation shall be delayed until the first business day of the seventh month following the Termination Date and the first such payment shall include the cumulative amount of any payments (without interest) that would have been paid prior to such date if not for such restriction. Each payment in a series of payments hereunder shall be deemed to be a separate payment for purposes of Section 409A. To the extent required to avoid an accelerated or additional tax under Section 409A, amounts reimbursable to the Employee under this Agreement shall be paid to the Employee on or before the last day of the year following the year in which the expense was incurred and the amount of expenses eligible for reimbursement (and in-kind benefits provided to the Employee) during any one year may not affect amounts reimbursable or provided in any subsequent year. In no event whatsoever shall the Company be liable for any additional tax, interest or penalty that may be imposed on the Employee by Section 409A or damages for failing to comply with Section 409A.

 

 

14.

Inventions and Patents. The Employee acknowledges that all inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, methods, designs, analyses, drawings, reports, and all similar or related information (whether or not patentable) which relate to the actual or reasonably anticipated business, research and development or existing or future products or services of the Company and its affiliates and which are conceived, developed or made by the Employee while employed (“Work Product”) belong to the Company. The Employee shall promptly disclose such Work Product to the Board and, at the Company’s expense, perform all actions reasonably requested by the Board (whether during or after Employee’s employment) to establish and confirm such ownership (including executing any assignments, consents, powers of attorney and other instruments).

 

15.

Noncompetition.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the Company is engaged in a highly specialized and competitive business and that by virtue of Employee’s position, and the Company’s confidential information that the Employee has or will receive, the Employee’s engaging in business which is in competition with the Company will cause the Company great and irreparable harm.

 

b.

Employee further acknowledges that the Company has invested and/or will invest substantial time, effort and finances into helping Employee develop Employee’s relationships with the Company’s customers.

 

c.

Consequently, Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not either directly or indirectly, individually or through any person, firm, corporation or other entity, whether as owner, partner, investor, operator, manager, officer, director, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer, advisor, representative or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest or actively prepare to engage, participate, assist or invest in the pool industry, or any other industries in which the Company has done business during Employee’s employment with the Company or which the Company was actively considering during such period. All references to the Company in this Paragraph 15 include the affiliates of the Company. The restrictions set forth in this Paragraph 15 shall apply to any conduct in North America and any other geographical area in which the Company operates or provides services or is actively preparing to operate or provide services as of the last date of Employee’s employment.

 

 

16.

Non-solicitation.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that during the course of Employee’s employment by the Company, Employee will have access to, come into contact with and become aware of some, most or all of the Company’s Confidential Information, and information pertaining to customers, past, present and prospective, as well as the specific contact information for key personnel at the Company’s customers. Employee further acknowledges and agrees that the disclosure of such Confidential Information, or customer information, absent the Company’s consent, will cause the Company great and irreparable harm.

 

b.

Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not, either directly or indirectly, solicit, attempt to solicit, or accept business nor will Employee assist any other entity, either directly or indirectly, in soliciting or attempting to solicit, or accept business from any customers of the Company, whether an individual or entity, with whom Employee, Company or any employee of the Company, had contact or dealings with on behalf of the Company, at any time during the five (5) year period preceding the termination of Employee’s employment. Employee further covenants and agrees that for a period of two (2) years from the end of Employee’s employment relationship with the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary, Employee will not directly or indirectly, either individually or through any person, firm, corporation or other entity, solicit or attempt to solicit, offer employment to or hire in any capacity, or entice away or in any other manner persuade or attempt to persuade any officer, director, agent, representative or employee of the Company to leave his/her employment with the Company.

 

c.

Employee covenants and agrees that during Employee’s employment and for a two (2) year period after Employee’s employment with the Company ends, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, Employee will not make any oral or written statements or publications with respect to the Company that disparages or denigrates the Company.

 

d.

All references to the Company in this Paragraph 16 include the affiliates of the Company.

 

17.

Enforcement of Certain Provisions.

 

a.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that any violation of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16, including divulgence of confidential information as well as information about the Company’s equipment or processes, to unauthorized persons is sufficient reason for immediate dismissal, which would constitute termination for Cause.

 

 

b.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that Employee’s breach of Paragraphs 9, 15 or 16 will result in material, irreparable injury to the Company for which any remedy at law will not be adequate. Moreover, it will not be possible to measure damages for such injuries precisely and, in the event of such a breach or threat of breach, the Company shall be entitled to obtain a temporary restraining order and/or a preliminary or permanent injunction restraining Employee from engaging in activities prohibited by this Agreement without the need to post a bond, together with such other relief as may be required to enforce specifically any of the terms of this Agreement. Employee consents to such temporary, preliminary or permanent injunctive relief. Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed as prohibiting the Company from pursuing any other available remedies for breach or threatened breach of this Agreement, including recovery of damages, costs, and attorney’s fees. Nothing in Paragraph 24, Arbitration, precludes Company from seeking relief from a court of competent jurisdiction as necessary pursuant to the terms of this Paragraph.

 

c.

If the Company is required to enforce any of its rights under Paragraphs 9, 15 or 16 through legal proceedings, the Employee shall reimburse the Company for all reasonable costs, expenses and counsel fees incurred by the Company in connection with the enforcement of its rights under this Agreement.

 

d.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions contained in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 are reasonable in scope and Employee will not raise any issue regarding the reasonableness of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 as a defense in any proceeding to enforce Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of the Agreement.

 

e.

If one or more provisions of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of this Agreement are determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, Employee acknowledges and agrees the validity, legality, and enforcement of the remaining provisions of Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of the Agreement shall not in any way be affected or impaired. Furthermore, if a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any of the restrictions contained in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 of this Agreement are not reasonable, the Company and Employee agree that the court may modify such provisions as the court deems reasonable.

 

f.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that for a period of two years from Employee’s separation of employment from the Company, Employee will: (i) before accepting an offer of employment, inform such employers of the provisions set forth in Paragraphs 9, 15, 16, and 17 of this Agreement; and (ii) within two (2) business days of accepting an offer of employment with another employer, notify the Company of the name and address of the new employer and the title of the position accepted.

 

 

g.

Employee acknowledges and agrees that the restrictions set forth in Paragraphs 9, 15 and 16 (i) are intended to protect the interest of the Company in its Confidential Information, goodwill and established employee, customer, supplier, consultant and vendor relationships, and agrees that such restrictions are reasonable and appropriate for this purpose; (ii) are an essential inducement to the Company to enter into this Agreement; (iii) shall not impose an undue hardship on Employee and Employee’s ability to earn a livelihood; and (iv) shall not supersede or be superseded by, and shall be read in conjunction with, any non-solicitation, non-competition and confidentiality agreement or other restrictive covenants entered into between the parties to effect the greatest restriction.

 

18.

Notices. Any notice required or desired to be given under this Agreement shall be deemed given by personal delivery, overnight courier, or by certified or registered mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested to the addresses set forth below. Notice shall be deemed given immediately if delivered in person or within three days after mailing by certified mail to the following addresses:

 

Joel Culp		Latham Pool Products, Inc.
		Attn: Melissa Feck
		787 Watervliet Shaker Rd
		Latham, NY 12110

 

With a copy to Latham Investment Holdings, LP

c/o Pamplona Capital Management LLC

375 Park Avenue

17th Floor

New York, NY 10152

 

Any party may alter the address to which communications or copies are to be sent by giving notice of such change of address in conformity with the provisions of this paragraph for the giving of notice.

 

19.

Assignment. Employee acknowledges that Employee’s services are unique and personal and that Employee therefore may not assign or delegate Employee’s rights or duties under this Agreement. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding on Company, its successors and assigns, including, without limitation, any entity which is or may become affiliated with or related to Company.

 

20.

Waiver. Failure to insist upon strict compliance with any term or condition of this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of such telm or condition. The waiver of a breach of any term or condition of this Agreement by any party shall not be deemed to constitute the waiver of any other breach of the same or any other term of condition.

 

21.

Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement of the parties relating to the subject matter hereof, and the parties hereto have made no agreements, representations, or warranties relating to the subject matter of this Agreement that are not set forth herein; this Agreement supersedes the terms of all other employment or similar agreements entered into by Company or its affiliates and Employee. No modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties hereto. Paragraph headings are for convenience only, and are neither a part of this Agreement nor a limitation of the scope of the particular paragraphs to which they refer. This Agreement has no effect on any other agreements already in place between Company and Employee regarding stock options or ownership shares in the Company.

 

 

22.

Governing Law. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without reference to conflict of law principles thereof.

 

23.

Severability. The provisions of this Agreement are severable, and if any provision(s) or any part of any provision(s) is held to be illegal, void or invalid under applicable law, such provision(s) may be changed to the extent reasonably necessary to make the provision(s), as so changed, legal, valid and binding, and to reflect the original intentions of the parties as nearly as possible in accordance with applicable law. This Agreement shall be construed according to its fair meaning and not strictly for or against either party.

 

24.

Arbitration. With the exception of disputes subject to Paragraph 17(b) above, any dispute between the parties arising out of or related to this Agreement shall be conducted pursuant to the Employment Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association. All arbitration shall be governed by the Federal Arbitration Act and the arbitration decision shall be enforceable in the courts in the State of New York. This obligation to arbitrate shall survive even if this Agreement shall be alleged to be rescinded or terminated. The arbitration heating shall be convened in Albany, New York and shall take place within six months from the service of the statement of claim unless the hearing cannot fairly and practically be so convened. Depositions may only be taken by mutual agreement of the parties. The parties shall be entitled to engage in document discovery.

 

25.

Survival. All provisions of this Agreement that are intended to survive its termination, including but not limited to Paragraphs 9, 15, 16 and 17, shall so survive.

 

26.

Execution in Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original as against any party whose signature appears thereon, and all of which shall together constitute one and the same instrument. This Agreement shall become binding when one or more counterparts hereof, individually or taken together, shall bear the signatures of all of the parties reflected hereon as signatories.

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

	Latham Pool Products, Inc.
	By:	/s/ Scott M. Rajeski
		Name: Scott Rajeski
		Title: CEO

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the day and year first above written.

 

	Joel Culp
	By:	/s/ Joel Culp

 

 

Exhibit 10.13

 

 

 

Latham Pool Products, Inc. | 2020 Management Incentive Bonus (MIB) Plan

 

Management by Objective (MBO) Individual Goals & Objectives:

 

1.	Annually, new MBOs are established by the employee and his/her manager, subject to approval by the employee’s Senior Leadership Team member and the President & CEO.
2.	MBOs should correlate to the employee’s supervisor’s MBOs, the SLT member and ultimately Latham’s annual Goals & Objectives for the Company.
3.	Quarterly, at a minimum, plan participants are generally required to submit MBO updates within two (2) weeks of the preceding quarter end to his/her manager. At year end, final results are to be submitted through this same process, which will go through an Executive review prior to final submission/approval by the President & CEO and the Board of Directors. This process generally occurs in mid-first quarter after the prior year closing and annual audit conclusion.

 

Program Criteria and Incentive Plan Rules:

 

	1.	100% payout for achieving 100.0% of EBITDA budget.
	2.	Plan is capped at 200% of target.
	3.	No bonus payout (including MBO achievement) unless a minimum 93% of EBITDA target is achieved.
	4.	This Plan is in effect for calendar year 2020. EBITDA is based on the full year corporate results.
	5.	Overall job performance must be at satisfactory level or above for payout consideration.
	6.	A discretionary amount may be provided for outstanding performance or special project(s) completion and a reduction may occur for weak MBO achievement.
	7.	Bonus payouts are in gross dollars and subject to incentive payment taxation through payroll according to the appropriate federal, state, local and provincial withholding taxes.
	8.	New employees in positions deemed eligible for the MIB plan are generally eligible at the beginning of the plan year after the date of hire. Management reserves the right to permit plan participation sooner with a payout percentage generally at a pro-rated amount for the percentage of time worked from the date of hire to the end of the plan year. President & CEO, CFO and CHRO approval is required in these instances.
	9.	This incentive plan document is not an employment contract, express or implied, and does not alter the at-will relationship between Latham Pool Products and the employee. This plan document does not create legally binding rights to continuing employment or to employment terms/conditions.
	10.	Must be an active employee when any eligible bonus payment is made, which is scheduled to occur by March 15, 2021. Employee must have continuous service for the 12-month incentive plan period in order to be fully eligible for Plan. If there is a break in service (termination and rehire in the same calendar year), the payout will reflect a pro-rated amount based on length of service in the calendar year.
	11.	Employees with a fully executed Employee Agreement on file are eligible for the incentive plan. Employees who do not have an executed agreement on file will forfeit (1) all future incentive plan payments, and (2) future base salary increases.
	12.	In the event of termination from the company due to cause, the employee forfeits any rights to all compensation.
	13.	The company reserves the right to modify, suspend or cancel the incentive compensation plan due to business conditions at any time it sees fit.
	14.	The EBITDA and MBO weightings by employee level are on a separate exhibit and no employee has a right to see the exhibit except with respect to such employee’s own amount.

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.14 

  

 

LATHAM GROUP INC.

2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

 

 

1.             Purpose. The Latham Group, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Incentive Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) is intended to help Latham Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (including any successor thereto, the “Company”), and its Affiliates (i) attract and retain key personnel by providing them the opportunity to acquire an equity interest in the Company or other incentive compensation measured by reference to the value of Common Stock or a targeted dollar value if denominated in cash, and (ii) align the interests of key personnel with those of the Company’s stockholders.

 

2.            Effective Date; Duration. The effective date of the Plan is [●], 2021 (the “Effective Date”), which is the date that the Plan was approved by the stockholders of the Company. The expiration date of the Plan, on and after which date no Awards may be granted, shall be the tenth anniversary of the Effective Date; provided, however, that such expiration shall not affect Awards then outstanding, and the terms and conditions of the Plan shall continue to apply to such Awards.

 

3.             Definitions. The following definitions shall apply throughout the Plan:

 

(a)              “Affiliate” means any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.

 

(b)               “Award” means any Incentive Stock Option, Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, Other Stock-Based Award, or Other Cash-Based Award granted under the Plan.

 

(c)                “Award Agreement” means the agreement (whether in written or electronic form) or other instrument or document evidencing any Award granted under the Plan.

 

(d)                “Beneficial Ownership” has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under Section 13 of the Exchange Act.

 

(e)                “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.

 

 

(f)                 “Cause” in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement states otherwise, (i) shall have the meaning given such term (or term of similar import) in any employment, consulting, change-in-control, severance or any other agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, or severance plan in which the Participant is eligible to participate, in either case in effect at the time of the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company and its Affiliates, or (ii) if “cause” or term of similar import is not defined in, or in the absence of, any such employment, consulting, change-in-control, severance or any other agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, or severance plan in which the Participant is eligible to participate, means: (A) embezzlement, theft, misappropriation or conversion, or attempted embezzlement, theft, misappropriation or conversion, by Participant of any property, funds or business opportunity of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (B) willful failure or refusal by Participant to perform any directive of the Board or the Chief Executive Officer or the duties of his or her employment which continues for a period of thirty (30) days following notice thereof by the Board or the Chief Executive Officer to Participant; (C) any act by Participant constituting a felony (or its equivalent in any non-United States jurisdiction) or otherwise involving theft, fraud, dishonesty, misrepresentation or moral turpitude; (D) indictment for, conviction of, or plea of nolo contendere (or a similar plea) to, or the failure of Participant to contest his or her prosecution for, any other criminal offense; (E) any violation of any law, rule or regulation relating in any way to the business or activities of the Company or its Subsidiaries, or other law that is violated during the course of Participant’s performance of services, regulatory disqualification or failure to comply with any legal or compliance policies or code of ethics, code of business conduct, conflicts of interest policy or similar policies of the Company or its Subsidiaries; (F) gross negligence or material willful misconduct on the part of Participant in the performance of his or her duties as an employee, officer or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (G) Participant’s breach of fiduciary duty or duty of loyalty to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (H) any act or omission to act of Participant intended to materially harm or damage the business, property, operations, financial condition or reputation of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; (I) Participant’s failure to cooperate, if requested by the Board, with any investigation or inquiry into the business practices, whether internal or external, or the Company and its Subsidiaries or Participant, including Participant’s refusal to be deposed or to provide testimony or evidence at any trial, proceeding or inquiry; (J) any chemical dependence of Participant which materially interferes with the performance of his or her duties and responsibilities to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries; or (K) Participant’s voluntary resignation or other termination of employment effected by Participant at any time when the Company could effect such termination with Cause.

 

(g)                “Change in Control” means, in the case of a particular Award, unless the applicable Award Agreement (or any employment, consulting, change-in-control, severance or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate) states otherwise, the first to occur of any of the following events:

 

(i)                 the acquisition by any Person or related “group” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of Persons, or Persons acting jointly or in concert, of Beneficial Ownership (including control or direction) of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of either (A) the then-outstanding shares of Common Stock, including Common Stock issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such Common Stock (the “Outstanding Company Common Stock”), or (B) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote in the election of directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”), but excluding any acquisition by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or the Investor, its Permitted Transferees or any of their respective Affiliates or by any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of its Affiliates;

 

(ii)              a change in the composition of the Board such that members of the Board during any consecutive 12-month period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease to constitute a majority of the Board. Any person becoming a director through election or nomination for election approved by a valid vote of at least two-thirds of the Incumbent Directors shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual becoming a director as a result of an actual or threatened election contest, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-12 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act, or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director;

 

(iii)               the approval by the stockholders of the Company of a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company; and

 

 

(iv)              the consummation of a reorganization, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving the Company (a “Business Combination”), or sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company to an entity that is not an Affiliate of the Company (a “Sale”), unless immediately following such Business Combination or Sale: (A) more than 50% of the total voting power of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the entity that acquired all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company in such Sale (in either case, the “Surviving Company”), or the ultimate parent entity that has Beneficial Ownership of sufficient voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors (or analogous governing body) of the Surviving Company (the “Parent Company”), is represented by the Outstanding Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination or Sale (or, if applicable, is represented by shares into which the Outstanding Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination or Sale), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination or Sale, (B) no Person (other than any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Company or the Parent Company) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company), and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company) following the consummation of the Business Combination or Sale were Board members at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination or Sale.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a “Change in Control” shall not be deemed to have occurred if immediately after the occurrence of any of the events described in clauses (i) – (iv) above, (i) the Investor is the Beneficial Owner, directly or indirectly, of more than 50% of the combined voting power of the Company or any successor

 

(h)              “Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. References to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successors thereto.

 

(i)               “Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board or subcommittee thereof if required with respect to actions taken to comply with Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act in respect of Awards or, if no such Compensation Committee or subcommittee thereof exists, or if the Board otherwise takes action hereunder on behalf of the Committee, the Board.

 

(j)                 “Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value $0.01 per share (and any stock or other securities into which such common stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged).

 

(k)                “Disability” means cause for termination of the Participant’s employment or service due to a determination that the Participant is disabled in accordance with a long-term disability insurance program maintained by the Company or a determination by the U.S. Social Security Administration that the Participant is totally disabled.

 

(l)                 “$” shall refer to the United States dollars.

 

(m)               “Eligible Director” means a director who satisfies the conditions set forth in Section 4(a) of the Plan.

 

 

(n)                “Eligible Person” means any (i) individual employed by the Company or a Subsidiary; provided, however, that no such employee covered by a collective bargaining agreement shall be an Eligible Person, (ii) director or officer of the Company or a Subsidiary, (iii) consultant or advisor to the Company or an Affiliate who may be offered securities registrable on Form S-8 under the Securities Act, or (iv) prospective employee, director, officer, consultant or advisor who has accepted an offer of employment or service from the Company or its Subsidiaries (and would satisfy the provisions of clause (i), (ii) or (iii) above once such individual begins employment with or providing services to the Company or a Subsidiary).

 

(o)                “Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any successor thereto. References to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successors thereto.

 

(p)                “Exercise Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(b) of the Plan.

 

(q)                “Fair Market Value” means, (i) with respect to Common Stock on a given date, (x) if the Common Stock is listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price of a share of Common Stock reported on such exchange on such date, or if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such a sale was reported, or (y) if the Common Stock is not listed on any national securities exchange, the amount determined by the Committee in good faith to be the fair market value of the Common Stock, or (ii) with respect to any other property on any given date, the amount determined by the Committee in good faith to be the fair market value of such other property as of such date; provided, however, as to any Awards with a date of grant that is the date of the pricing of the Company’s initial public offering (if any), “Fair Market Value” shall be equal to the per share price at which the Common Stock is offered to the public in connection with such initial public offering.

 

(r)                 “Incentive Stock Option” means an Option that is designated by the Committee as an incentive stock option as described in Section 422 of the Code and otherwise meets the requirements set forth in the Plan.

 

(s)                “Intrinsic Value” with respect to an Option or SAR means (i) the excess, if any, of the price or implied price per Share in a Change in Control or other event over (ii) the exercise or hurdle price of such Award multiplied by (iii) the number of Shares covered by such Award.

 

(t)                 “Immediate Family Members” has the meaning set forth in Section 14(b)(ii) of the Plan.

 

(u)                “Indemnifiable Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) of the Plan.

 

(v)                “Investor” means, collectively, the investment funds managed, sponsored or advised by Pamplona Capital Management LLC. A reference to a member of Investor is a reference to any such investment fund.

 

(w)               “NASDAQ” means the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

 

(x)                 “Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not designated by the Committee as an Incentive Stock Option.

 

(y)                “Option” means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.

 

(z)                 “Option Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 7(c) of the Plan.

 

 

(aa)              “Other Cash-Based Award” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan that is denominated and/or payable in cash, including cash awarded as a bonus or upon the attainment of specific performance criteria or as otherwise permitted by the Plan or as contemplated by the Committee.

 

(bb)             “Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.

 

(cc)              “Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 6 of the Plan.

 

(dd)             “Performance Conditions” means specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more Affiliates, divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, administrative departments, units, or any combination of the foregoing), which may be determined in accordance with GAAP or on a non-GAAP basis, including without limitation, on the following measures: (i) net earnings or net income (before or after taxes); (ii) basic or diluted earnings per share (before or after taxes); (iii) net revenue or net revenue growth; (iv) gross revenue or gross revenue growth, gross profit or gross profit growth; (v) net operating profit (before or after taxes); (vi) return measures (including, but not limited to, return on investment, assets, net assets, capital, gross revenue or gross revenue growth, invested capital, equity or sales); (vii) cash flow measures (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow and cash flow return on capital), which may but are not required to be measured on a per-share basis; (viii) earnings before or after taxes, interest, depreciation, and amortization (including EBIT and EBITDA); (ix) gross or net operating margins; (x) productivity ratios; (xi) share price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total shareholder return); (xii) expense targets or cost reduction goals, general and administrative expense savings; (xiii) operating efficiency; (xiv)  customer satisfaction; (xv) working capital targets; (xvi) measures of economic value added or other ‘‘value creation’’ metrics; (xvii) enterprise value; (xviii) stockholder return; (xix) client or customer retention; (xx) competitive market metrics; (xxi) employee retention; (xxii)  personal targets, goals or completion of projects (including but not limited to succession and hiring projects, completion of specific acquisitions, reorganizations or other corporate transactions or capital-raising transactions, expansions of specific business operations and meeting divisional or project budgets); (xxiii) system-wide sales; (xxiv) cost of capital, debt leverage year-end cash position or book value; (xxv) strategic objectives, development of new product lines and related revenue, sales and margin targets, or international operations; (xxvi) store growth or (xxvii) same store sales growth; or any combination of the foregoing. Any one or more of the aforementioned performance criteria may be stated as a percentage of another performance criteria, or used on an absolute or relative basis to measure the of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates as a whole or any divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, administrative departments of the Company and/or one or more Affiliates or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above performance criteria may be compared to the performance of a group of comparator companies, or a published or special index that the Committee deems appropriate, or as compared to various stock market indices. The Performance Conditions may include a threshold level of performance below which no payment shall be made (or no vesting shall occur), levels of performance at which specified payments shall be made (or specified vesting shall occur), and a maximum level of performance above which no additional payment shall be made (or at which full vesting shall occur). The Committee shall have the authority to make equitable adjustments to the Performance Conditions as may be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion.

 

(ee)              “Permitted Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 14(b)(ii) of the Plan.

 

(ff)               “Person” has the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities, or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Common Stock of the Company.

 

 

(gg)             “Released Unit” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(d)(ii) of the Plan.

 

(hh)             “Restricted Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(a) of the Plan.

 

(ii)                “Restricted Stock” means an Award of Common Stock, subject to certain specified restrictions, granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(jj)                “Restricted Stock Unit” means an Award of an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver shares of Common Stock, cash, other securities or other property, subject to certain specified restrictions, granted under Section 9 of the Plan.

 

(kk)              “SAR Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(c) of the Plan.

 

(ll)               “Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or other interpretive guidance.

 

(mm)            “Strike Price” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(b) of the Plan.

 

(nn)             “Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.

 

(oo)            “Subsidiary” means any corporation or other entity a majority of whose outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company.

 

(pp)             “Substitute Awards” has the meaning set forth in Section 5(e) of the Plan.

 

4.             Administration.

 

(a)                The Committee shall administer the Plan, and shall have the sole and plenary authority to (i) designate Participants, (ii) determine the type, size, and terms and conditions of Awards to be granted and to grant such Awards, (iii) determine the method by which an Award may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, suspended, or repurchased by the Company, (iv) determine the circumstances under which the delivery of cash, property or other amounts payable with respect to an Award may be deferred, either automatically or at the Participant’s or Committee’s election, (v) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and supply any omission in the Plan and any Award granted under the Plan, (vi) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Committee shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, (vii) accelerate the vesting, delivery or exercisability of, or payment for or lapse of restrictions on, or waive any condition in respect of, Awards, and (viii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Committee deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan or to comply with any applicable law. To the extent required to comply with the provisions of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act (if applicable and if the Board is not acting as the Committee under the Plan), or any exception or exemption under applicable securities laws or the applicable rules of the NASDAQ or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, as applicable, it is intended that each member of the Committee shall, at the time such member takes any action with respect to an Award under the Plan, be (1) a “non-employee director” within the meaning of Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and/or (2) an “independent director” under the rules of the NASDAQ or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or a person meeting any similar requirement under any successor rule or regulation (“Eligible Director”). However, the fact that a Committee member shall fail to qualify as an Eligible Director shall not invalidate any Award granted or action taken by the Committee that is otherwise validly granted or taken under the Plan.

 

 

(b)               The Committee may delegate all or any portion of its responsibilities and powers to any person(s) selected by it, except for grants of Awards to persons who are non-employee members of the Board or are otherwise subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act. Any such delegation may be revoked by the Committee at any time.

 

(c)                As further set forth in Section 14(f) of the Plan, the Committee shall have the authority to amend the Plan and Awards to the extent necessary to permit participation in the Plan by Eligible Persons who are located outside of the United States on terms and conditions comparable to those afforded to Eligible Persons located within the United States; provided, however, that no such action shall be taken without stockholder approval if such approval is required by applicable securities laws or regulation or NASDAQ listing guidelines.

 

(d)                Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions regarding the Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Committee, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons and entities, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award, and any stockholder of the Company.

 

(e)                No member of the Board or the Committee, nor any employee or agent of the Company (each such person, an “Indemnifiable Person”), shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder (unless constituting fraud or a willful criminal act or willful criminal omission). Each Indemnifiable Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability, or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Indemnifiable Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnifiable Person may be involved as a party, witness or otherwise by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken or determination made under the Plan or any Award Agreement and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Indemnifiable Person with the Company’s approval (not to be unreasonably withheld), in settlement thereof, or paid by such Indemnifiable Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Indemnifiable Person, and the Company shall advance to such Indemnifiable Person any such expenses promptly upon written request (which request shall include an undertaking by the Indemnifiable Person to repay the amount of such advance if it shall ultimately be determined as provided below that the Indemnifiable Person is not entitled to be indemnified); provided, that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding, and once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of recognized standing of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnifiable Person to the extent that a final judgment or other final adjudication (in either case not subject to further appeal) binding upon such Indemnifiable Person determines that the acts or omissions or determinations of such Indemnifiable Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnifiable Person’s fraud or willful criminal act or willful criminal omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of or otherwise supersede any other rights of indemnification to which such Indemnifiable Persons may be entitled under the Company’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws, as a matter of law, individual indemnification agreement or contract or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold them harmless.

 

 

(f)                 The Board may at any time and from time to time grant Awards and administer the Plan with respect to such Awards. In any such case, the Board shall have all the authority granted to the Committee under the Plan.

 

5.             Grant of Awards; Shares Subject to the Plan; Limitations.

 

(a)                Awards. The Committee may grant Awards to one or more Eligible Persons. All Awards granted under the Plan shall vest and become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Committee, including, without limitation, attainment of Performance Conditions.

 

(b)                Share Limits. Subject to Section 11 of the Plan and subsection (e) below, the following limitations apply to the grant of Awards: (i) no more than [●] shares of Common Stock may be reserved for issuance and delivered in the aggregate pursuant to Awards granted under the Plan (the “Share Pool”); (ii) no more than [●] shares of Common Stock may be delivered pursuant to the exercise of Incentive Stock Options granted under the Plan; and (iii) the maximum amount (based on the Fair Market Value of shares of Common Stock on the date of grant as determined in accordance with applicable financial accounting rules) of Awards that may be granted in any single fiscal year to any non-employee member of the Board, taken together with any cash fees paid to such non-employee member of the Board in respect of service as a member of the Board during such fiscal year, shall be [$500,000]; provided, that the foregoing limitation shall not apply in respect of any Awards issued to (x) a non-employee director in connection with the Company’s initial public offering of shares of Common Stock, or in respect of any one-time equity grant upon his or her appointment to the Board or (y) a non-executive chairman of the Board, provided, that the non-employee director receiving such additional compensation does not participate in the decision to award such compensation.

 

(c)                Share Counting. The Share Pool shall be reduced, on the date of grant, by the relevant number of shares of Common Stock for each Award granted under the Plan that is valued by reference to a share of Common Stock; provided that Awards that are valued by reference to shares of Common Stock but are required to be paid in cash pursuant to their terms shall not reduce the Share Pool. If and to the extent that Awards originating from the Share Pool terminate, expire, or are cash-settled, canceled, forfeited, exchanged, or surrendered without having been exercised, vested, or settled, the shares of Common Stock subject to such Awards shall again be available for Awards under the Share Pool. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the following shares of Common Stock shall not become available for issuance under the Plan: [(i) shares of Common Stock tendered by Participants, or withheld by the Company, as full or partial payment to the Company upon the exercise of Stock Options granted under the Plan; (ii) shares of Common Stock reserved for issuance upon the grant of Stock Appreciation Rights, to the extent that the number of reserved shares of Common Stock exceeds the number of shares of Common Stock actually issued upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Rights; and (iii) shares of Common Stock withheld by, or otherwise remitted to, the Company to satisfy a Participant’s tax withholding obligations upon the exercise of Options or SARs granted under the Plan. Shares of Common Stock withheld by, or otherwise remitted to the Company to satisfy a Participant’s tax withholding obligations upon the lapse of restrictions on, or settlement of, an Award other an Option or SAR shall again be available for Awards under the Share Pool.]

 

 

(d)               Source of Shares. Shares of Common Stock delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued shares, shares held in the treasury of the Company, shares purchased on the open market or by private purchase, or a combination of the foregoing.

 

(e)                Substitute Awards. The Committee may grant Awards in assumption of, or in substitution for, outstanding awards previously granted by the Company or any Affiliate or an entity directly or indirectly acquired by the Company or with which the Company combines (“Substitute Awards”), and such Substitute Awards shall not be counted against the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock available for Awards (i.e., Substitute Awards will not be counted against the Share Pool); provided, that Substitute Awards issued or intended as “incentive stock options” within the meaning of Section 422 of the Code shall be counted against the aggregate number of Incentive Stock Options available under the Plan.

 

6.             Eligibility. Participation shall be limited to Eligible Persons who have been selected by the Committee and who have entered into an Award Agreement with respect to an Award granted to them under the Plan (each such Eligible Person, a “Participant”).

 

7.             Options.

 

(a)                Generally. Each Option shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and in the applicable Award Agreement. All Options granted under the Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options unless the Award Agreement expressly states otherwise. Incentive Stock Options shall be granted only subject to and in compliance with Section 422 of the Code, and only to Eligible Persons who are employees of the Company and its Affiliates and who are eligible to receive an Incentive Stock Option under the Code. If for any reason an Option intended to be an Incentive Stock Option (or any portion thereof) shall not qualify as an Incentive Stock Option, then, to the extent of such nonqualification, such Option or portion thereof shall be regarded as a Nonqualified Stock Option properly granted under the Plan.

 

(b)                Exercise Price. The exercise price (“Exercise Price”) per share of Common Stock for each Option (that is not a Substitute Award) shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share, determined as of the date of grant. Any modification to the Exercise Price of an outstanding Option shall be subject to the prohibition on repricing set forth in Section 13(b).

 

(c)                Vesting, Exercise and Expiration. The Committee shall determine the manner and timing of vesting, exercise and expiration of Options. The period between the date of grant and the scheduled expiration date of the Option (“Option Period”) shall not exceed ten years, unless the Option Period (other than in the case of an Incentive Stock Option) would expire at a time when trading in the shares of Common Stock is prohibited by the Company’s insider-trading policy or a Company-imposed “blackout period,” in which case the Option Period shall be extended automatically (other than with respect to Options with an Exercise Price as of the end of the Option Period (prior to any such extension) that is not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at such time) until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code). The Committee may accelerate the vesting and/or exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect any other terms and conditions of such Option.

 

 

(d)                Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No shares of Common Stock shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until the Participant has paid the Exercise Price to the Company in full, and an amount equal to any U.S. federal, state and local income and employment taxes and non-U.S. income and employment taxes, social contributions and any other tax-related items required to be withheld. Options may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designee (including a third-party administrator) in accordance with the terms of the Option and the Award Agreement accompanied by payment of the Exercise Price and such applicable taxes. The Exercise Price and delivery of all applicable required withholding taxes shall be payable (i) in cash or by check, cash equivalent and/or shares of Common Stock valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company) or any combination of the foregoing; provided, that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest; or (ii) by such other method as elected by the Participant and that the Committee may permit, in its sole discretion, including without limitation: (A) in the form of other property having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes; (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company or its designee (including third-party administrators) is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes against delivery of the shares of Common Stock to settle the applicable trade; or (C) by means of a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay for the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes. No fractional shares of Common Stock shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or any Award, and the Committee shall determine whether cash, other securities or other property shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional shares of Common Stock, or whether such fractional shares of Common Stock or any rights thereto shall be canceled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.

 

(e)                Notification upon Disqualifying Disposition of an Incentive Stock Option. Each Participant awarded an Incentive Stock Option under the Plan shall notify the Company in writing immediately after the date on which the Participant makes a disqualifying disposition of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Incentive Stock Option. A disqualifying disposition is any disposition (including, without limitation, any sale) of such Common Stock before the later of (i) two years after the date of grant of the Incentive Stock Option and (ii) one year after the date of exercise of the Incentive Stock Option. The Company may, if determined by the Committee and in accordance with procedures established by the Committee, retain possession, as agent for the applicable Participant, of any Common Stock acquired pursuant to the exercise of an Incentive Stock Option until the end of the period described in the preceding sentence, subject to complying with any instruction from such Participant as to the sale of such Common Stock.

 

(f)                 Compliance with Laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in a manner that the Committee determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Common Stock of the Company is listed or quoted.

 

(g)                Incentive Stock Option Grants to 10% Stockholders. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 7, if an Incentive Stock Option is granted to a Participant who owns stock representing more than ten percent of the voting power of all classes of stock of the Company or of a parent or subsidiary of the Company (within the meaning of Sections 424(e) and 424(f) of the Code), the Option Period shall not exceed five years from the date of grant of such Option and the Exercise Price shall be at least 110% of the Fair Market Value (on the date of grant) of the shares subject to the Option.

 

(h)                $100,000 Per Year Limitation for Incentive Stock Options. To the extent that the aggregate Fair Market Value (determined as of the date of grant) of shares of Common Stock for which Incentive Stock Options are exercisable for the first time by any Participant during any calendar year (under all plans of the Company) exceeds $100,000, such excess Incentive Stock Options shall be treated as Nonqualified Stock Options.

 

 

8.             Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs).

 

(a)                Generally. Each SAR shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and the Award Agreement. Any Option granted under the Plan may include a tandem SAR. The Committee also may award SARs independent of any Option.

 

(b)                Strike Price. The strike price (“Strike Price”) per share of Common Stock for each SAR (that is not a Substitute Award) shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of such share, determined as of the date of grant; provided, however, that a SAR granted in tandem with (or in substitution for) an Option previously granted shall have a Strike Price equal to the Exercise Price of the corresponding Option. Any modification to the Strike Price of an outstanding SAR shall be subject to the prohibition on repricing set forth in Section 13(b).

 

(c)                Vesting and Expiration. A SAR granted in tandem with an Option shall vest and become exercisable and shall expire according to the same vesting schedule and expiration provisions as the corresponding Option. A SAR granted independently of an Option shall vest and become exercisable and shall expire in such manner and on such date or dates determined by the Committee and shall expire after such period, not to exceed ten years, as may be determined by the Committee (the “SAR Period”); provided, however, that notwithstanding any vesting or exercisability dates set by the Committee, the Committee may accelerate the vesting and/or exercisability of any SAR, which acceleration shall not affect the terms and conditions of such SAR other than with respect to vesting and/or exercisability. If the SAR Period would expire at a time when trading in the shares of Common Stock is prohibited by the Company’s insider trading policy or a Company-imposed “blackout period,” the SAR Period shall be automatically extended (other than with respect to SARs with a Strike Price as of the end of the SAR Period (prior to any such extension) that is not less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock at such time) until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code).

 

(d)                Method of Exercise. SARs may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designee (including a third-party administrator) in accordance with the terms of the Award, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised and the date on which such SARs were awarded.

 

(e)                Payment. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the holder thereof an amount equal to the number of shares subject to the SAR that are being exercised multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one share of Common Stock on the exercise date over the Strike Price, less an amount equal to any U.S. federal, state and local income and employment taxes and non-U.S. income and employment taxes, social contributions and any other tax-related items required to be withheld. The Company shall pay such amount in cash, in shares of Common Stock valued at Fair Market Value as determined on the date of exercise, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Committee. Any fractional shares of Common Stock shall be settled in cash.

 

 

9.             Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.

 

(a)                Generally. Each Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Award shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. The Committee shall establish restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, including the period over which the restrictions shall apply (the “Restricted Period”), and the time or times at which Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall become vested (which, for the avoidance of doubt, may include service- and/or performance-based vesting conditions). To the extent permitted in the Committee’s sole discretion, and subject to such rules, approvals, and conditions as the Committee may impose from time to time, an Eligible Person who is a non-employee director may elect to receive all or a portion of such Eligible Person’s cash director fees and other cash director compensation payable for director services provided to the Company by such Eligible Person in any fiscal year, in whole or in part, in the form of Restricted Stock Units. The Committee may accelerate the vesting and/or the lapse of any or all of the restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units which acceleration shall not affect any other terms and conditions of such Awards. No share of Common Stock shall be issued at the time an Award of Restricted Stock Units is made, and the Company will not be required to set aside a fund for the payment of any such Award.

 

(b)                Stock Certificates; Escrow or Similar Arrangement. Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, the Committee shall cause share(s) of Common Stock to be registered in the name of the Participant and held in book-entry form subject to the Company’s directions. The Committee may also cause a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant to be issued. In such event, the Committee may provide that such certificates shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than delivered to the Participant pending vesting and release of restrictions, in which case the Committee may require the Participant to execute and deliver to the Company or its designee (including third-party administrators) (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Committee, if applicable, and (ii) the appropriate stock power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock. If the Participant shall fail to execute and deliver the escrow agreement and blank stock power within the amount of time specified by the Committee, the Award shall be null and void. Subject to the restrictions set forth in this Section 9 and the Award Agreement, the Participant shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder as to such Restricted Stock, including without limitation the right to vote such Restricted Stock.

 

(c)                Restrictions; Forfeiture. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units awarded to the Participant shall be subject to forfeiture until the expiration of the Restricted Period and the attainment of any other vesting criteria established by the Committee, and shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in the Award Agreement. In the event of any forfeiture, all rights of the Participant to such Restricted Stock (or as a stockholder with respect thereto), and to such Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, including to any dividends and/or dividend equivalents that may have been accumulated and withheld during the Restricted Period in respect thereof, shall terminate without further action or obligation on the part of the Company. The Committee shall have the authority to remove any or all of the restrictions on the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units whenever it may determine that, by reason of changes in applicable laws or other changes in circumstances arising after the date of grant of the Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award, such action is appropriate.

 

(d)                Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units.

 

(i)                 Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any shares of Restricted Stock and the attainment of any other vesting criteria, the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement shall be of no further force or effect, except as set forth in the Award Agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration the Company shall deliver to the Participant or such Participant’s beneficiary (via book-entry notation or, if applicable, in stock certificate form) the shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full share). Dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Committee and attributable to the Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value (on the date of distribution) (or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock) equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on the Restricted Stock.

 

 

(ii)               Unless otherwise provided by the Committee in an Award Agreement, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period and the attainment of any other vesting criteria established by the Committee, with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or such Participant’s beneficiary (via book-entry notation or, if applicable, in stock certificate form), one share of Common Stock (or other securities or other property, as applicable) for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit that has not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired and any other such vesting criteria are attained (“Released Unit”); provided, however, that the Committee may elect to (A) pay cash or part cash and part Common Stock in lieu of delivering only shares of Common Stock in respect of such Released Units or (B) defer the delivery of Common Stock (or cash or part Common Stock and part cash, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period if such extension would not cause adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering shares of Common Stock, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock as of the date on which the shares of Common Stock would have otherwise been delivered to the Participant in respect of such Restricted Stock Units.

 

(iii)               To the extent provided in an Award Agreement, the holder of outstanding Restricted Stock Units shall be entitled to be credited with dividend equivalent payments (upon the payment by the Company of dividends on shares of Common Stock) either in cash or, if determined by the Committee, in shares of Common Stock having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount of such dividends as of the date of payment (or a combination of cash and shares of Common Stock) (and interest may, if determined by the Committee, be credited on the amount of cash dividend equivalents at a rate and subject to such terms as determined by the Committee), which accumulated dividend equivalents (and interest thereon, if applicable) shall be payable at the same time as the underlying Restricted Stock Units are settled (in the case of Restricted Stock Units, following the release of restrictions on such Restricted Stock Units), and if such Restricted Stock Units are forfeited, the holder thereof shall have no right to such dividend equivalent payments.

 

(e)                Legends on Restricted Stock. Each certificate representing Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan, if any, shall bear a legend substantially in the form of the following in addition to any other information the Company deems appropriate until the lapse of all restrictions with respect to such Common Stock:

 

TRANSFER OF THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS RESTRICTED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE Latham Group, Inc. 2021 OMNIBUS INCENTIVE PLAN AND A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF __________, BETWEEN Latham Group, Inc. AND _________. A COPY OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES OF Latham Group, Inc.

 

10.           Other Stock-Based Awards and Other Cash-Based Awards. The Committee may issue unrestricted Common Stock, rights to receive future grants of Awards, or other Awards denominated in Common Stock (including performance shares or performance units), or Awards that provide for cash payments based in whole or in part on the value or future value of shares of Common Stock (“Other Stock-Based Awards”) and Other Cash-Based Awards under the Plan to Eligible Persons, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such amounts as the Committee shall from time to time determine. Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which may include conditions including, without limitation, the payment by the Participant of the Fair Market Value of such shares of Common Stock on the date of grant.

 

 

11.        Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events. In the event of (a) any dividend (other than regular cash dividends) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the shares of Common Stock, or (b) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service, accounting principles or law, such that in any case an adjustment is determined by the Committee to be necessary or appropriate, then the Committee shall (other than with respect to Other Cash-Based Awards) make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including without limitation any or all of the following:

 

(i)        adjusting any or all of (A) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) that may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan (including, without limitation, adjusting any or all of the limitations under Section 5 of the Plan) and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (1) the number of shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the Exercise Price or Strike Price with respect to any Award and/or (3) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Conditions and performance periods);

 

(ii)       providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards (or awards of an acquiring company), accelerating the delivery, vesting and/or exercisability of, lapse of restrictions and/or other conditions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time (which shall not be required to be more than ten (10) days) for Participants to exercise outstanding Awards prior to the occurrence of such event (and any such Award not so exercised shall terminate or become no longer exercisable upon the occurrence of such event); and

 

(iii)      cancelling any one or more outstanding Awards (or awards of an acquiring company) and causing to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Committee (which if applicable may be based upon the price per share of Common Stock received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in such event), including without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Committee) of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per-share Exercise Price or Strike Price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value (as of the date specified by the Committee) of a share of Common Stock subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor);

 

provided, however, that the Committee shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor pronouncement thereto)). Except as otherwise determined by the Committee, any adjustment in Incentive Stock Options under this Section 11 (other than any cancellation of Incentive Stock Options) shall be made only to the extent not constituting a “modification” within the meaning of Section 424(h)(3) of the Code, and any adjustments under this Section 11 shall be made in a manner that does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. The Company shall give each Participant notice of an adjustment hereunder and, upon notice, such adjustment shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes. In anticipation of the occurrence of any event listed in the first sentence of this Section 11, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Committee in its sole discretion may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award during a period of up to 30 days prior to, and/or up to 30 days after, the anticipated occurrence of any such event.

 

 

12.        Effect of Termination of Service or a Change in Control on Awards.

 

(a)        Termination. To the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may provide, by rule or regulation or in any applicable Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, the circumstances in which, and to the extent to which, an Award may be exercised, settled, vested, paid or forfeited in the event of the Participant’s termination of service prior to the end of a performance period or vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award.

 

(b)        Change in Control. In the event of a Change in Control, notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary, the Committee may provide for: (i) continuation or assumption of such outstanding Awards under the Plan by the Company (if it is the surviving corporation) or by the surviving corporation or its parent; (ii) substitution by the surviving corporation or its parent of awards with substantially the same terms and value for such outstanding Awards (in the case of an Option or SAR, the Intrinsic Value at grant of such Substitute Award shall equal the Intrinsic Value of the Award); (iii) acceleration of the vesting (including the lapse of any restrictions, with any performance criteria or other performance conditions deemed met at target) or right to exercise such outstanding Awards immediately prior to or as of the date of the Change in Control, and the expiration of such outstanding Awards to the extent not timely exercised by the date of the Change in Control or other date thereafter designated by the Committee; or (iv) in the case of an Option or SAR, cancelation in consideration of a payment in cash or other consideration to the Participant who holds such Award in an amount equal to the Intrinsic Value of such Award (which may be equal to but not less than zero), which, if in excess of zero, shall be payable upon the effective date of such Change in Control. For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a Change in Control, the Committee may, in its sole discretion, terminate any Option or SARs for which the exercise or strike price is equal to or exceeds the per share value of the consideration to be paid in the Change in Control transaction without payment of consideration therefor.

 

13.        Amendments and Termination.

 

(a)        Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue, or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided, that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuation or termination shall be made without stockholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any applicable rules or requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the shares of Common Stock may be listed or quoted, for changes in GAAP to new accounting standards); provided, further, that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary, unless the Committee determines that such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination is either required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any applicable law or regulation. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no amendment shall be made to the last proviso of Section 13(b) without stockholder approval.

 

 

(b)        Amendment of Award Agreements. The Committee may, to the extent not inconsistent with the terms of any applicable Award Agreement or the Plan, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award Agreement, prospectively or retroactively (including after the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company); provided, that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant unless the Committee determines that such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination is either required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any applicable law or regulation; provided, further, that except as otherwise permitted under Section 11 of the Plan, if (i) the Committee reduces the Exercise Price of any Option or the Strike Price of any SAR, (ii) the Committee cancels any outstanding Option or SAR and replaces it with a new Option or SAR (with a lower Exercise Price or Strike Price, as the case may be) or other Award or cash in a manner that would either (A) be reportable on the Company’s proxy statement or Form 10-K (if applicable) as Options that have been “repriced” (as such term is used in Item 402 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act), or (B) result in any “repricing” for financial statement reporting purposes (or otherwise cause the Award to fail to qualify for equity accounting treatment), (iii) the Committee takes any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or (iv) the Committee cancels any outstanding Option or SAR that has a per-share Exercise Price or Strike Price (as applicable) at or above the Fair Market Value of a share of Common Stock on the date of cancellation, and pays any consideration to the holder thereof, whether in cash, securities, or other property, or any combination thereof, then, in the case of the immediately preceding clauses (i) through (iv), any such action shall not be effective without stockholder approval.

 

14.        General.

 

(a)        Award Agreements; Other Agreements. Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered to the Participant and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement or employment, change-in-control, severance or other agreement in effect with the Participant, the term of the Plan shall control.

 

(b)        Nontransferability.

 

(i)        Each Award shall be exercisable only by the Participant during the Participant’s lifetime, or, if permissible under applicable law, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative. No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or an Affiliate; provided, that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.

 

(ii)       Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may permit Awards (other than Incentive Stock Options) to be transferred by the Participant, without consideration, subject to such rules as the Committee may adopt, to (A) any person who is a “family member” of the Participant, as such term is used in the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act or any successor form of registration statements promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, the “Immediate Family Members”); (B) a trust solely for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s Immediate Family Members; (C) a partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or stockholders are the Participant and the Participant’s Immediate Family Members; or (D) any other transferee as may be approved either (1) by the Board or the Committee, or (2) as provided in the applicable Award Agreement; (each transferee described in clause (A), (B), (C) or (D) above is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Transferee”); provided, that the Participant gives the Committee advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Committee notifies the Participant in writing that such a transfer would comply with the requirements of the Plan.

 

(iii)      The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding paragraph shall apply to the Permitted Transferee, and any reference in the Plan, or in any applicable Award Agreement, to the Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that (A) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (B) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the shares of Common Stock to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Committee determines, consistent with any applicable Award Agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate; (C) the Committee or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under the Plan or otherwise; (D) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the transferred Award, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement; and (E) any non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement, non-disclosure, or other restrictive covenants contained in any Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Affiliate shall continue to apply to the Participant and the consequences of the violation of such covenants shall continue to be applied with respect to the transferred Award, including without limitation the clawback and forfeiture provisions of Section 14(u) of the Plan.

 

 

(c)        Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. The Committee may provide the Participant with dividends or dividend equivalents as part of an Award, payable in cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities, other Awards or other property, on a current or deferred basis, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Committee, including, without limitation, payment directly to the Participant, withholding of such amounts by the Company subject to vesting of the Award or reinvestment in additional shares of Common Stock, Restricted Stock or other Awards; provided, that no dividends or dividend equivalents shall be payable (i) in respect of outstanding Options or SARs or (ii) in respect of any other Award unless and until the Participant vests in such underlying Award; provided, further, that dividend equivalents may be accumulated in respect of unearned Awards and paid as soon as administratively practicable, but no more than 60 days, after such Awards are earned and become payable or distributable (and the right to any such accumulated dividends or dividend equivalents shall be forfeited upon the forfeiture of the Award to which such dividends or dividend equivalents relate).

 

(d)        Tax Withholding.

 

(i)        The Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right (but not the obligation) and is hereby authorized to withhold, from any cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to the Participant, the amount (in cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes (up to the maximum permissible withholding amounts) in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action that the Committee or the Company deem necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes.

 

 

(ii)       Without limiting the generality of paragraph (i) above, the Committee may permit the Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) payment in cash, (B) the delivery of shares of Common Stock (which shares are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) owned by the Participant having a Fair Market Value on such date equal to such withholding liability or (C) having the Company withhold from the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of shares with a Fair Market Value on such date equal to such withholding liability. In addition, subject to any requirements of applicable law, the Participant may also satisfy the tax withholding obligations by other methods, including selling shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be available for delivery, provided that the Board or the Committee has specifically approved such payment method in advance.

 

(e)        No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Employment, Directorship or Engagement. No employee, director of the Company, consultant providing service to the Company or an Affiliate, or other person, shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan or, having been selected for the grant of an Award, to be selected for a grant of any other Award. There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Committee’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate, or to continue in the employ or the service of the Company or an Affiliate, nor shall it be construed as giving any Participant who is a director any rights to continued service on the Board.

 

(f)        International Participants. With respect to Participants who reside or work outside of the United States, the Committee may amend the terms of the Plan or appendices thereto, or outstanding Awards, with respect to such Participants, in order to conform such terms with or accommodate the requirements of local laws, procedures or practices or to obtain more favorable tax or other treatment for the Participant, the Company or its Affiliates. Without limiting the generality of this subsection, the Committee is specifically authorized to adopt rules, procedures and sub-plans with provisions that limit or modify rights on death, disability, retirement or other terminations of employment, available methods of exercise or settlement of an Award, payment of income, social insurance contributions or payroll taxes, withholding procedures and handling of any stock certificates or other indicia of ownership that vary with local requirements. The Committee may also adopt rules, procedures or sub-plans applicable to particular Affiliates or locations.

 

(g)        Beneficiary Designation. The Participant’s beneficiary shall be the Participant’s spouse (or domestic partner if such status is recognized by the Company and in such jurisdiction), or if the Participant is otherwise unmarried at the time of death, the Participant’s estate, except to the extent that a different beneficiary is designated in accordance with procedures that may be established by the Committee from time to time for such purpose. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under such Committee-established procedures and/or applicable law who is living (or in existence) at the time of death of a Participant residing or working outside the United States, any required distribution under the Plan shall be made to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or to such other individual as may be prescribed by applicable law.

 

 

(h)        Termination of Employment or Service. The Committee, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions related to the termination of employment of or service of a Participant. Except as otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, or any employment, consulting, change-in-control, severance or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, unless determined otherwise by the Committee: (i) neither a temporary absence from employment or service due to illness, vacation or leave of absence (including, without limitation, a call to active duty for military service through a Reserve or National Guard unit) nor a transfer from employment or service with the Company to employment or service with an Affiliate (or vice versa) shall be considered a termination of employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate; and (ii) if the Participant’s employment with the Company or its Affiliates terminates, but such Participant continues to provide services with the Company or its Affiliates in a non-employee capacity (including as a non-employee director) (or vice versa), such change in status shall not be considered a termination of employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate for purposes of the Plan.

 

(i)        No Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or any Award Agreement, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of shares of Common Stock that are subject to Awards hereunder until such shares have been issued or delivered to that person.

 

(j)         Government and Other Regulations.

 

(i)        Nothing in the Plan shall be deemed to authorize the Committee or Board or any members thereof to take any action contrary to applicable law or regulation, or rules of the NASDAQ or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted.

 

(ii)       The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Common Stock or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any shares of Common Stock pursuant to an Award unless such shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such shares may be offered or sold without such registration pursuant to and in compliance with the terms of an available exemption. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the shares of Common Stock to be offered or sold under the Plan. The Committee shall have the authority to provide that all shares of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, U.S. federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service upon which such shares or other securities of the Company are then listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, rules, regulations and other requirements, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of the Plan, the Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates of Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan to make appropriate reference to such restrictions or may cause such Common Stock or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan in book-entry form to be held subject to the Company’s instructions or subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Committee reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.

 

 

(iii)      The Committee may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines that legal or contractual restrictions and/or blockage and/or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of shares of Common Stock from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of Common Stock to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of Common Stock from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale of Common Stock to the public markets illegal, impracticable or inadvisable. If the Committee determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award in accordance with the foregoing, unless prevented by applicable laws, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value of the shares of Common Stock subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the shares would have been vested or delivered, as applicable), over (B) the aggregate Exercise Price or Strike Price (in the case of an Option or SAR, respectively) or any amount payable as a condition of delivery of shares of Common Stock (in the case of any other Award). Such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof.

 

(k)        Lock-Up Agreement. As a condition to the grant of an Award, if requested by the Company and the lead underwriter of any public offering of Common Stock (the “Lead Underwriter”), a Participant must irrevocably agree not to sell, contract to sell, grant any option to purchase, transfer the economic risk of ownership in, make any short sale of, pledge or otherwise transfer or dispose of, any interest in any Common Stock or any securities convertible into, derivative of, or exchangeable or exercisable for, or any other rights to purchase or acquire Common Stock (except Common Stock included in such public offering or acquired on the public market after such offering) during such period of time after the effective date of a registration statement of the Company filed under the Securities Act that the Lead Underwriter may specify (the “Lock-Up Period”). Each Participant must sign such documents as may be requested by the Lead Underwriter or the Company to effect the foregoing. The Company may impose stop-transfer instructions with respect to Common Stock acquired under an Award until the end of such Lock-Up Period. In addition, the Company may impose additional restrictions.

 

(l)         Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If the Committee shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for such person’s affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or such person’s estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative or a beneficiary designation form has been filed with the Company) may, if the Committee so directs the Company, be paid to such person’s spouse, child, or relative, or an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Committee to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment. Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Committee and the Company therefor.

 

(m)       Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor the submission of the Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options or awards otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.

 

(n)        No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and the Participant or other person or entity, on the other hand. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or to otherwise segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company.

 

 

(o)       Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Committee and each member of the Board (and each such member’s respective designees) shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent registered public accounting firm of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any agent of the Company or the Committee or the Board, other than such member or designee.

 

(p)       Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit sharing, group insurance or other benefit plan of the Company except as otherwise specifically provided in such other plan.

 

(q)       Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

 

(r)        Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award or Award Agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any person or entity or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Committee, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Committee, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or entity or Award, and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.

 

(s)       Obligations Binding on Successors. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to all or substantially all of the assets and business of the Company.

 

(t)        Section 409A of the Code.

 

(i)        It is intended that the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Each Participant is solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on or in respect of such Participant in connection with the Plan or any other plan maintained by the Company, including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code, and neither the Company nor any Affiliate shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such Participant or any beneficiary harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties. With respect to any Award that is considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, references in the Plan to “termination of employment” (and substantially similar phrases) shall mean “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each of the payments that may be made in respect of any Award granted under the Plan is designated as a separate payment.

 

(ii)       Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if the Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, no payments or deliveries in respect of any Awards that are “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made to such Participant prior to the date that is six months after the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code or, if earlier, the Participant’s date of death. All such delayed payments or deliveries will be paid or delivered (without interest) in a single lump sum on the earliest date permitted under Section 409A of the Code that is also a business day.

 

 

(iii)      In the event that the timing of payments in respect of any Award that would otherwise be considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code would be accelerated upon the occurrence of (A) a Change in Control, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the event giving rise to the Change in Control satisfies the definition of a change in the ownership or effective control of a corporation, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a corporation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder or (B) a Disability, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the Disability also satisfies the definition of “disability” pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

(u)        Clawback/Forfeiture. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may cancel an Award if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, (A) has engaged in or engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interests of the Company or any Affiliate while employed by or providing services to the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities or (B) violates a non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure covenant or agreement with the Company or any Affiliate, as determined by the Committee, or if the Participant’s employment or service is terminated for Cause. The Committee may also provide in an Award Agreement that in any such event the Participant will forfeit any compensation, gain or other value realized thereafter on the vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award, the sale or other transfer of such Award, or the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of such Award, and must promptly repay such amounts to the Company. The Committee may also provide in an Award Agreement that if the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of the Award for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then the Participant shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company. In addition, the Company shall retain the right to bring an action at equity or law to enjoin the Participant’s activity and recover damages resulting from such activity. Further, to the extent required by applicable law (including, without limitation, Section 304 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Section 954 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act) and/or the rules and regulations of the NASDAQ or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or if so required pursuant to a written policy adopted by the Company, Awards shall be subject (including on a retroactive basis) to clawback, forfeiture or similar requirements (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into all outstanding Award Agreements).

 

(v)        No Representations or Covenants With Respect to Tax Qualification. Although the Company may endeavor to (i) qualify an Award for favorable U.S. or non-U.S. tax treatment or (ii) avoid adverse tax treatment, the Company makes no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain favorable or avoid unfavorable tax treatment. The Company shall be unconstrained in its corporate activities without regard to the potential negative tax impact on holders of Awards under the Plan.

 

(w)        No Interference. The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreement, and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company, the Board, the Committee, or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization, or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants, or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, or preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Common Stock or the rights thereof or that are convertible into or exchangeable for Common Stock, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any Affiliate, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of their assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.

 

 

(x)         Expenses; Titles and Headings. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings shall control.

 

(y)        Whistleblower Acknowledgments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing in this Plan or any Award Agreement will (i) prohibit a Participant from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of federal law or regulation, or (ii) require prior approval by the Company or any of its Affiliates of any reporting described in clause (i).

 

* * *

 

As adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on [________], 2021.

 

As approved by the stockholders of the Company on [________], 2021.

 

 

Exhibit 10.15

 

FORM OF NONQUALIFIED STOCK OPTION

 

LATHAM GROUP, INC.

2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

NONQUALIFIED OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT

 

THIS NONQUALIFIED OPTION AWARD AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is entered into as of [____], 20[ ] (the “Date of Grant”), by and between Latham Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [________] (the “Participant”). Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Latham Group, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms (the “Plan”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the Plan, pursuant to which options to acquire shares of Common Stock may be granted (“Options”); and

 

WHEREAS, the Committee has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the award provided for herein to the Participant on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the covenants of the parties contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, for themselves, their successors and assigns, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.         Grant of Option.

 

(a)                Grant. The Company hereby grants to the Participant an Option to purchase [________] shares of Common Stock (such shares, the “Option Shares”), on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and as otherwise provided in the Plan. The Option is not intended to qualify as an Incentive Stock Option. The Options shall vest in accordance with Section 2. The Exercise Price shall be $[____] per Option Share.

 

(b)                Incorporation by Reference. The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and any interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations promulgated by the Committee from time to time pursuant to the Plan. The Committee shall have final authority to interpret and construe the Plan and this Agreement and to make any and all determinations under them, and its decision shall be binding and conclusive upon the Participant and the Participant’s beneficiary in respect of any questions arising under the Plan or this Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and has had an opportunity to review the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of the Plan.

 

2.         Vesting. Except as may otherwise be provided herein, subject to the Participant’s continued employment with, appointment as a director of, or engagement to provide services to, the Company or an Affiliate, the Options shall vest and become exercisable in equal installments on each of the first [●] anniversaries of the Date of Grant (each such date, a “Vesting Date”). Any fractional Option Shares resulting from the application of the vesting schedule shall be aggregated and the Option Shares resulting from such aggregation shall vest on the final Vesting Date.

 

3.         Termination of Employment or Services.

 

If the Participant’s employment with, membership on the board of directors of, or engagement to provide services to, the Company and its Affiliates terminates for any reason, the unvested portion of the Option shall be canceled immediately and the Participant shall immediately forfeit without any consideration any rights to the Option Shares subject to such unvested portion.

 

 

4.         Expiration.

 

(a)                In no event shall all or any portion of the Option be exercisable after the tenth annual anniversary of the Date of Grant (such ten-year period, the “Option Period”); provided, that if the Option Period would expire at a time when trading in the shares of Common Stock is prohibited by the Company’s securities trading policy (or Company-imposed “blackout period”), the Option Period shall be automatically extended until the 30^th day following the expiration of such prohibition (but not to the extent that any such extension would otherwise violate Section 409A of the Code).

 

(b)                If, prior to the end of the Option Period, the Participant’s employment with, directorship with, or engagement to provide services to, the Company and all Affiliates is terminated without Cause or by the Participant for any reason, then the Option shall expire on the earlier of the last day of the Option Period or the date that is 90 days after the date of such termination; provided, however, that if the Participant’s employment, directorship or engagement to provide services to the Company and its Affiliates is terminated and the Participant is subsequently rehired, reappointed or reengaged by the Company or any Affiliate within 90 days following such termination and prior to the expiration of the Option, the Participant shall not be considered to have undergone a termination of employment or service, as applicable. In the event of a termination described in this subsection (b), the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant until its expiration only to the extent that the Option was exercisable at the time of such termination.

 

(c)                If (i) the Participant’s employment with, directorship with, or engagement to provide services to, the Company is terminated prior to the end of the Option Period on account of his Disability, (ii) the Participant dies while still a director of, or still in the employ or engagement of the Company or an Affiliate or (iii) the Participant dies following a termination described in subsection (b) above but prior to the expiration of an Option, the Option shall expire on the earlier of the last day of the Option Period or the date that is one (1) year after the date of death or termination on account of Disability of the Participant, as applicable. In such event, the Option shall remain exercisable by the Participant or Participant’s beneficiary, as applicable, until its expiration only to the extent that the Option was exercisable by the Participant at the time of such event.

 

(d)              If the Participant ceases employment with or engagement to provide services to the Company or any Affiliates or is removed as a director due to a termination for Cause, the Option (whether vested or unvested) shall expire immediately upon such termination.

 

5.         Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No Option Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of the Option until payment in full to the Company of the Exercise Price and an amount equal to any U.S. federal, state, local and non-U.S. income and employment taxes required to be withheld. The Option may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designee (including a third-party-administrator) in accordance with the terms hereof. The Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes shall be payable (i) in cash, check, cash equivalent and/or in shares of Common Stock valued at the Fair Market Value at the time the Option is exercised (including, pursuant to procedures approved by the Committee, by means of attestation of ownership of a sufficient number of shares of Common Stock in lieu of actual delivery of such shares to the Company); provided that such shares of Common Stock are not subject to any pledge or other security interest; or (ii) by such other method as the Committee may permit, including without limitation: (A) in other property having a Fair Market Value equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes or (B) if there is a public market for the shares of Common Stock at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes; or (C) by means of a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the number of shares of Common Stock otherwise deliverable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay for the Exercise Price and all applicable required withholding taxes. Any fractional shares of Common Stock resulting from the application of this Section 5 shall be settled in cash.

 

 

6.         Rights as a Stockholder. The Participant shall not be deemed for any purpose to be the owner of any shares of Common Stock subject to this Option unless, until and to the extent that (i) this Option shall have been exercised pursuant to its terms, (ii) the Company shall have issued and delivered to the Participant the Option Shares and (iii) the Participant’s name shall have been entered as a stockholder of record with respect to such Option Shares on the books of the Company. The Company shall cause the actions described in clauses (ii) and (iii) of the preceding sentence to occur promptly following settlement as contemplated by this Agreement, subject to compliance with applicable laws.

 

7.         Compliance with Legal Requirements.

 

(a)                Generally. The granting and exercising of the Option, and any other obligations of the Company under this Agreement, shall be subject to all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, all applicable non-U.S. laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required. The Participant agrees to take all steps that the Committee or the Company determines are reasonably necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of U.S. federal and state securities law and non-U.S. securities law in exercising the Participant’s rights under this Agreement.

 

(b)                Tax Withholding. Any exercise of the Option shall be subject to the Participant satisfying any applicable U.S. federal, state and local tax withholding obligations and non-U.S. tax withholding obligations. The Company shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold from any amounts payable to the Participant in connection with the Option or otherwise the amount of any required withholding taxes in respect of the Option, its exercise or any payment or transfer of the Option or under the Plan and to take any such other action as the Committee or the Company deem necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes (up to the maximum permissible withholding amounts). The Participant may elect to satisfy, and the Company may require the Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the tax obligations by withholding shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be received upon exercise of the Option with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability. For exercises of the Option occurring during a blackout period under the Company’s insider trading policy, the Company shall arrange for the sale of a number of shares of Common Stock to be delivered to the Participant to satisfy the applicable withholding obligations. Such shares of Common Stock shall be sold on behalf of the Participant through the Company’s transfer agent on the facilities of the Nasdaq or through the facilities of any other exchange on which the Common Stock is listed at the time of such sale.

 

8.         Clawback. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may cancel the Option award if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, has engaged in or engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Affiliate while employed by, serving as a director of, or otherwise providing services to the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, or violates the covenants set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto or any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure covenant or agreement with the Company or any Affiliate (after giving effect to any applicable cure period set forth therein), as determined by the Committee. In such event, the Participant will forfeit any compensation, gain or other value realized thereafter on the vesting or exercise of the Option, the sale or other transfer of the Option, or the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of the Option, and must promptly repay such amounts to the Company. If the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of the Option for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then the Participant shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company. To the extent required by applicable law and/or the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or if so required pursuant to a written policy adopted by the Company, the Option shall be subject (including on a retroactive basis) to clawback, forfeiture or similar requirements (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Agreement).

 

 

9.         Restrictive Covenants.

 

(a)               Without limiting any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure or other similar agreement to which the Participant may be a party, the Participant shall be subject to the confidentiality and restrictive covenants set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto, which Exhibit A is incorporated herein and forms part of this Agreement.

 

(b)                In the event that the Participant violates any of the restrictive covenants referred to in this Section 9, in addition to any other remedy that may be available at law or in equity, the Option shall be automatically forfeited effective as of the date on which such violation first occurs. The foregoing rights and remedies are in addition to any other rights and remedies that may be available to the Company and shall not prevent (and the Participant shall not assert that they shall prevent) the Company from bringing one or more actions in any applicable jurisdiction to recover damages as a result of the Participant’s breach of such restrictive covenants.

 

10.       Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                Transferability. The Option may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered (a “Transfer”) by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or as otherwise permitted under Section 14(b) of the Plan. Any attempted Transfer of the Option contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution, attachment or similar process upon the Option, shall be null and void and without effect.

 

(b)             Lock-Up Agreement. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, Options and any shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of an Option will be subject to the lockup restrictions as set forth in Section 14(k) of the Plan and any additional restrictions as set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.

 

(c)             Waiver. Any right of the Company contained in this Agreement may be waived in writing by the Committee. No waiver of any right hereunder by any party shall operate as a waiver of any other right, or as a waiver of the same right with respect to any subsequent occasion for its exercise, or as a waiver of any right to damages. No waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement shall be held to constitute a waiver of any other breach or a waiver of the continuation of the same breach.

 

(d)              Section 409A. The Option is not intended to be subject to Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if any provision of the Plan or this Agreement contravenes Section 409A of the Code or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A of the Code, or to avoid the incurrence of taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A of the Code, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A of the Code. This Section 10(d) does not create an obligation on the part of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the Option or the Option Shares will not be subject to interest and penalties under Section 409A.

 

 

(e)                Notices. Any notices provided for in this Agreement or the Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given if either hand delivered or if sent by fax, pdf/email or overnight courier, or by postage-paid first-class mail. Notices sent by mail shall be deemed received three business days after mailing but in no event later than the date of actual receipt. Notices shall be directed, if to the Participant, at the Participant’s address indicated by the Company’s records, or if to the Company, to the attention of the General Counsel and to the Head of Human Resources at the Company’s principal executive office.

 

(f)              Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, and each other provision of this Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

(g)              No Rights to Employment, Directorship or Service. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Participant any right to be retained, in any position, as an employee, consultant or director of the Company or its Affiliates or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company or its Affiliates, which are hereby expressly reserved, to remove, terminate or discharge the Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever.

 

(h)                Fractional Shares. In lieu of issuing a fraction of a share of Common Stock resulting from any exercise of the Option or an adjustment of the Option pursuant to Section 12 of the Plan or otherwise, the Company shall be entitled to pay to the Participant an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such fractional share.

 

(i)                 Beneficiary. The Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of a beneficiary on such form as may be prescribed by the Committee and may, from time to time, amend or revoke such designation.

 

(j)                Successors. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns, and of the Participant and the beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs and successors of the Participant.

 

(k)               Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including Exhibit A and Exhibit B attached hereto) and the Plan contain the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersede all prior communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto, other than any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure or other similar agreement to which the Participant may be a party, the covenants of which shall continue to apply to the Participant in addition to the covenants in Exhibit A hereto, in accordance with the terms of such agreement. No change, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same be in writing and signed by the parties hereto, except for any changes permitted without consent under Section 12 or 13 of the Plan.

 

(l)               Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

 

 

(i)                Dispute Resolution; Consent to Jurisdiction. All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with the Plan, this Agreement or the Option shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Agreement not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.

 

(ii)                Waiver of Jury Trial. Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

 

(m)              Headings. The headings of the Sections hereof are provided for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction, and shall not constitute a part, of this Agreement.

 

(n)               Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts (including via facsimile and electronic image scan (pdf)), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

 

(o)               Electronic Signature and Delivery. This Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation. By accepting this Agreement, the Participant consents to the electronic delivery of prospectuses, annual reports and other information required to be delivered by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules (which consent may be revoked in writing by the Participant at any time upon three business days’ notice to the Company, in which case subsequent prospectuses, annual reports and other information will be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

 

(p)              Electronic Participation in Plan. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Nonqualified Option Award Agreement has been executed by the Company and the Participant as of the day first written above.

 

	LATHAM GROUP, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:

 

	[PARTICIPANT]

 

[Signature page to [____] Option Agreement]

 

 

Exhibit A

 

1.

During the Participant’s employment with, or other engagement to provide services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and for a period of twenty-four (24) months thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, for himself or herself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person:

 

a.

solicit or attempt to solicit, recruit or attempt to recruit, hire or attempt to hire or in any way persuade any officer, director, employee, agent, or contract worker of the Latham Companies to end such Person’s relationship with any Latham Company; or

 

b.

solicit or attempt to solicit any business related to the business of the Latham Companies from any Person who is or was a customer or vendor of any Latham Company or an actively sought prospective customer or prospective vendor with whom the Participant had material business contact (through sales calls, presentations, or other business dealings) at any time during the five (5) year period preceding the termination of Participant’s employment.

 

2.

During the Restricted Period, the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, individually or through any other person, firm, corporation or other entity, whether as owner, partner, investor, operator, manager, officer, director, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer, advisor, representative or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest or actively prepare to engage, participate, assist or invest in the pool industry, or any other industries in which the Company or any of its Affiliates have done business during the Participant’s employment with the Company or which the Company or any of its Affiliates were actively considering during such period. The restrictions set forth this Paragraph 2 shall apply to any conduct in North America and any other geographical area in which the Company or any of its Affiliates operate or provide services or are actively preparing to operate or provide services as of the date of Participant’s employment with the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

3.

The Participant hereby agrees to hold in confidence all Confidential Information and Trade Secrets of the Latham Companies that came into the Participant’s knowledge during the period of time during which the Participant was employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and will not disclose, publish or make use of such Confidential Information or Trade Secrets without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains Confidential Information or a Trade Secret. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this paragraph will not prevent the Participant from making a disclosure that (a) is made in the ordinary course of the Participant’s duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates; (b) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (c) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Further, Confidential Information or Trade Secrets shall not include information (x) that otherwise becomes generally known in the industry or to the public through no act of the Participant or any Person or entity acting by or on the Participant’s behalf or (y) information that the Participant can demonstrate to have had rightfully in the Participant’s possession prior to the date on which the Participant first provided services to any Latham Company.

 

4.

The Participant acknowledges that all Work Product belongs to the Company. The Participant shall promptly disclose such Work Product to the Board and, at the Company’s expense, perform all actions reasonably requested by the Board (whether during or after the Participant’s employment) to establish and confirm such ownership, including executing any assignment, consents, powers of attorney and other instruments.

 

 

5.

During the period of time during which the Participant is employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and thereafter, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage or criticize any Latham Company or their respective Affiliates, employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners.

 

6.

For purposes of this Exhibit A:

 

a.

“Confidential Information” shall be defined as any data or information (other than Trade Secrets) that is valuable to the Latham Companies (or, if owned by someone else, is valuable to that third party) and not generally known to the public or to competitors in the industry, including, but not limited to, any non-public information (regardless of whether in writing or retained as personal knowledge) pertaining to research and development; product costs, designs and processes; equityholder information; vendor and product information; customer and prospective customer lists; pricing, cost, or profit factors; quality programs; annual budget and long-range business plans; marketing plans and methods; contracts and bids; business ideas and methods, store concepts, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, website designs, patterns, specifications, procedures, databases and personnel.

 

b.

The “Latham Companies” shall be defined as the Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and parent companies, and any Person in which the Company has a twenty percent or greater ownership interest, whether existing on the Date of Grant or thereafter acquired or formed.

 

c.

“Trade Secret” means trade secret as defined by applicable state law. In the absence of such a definition, Trade Secret means information including, but not limited to, any technical or nontechnical data, formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, drawing, process, financial data, financial plan, product plan, list of actual or potential customers or suppliers or other information similar to any of the foregoing, which (a) derives economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can derive economic value from its disclosure or use and (b) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

d.

“Work Product” means all inventions, innovations, improvements, developments, methods, designs, analyses, drawings, reports, patents, copyrights, intellectual property applications (including any grant or rights issuing therefrom) and all similar or related information (whether or not patentable) which relate to the actual or reasonably anticipated business, research and development or existing or future products or services of the Company or any of its Affiliates and which are conceived, developed or made by the Participant while employed.

 

7.

During the Restricted Period, the Participant will not communicate the contents of this Agreement to any person, firm, association, partnership, corporation or other entity which the Participant intends to be employed by, associated with, or represent and which is engaged in a business that is competitive to the Company or any of its Affiliates. Prior to accepting any offer of employment during the Restricted Period, the Participant shall inform such employers of all covenants in this Exhibit A and, within two (2) business days of accepting an offer of employment with another employer, shall notify the Company of the name and address of the new employer and the title of the position accepted.

 

 

8.

The covenants in this Exhibit A are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant. If any provision of this Exhibit A relating to the time period, scope, or geographic area of the restrictive covenants shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator to exceed the maximum time period, scope, or geographic area, as applicable, that such court or arbitrator deems reasonable and enforceable, then this Agreement shall automatically be considered to have been amended and revised to reflect such determination.

 

9.

The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the remedy at law available to the Company for breach of any of Participant’s obligations under this Exhibit A would be inadequate. The Participant therefore agrees that, in addition to any other rights or remedies that the Company may have at law or in equity, temporary and permanent injunctive relief may be granted in any proceeding which may be brought to enforce any provision contained in this Exhibit A, without the necessity of proof of actual damage and without the posting of a bond.

 

10.

If it is judicially determined that the Participant has violated any of the Participant’s obligations under this Exhibit A, then the period applicable to each obligation that the Participant shall have been determined to have violated shall automatically be extended by a period of time equal in length to the period during which such violation(s) occurred.

 

11.

All of the covenants in this Exhibit A shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provisions in Exhibit A, and the existence of any claim or cause of action the Participant may have against any Latham Company, whether predicated on this Exhibit A or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by any Latham Company of such covenants.

 

12.

This Exhibit A shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

 

a.

All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with this Exhibit A shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Exhibit A not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.

 

b.

Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Exhibit A or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

 

 

13.

The Participant has carefully read and considered the provisions of this Exhibit A and, having done so, agrees that the restrictive covenants in this Exhibit A impose a fair and reasonable restraint on the Participant and are reasonably required to protect the interests of the Latham Companies and their respective officers, directors, employees, and equityholders.

 

 

Exhibit B

 

Insert any additional lock up restrictions

 

 

 

Exhibit 10.16

 

FORM OF RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT 

 

LATHAM GROUP, INC.

2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT

 

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is entered into as of [__________], 20[__] (the “Date of Grant”), by and between Latham Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [________] (the “Participant”).

 

Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Latham Group, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms (the “Plan”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the Plan, pursuant to which shares of restricted stock (the “Restricted Shares”) may be granted; and

 

WHEREAS, the Committee has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the Restricted Shares provided for herein to the Participant on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the covenants of the parties contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, for themselves, their successors and assigns, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.            Grant of Restricted Shares.

 

(a)                 Grant. The Company hereby grants to the Participant a total of [_____] Restricted Shares, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and as otherwise provided in the Plan. The Restricted Shares shall vest in accordance with Section 2.

 

(b)                 Incorporation by Reference. The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and any interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations promulgated by the Committee from time to time pursuant to the Plan. The Committee shall have final authority to interpret and construe the Plan and this Agreement and to make any and all determinations under them, and its decision shall be binding and conclusive upon the Participant and the Participant’s beneficiary in respect of any questions arising under the Plan or this Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and has had an opportunity to review the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of the Plan.

 

2.           Vesting; Settlement. Except as may otherwise be provided herein, subject to the Participant’s continued employment with, or engagement to provide services to, the Company and any of its Affiliates, the Restricted Shares shall vest as follows: [_____] (any date on which Restricted Shares vest, a “Vesting Date”). Any fractional Restricted Shares resulting from the application of the vesting schedule shall be aggregated and the Restricted Shares resulting from such aggregation shall vest on the final Vesting Date. Upon vesting, the Restricted Shares shall no longer be subject to the transfer restrictions pursuant to Section 14(b) of the Plan or cancellation pursuant to Section 6 hereof.

 

3.           Issuance. The Restricted Shares shall be issued by the Company and shall be registered in the Participant’s name on the stock transfer books of the Company promptly after the date hereof in book-entry form, subject to the Company’s directions at all times prior to the date the Restricted Shares vest. As a condition to the receipt of the Restricted Shares, the Participant shall at the request of the Company deliver to the Company one or more stock powers, duly endorsed in blank, relating to the Restricted Shares. The Committee may cause a legend or legends to be put on any stock certificate relating to the Restricted Shares to make appropriate reference to such restrictions as the Committee may deem advisable under the Plan or as may be required by the rules, regulations, and other requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission, any exchange that lists the Restricted Shares, and any applicable federal or state laws.

 

 

4.           Rights as a Stockholder; Dividends. The Participant shall be the record owner of the Restricted Shares and shall have all rights of a stockholder of the Company, including, if applicable, the right to vote the Restricted Shares and to receive any dividends upon vesting of such Restricted Shares, subject to the restrictions set forth in the Plan and this Agreement. Any cash or in-kind dividends paid with respect to unvested Restricted Shares shall be withheld by the Company and shall be paid to the Participant, without interest, only when, and if, such Restricted Shares vest.

 

5.           [Section 83(b) Election. As a condition subsequent to the issuance of the Restricted Shares, the Participant shall file an election under Section 83(b) of the Code within 30 days of the Date of Grant and shall promptly provide written evidence of any such election to the Company. The Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Company shall bear no responsibility or liability for any tax consequences to the Participant relating to Section 83 of the Code or to the making of (or failure to make) an election pursuant to Section 83(b) of the Code with respect to the Restricted Shares.]¹

 

6.           Termination of Employment. Except as set forth herein, if the Participant’s employment with, or engagement to provide services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates terminates for any reason, all unvested Restricted Shares shall be canceled immediately and the Participant shall not be entitled to receive any payments with respect thereto.

 

7.           Compliance with Legal Requirements.

 

(a)                Generally. The granting of the Restricted Shares, and any other obligations of the Company under this Agreement, shall be subject to all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, all applicable non-U.S. laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required. The Committee shall have the right to impose such restriction on any Restricted Share as it deems necessary or advisable under applicable federal securities laws, the rules and regulations of any stock exchange or market upon which such Restricted Shares are then listed or traded, and/or any blue sky or state securities laws applicable to such Restricted Shares. The Participant agrees to take all steps that the Committee or the Company determines are reasonably necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of U.S. federal and state securities law and non-U.S. securities law in exercising the Participant’s rights under this Agreement.

 

(b)                Tax Withholding. The vesting of the Restricted Shares shall be subject to the Participant satisfying any applicable U.S. federal, state and local tax withholding obligations and non-U.S. tax withholding obligations. The Participant shall be required to pay to the Company, and the Company shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold any cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property or from any compensation or other amounts owing to the Participant, the amount (in cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes in respect of the Restricted Shares or any payment or transfer of the Restricted Shares, and to take any such other action as the Committee or the Company deem necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes. In its sole discretion, the Company may permit the Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the tax obligations by withholding shares of Common Stock upon vesting of Restricted Shares.

 

¹ Include if applicable.

 

 

8.           Clawback. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may cancel this Restricted Share award if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, has engaged in or engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Affiliate while employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, or violates the covenants set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto or any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure covenant or agreement with the Company or any Affiliate (after giving effect to any applicable cure period set forth therein), as determined by the Committee. In such event, the Participant will forfeit any compensation, gain or other value realized thereafter on the vesting of the Restricted Shares, the sale or other transfer of the Restricted Shares, or the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of the Restricted Shares, and must promptly repay such amounts to the Company. If the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of this Agreement for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then the Participant shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company. To the extent required by applicable law and/or the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or if so required pursuant to a written policy adopted by the Company, the Restricted Shares shall be subject (including on a retroactive basis) to clawback, forfeiture or similar requirements (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Agreement).

 

9.            Restrictive Covenants.

 

(a)                Without limiting any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure or other similar agreement to which the Participant may be a party, the Participant shall be subject to the confidentiality and restrictive covenants set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto, which Exhibit A is incorporated herein and forms part of this Agreement.

 

(b)                In the event that the Participant violates any of the restrictive covenants referred to in this Section 9, in addition to any other remedy that may be available at law or in equity, the Restricted Shares shall be automatically forfeited effective as of the date on which such violation first occurs. The foregoing rights and remedies are in addition to any other rights and remedies that may be available to the Company and shall not prevent (and the Participant shall not assert that they shall prevent) the Company from bringing one or more actions in any applicable jurisdiction to recover damages as a result of the Participant’s breach of such restrictive covenants.

 

10.            Miscellaneous.

 

(a)                Transferability. The Restricted Shares may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered (a “Transfer”) by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or as otherwise permitted under Section 14(b) of the Plan. Any attempted Transfer of the Restricted Shares contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution, attachment or similar process upon the Restricted Shares, shall be null and void and without effect.

 

(b)                Lock-Up Agreement. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, Restricted Shares and any shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of an Restricted Shares will be subject to the lock-up restrictions as set forth in Section 14(k) of the Plan and any additional restrictions as set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.

 

 

(c)                 Waiver. Any right of the Company contained in this Agreement may be waived in writing by the Committee. No waiver of any right hereunder by any party shall operate as a waiver of any other right, or as a waiver of the same right with respect to any subsequent occasion for its exercise, or as a waiver of any right to damages. No waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement shall be held to constitute a waiver of any other breach or a waiver of the continuation of the same breach.

 

(d)                Section 409A. The Restricted Shares are intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if any provision of the Plan or this Agreement contravenes Section 409A of the Code or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A of the Code, or to avoid the incurrence of taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A of the Code, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A of the Code. This Section 10(d) does not create an obligation on the part of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the Restricted Shares will not be subject to interest and penalties under Section 409A.

 

(e)                 Notices. Any notices provided for in this Agreement or the Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given if either hand delivered or if sent by fax, pdf/email or overnight courier, or by postage-paid first-class mail. Notices sent by mail shall be deemed received three business days after mailing but in no event later than the date of actual receipt. Notices shall be directed, if to the Participant, at the Participant’s address indicated by the Company’s records, or if to the Company, to the attention of the General Counsel and to the Head of Human Resources at the Company’s principal executive office.

 

(f)                 Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, and each other provision of this Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

(g)                No Rights to Employment or Service. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Participant any right to be retained, in any position, as a consultant or employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company or any of its Affiliates, which are hereby expressly reserved, to remove, terminate or discharge the Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever.

 

(h)                Fractional Shares. In lieu of issuing a fraction of a share of Common Stock resulting from an adjustment of the Restricted Shares pursuant to Section 12 of the Plan or otherwise, the Company shall be entitled to pay to the Participant an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such fractional share.

 

(i)                  Beneficiary. The Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of a beneficiary on such form as may be prescribed by the Committee and may, from time to time, amend or revoke such designation.

 

 

(j)                 Successors. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns, and of the Participant and the beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs and successors of the Participant.

 

(k)                Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including Exhibit A and Exhibit B attached hereto) and the Plan contain the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersede all prior communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto, other than any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure or other similar agreement to which the Participant may be a party, the covenants of which shall continue to apply to the Participant in addition to the covenants in Exhibit A hereto, in accordance with the terms of such agreement. No change, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same be in writing and signed by the parties hereto, except for any changes permitted without consent under Section 12 or 13 of the Plan.

 

(l)                 Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

 

(i)                 Dispute Resolution; Consent to Jurisdiction. All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with the Plan, this Agreement or the Restricted Shares shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Agreement not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.

 

(ii)               Waiver of Jury Trial. Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

 

(m)              Headings. The headings of the Sections hereof are provided for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction, and shall not constitute a part, of this Agreement.

 

(n)                Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts (including via facsimile and electronic image scan (pdf)), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

 

 

(o)                Electronic Signature and Delivery. This Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation. By accepting this Agreement, the Participant consents to the electronic delivery of prospectuses, annual reports and other information required to be delivered by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules (which consent may be revoked in writing by the Participant at any time upon three business days’ notice to the Company, in which case subsequent prospectuses, annual reports and other information will be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

 

(p)              Electronic Participation in Plan. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Restricted Stock Award Agreement has been executed by the Company and the Participant as of the day first written above.

 

	LATHAM GROUP, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	[PARTICIPANT]

 

[Signature Page to [______________] Restricted Stock Award Agreement]

 

 

Exhibit A

 

1.

During the Participant’s employment with, or other engagement to provide services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and for a period of twenty-four (24) months thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, for himself or herself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person:

 

a.

solicit or attempt to solicit, recruit or attempt to recruit, hire or attempt to hire or in any way persuade any officer, director, employee, agent, or contract worker of the Latham Companies to end such Person’s relationship with any Latham Company; or

 

b.

solicit or attempt to solicit any business related to the business of the Latham Companies from any Person who is or was a customer or vendor of any Latham Company or an actively sought prospective customer or prospective vendor with whom the Participant had material business contact (through sales calls, presentations, or other business dealings) at any time during the five (5) year period preceding the termination of Participant’s employment.

 

2.

During the Restricted Period, the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, individually or through any other person, firm, corporation or other entity, whether as owner, partner, investor, operator, manager, officer, director, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer, advisor, representative or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest or actively prepare to engage, participate, assist or invest in the pool industry, or any other industries in which the Company or any of its Affiliates have done business during the Participant’s employment with the Company or which the Company or any of its Affiliates were actively considering during such period. The restrictions set forth this Paragraph 2 shall apply to any conduct in North America and any other geographical area in which the Company or any of its Affiliates operate or provide services or are actively preparing to operate or provide services as of the date of Participant’s employment with the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

3.

The Participant hereby agrees to hold in confidence all Confidential Information and Trade Secrets of the Latham Companies that came into the Participant’s knowledge during the period of time during which the Participant was employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and will not disclose, publish or make use of such Confidential Information or Trade Secrets without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains Confidential Information or a Trade Secret. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this paragraph will not prevent the Participant from making a disclosure that (a) is made in the ordinary course of the Participant’s duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates; (b) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (c) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Further, Confidential Information or Trade Secrets shall not include information (x) that otherwise becomes generally known in the industry or to the public through no act of the Participant or any Person or entity acting by or on the Participant’s behalf or (y) information that the Participant can demonstrate to have had rightfully in the Participant’s possession prior to the date on which the Participant first provided services to any Latham Company.

 

4.

During the period of time during which the Participant is employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and thereafter, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage or criticize any Latham Company or their respective Affiliates, employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners.

 

 

5.

For purposes of this Exhibit A:

 

a.

“Confidential Information” shall be defined as any data or information (other than Trade Secrets) that is valuable to the Latham Companies (or, if owned by someone else, is valuable to that third party) and not generally known to the public or to competitors in the industry, including, but not limited to, any non-public information (regardless of whether in writing or retained as personal knowledge) pertaining to research and development; product costs, designs and processes; equityholder information; pricing, cost, or profit factors; quality programs; annual budget and long-range business plans; marketing plans and methods; contracts and bids; business ideas and methods, store concepts, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, website designs, patterns, specifications, procedures, databases and personnel.

 

b.

The “Latham Companies” shall be defined as the Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and parent companies, and any Person in which the Company has a twenty percent or greater ownership interest, whether existing on the Date of Grant or thereafter acquired or formed.

 

c.

“Trade Secret” means trade secret as defined by applicable state law. In the absence of such a definition, Trade Secret means information including, but not limited to, any technical or nontechnical data, formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, drawing, process, financial data, financial plan, product plan, list of actual or potential customers or suppliers or other information similar to any of the foregoing, which (a) derives economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can derive economic value from its disclosure or use and (b) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

 

6.

Prior to accepting any offer of employment during the Restricted Period, the Participant shall inform such employers of all covenants in this Exhibit A and, within two (2) business days of accepting an offer of employment with another employer, shall notify the Company of the name and address of the new employer and the title of the position accepted.

 

7.

The covenants in this Exhibit A are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant. If any provision of this Exhibit A relating to the time period, scope, or geographic area of the restrictive covenants shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator to exceed the maximum time period, scope, or geographic area, as applicable, that such court or arbitrator deems reasonable and enforceable, then this Agreement shall automatically be considered to have been amended and revised to reflect such determination.

 

8.

All of the covenants in this Exhibit A shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provisions in Exhibit A, and the existence of any claim or cause of action the Participant may have against any Latham Company, whether predicated on this Exhibit A or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by any Latham Company of such covenants.

 

9.

This Exhibit A shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

 

 

a.

All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with this Exhibit A shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Exhibit A not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.

 

b.

Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Exhibit A or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

 

10.

The Participant has carefully read and considered the provisions of this Exhibit A and, having done so, agrees that the restrictive covenants in this Exhibit A impose a fair and reasonable restraint on the Participant and are reasonably required to protect the interests of the Latham Companies and their respective officers, directors, employees, and equityholders.

 

 

Exhibit B

 

Insert any additional lock up restrictions

 

 

Exhibit 10.17 

 

FORM OF RSU AWARD AGREEMENT 

 

LATHAM GROUP, INC.

2021 OMNIBUS EQUITY INCENTIVE PLAN

RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT

 

THIS RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD AGREEMENT (this “Agreement”), is entered into as of [__________], 20[__] (the “Date of Grant”), by and between Latham Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), and [________] (the “Participant”).

 

Capitalized terms used in this Agreement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings ascribed to such terms in the Latham Group, Inc. 2021 Omnibus Equity Incentive Plan, as amended, restated or otherwise modified from time to time in accordance with its terms (the “Plan”).

 

WHEREAS, the Company has adopted the Plan, pursuant to which restricted stock units (“RSUs”) may be granted; and

 

WHEREAS, the Committee has determined that it is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to grant the RSUs provided for herein to the Participant on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth herein.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the premises and the covenants of the parties contained in this Agreement, and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto, for themselves, their successors and assigns, hereby agree as follows:

 

1.           Grant of Restricted Stock Units.

 

(a)          Grant. The Company hereby grants to the Participant a total of [_____] RSUs, on the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in this Agreement and as otherwise provided in the Plan. The RSUs shall vest in accordance with Section 2. The RSUs shall be credited to a separate book-entry account maintained for the Participant on the books of the Company.

 

(b)          Incorporation by Reference. The provisions of the Plan are incorporated herein by reference. Except as otherwise expressly set forth herein, this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the provisions of the Plan and any interpretations, amendments, rules and regulations promulgated by the Committee from time to time pursuant to the Plan. The Committee shall have final authority to interpret and construe the Plan and this Agreement and to make any and all determinations under them, and its decision shall be binding and conclusive upon the Participant and the Participant’s beneficiary in respect of any questions arising under the Plan or this Agreement. The Participant acknowledges that the Participant has received a copy of the Plan and has had an opportunity to review the Plan and agrees to be bound by all the terms and provisions of the Plan.

 

2.          Vesting; Settlement.

 

(a)            Except as may otherwise be provided herein, subject to the Participant’s continued employment with, or engagement to provide services to, the Company and any of its Affiliates, the RSUs shall vest as follows: [_____] (any date on which RSUs vest, a “Vesting Date”). Upon vesting, the RSUs shall no longer be subject to the transfer restrictions pursuant to Section 14(b) of the Plan or cancellation pursuant to Section 4 hereof.

 

(b)            Each RSU shall be settled within 10 days following the Vesting Date in shares of Common Stock.

 

 

3.          Dividend Equivalents. In the event of any issuance of a cash dividend on the shares of Common Stock (a “Dividend”), the Participant shall be credited, as of the payment date for such Dividend, with an additional number of RSUs (each, an “Additional RSU”) equal to the quotient obtained by dividing (x) the product of (i) the number of RSUs granted pursuant to this Agreement and outstanding as of the record date for such Dividend multiplied by (ii) the amount of the Dividend per share, by (y) the Fair Market Value per share on the payment date for such Dividend, such quotient to be rounded to the nearest hundredth. Once credited, each Additional RSU shall be treated as an RSU granted hereunder and shall be subject to all terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement and the Plan.

 

4.          Termination of Employment. Except as set forth herein, if the Participant’s employment with, or engagement to provide services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates terminates for any reason, all unvested RSUs shall be canceled immediately and the Participant shall not be entitled to receive any payments with respect thereto.

 

5.          Rights as a Stockholder. The Participant shall not be deemed for any purpose to be the owner of any shares of Common Stock underlying the RSUs unless, until and to the extent that (i) the Company shall have issued and delivered to the Participant the shares of Common Stock underlying the RSUs and (ii) the Participant’s name shall have been entered as a stockholder of record with respect to such shares of Common Stock on the books of the Company. The Company shall cause the actions described in clauses (i) and (ii) of the preceding sentence to occur promptly following settlement as contemplated by this Agreement, subject to compliance with applicable laws.

 

6.          Compliance with Legal Requirements.

 

(a)          Generally. The granting and settlement of the RSUs, and any other obligations of the Company under this Agreement, shall be subject to all applicable U.S. federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations, all applicable non-U.S. laws, rules and regulations and to such approvals by any regulatory or governmental agency as may be required. The Participant agrees to take all steps that the Committee or the Company determines are reasonably necessary to comply with all applicable provisions of U.S. federal and state securities law and non-U.S. securities law in exercising the Participant’s rights under this Agreement.

 

(b)          Tax Withholding. The vesting and settlement of the RSUs shall be subject to the Participant satisfying any applicable U.S. federal, state and local tax withholding obligations and non-U.S. tax withholding obligations. The Participant shall be required to pay to the Company, and the Company shall have the right and is hereby authorized to withhold any cash, shares of Common Stock, other securities or other property or from any compensation or other amounts owing to the Participant, the amount (in cash, Common Stock, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes in respect of the RSUs, settlement of the RSUs or any payment or transfer of the RSUs, and to take any such other action as the Committee or the Company deem necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes. In its sole discretion, the Company may permit the Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the tax obligations by withholding shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be deliverable to the Participant upon settlement of the RSUs with a Fair Market Value equal to such withholding liability.

 

7.          Clawback. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Committee may cancel the RSU award if the Participant, without the consent of the Company, has engaged in or engages in activity that is in conflict with or adverse to the interest of the Company or any Affiliate while employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any Affiliate, including fraud or conduct contributing to any financial restatements or irregularities, or violates the covenants set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto or any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure covenant or agreement with the Company or any Affiliate (after giving effect to any applicable cure period set forth therein), as determined by the Committee. In such event, the Participant will forfeit any compensation, gain or other value realized thereafter on the vesting or settlement of the RSUs, the sale or other transfer of the RSUs, or the sale of shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of the RSUs, and must promptly repay such amounts to the Company. If the Participant receives any amount in excess of what the Participant should have received under the terms of the RSUs for any reason (including without limitation by reason of a financial restatement, mistake in calculations or other administrative error), all as determined by the Committee, then the Participant shall be required to promptly repay any such excess amount to the Company. To the extent required by applicable law and/or the rules and regulations of the Nasdaq or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation system on which the Common Stock is listed or quoted, or if so required pursuant to a written policy adopted by the Company, the RSUs shall be subject (including on a retroactive basis) to clawback, forfeiture or similar requirements (and such requirements shall be deemed incorporated by reference into this Agreement).

 

 

8.           Restrictive Covenants.

 

(a)          Without limiting any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure or other similar agreement to which the Participant may be a party, the Participant shall be subject to the confidentiality and restrictive covenants set forth on Exhibit A attached hereto, which Exhibit A is incorporated herein and forms part of this Agreement.

 

(b)          In the event that the Participant violates any of the restrictive covenants referred to in this Section 8, in addition to any other remedy that may be available at law or in equity, the RSUs shall be automatically forfeited effective as of the date on which such violation first occurs. The foregoing rights and remedies are in addition to any other rights and remedies that may be available to the Company and shall not prevent (and the Participant shall not assert that they shall prevent) the Company from bringing one or more actions in any applicable jurisdiction to recover damages as a result of the Participant’s breach of such restrictive covenants.

 

9.           Miscellaneous.

 

(a)          Transferability. The RSUs may not be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered (a “Transfer”) by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order or as otherwise permitted under Section 14(b) of the Plan. Any attempted Transfer of the RSUs contrary to the provisions hereof, and the levy of any execution, attachment or similar process upon the RSUs, shall be null and void and without effect.

 

(b)          Lock-Up Agreement. Unless otherwise determined by the Board, RSUs and any shares of Common Stock acquired in respect of an RSU will be subject to the lock-up restrictions as set forth in Section 14(k) of the Plan and any additional restrictions as set forth on Exhibit B attached hereto.

 

(c)          Waiver. Any right of the Company contained in this Agreement may be waived in writing by the Committee. No waiver of any right hereunder by any party shall operate as a waiver of any other right, or as a waiver of the same right with respect to any subsequent occasion for its exercise, or as a waiver of any right to damages. No waiver by any party of any breach of this Agreement shall be held to constitute a waiver of any other breach or a waiver of the continuation of the same breach.

 

(d)          Section 409A. The RSUs are intended to be exempt from, or compliant with, Section 409A of the Code. Notwithstanding the foregoing or any provision of the Plan or this Agreement, if any provision of the Plan or this Agreement contravenes Section 409A of the Code or could cause the Participant to incur any tax, interest or penalties under Section 409A of the Code, the Committee may, in its sole discretion and without the Participant’s consent, modify such provision to (i) comply with, or avoid being subject to, Section 409A of the Code, or to avoid the incurrence of taxes, interest and penalties under Section 409A of the Code, and/or (ii) maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the original intent and economic benefit to the Participant of the applicable provision without materially increasing the cost to the Company or contravening the provisions of Section 409A of the Code. This Section 9(d) does not create an obligation on the part of the Company to modify the Plan or this Agreement and does not guarantee that the RSUs will not be subject to interest and penalties under Section 409A.

 

 

(e)          General Assets. All amounts credited in respect of the RSUs to the book-entry account under this Agreement shall continue for all purposes to be part of the general assets of the Company. The Participant’s interest in such account shall make the Participant only a general, unsecured creditor of the Company.

 

(f)          Notices. Any notices provided for in this Agreement or the Plan shall be in writing and shall be deemed sufficiently given if either hand delivered or if sent by fax, pdf/email or overnight courier, or by postage-paid first-class mail. Notices sent by mail shall be deemed received three business days after mailing but in no event later than the date of actual receipt. Notices shall be directed, if to the Participant, at the Participant’s address indicated by the Company’s records, or if to the Company, to the attention of the General Counsel and to the Head of Human Resources at the Company’s principal executive office.

 

(g)          Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement, and each other provision of this Agreement shall be severable and enforceable to the extent permitted by law.

 

(h)          No Rights to Employment or Service. Nothing contained in this Agreement shall be construed as giving the Participant any right to be retained, in any position, as a consultant or employee of the Company or any of its Affiliates or shall interfere with or restrict in any way the rights of the Company or any of its Affiliates, which are hereby expressly reserved, to remove, terminate or discharge the Participant at any time for any reason whatsoever.

 

(i)          Fractional Shares. In lieu of issuing a fraction of a share of Common Stock resulting from an adjustment of the RSUs pursuant to Section 12 of the Plan or otherwise, the Company shall be entitled to pay to the Participant an amount in cash equal to the Fair Market Value of such fractional share.

 

(j)          Beneficiary. The Participant may file with the Committee a written designation of a beneficiary on such form as may be prescribed by the Committee and may, from time to time, amend or revoke such designation.

 

(k)          Successors. The terms of this Agreement shall be binding upon and inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns, and of the Participant and the beneficiaries, executors, administrators, heirs and successors of the Participant.

 

(l)          Entire Agreement. This Agreement (including Exhibit A and Exhibit B attached hereto) and the Plan contain the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto with respect to the subject matter contained herein and supersede all prior communications, representations and negotiations in respect thereto, other than any other non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement or non-disclosure or other similar agreement to which the Participant may be a party, the covenants of which shall continue to apply to the Participant in addition to the covenants in Exhibit A hereto, in accordance with the terms of such agreement. No change, modification or waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be valid unless the same be in writing and signed by the parties hereto, except for any changes permitted without consent under Section 12 or 13 of the Plan.

 

 

(m)          Governing Law and Venue. This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

 

(i)          Dispute Resolution; Consent to Jurisdiction. All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with the Plan, this Agreement or the RSUs shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Agreement not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.

 

(ii)           Waiver of Jury Trial. Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Agreement or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

 

(n)          Headings. The headings of the Sections hereof are provided for convenience only and are not to serve as a basis for interpretation or construction, and shall not constitute a part, of this Agreement.

 

(o)          Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts (including via facsimile and electronic image scan (pdf)), each of which shall be deemed to be an original, but all of which together shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become effective when one or more counterparts have been signed by each of the parties and delivered to the other parties.

 

(p)          Electronic Signature and Delivery. This Agreement may be accepted by return signature or by electronic confirmation. By accepting this Agreement, the Participant consents to the electronic delivery of prospectuses, annual reports and other information required to be delivered by U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission rules (which consent may be revoked in writing by the Participant at any time upon three business days’ notice to the Company, in which case subsequent prospectuses, annual reports and other information will be delivered in hard copy to the Participant).

 

(q)          Electronic Participation in Plan. The Company may, in its sole discretion, decide to deliver any documents related to current or future participation in the Plan by electronic means. The Participant hereby consents to receive such documents by electronic delivery and agrees to participate in the Plan through an on-line or electronic system established and maintained by the Company or a third party designated by the Company.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Restricted Stock Unit Award Agreement has been executed by the Company and the Participant as of the day first written above.

 

	LATHAM GROUP, INC.
	By:
		Name:
		Title:
	[PARTICIPANT]

 

[Signature Page to [______________] RSU Award Agreement]

 

 

Exhibit A

 

1.

During the Participant’s employment with, or other engagement to provide services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and for a period of twenty-four (24) months thereafter (the “Restricted Period”), the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, for himself or herself or on behalf of or in conjunction with any other Person:

 

a.

solicit or attempt to solicit, recruit or attempt to recruit, hire or attempt to hire or in any way persuade any officer, director, employee, agent, or contract worker of the Latham Companies to end such Person’s relationship with any Latham Company; or

 

b.

solicit or attempt to solicit any business related to the business of the Latham Companies from any Person who is or was a customer or vendor of any Latham Company or an actively sought prospective customer or prospective vendor with whom the Participant had material business contact (through sales calls, presentations, or other business dealings) at any time during the five (5) year period preceding the termination of Participant’s employment.

 

2.

During the Restricted Period, the Participant shall not, either directly or indirectly, individually or through any other person, firm, corporation or other entity, whether as owner, partner, investor, operator, manager, officer, director, consultant, agent, employee, co-venturer, advisor, representative or otherwise, engage, participate, assist or invest or actively prepare to engage, participate, assist or invest in the pool industry, or any other industries in which the Company or any of its Affiliates have done business during the Participant’s employment with the Company or which the Company or any of its Affiliates were actively considering during such period. The restrictions set forth this Paragraph 2 shall apply to any conduct in North America and any other geographical area in which the Company or any of its Affiliates operate or provide services or are actively preparing to operate or provide services as of the date of Participant’s employment with the Company or any of its Affiliates.

 

3.

The Participant hereby agrees to hold in confidence all Confidential Information and Trade Secrets of the Latham Companies that came into the Participant’s knowledge during the period of time during which the Participant was employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and will not disclose, publish or make use of such Confidential Information or Trade Secrets without the prior written consent of the Company for as long as the information remains Confidential Information or a Trade Secret. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this paragraph will not prevent the Participant from making a disclosure that (a) is made in the ordinary course of the Participant’s duties with the Company or any of its Affiliates; (b) is made (i) in confidence to a Federal, State or local government official, either directly or indirectly, or to an attorney and (ii) solely for the purpose of reporting or investigating a suspected violation of law; or (c) is made in a complaint or other document filed in a lawsuit or other proceeding, if such filing is made under seal. Further, Confidential Information or Trade Secrets shall not include information (x) that otherwise becomes generally known in the industry or to the public through no act of the Participant or any Person or entity acting by or on the Participant’s behalf or (y) information that the Participant can demonstrate to have had rightfully in the Participant’s possession prior to the date on which the Participant first provided services to any Latham Company.

 

4.

During the period of time during which the Participant is employed by, or otherwise providing services to, the Company or any of its Affiliates and thereafter, the Participant shall not, directly or indirectly, take any action, or encourage others to take any action, to disparage or criticize any Latham Company or their respective Affiliates, employees, officers, directors, products, services, customers or owners.

 

 

5.	For purposes of this Exhibit A:

 

a.

“Confidential Information” shall be defined as any data or information (other than Trade Secrets) that is valuable to the Latham Companies (or, if owned by someone else, is valuable to that third party) and not generally known to the public or to competitors in the industry, including, but not limited to, any non-public information (regardless of whether in writing or retained as personal knowledge) pertaining to research and development; product costs, designs and processes; equityholder information; pricing, cost, or profit factors; quality programs; annual budget and long-range business plans; marketing plans and methods; contracts and bids; business ideas and methods, store concepts, inventions, innovations, developments, graphic designs, website designs, patterns, specifications, procedures, databases and personnel.

 

b.

The “Latham Companies” shall be defined as the Company and its direct and indirect subsidiaries and parent companies, and any Person in which the Company has a twenty percent or greater ownership interest, whether existing on the Date of Grant or thereafter acquired or formed.

 

c.

“Trade Secret” means trade secret as defined by applicable state law. In the absence of such a definition, Trade Secret means information including, but not limited to, any technical or nontechnical data, formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique, drawing, process, financial data, financial plan, product plan, list of actual or potential customers or suppliers or other information similar to any of the foregoing, which (a) derives economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can derive economic value from its disclosure or use and (b) is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy

 

6.

Prior to accepting any offer of employment during the Restricted Period, the Participant shall inform such employers of all covenants in this Exhibit A and, within two (2) business days of accepting an offer of employment with another employer, shall notify the Company of the name and address of the new employer and the title of the position accepted.

 

7.

The covenants in this Exhibit A are severable and separate, and the unenforceability of any specific covenant shall not affect the provisions of any other covenant. If any provision of this Exhibit A relating to the time period, scope, or geographic area of the restrictive covenants shall be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction or arbitrator to exceed the maximum time period, scope, or geographic area, as applicable, that such court or arbitrator deems reasonable and enforceable, then this Agreement shall automatically be considered to have been amended and revised to reflect such determination.

 

8.

All of the covenants in this Exhibit A shall be construed as an agreement independent of any other provisions in Exhibit A, and the existence of any claim or cause of action the Participant may have against any Latham Company, whether predicated on this Exhibit A or otherwise, shall not constitute a defense to the enforcement by any Latham Company of such covenants.

 

9.           This Exhibit A shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.

 

 

a.

All disputes between or among any Persons arising out of or in any way connected with this Exhibit A shall be solely and finally settled by the Committee, acting in good faith, the determination of which shall be final. Any matters not covered by the preceding sentence shall be solely and finally settled in accordance with the Plan, and the Participant and the Company consent to the personal jurisdiction of the United States federal and state courts sitting in Wilmington, Delaware, as the exclusive jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of or related to the enforcement of the Committee’s determinations and resolution of matters, if any, related to the Plan or this Exhibit A not required to be resolved by the Committee. Each such Person hereby irrevocably consents to the service of process of any of the aforementioned courts in any such suit, action or proceeding by the mailing of copies thereof by registered or certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last known address of such Person, such service to become effective ten (10) days after such mailing.

 

b.

Each party hereto hereby waives, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any right it may have to a trial by jury in any legal proceeding directly or indirectly arising out of or relating to this Exhibit A or the transactions contemplated (whether based on contract, tort or any other theory). Each party hereto (A) certifies that no representative, agent or attorney of any other party has represented, expressly or otherwise, that such other party would not, in the event of litigation, seek to enforce the foregoing waiver and (B) acknowledges that it and the other parties hereto have been induced to enter into this Agreement by, among other things, the mutual waivers and certifications in this section.

 

10.

The Participant has carefully read and considered the provisions of this Exhibit A and, having done so, agrees that the restrictive covenants in this Exhibit A impose a fair and reasonable restraint on the Participant and are reasonably required to protect the interests of the Latham Companies and their respective officers, directors, employees, and equityholders.

 

 

 

Exhibit B

 

Insert any additional lock up restrictions

 

 

Exhibit 10.18

 

PURCHASE AGREEMENT

 

PURCHASE AGREEMENT, dated _______________, 2021 (this “Agreement”), by and between ______________, as seller (the “Seller”), and Latham Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation, as purchaser (the “Purchaser”).

 

WHEREAS, the Purchaser is currently contemplating an underwritten initial public offering (the “Offering”) of the Purchaser’s common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Common Stock”); and

 

WHEREAS, in connection with the consummation of the Offering, the Seller wishes to sell to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser wishes to purchase from the Seller, some or all of the Seller Shares (as defined herein);

 

NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements set forth herein and for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and adequacy of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

 

ARTICLE 1

 

DEFINITIONS

 

1.1            Definitions. As used in this Agreement, and unless the context requires a different meaning, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

 

“Additional Closing” means any additional closing of the sale of Common Stock in the Offering pursuant to the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock.

 

“Closing” means each closing of the purchase of Seller Shares.

 

“Commission” means the Securities and Exchange Commission or any similar agency then having jurisdiction to enforce the Securities Act.

 

“Discounted Price” means (i) the Offering Price less (ii) the Per Share Underwriting Discount.

 

“Governmental Authority” means the government of any nation, state, city, locality or other political subdivision of any thereof, any entity exercising executive, legislative, judicial, regulatory or administrative functions of or pertaining to government.

 

“Initial Closing” means the initial closing of the sale of Common Stock in the Offering (which may include the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional shares of Common Stock in whole or in part).

 

“IPO Closing” means the Initial Closing or any Additional Closing.

 

 

“IPO Prospectus” means the final prospectus for the Offering which includes all pricing information.

 

“Latham LLP Agreement” means the limited partnership agreement, dated as of December 18, 2018, as amended, of Latham Investment Holdings, L.P.

 

“Lien” means any mortgage, deed of trust, pledge, hypothecation, assignment, encumbrance, lien (statutory or other), equities, claims or other security interest of any kind or nature whatsoever.

 

“Merger” means the merger of Latham Investment Holdings, L.P. with and into the Company, with the Company surviving the merger as provided or in accordance with the merger agreement to be entered into by Latham Investment Holdings, L.P. and the Company.

 

“Offering Price” means the per share public offering price for the Common Stock in the Offering.

 

“Other Purchase Agreements” means the purchase agreements with other holders of interests in Latham Investment Holdings, L.P. whereby such holders have agreed to sell shares of Common Stock to the Company in connection with the Offering.

 

“Per Share Underwriting Discount” means the underwriting discount and commissions per share paid to the underwriters in the Offering.

 

“Person” means any individual, firm, corporation, partnership, limited liability company, trust, incorporated or unincorporated association, joint venture, joint stock company, Governmental Authority or other entity of any kind.

 

“Purchased Shares” means, with respect to each Closing, a number of Seller Shares to be sold by the Seller, which will equal (i)(a) the total number of Seller Shares divided by (b) the total number of shares of Common Stock that the Purchaser has agreed to purchase from holders of interests in Latham Investment Holdings, L.P. in this Agreement and the Other Purchase Agreements, multiplied by (ii) the total number of shares of the Common Stock to be sold by the Purchaser in the related IPO Closing whose net proceeds will be used to acquire shares of Common Stock under this Agreement and the Other Purchase Agreements as so described in the IPO Prospectus (rounded up or down to the nearest whole number at the discretion of the Purchaser); provided, that if the number of Purchased Shares resulting from the foregoing formula would cause the number of cumulative Purchased Shares to exceed the total number of Seller Shares, then the Purchased Shares for such Closing shall equal the remaining number of Seller Shares.

 

 

“Seller Shares” means a number of shares of Common Stock to be acquired by the Seller in connection with the Merger equal to the lesser of (i) the number of shares of Common Stock issuable in respect of the percentage of the Class A Units and the percentage of vested Class B Units (each as defined in the Latham LLP Agreement) held by the Seller set forth on the signature page hereto¹ (the “Maximum Share Number”) and (ii) such lesser number of shares of Common Stock as elected by the Purchaser in its sole discretion [; provided that if the Purchaser elects to acquire less than the Maximum Share Number of Common Stock from the Seller, then it agrees to cut back the number of shares of Common Stock to be acquired in the Other Purchase Agreements on a pro rata basis (based on the maximum number of shares of Common Stock offered to be sold in this Agreement and the Other Purchase Agreements).]

 

“Securities Act” means the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

“UCC” means the New York Uniform Commercial Code as in effect in the State of New York from time to time.

 

ARTICLE 2

 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF COMMON STOCK

 

2.1          Purchase and Sale. Subject to the terms herein set forth, at each Closing, the Seller agrees to sell, convey, assign and transfer to the Purchaser, and the Purchaser agrees to purchase, such Purchased Shares with respect to such Closing from the Seller for a purchase price per share equal to the Discounted Price. In no event shall the total number of shares sold by the Seller pursuant to this Agreement exceed the total number of Seller Shares. Prior to the Initial Closing, the Purchaser shall notify the Seller of the total number of Seller Shares.

 

2.2          Closing.

 

(a)            Each Closing shall occur at the offices of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP, 1285 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York, 10019 immediately following the related IPO Closing.

 

(b)            At each Closing, (i) the Purchaser shall deliver to the Seller the Discounted Price for each Purchased Share, being purchased by the Purchaser from the Seller as set forth in Section 2.1, by wire transfer of immediately available funds to a bank account designated on the signature page of this Agreement² and (ii) the Seller shall deliver to the Purchaser such stock transfer instruments and other documents with respect to the Purchased Shares being sold at such Closing as reasonably requested by the Purchaser (which may include a medallion guarantee). The Purchaser shall notify the Seller of the amount of Purchased Shares to be purchased in such Closing.

 

¹ Note to Seller: Please revise signature page if desired percentage is less than 100%.

² Note to Seller: Please update signature page to include wire instructions for the account you would like to receive the purchase price.

 

 

2.3          Conditions to Closing.

 

(a)            The obligations of the Purchaser and the Seller to be performed at any Closing shall be conditioned upon the simultaneous or prior completion of the applicable IPO Closing.

 

(b)            The obligations of the Purchaser to be performed at any Closing shall be subject to the condition that the representations and warranties set forth in Article 3 shall be true and correct as of such Closing as if then made.

 

(c)            The obligations of the Seller to be performed at any Closing shall be subject to the condition that the representations and warranties of Purchaser set forth in Article 4 shall be true and correct as of such Closing as if then made.

 

ARTICLE 3

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE SELLER

 

The Seller represents, warrants, and agrees as of the date hereof as follows:

 

3.1          Capacity; Authority; Execution and Delivery; Enforceability. The Seller has duly executed and delivered this Agreement, and, assuming due execution and delivery by the Purchaser, this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Seller, enforceable against the Seller in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance or transfer, moratorium or other laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

 

3.2          Title. The Seller owns, and will own until delivered to the Purchaser, beneficially and of record and has full power and authority to convey, free and clear of any Liens, the Purchased Shares (subject to any transfer restrictions of general applicability as may be provided under the Securities Act and the “blue sky” laws of the various states of the United States). Assuming the Purchaser has the requisite power and authority to be the lawful owner of the Purchased Shares, upon the Seller’s receipt of the applicable purchase price and the transfer of the Purchased Shares at any Closing, as applicable, good, valid and marketable title to the Purchased Shares, will pass to the Purchaser, free and clear of any Liens.

 

3.3          No Conflicts. Neither the execution nor the delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) result in any breach of or constitute a default under any term of any material agreement, mortgage, indenture, license, permit, lease, or other instrument, or (ii) conflict with or result in a violation of any judgment, decree, order, law, or regulation by which the Seller is bound.

 

3.4          Consents. All consents, approvals, authorizations and orders necessary for the execution and delivery by the Seller of this Agreement and for the sale and delivery of the Purchased Shares to be sold by the Seller hereunder, have been obtained, except as would not impair in any material respect the consummation of the Seller’s obligations hereunder.

 

 

3.5            Financial Knowledge. The Seller (either alone or together with its advisors) has such knowledge and experience in financial or business matters that it is capable of evaluating the merits and risks of the transactions contemplated hereunder. The Seller is an informed and sophisticated party and has engaged, to the extent the Seller deems appropriate, expert advisors experienced in the evaluation of transactions of the type contemplated hereby. The Seller acknowledges that the Seller has not relied upon any express or implied representations or warranties of any nature made by or on behalf of the Purchaser, any of Purchaser’s affiliates, or any of Purchaser’s or its affiliates’ directors, officers, employees or representatives, whether or not any such representations, warranties or statements were made in writing or orally, except as expressly set forth for the benefit of the Seller in this Agreement. The Seller has sought such accounting, legal and tax advice as it has considered necessary to make an informed investment decision with respect to the sale of the Seller Shares.

 

ARTICLE 4

 

REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES OF THE PURCHASER

 

The Purchaser makes the following representations and warranties for the benefit of the Seller as of the date hereof:

 

4.1            Organization, Standing and Power. The Purchaser is duly incorporated, validly existing and in good standing under the laws of the state of Delaware.

 

4.2            Authority; Execution and Delivery; Enforceability. The Purchaser has the full power and authority to execute, deliver and perform this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The execution and delivery by the Purchaser of this Agreement and the consummation by the Purchaser of the transactions contemplated hereby have been duly authorized by all necessary action on the part of the Purchaser and no other proceedings on the part of the Purchaser are necessary to approve this Agreement and to consummate the transactions contemplated hereby. The Purchaser has duly executed and delivered this Agreement, and, assuming due execution and delivery by the Seller, this Agreement constitutes the legal, valid and binding obligation of the Purchaser, enforceable against the Purchaser in accordance with its terms, except as enforceability may be limited by applicable bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, fraudulent conveyance or transfer, moratorium or other laws affecting the enforcement of creditors’ rights generally or by equitable principles relating to enforceability.

 

4.3            No Conflicts. Neither the execution nor the delivery of this Agreement nor the consummation of the transactions contemplated hereby will (i) result in any breach of or constitute a default under any term of any material agreement, mortgage, indenture, license, permit, lease, or other instrument or (ii) conflict with or result in a violation of any judgment, decree, order, law or regulation by which the Purchaser is bound.

 

 

ARTICLE 5

 

MISCELLANEOUS

 

5.1           Notices. All notices or other communication required or permitted hereunder shall be in writing and shall be delivered personally, or sent by certified, registered or express mail, postage prepaid. Any such notice shall be deemed given when so delivered personally, or sent by certified, registered or express mail, as follows:

 

(a)            If to the Seller, at the address specified for the Seller on the stockholder schedule of the Purchaser or to such other address as the Seller may hereafter specify to the Purchaser for the purpose by notice:

 

(b)           If to the Purchaser, to:

 

Latham Group, Inc.

787 Watervliet Shaker Road

Latham, New York 12110

Attention: General Counsel

E-mail:

 

With a copy to (which shall not constitute actual or constructive notice):

 

Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP
1285 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019-6064
Telephone: (212) 373-3000
Facsimile: (212) 757-3990
Attention: Angelo Bonvino, Esq.

    John C. Kennedy, Esq.

 

Any party may by notice given in accordance with this Section 5.1 designate another address or person for receipt of notices hereunder.

 

5.2           Successors and Assigns. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the successors and permitted assigns of the parties hereto. No Person other than the parties hereto and their successors and permitted assigns is intended to be a beneficiary of this Agreement. No party hereto may assign its rights under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the other party hereto.

 

 

5.3           Amendment and Waiver.

 

(a)           No failure or delay on the part of the Seller or the Purchaser in exercising any right, power or remedy hereunder shall operate as a waiver thereof, nor shall any single or partial exercise of any such right, power or remedy preclude any other or further exercise thereof or the exercise of any other right, power or remedy. The remedies provided for herein are cumulative and are not exclusive of any remedies that may be available to the Seller or the Purchaser at law, in equity or otherwise.

 

(b)           Any amendment, supplement or modification of or to any provision of this Agreement and any waiver of any provision of this Agreement shall be effective only if it is made or given in writing and signed by the Seller and the Purchaser.

 

5.4           Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts and in separate counterparts, all of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which when taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement. Facsimile signatures or signatures received as a .pdf attachment to electronic mail shall be treated as original signatures for all purposes of this Agreement. This Agreement shall become effective when, and only when, each party hereto shall have received a counterpart signed by all of the other parties hereto.

 

5.5           Headings. The headings in this Agreement are for convenience of reference only and shall not limit or otherwise affect the meaning hereof.

 

5.6           Governing Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without regard to the conflicts of law rules of such State that would result in the application of the laws of any other State.

 

5.7           Jurisdiction; Waiver of Jury Trial. In any judicial proceeding involving any dispute, controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, each of the parties unconditionally accepts the jurisdiction and venue of the United States federal and New York state courts in the Borough of Manhattan in The City of New York.  In any such judicial proceeding, the parties agree that in addition to any method for the service of process permitted or required by such courts, to the fullest extent permitted by Law, service of process may be made by delivery provided pursuant to the directions in Section 5.1.  EACH OF THE PARTIES HEREBY WAIVES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY JUDICIAL PROCEEDING INVOLVING ANY DISPUTE, CONTROVERSY OR CLAIM ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS AGREEMENT.

 

5.8           Severability. If any one or more of the provisions contained herein, or the application thereof in any circumstance, is held invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any respect for any reason, the validity, legality and enforceability of any such provision in every other respect and of the remaining provisions hereof shall not be in any way impaired, unless the provisions held invalid, illegal or unenforceable shall substantially impair the benefits of the remaining provisions hereof.

 

 

5.9           Entire Agreement. This Agreement, together with the schedules and exhibits hereto, are intended by the parties as a final expression of their agreement and are intended to be a complete and exclusive statement of the agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter contained herein and therein. There are no restrictions, promises, warranties or undertakings, other than those set forth or referred to herein or therein. This Agreement supersedes all prior agreements and understandings between the parties with respect to such subject matter.

 

5.10         Further Assurances. Each of the parties shall execute such documents and perform such further acts (including, without limitation, obtaining any consents, exemptions, authorizations, or other actions by, or giving any notices to, or making any filings with, any Governmental Authority or any other Person) as may be reasonably required or desirable to carry out or to perform the provisions of this Agreement.

 

5.11         Tax. The Purchaser shall be entitled to deduct and withhold from the consideration otherwise payable pursuant to this Agreement such amounts as the Purchaser is required to deduct and withhold with respect to the making of such payment under any provision of U.S. federal state, local or non-U.S. tax law. To the extent that such amounts are so withheld by the Purchaser, such withheld and deducted amounts will be treated for all purposes of this Agreement as having been paid to the Seller by the Purchaser.

 

[Remainder of page intentionally left blank]

 

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be executed and delivered as of the date first written above.

 

	LATHAM GROUP, INC.
	By:
		Name:	Jason Duva
		Title:	General Counsel

 

 

[Signature Page to Purchase Agreement]

 

 

	SELLER:

	By:
	Name:

 

	Seller Share Percentages:
	____% of Seller’s Class A Units
	____% of Seller’s vested Class B Units
	Wire Transfer Instructions:
	[Seller to insert.]

 

[Signature Page to Purchase Agreement]

 

Exhibit 16.1

 

 

518 Township Line Road

Suite 300 Blue Bell, PA 19422

 

O +1 215 641 8600

F +1 215 641 8680

 

www.rsmus.com

 

March 10, 2021

 

Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549

 

Commissioners:

 

We have read Latham Group, Inc.'s (formerly, Latham Topco, Inc.) statements included under Item 4.01(a) of its Confidential Form S-1 filed on March 10, 2021 and we agree with such statements concerning our firm.

 

We are aware of no reportable events or disagreement with the former client.

 

/s/ RSM US LLP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 21.1

 

Subsidiaries of the Registrant  

 

		Entity		Jurisdiction of Organization
1.		Latham Intermediate Holdings, LLC		Delaware
2.		Latham US, LLC		Delaware
3.		Latham Purchaser Holdings, LLC		Delaware
4.		Latham Purchaser Parent, Inc.		Delaware
5.		Latham Purchaser, Inc.		Delaware
6.		LPP Holdings Inc.		Delaware
7.		Latham International Holdings, Inc.		Delaware
8.		Latham International Manufacturing Corp.		Delaware
9.		Latham Pool Products, Inc.		Delaware
10.		Pool Cover Specialists, LLC		Utah
11.		Pacific Pools Europe S.à r.l.		France
12.		LPP US, LLC		Delaware
13.		Latham Pool Products ULC/Produits de Piscine Latham ULC		Canada
14.		Narellan Group Pty Ltd		New South Wales
15.		Narellan Pools Pty Ltd		New South Wales
16.		Narellan Franchise Pty Ltd		New South Wales
17.		Narellan Pools International Pty Ltd		New South Wales
18.		Narellan Innovations Unit Trust		New South Wales
19.		Narellan Innovations Pty Ltd		New South Wales
20.		Narellan Pools (NZ) Pty Ltd		New Zealand
21.		Narellan Pools (Canada) Ltd		Canada
22.		GL International, LLC		Delaware